The village of Cortijos Nuevos (Segura de la Sierra, Jaen) in the south of Spain will host at the end of Spring, and for the twentieth time, the International Air Festival (FIA) of El Yelmo, which receives paragliding and paramotor pilots coming from Spain and other countries, attracted by the free flying meeting that gathers them annually, and the many activities scheduled for the weekend.
This year we will have a especially important edition, because it makes the number 20, so we expect a “big celebration” with an “even more spectacular” programme. It will give special prominence to women, because they want to emphasise women’s participation in air sports with the presence of outstanding international pilots and divers, like the ex paramotor world champion Emilia Plak, the PPG record holder and air photographer Karen Skinner – invited to give a talk about her records, or the Finnish instructor Helina Nieminen, besides acro pilots such as Christina Kolb – who will also present a film- and Spain’s Beatriz Garcia.
The organizers, with the support of the local and regional councils, expect to bring together around 20000 people, in a weekend full of activities for everybody, mostly free of charge, including nature sports, day flying exhibitions and a special night show that expects to surprise spectators, the traditional commercial fair, conferences, competitions, such as the paramountain trail or the XC Open, and the International Air Cinema Festival.
Registration period for the V Paragliding Open El Yelmo XC is open
One of the main attractions of El Yelmo is this paragliding free distance competition, that will take place in the framework of the FIA, like in previous years, starting on the 29th of May, until the 1st of June.
The Open El Yelmo is an incomparable opportunity to fly, having information and advice about the area and the meteorology, and with the certainty of being picked up when landing. There are already more than 30 pilots registered, which shows the interest to fly long distances from El Yelmo, and it will be reflected for sure this year in new personal records and -hopefully- some national ones.
All kinds of pilots can take part in the Open, from the most experienced ones to the ones that want to start in distance flights, and there will be three categories, Club, Sport and Open. As he did in previous editions, our pilot Daniel Crespo will take part this year, and he will try to beat his current personal record of 205 km.
Registration will give you several incentives, like lifts to the take-off area, retrieve when landing, informative briefings, souvenirs, or a picnic bag.
XX CINEMA FIA , International Air Cinema Festival – El Yelmo 2019
Another important event that takes place in the framework of the FIA is its International Air Cinema Festival, that this year also celebrates its twentieth edition.
The period to submit videos will be open until the 15th of April, and all films or visual productions about air, wind and flying can take part.
The festival will give away a total prize money of 3000 euros, divided among 6 possible categories.
Some of the films that participate this year are:
Tracing the Doce River, The Mud Tragedy, by Lu Marini, paramotor pilot who flies over the devastated landscapes that a dam in Doce River (Brasil) left behind after breaking. Marini will be one of the special guests in this edition of the FIA, where he will talk about what he saw and learned in his expedition.
Magikistan, by Guillaume Broust, about the bivouac flying trip of the acrobatics world champion 2016, Christina Kolb, and the paragliding instructor Alain Lehoux to the Pamir mountains, in Tayikistan. Christina herself will be invited to present her film and tell FIA spectators some details.
The Condor’s Track, by Martin Beaujouan, that tells the autonomous bivouac flight of Beaujouan himself and Antoine Girard through the Andes and the Atacama desert.
BLUTCH, by Nicolas Alliot, in which he tells his four months of solo journey across the Himalayas.
More information about FIA 2019: http://www.fiaelyelmo.com/el-xx-festival-internacional-del-aire-el-yelmo-se-celebrara-entre-el-31-de-mayo-y-el-2-de-junio/
