HANG GLIDING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2009

1. Age: 46
   

Marital Status:

1. Married with 1 child to Kathleen Rigg, Women’s World Hang Gliding Championship bronze medallist 2008. The only woman to be selected to represent UK in the open (men’s) team (Euros 2000).
   

Lives: Tideswell, Buxton, Derbyshire.
Occupation: Mechanical Design Engineer
Started Flying: 1984
Started competing: 1990
Club: Derbyshire

Previous team selections:

1. Worlds-1995, 1999, 2001, 2003   
   Euro's-1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006
   

Achievements:

1. Best world ranking No2 (WRPS), currently 18th.
   World championship 5th in 1999 Team silver, 10th 2001.
   Euro's-2002, 5th individual, Team Bronze. 2006 team bronze.
   British National Champion 8 times, 2nd last year.
   Records:
   

2. Held the record for the longest flight in the UK from 1989 until 1999 at 245km. Nick Pain currently holds the record at 255km and I have flown the 2nd, 3rd and 4th best distances trying to reclaim it!
   

Glider: Moyes Litespeed S4
Sponsors : Moyes ,Kathleen Rigg

Favourite flying Sites:

1. Laragne, St. Andre, where the world’s championship is this time!
   

2. Loves: Flying at Laragne.
   Hates: Dishonest Politicians
   

Ambition: To be part of a gold medal winning team.

Other info:
I missed the worlds in 1998 in Australia when I broke my back flying my glider into the ground showing off. I am now 20mm shorter.
In 2002 I flew into a dust devil very low in Australia and my glider turned over, my harness broke and my parachute saved me (from less than 400 ft). On borrowed equipment I re-launched half an hour later and made it to goal - and came 3rd in the competition.