Paragliding World Cup

The Paragliding World Cup, often shortened to PWC, is a cross country flying competition for paraglider pilots. It is organised by the Paragliding World Cup Association, a non-profit body based in Marlens, France, whose members are the competitors themselves. The circuit was established in 1992 and each year the tour visits five or six locations around the world. At every event the pilots fly several tasks, each one a course with a start, usually four to six turn points and a finish line. The fastest pilot round the course wins, or the pilot who flew furthest if nobody completes it, and pilots carry GPS receivers whose recorded tracks are used afterwards to check that the course was followed and to work out timings. Since 2009 a year-end event called the PWC Superfinal has brought together the best pilots of the season to decide the overall winner of the year; before 2009 the overall winner was found by adding together the results of all the world cup events of that year.