Acro Game - qualifications

Yesterday the Acro Game saw the most hardcore qualifying in the history of aerobatics paragliding! The maneuvers were randomly chosen from a ball and included only official FAI maneuvers this time. It was also picked randomly if it had to be performed to the pilot's natural (stronger) or unnatural (weaker) side and if twisted or regular.

The tricks were twisted Misty to Heli unnatural, twisted Anti-Rhythmic, twisted Helico to SAT, twisted Tumbling unnatural, twisted Esfera unnatural, twisted Mactwist to Heli and Twisted X-Chopper.

Many of the world's best pilots intelligently pulled out of attempting some of these tricks. That means they voluntarily accepted a letter to avoid an emergency situation or reserve toss that means immediate disqualification.

15 pilots were performing each maneuver separately and when somebody failed, they got a letter. The judging of Pál Takáts was fairly strict giving as many letters as possible. Considering the ultra-high-level of the participants the criterias were way different to the regular World Cup system. Loosing pressure, a small collapse, untwisting too early, a hesitating heli connection was enough to gain a letter.

This intense qualification lasted for about 2.5 hours, until 7 pilots gained 4 letters (completing the word ACRO) and dropped out of the comp: Brooke Whatnall, Egor Posokhin, David Tejeiro Lopez, Jeremy Peclard, Raúl Rodriguez, Gaetan Doligez and Kevin Philipp had to say goodbye.

Today we will see the Battles between the best 8 pilots of the Acro Game! Théo de Blic (0!), Horacio Llorens (1), Bicho Carrera (1), Rafael Goberna (2), Thomas Schlögl (2), Tim Alongi (2), Ondrej Prochazka (3), Francois Ragolski (3).
The numbers are just an indication how many letters these pilots lost during the qualification. In today's battles this will be reset each time and the 1on1 fight will keep going until a pilot gains 4 letters for A-C-R-O. and looses.

After flying till dawn yesterday, today's condition is expected to be the best of the week. Briefing will take place at 1pm at Organyá Camping, meeting up on take-off at 4 pm.