FAI Honours SGP Pioneers: A Lifetime of Dedication to Gliding and Innovation
16/10/2026 - The FAI Awards Ceremony, held during the 120th FAI General Conference in Lausanne on the first International Day of Air Sports, was a momentous occasion for the Sailplane Grand Prix family. The soaring community gathered to celebrate the sport's greatest contributors, recognizing key pillars of the SGP’s continued success: SGP Director Brian Spreckley and Open Glider Network co-founder Sébastien Chaumontet.
Brian Spreckley: A Lifetime of Soaring Excellence
We are incredibly proud to announce that Sailplane Grand Prix Director Brian Spreckley has been awarded the Lilienthal Gliding Medal. Established in 1938 in honour of German aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal, it remains the highest soaring award in the world.
The medal is a fitting tribute to Brian’s lifelong, wide-ranging dedication to the sport. His soaring journey began as an undergraduate when he founded the University of Nottingham Gliding Club. From those early university flights, he ascended to the absolute pinnacle of competitive gliding, culminating in his victory as the 1987 15 Metre World Gliding Champion at Benalla, Australia. That same year, his remarkable achievements earned him the Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club. He would also go on to become a three-time British Champion.
However, Brian’s impact extends far beyond the cockpit. Transitioning from active competition to leadership, he spent seven years as the National Coach for the British Gliding Association, shaping the next generation of soaring talent before establishing a commercial recreational flying operation.
His governance and organizational contributions have fundamentally shaped modern competition. He has served as a World Gliding Championship Competition Director, an IGC referee, and Vice President. Recognized previously with the FAI Paul Tissandier Diploma in 2005, his visionary leadership today as SGP Director has been instrumental. His significant input into the development of the Sailplane Grand Prix continues to drive the premier racing format forward.
Sébastien Chaumontet: Revolutionizing Glider Tracking
The technological innovation that powers the modern SGP viewing experience was also recognized on the world stage. Sébastien Chaumontet of France was awarded the Pirat-Gehriger Diploma, an honour that recognizes meritorious service to gliding.
Sébastien is the driving force and co-founder behind the Open Glider Network (OGN) and the Livetracking and Livestreaming projects of the Sailplane Grand Prix. Building its internet backbone from the ground up, Sébastien created the complex data servers, web servers, and processing infrastructure that makes live visualization of gliding competitions possible worldwide. Without this backbone, the real-time tracking that SGP fans rely on simply wouldn't exist.
Today, the OGN has grown into a massive global tracking platform for gliders, general aviation aircraft, paragliders, and drones using FLARM and OGN tracker signals. The scale of his achievement is staggering: the network now operates nearly 2,000 stations globally, with close to 20,000 gliders registered and peaks of 15,000 aircraft visible simultaneously.
Beyond its invaluable contribution to sports broadcasting, OGN data has become a critical safety tool used to assist search and rescue operations. In recognition of this life-saving utility, EASA presented Sébastien with its inaugural General Aviation Safety Award in 2019.
Margherita Acquaderni: Championing Women in Gliding
The SGP family was also thrilled to see Margherita Acquaderni awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma. Margherita, who serves as the President of ACAO Varese in Italy, received this prestigious diploma for her tireless dedication to supporting and advancing women in the sport of gliding.
As a strong and consistent supporter of the Sailplane Grand Prix, her leadership at Varese, a key venue for SGP events, has been invaluable. We congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition for her years of service and dedication to the soaring community.
A Night of Ecosystem Recognition
The achievements of Brian and Sébastien highlight the two pillars that make the Sailplane Grand Prix what it is today: exceptional sporting governance and cutting-edge technological innovation.
This historic night in Lausanne also saw a third pillar of the SGP ecosystem, as the FAI Virtual Gliding project, represented by Antoine Havet, was awarded the Prince Alvaro de Orleans-Borbon Grant to bring Virtual SGP to the physical esports stage.
The entire Sailplane Grand Prix team extends its warmest congratulations to Brian, Sébastien, and all the awardees. Their lifelong dedication, vision, and technical brilliance ensure that gliding continues to grow, inspire, and reach new audiences safely across the globe.
