#OFFICIAL Serie 12 official calendar announcement
Serie 12 official calendar and venues unveiled.
Series 12 FAI Sailplane Grand Prix qualifying contests, dates Announced
The venues and dates for the 12th series of FAI Sailplane Grand Prix (SGP) national contests have been announced. The national contests are qualifying events for the 12th Sailplane Grand Prix final which will be held in 2025 in St Auban (France). The top pilots from each event will qualify to fly in the final contest with the Winner being declared World Sailplane Grand Prix Champion.
SGP is the most exciting and widely followed sailplane racing event in the world. The first FAI World Sailplane Grand Prix was held in 2005. Since then 11 series of SGP series have been held and 11 World Championships declared. The reigning World SGP Champion Stefan Langer will be looking to defend his title from many of the best pilots in the world at SGP Final.
>> You are a pilot and want to register for one of the event? <<
>> Go visit the Event pages for more information and to apply. <<
FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Qualifying Events
Spain Venue – Santa Cilia 5th to 11th of May 2024
Updated info: this event will use 15m class with 50kg/sqm max wingloading
Santa Cilia is a dedicated gliding airfield located on the south side of the Pyrenees north of Huesca. Races will take place in an impressive flight area with dynamic thermal and wave conditions on the sunny side of the Pyrenees. Santa Cilia boasts excellent and consistent soaring conditions in a very beautiful location with very few airspace limitations. Come discover the Pyrenees! (Powered By Nature@Pyrenees)
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
Norway Venue – Starmoen 19th to 25th of May 2024
Updated info 19.01.2024: this event will use 18m class with 50kg/sqm max wingloading (was 48kg/sqm)
Starmoen is the location for the Norwegian national gliding centre and was the site of the very successful WGC 2004 in Club Class. Each year, the centre organises one or two national cups in the GP format.
To the south of Starmoen, the race area is rolling flatland with great outlanding options. The terrain is more mountainous to the north and north west with spectacular views and mountains of over 2,000m. Tasks normally follow the two long south-north valleys, which also have good outlanding possibilities. The area makes safe, easy flying possible.
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
Germany Venue – Aalen-Elchingen 26th of May to 1st of June 2024
Updated info: this event will use 15m/Std class with 48kg/sqm max wingloading
Aalen-Elchingen is one of the best competition sites in Southern Germany with very good thermal conditions, as evidenced in the WeGlide sections titled ‘Franconian Jura’ and ‘Linsen with Spaetzle’. All the super flights during the Juniors Nationals can be seen on soaringspot.com. It features a highly motivated and experienced team of young and older competition pilots and an outstanding infrastructure looking after all airport and camping facilities.
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
Italy Venue – Varese 2nd to 8th of June 2024
Updated info: this event will use 18m class with 48kg/sqm max wingloading
Calcinate is a well known airfield and region to many grand prix pilots, having hosted several great SGP contests including an SGP final. The scenery and flying conditions of the pre Alps region in Northern Italy make it a great destination for racing pilots. The organiser for the Italian SGP will be Aero Club Adele Orsi (A.C.A.O.) operating out of Calcinate del Pesce Airport (LILC).
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
Slovenia Venue – Lesce 30th June to 6th of July 2024
Updated info: this event will use 18m class with 48kg/sqm max wingloading
Lesce airfield is located on the sunny side of the Alps in north-western Slovenia. It is surrounded by mountains, which makes it a perfect place for alpine soaring and for hosting gliding contests. A pleasant airfield vibe, friendly local gliding community and well developed infrastructure are its strongest advantages for organising a Sailplane Grand Prix.
If you are a pilot who enjoys flying in mountainous terrain and would like to experience the friendly atmosphere at Lesce- Bled airfield during the SGP qualifiers next year, be kindly invited.
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
France Venue - Saint-Sulpice 21st to 27th July 2024
Updated info 19.01.2024: this event will use 18m class with 50kg/sqm max wingloading (was 48kg/sqm)
Saint-Sulpice near Rennes will host the French Qualifying Grand Prix for the fifth time since 2013. The 2024 edition will take place during the season with the best weather. The competitors will enjoy flying over the flatland of Brittany with remarkable convergence lines, allowing the pilots to enjoy racing near the Atlantic Ocean!
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
Australia Venue - Gawler 5th to 11th of January 2025
Updated info: this event will use Mutli class, more details to come
Adelaide Soaring Club at Gawler sits at the southern end of the Barossa wine region and has ample accommodation in the town of Gawler and local area. A large caravan park in Gawler has air-conditioned units available to hire, and accommodation and onsite camping are also available at the Gawler airfield.
Tasking will be predominantly over flat farming country with low hills to 2,800ft in the northern task area. The task area covers the Barossa Valley and extends north from there, as well as east over the Murray River to Waikerie. The area mainly supports winter crops with grain crops harvested before the competition providing good outlanding options throughout the task area.
The contest period is in the peak thermal soaring season of the year. Variable medium to strong thermal conditions are expected with mixed cumulus and blue days, and heights typically between 4,000 and 14,000ft. We have an experienced team to run the event and look forward to welcoming you to Gawler for a safe and fun week of flying.
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
USA Venue - Seminole, Florida 22nd to 28th of March 2025
Class and wingloading limit to be announced
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Event page soon online. Stay Tuned.
Netherlands Venue – Terlet 11th to 17th of May 2025
Updated info: this event will use 18m class with 50kg/sqm max wingloading
Terlet, home of the first ever Junior World Championships in 1999, is situated close to the German border. The organising club, Gelderse Zweefvliegclub, is ranked second in the global OLC with more than 350,000km. The club’s team running this event has plenty of experience, as they also organise the annual Dutch Nationals with over 50 participants.
The airfield, a pure glider location except for the towing aircraft, has excellent meteorological conditions for flights within the Netherlands as well into Germany. It is situated just north of the major city of Arnhem, with lots of restaurants, hotels and museums. The airfield itself also has a nice restaurant with a large terrace for spectators and a well-equipped camping facility, and is surrounded by a large nature reserve.
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Please visit this page!
Poland Venue – Nowy Targ 24th to 31st of May 2025
Class and wingloading limit to be announced
You are a pilot and want to join the event? Event page soon online. Stay tuned.
Final Venue – CNVV St-Auban 24th to 30th of August 2025
This will be the 20th anniversary the first ever Sailplane Grand Prix happened and it was in the South French Alps in St-Auban. We expect great event there, with the breathtaking sceneries from the Provence Area. This event in 2005 was a milestone which opened up great air races for the decades with a robust and popular formula for pilots and audience. Let’s say we are very looking forward!
