Text & photo: Pierre Rondel
Introduction
The F3F World Championship was originally scheduled to take place in France in 2020, but the COVID crisis changed those plans, leading to a first postponement in 2021 and then another to 2024, as the 2022 championship had already been allocated to Denmark. But 2024 turned out to be the right year, and I'd like to invite you to experience it from the inside, as I had the honor of being part of the team representing France at this championship. Our destination: the southwest of France, specifically the Limouxin region, for a highly successful championship, featuring 55 pilots from 19 nations, with Australia and Japan being the farthest!
A pre-competition followed by the opening ceremony
A Complicated Start to the Championship
Monday, Day 1, we arrived at the Escueillens slope with the wind already blowing hard. Unfortunately, the slope was still shrouded in fog, with an extremely low cloud ceiling that only gradually lifted, allowing the first round of the championship to start around 2:00 p.m. The wind then slowly weakened throughout the afternoon, and with each round lasting about 1 hour and 40 minutes, only two rounds could be completed. The second round took place in highly variable conditions from one flight to the next.
Tuesday, Day 2 started poorly with a wait of several hours in the village of Saint Ferriol before we could reach the flight site, as the access path to the slope was waterlogged and slippery after the heavy rains overnight. Once we arrived at the slope, the wind was very light. Flights resumed, but after just over 20 pilots had flown, the wind dropped below the minimum level, and the round was interrupted. Thirty minutes later, with no further timed flights possible, the round switched to group scoring (three groups of 18 or 19 pilots, with a round winner in each group), but only Group 1 was able to fly. The other two groups still need to fly, but that will have to wait, as the wind refused to pick up again.
So, we’ll continue tomorrow with good hopes for better conditions. As for the rankings, it’s obviously too early to discuss, with so few rounds completed and given the variability in flight conditions.
The Autan wind is picking up!
Day 3 brings a new slope as we’re in Laurac this time, due to an overnight shift in the wind. It’s a big day for the team with a strong Autan wind blowing. The typical crosswind conditions on this slope, however, have remained highly variable from one flight to the next, making flight anticipation and strategy quite challenging. We managed to complete the third round, which had begun the day before (with the two remaining groups), as well as four new rounds. Many pilots successfully adjusted their left turns to counter the crosswind and maintain their speed, though the gaps between pilots remain significant when the lack of lift combines with the crosswind, which happens in cycles.
We’re now up to seven rounds completed. The scores remain tight, and nothing is decided yet, even as the title contenders begin to appear at the top of the leaderboard. It's clear, though, that tomorrow's weather, which promises to be favorable, will undoubtedly be crucial in shaping the final ranking. The day ended with a buffet for the "Nations’ Evening," gathering organizers and teams for a warm and friendly exchange.
A decisive day...
A new shift in the wind during the night and a return to the St Ferriol slope for a long day of flying, particularly intense and full of twists and turns. The flights began at exactly 9:00 AM and ended at 7:30 PM, at dusk, without any interruptions.
From the morning, the wind was particularly strong, with gusts of 13 to 14 m/s and peaks up to 20 m/s. In these conditions, landing became very tricky, as it was located behind the cliff and thus exposed to powerful rotors. Six rounds with 55 pilots, totaling 330 flights (not counting re-flights), were completed, which is a great achievement for the organization.
Despite this hectic day and a counter now showing 13 rounds, things are beginning to clear up with an individual ranking taking shape: Lukas Gaubatz (Austria) in the lead, Sébastien Lanes (France) in second place, and a surprising William Jul Ringkjøb (Norway) in third. In the team standings, the Austrian team solidifies its first place, while the French team has managed to climb to second, closely followed by the Norwegians. Everything is still possible on the final day, which will be Saturday, as Friday is declared "OFF" due to a lack of wind, giving most participants—both pilots and organizers—a chance to rest and do some sightseeing.
A thrilling finish!
Another wind shift (one per day since the start of the championship, which is quite rare), and here we are again in Escueillens for the final day of the championship. Flights resume at 9:00 AM with the organizer’s firm intention to carry out 4 more rounds and reach a total of 17 rounds. The conditions are generally more consistent, but there is still some variability, especially in a round lasting 1h30 to 1h40. Flights are stacking up, with the best times below 40 seconds, but the average is around 45 seconds. Curiously, there are many instances of exceeding the safety line on this last day, leading to penalties, and even one or more flights scoring -100 points, meaning landing during the "run" behind the safety line! Yet, strangely, neither the slope nor the conditions seem to truly justify this.
While at the top of the individual standings, the podium takes shape and the gaps seem to stabilize, it’s a different story for the rest of the top 10 and for the second and third spots in the team standings. Indeed, the French team is neck and neck with the Norwegians, who are very consistent, stringing together great flights and are certainly not safe from being overtaken. Especially since in the final round, the Norwegians post two excellent times for the first two pilots. Everything will come down to the last pilot's flight for each team, and it ultimately turns in favor of France, who clinches the silver medal in the team category. The championship is coming to an end, the pressure finally lifts, and joy and satisfaction fill the air for the pilots and teams on the podium!
Pilots and Teams...
Taking a quick overview of the different teams and pilots, we can say that the Austrians were very strong throughout the championship, just as in previous championships; they were expected to perform well and have justifiably secured their place. Lukas Gaubatz, with his unique style and highly vertical trajectories, maintained incredible precision in his maneuvers, though some felt he held back a bit. Sébastien Lanes lacked a bit of luck in catching up to Lukas, but still had an excellent championship, finishing in second place. On the third spot on the podium, Inãki Elizondo achieved an impressive result, especially considering he switched gliders from the Pitbull3 to the Mamba since last season, completely adjusting his piloting style to a more fluid approach. Kudos to him!
The French team reaffirmed its position in the top 3 nations, a spot it has achieved at every world championship since 2012. This year, the Norwegians presented a particularly cohesive and sharp team that performed well and demonstrated a good team spirit under the direction of Espen Torp. The Polish, Czech, and German teams remain solid, with excellent pilots. Worth noting is the Spanish team, which dropped from 6th to 14th place over the last four rounds simply because their third pilot, who was also the team manager, abandoned his team entirely and did not show up on the final day of the championship, despite the other two pilots performing well and one of them even reaching the individual podium. Japan, participating for the first time, clearly came to learn and gain experience. They received coaching and support from other nations, especially from Spain and France, and are returning home highly motivated.
A quick look at the glider park...
First, let's talk about the gliders of the world champion. Lukas used two gliders that were both different and very similar in design: one, the Valkyrie, was the result of a private project, while the other, the recently released VRace, was largely inspired by the first. The issue is that, with similar decorations and some shared elements, it’s impossible to know which one Lukas actually used.
Elsewhere in the glider park, Freestylers are over-represented—both the FS5 and FS6 models, which are hard to distinguish as they are geometrically identical. They remain a reliable choice, and the pilots know it well: 7 out of the top 10 pilots use them as either their main glider or as a backup.
There’s still room, however, for other gliders to shine and showcase their potential. I’m thinking of the Mamba series (S and GT), used by a Spaniard, a Norwegian, and Philippe Lanes, as well as its Austrian designer, Stefan Fraundorfer.
A beautiful closing ceremony…
The closing ceremony took place in the splendid setting of the Benedictine abbey of Alet-les-Bains. The mayor delivered her speech in English, no less (!), thanking the competitors for coming and expressing her pride in welcoming them to her town. The occasion also saw Andreas being named an honorary citizen of Limoux and receiving a medal from the president of the Limoux community council for his efforts in organizing this event, helping to raise Limoux's profile beyond our borders!
Then came the awards ceremony: Austrian Lukas Gaubatz, who had been chasing the title since 2012, was crowned world champion, closely followed by Frenchman Sébastien Lanes with the silver medal, and Spaniard Iñaki Elizondo with the bronze. Austria also took the team title, with France winning silver and Norway the bronze. On the podium, the three medal-winning pilots each received a magnum of Limoux’s sparkling wine, and, as in Formula 1, the three jubilantly sprayed one another with Limoux’s “bubbles,” elevating the festive mood of the medal ceremony.
Full result can be found here: https://f3xvault.com/?action=event&function=event_view&event_id=3230
The celebration continued with a banquet in a warm, lively atmosphere, featuring the traditional exchange of caps, t-shirts, jackets, stickers, pins, and other goodies among the pilots—a great way to bring home souvenirs and strengthen bonds between nations.
An outstanding organization that knows how to host!
Andreas Fricke, backed by a dedicated team of volunteers and enthusiasts, delivered a fantastic world championship. Up at dawn to set up the slope and prepare the course, and to bed late after dismantling all the logistics and handling everything in between. The fully automated timing system, developed by Sylvain Daviet and Joël Marin since 2020, worked seamlessly all week – a well-deserved reward for a monumental effort involving countless adjustments, fixes, and improvements.
And imagine this: every morning, participants were served fresh croissants and hot coffee right on the slope. That level of care is rare and deserves special mention.
On Wednesday evening, a "Nations Night" brought together all the participants for a reception at the Hostellerie de l'Évêché in Alet-les-Bains, with a program full of interaction and conviviality. The closing ceremony was held in an exceptional location, the Benedictine Abbey of Notre Dame d'Alet. Finally, this F3F world championship provided an opportunity for accompanying guests to discover our country. The itinerary included visits to the city of Carcassonne, the Sieur d'Arques wine cellars, and the Airbus factory on the Sunday following the championship.
See you in two years!
With 17 rounds completed despite slightly capricious weather, it's time to close the book on this memorable home championship. And now, the question on everyone's mind… where will the next World Championship be held? Well, rumor has it that Spain is about to submit a bid to host the World Championship in Cantabria, on the northern coast of Spain, located between the Basque Country and Asturias. It’s a beautiful region full of stunning cliffs and seaside slopes. Yes, this is also the charm of the F3F category: flying in exceptional sites with breathtaking landscapes! See you soon on the slopes!
Photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MeqCip9yMaPLkp7i7