2025 YEAR IN REWIEW: French Dominance, a Historic Anniversary, and Best Wishes for 2026
As the sun sets on 2025, we take a moment to look back on a milestone year for the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix. From the intense qualifying rounds of Series 12 to a breathtaking World Final in the French Alps, this year celebrated 20 years of Grand Prix racing with unparalleled drama and tactical brilliance.
The Road to St-Auban: Series 12 Concludes
The first half of 2025 saw the culmination of the 12th Series, with pilots fighting for the last remaining tickets to the World Final. The series took us across the globe, testing competitors in diverse conditions.
Australia (January): The year kicked off in Gawler, where soaring heat and blue thermals challenged the field, and saw Erik Borgmann qualifying to the Finals.
USA (March): Seminole Lake hosted a fierce contest, with Sean Fidler dominating the field to secure his spot.
Poland (May): The skies over Nowy Targ proved a critical battleground, with Stanisław Biela taking the top spot on home turf against a stacked roster, leaving Sebastian Kawa without a qualification place.
The World Final: A French Sweep in the Southern Alps
In late August, the eyes of the gliding world turned to St-Auban, France, for the 12th FAI World SGP Final. The event marked the 20th anniversary of the very first Sailplane Grand Prix, and the racing lived up to the historic occasion. For the first time in our history, the races were also livestreamed in China, in Mandarin language.
The week was defined by high speeds, unpredictable weather, and a fierce rivalry among the French "Equipe."
The Comeback: After a slow start, Christophe Abadie (France) clawed his way back into contention with back-to-back victories in Races 3 and 4.
The Ridge Master: Race 5 belonged to Erik Borgmann (Netherlands), whose aggressive ridge-flying tactics kept the podium fight alive until the very last day.
The Final Showdown: Trailing in the standings when the final day began, Maximilian Seis delivered a flawless performance to leapfrog his teammates and claim the World Championship title.
It was an emotional victory for Seis, coming exactly 10 years after his first SGP World title. He was joined on the podium by Christophe Abadie (2nd) and Kévin Faur (3rd), completing a historic 100% French podium on home soil.
A New Look for a New Era
2025 wasn't just about racing; it was about evolution. We unveiled a brand new logo, symbolizing the speed and modern dynamic of our sport, and confirmed the exciting calendar for Series 13 in 2026, which includes stops in Italy, the UK, Norway, Germany, France and South Africa.
Happy New Year from the SGP Team!
As we enter the final glide of 2025, we want to extend a massive THANK YOU to the entire SGP community.
Whether you were a pilot pushing the limits in the cockpit, an organizer working tirelessly behind the scenes, or a fan glued to the live tracking and commentary from home, you made this year special. The Sailplane Grand Prix is nothing without the passion and dedication of this global family.
We wish you all a joyful New Year's Eve and a fantastic start to 2026. May your year ahead be filled with strong thermals, high cloud bases, and safe landings.
See you on the start line in 2026!
