All roads lead to Hedley in May 2006

The Upper Similkameen Indian Band wishes to invite the world paragliding community to the Hedley Open, and Mountain Festival May3rd-10th,2006 . Tasks will be GAP scored and all include the usual fun GPS tasks such as race to goal via turnpoints over Hedley's excellent terrain. This will be a Canadian , Class 2, B event valid for international points. This is a new and exciting Canadian venue with " huge air " potential.

Besides paragliding there will be many attractions,mountain films,Salmon BBQ's, and multi-sport festivities. For more information, see www.explorex.net . The flying venues include soaring above the spectacular Mascot Gold Mine, see www.mascotmine.com and amazing new, often unexplored, cross country potential. To register for the competitive part of the event please go to events under www.dowsett.ca . The price is $100 and includes free camping. A purse and a variety of prizes, cash and other, will be made available to the top ranking participants. Stay tuned to listed websites for further developments. We welcome any questions from potential sponsors, media and any interested parties. Registration is open until the first day of the event. Contact ; petercperu@yahoo.ca and info@mascotmine.com For more information scroll through pages 1,2,3,etc. at bottom of www.explorex.net home page for Hedley related stories.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Race will go on according to the FAI regulations. The competitors need a license for paragliding pilots and international FAI card, they also need a insurance (covering the civil liability in competition as well as help, the rescue in the mountains and repatriation). Wearing a helmet, a VHF radio, GPS and carrying a rescue glider are obligatory, a cellular phone is strongly advised. Flying is at you own risk!

Background;
While filming in the Upper Similkameen valley , a group of paragliding enthusiasts discovered the incredible flying potential high above Hedley, British Columbia. The area offers a combination of incredible soaring and thermal conditions with launch sites 3000ft (1000meters+) and 4,000ft above valley floor . The spectacular Snazai’st rock formation, offers soaring at a venue several times the width of the El Pinion rock in Valle De Bravo, Mexico. Hedley BC is the "Utah of Canada" with a desert like ambience and our nations hottest climate. Last Canadian Thanksgiving on October 7th, 2005 a first inaugural Fly In was held in Hedley. Over fifty paraglide pilots, including four hang gliders, along with a hundred enthusiasts attended the event. The flying was fantastic. Hedley proved to be the best place in Canada to fly this late in the season. Therefore, we expect phenomenal thermal conditions in May 2006.

We encourage all interested parties and potential sponsors to contact us for existing opportunities both with the films AIRHEAD DIARIES, WINGS ON WHEELS as well as the event itself.

I might add that we are now actively researching also hosting the World's first paraplegic fly in in Hedley. Just type in wheelchair paragliding on google and see what comes up, lots of interested pilots out there !