Paragliding flies high in Taiwan

By Gavin Phipps
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Aug 08, 2003, Page 17

Preparing for take off in a paraglider. PHOTO COURTESY OF LUYUE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL

Over the past couple of years the sport of paragliding has, and with no pun intended, taken off in Taiwan. The nation now boasts over a dozen clubs who ply their trade from Pingtung to Keelung.

On any given weekend scores of novice, semi-serious and hardcore paragliders now leap off out-of-the-way cliff faces with parachutes strapped to their backs and soar through the skies over Taiwan.

In celebration of the nation's new found love for the somewhat precarious sport, Taitung County Government (台東縣政府) and the Luyue Town Council (台東縣鹿野鄉公所) have pooled their resources to organize the 2003 Desire to Fly Festival (2003想飛的季想).

Jointly sponsored by the National Council of Physical Fitness and Sports (行政院體育委員會) and the Tourism Bureau (交通部觀光局), the paragliding regatta is set to take place, weather permitting, on the weekend of Aug. 16 and 17.

The largest paragliding happening ever held in Taiwan, the regatta already has well over 1,000 participants representing all of the nation's paragliding clubs. Novice paragliders need not apply, however. The distance along with the mountainous terrain the regatta's course is set to cover means that organizers are only accepting applications from experienced paragliders. The reason, according to organizers, is simply because "there is the possibility of strong winds which could cause problems for inexperienced flyers."

The course, which covers a distance of 80km, will see participants taking off from the Luyue Tea Plantation and Scenic Area (鹿野鄉高台觀光茶區) -- a venue touted as one of the best paragliding spots in Asia -- traversing the eastern flank of the Central Mountain Range (中央山脈) and returning to the start line five or six hours later depending on the prevailing winds.

While some participants will, no doubt, be looking to arrive at the designated finish in record time, the event is not a free-for-all race. For safety reasons organizers have plotted a special course, which all those taking part will have to adhere to, or else face the possibility of disqualification.

"Obviously we couldn't have hundreds of paragliders flying hither and thither. It would create all sorts of problems and become a nightmare," explained a spokesperson for Luyue Town Council. "They will fly over some rather inhospitable areas that could prove difficult for safety crews to access in the unfortunate event of an accident."

Although the regatta is only open to those with paragliding experience, both the organizers and the numerous clubs who will be participating in the event hope that the event will prove popular with spectators, stoking more interest in the latest sporting fad to sweep Taiwan.

Many of the clubs will be holding paragliding demonstrations as well as taking advance bookings for lessons during this event. With not only southern clubs, but also northern clubs such as those based in Hsinchuang and Ilan in attendance, there are plenty of opportunities for people all around the island.

The 2003 Desire to Fly Festival (2003想飛的季想) will begin at 9am on Saturday Aug. 16 and at 10am in Sunday, Aug 17. The Luyue Tea Plantation (鹿野鄉高台觀光茶區) is located 20km north of Taitung City.