Himachal to host first para-gliding World Cup in India

Shimla: After hosting the para-gliding pre-World Cup successfully last year, Himachal Pradesh is now gearing up to host the 2015 para-gliding World Cup.

The tournament will be organised under the aegis of Para-gliding World Cup Association, France. Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma, who is also Chairman of the Billing Paragliding Association, disclosed here today that this was for the first time that a world cup is being organised in the country. The World Cup will be held from October 24 in Kangra district in which around 150 top ranked pilots of the world would participate besides 500 free flying pilots. He said that the state had been given an opportunity to organise this event by the Paragliding World Cup Association keeping in view the successful organisation of the pre-world cup last year. Sharma said that different kinds of activities would be organised to add attraction to the competition, which included acrow show in air and hot ballooning etc. He said that live trekking system facility would be introduced during the event to ensure safety of the pilots and it would also help in rescue operations in case of any emergency.