Compete in the Paragliding Championship while enjoying the beauty of Lombok

PRAYA, KOMPAS — The Indonesian Aero Sport Paragliding Federation is holding the International Paragliding Accuracy Championship or IPAC 1st series 2024 at Sky Lancing Lombok, Mekarsari Village , West Praya District, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on 10-14 May 2024. Not only is this a competition for paragliding pilots, this event is also used as a tourism promotion.

The Chairman of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Aero Sports Federation (PB FASI), Air Marshal Andi Wijaya, stated on Saturday (11/5/2024) that this international hang gliding accuracy championship was held through the cooperation of FASI, the Indonesian Air Force, and FASIDA NTB. The government of West Nusa Tenggara Province, the government of Central Lombok Regency, and the managers of Sky Lancing Lombok Paragliding were also involved.

“This event serves as a means of improving the quality of athletes so that they can make positive contributions, both nationally and internationally. This way, Indonesia’s name can be made known on the world stage. I urge that this event becomes an opportunity for athletes to enhance their abilities while upholding sportsmanship and maintaining the dignity of paragliding in Indonesia,” said Andi.

Andi added that FASI chose Lombok for the international-scale paragliding championship because Lombok is exotic. He hopes that this event can contribute to the development of tourism in the area.

See also: International Paragliding Accuracy Championship in Lombok

“And it also contributes to the economic growth, increases young people’s interest in sports, and provides entertainment for the community in NTB,” said Andi, who then kicked off the event by firing a starter gun.

Representative for Achievement Development Committee FASI Paragliding Annisa Rizki Fitria added, IPAC is a product of FASI Paragliding for accuracy or precision landing championships.

“This event, which is in category 2 of the International Aerosport Federation, is open to local and international pilots at intermediate level and above. So, indeed, the aim of FASI Paragliding is to create an international concept to improve performance, especially for local pilot friends in Indonesia. “Also their rankings, both national rankings and international rankings,” said Annisa.

Annisa added that the Sky Lancing Lombok series is the first of five IPAC 2024 series for accuracy. After Lombok, there will be a second series in Banyuwangi in East Java, a third series in Kotabaru (South Kalimantan), a fourth series in Batu (East Java), and the final series in Sulawesi.

In the Sky Lancing Lombok series, according to Annisa, there will be 48 participants competing. Out of all the participants, two come from Romania and Malaysia, while the rest come from various regions in the country, such as Aceh, Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, NTB, and Papua.

The beauty of Lombok

Annisa added that Sky Lancing was chosen because it has previously hosted the world championship. In addition, the location for accuracy is also ideal.

“From the take-off and landing point, the rotation time is not long. “So we can get a lot of rounds, because for accuracy we can complete 12 rounds,” said Annisa.

In this competition, participants who take off from the Sky Lancing Lombok area must land in the coastal area of Lancing. According to Annisa, the winner is determined based on the accuracy of landing in the designated area.

Annisa added that the assessment is how close the pilot lands to the target. The closer it is, the smaller the value and it wins.

Annisa stated that the reason for choosing Sky Lancing is not separated from the beauty of its location. Added with maximum support from the local government and Fasida, including the management of Sky Lancing Lombok, she is confident that it will become the main attraction for participants.

In the Sky Lancing Lombok aero sports area, which is 18 kilometers west of Mandalika, participants will be presented with a landscape of white sandy coastal areas and open seas connecting the ocean. On the left and right sides there are stretches of green hills which complete the participant’s experience.

Sergeant Second Class Raju Andika (25), a representative of the Indonesian Air Force from Jakarta, stated that in addition to achievements, the beauty of Lombok is one of the reasons why he took part in the event. “Lombok is an attractive place. So, besides seeking achievements, we can also enjoy our time here,” said Raju.

Raju is enthusiastic to be able to come to Lombok. Moreover, he has not participated in an international championship for quite some time. The last time he participated was in 2018.

“Here is quite challenging, especially during landing. The wind is quite strong and unpredictable. However, it will make the competition more exciting,” said Raju.

Also read: Vacation to Lombok, Don’t Just Go to Mandalika

Adrian Dumitru (55), a participant from Romania, was happy to be able to participate and meet many participants from various regions in Indonesia. Adrian visited Lombok for the first time and was fascinated by its beauty.

“I have read a lot about this island, but haven’t had the chance to visit until now. So, when I found out about the paragliding championship, I didn’t hesitate,” Adrian said.

According to Adrian, Lombok is a very beautiful island. He can see mountains and the sea at the same time. Besides that, he said that the people are pleasant and the food is delicious.

Mahamod Jantan (55) from Malaysia has long wanted to visit Lombok after only coming to Jakarta or Bali while in Indonesia. When there was an opportunity to attend a prestigious event, he took advantage of it to enjoy the beautiful beaches and the hospitality of the people by going on a trip.

According to Kompas, the participants, including visitors, really enjoyed the Lancing area. Apart from enjoying the ongoing competition, they also captured the beauty of the Lancing landscape with their smartphones. In between breaks during the day, they use it to go to coastal areas in the area, such as Mawun and Selong Belanak.

Acting Secretary of the NTB Regional Secretariat, Ibnu Salim, adds that they strongly support the IPAC event at Sky Lancing Lombok. This is not only to encourage the growth of paragliding athletes, including those from NTB, but also to support tourism development in the region.

Haryono Ramadhan (44) from the marketing department of Sky Lancing Lombok Paragliding added that since it opened at the end of 2022, interest in aerosport activities has been quite high. Moreover, Lancing is the location for the 2023 Paragliding Accuracy World Cup, which will be attended by 85 participants from 29 countries.

Currently, foreign tourists who visit the destination are mostly from Europe, China, and Malaysia. Meanwhile, domestic tourists mostly come from Jakarta and Surabaya. “There are also quite a few local tourists who are interested and trying it out,” said Ramadhan.