"Super Mario" Crowned Champion: Kiessling Dominates Final Race to Win the French SGP
05/09/2026 - Vinon, France - The FAI Sailplane Grand Prix of France concluded in spectacular fashion today in Vinon, with Germany’s Mario Kiessling delivering a devastatingly fast performance in Race 7 to secure the overall championship title. By claiming his fourth stage victory of the week, "Super Mario" left absolutely no doubt about his mastery of the Southern Alps, booking his ticket to the SGP World Final in Chile alongside local favorite Didier Hauss.
The Switch to Task B
Heading into the final day, the grid originally faced a highly tactical challenge on Task A. However, organizers made the crucial decision to change from Task A to Task B after Take-off had been delayed several times. This updated 213-kilometre route optimized the pilots' chances in the eastern sector where ceilings reached a solid 2,500m to 2,700m thanks to some wave systems and a dominant north-west wind.
Start: Manosque
Turnpoints: Chavailles (TP1) → Lure (TP2) → La Motte du Caire (TP3)
Report Point & Finish: Report 20 → Vinon
Before the launch, the tension on the grid was delightfully interrupted when Mario Kiessling’s son, Tobi, took over the microphone. Tobi fearlessly interviewed competitors and Competition Director Roger, trying to uncover their secret strategies to beat his father. Funny interviews that must be watched on our social media!
A Blistering Final Dash
When the regatta start line opened at 15:50LT (instead of 14:00 LT originally planned with Task A!), it quickly became apparent that no one was going to catch the overall leader. Carrying one of our 360 camera in his cockpit, Kiessling treated fans to a firsthand view of a flawless flight.
Flying his Ventus 3T, Kiessling blitzed the task in an astonishing 01:19:09. Averaging 161.8 km/h, he crossed the finish line to take the daily win and the bonus point, capping off a week of near-total dominance.
Conrad Hartter (OT) delivered a phenomenal final flight in his JS1-C to take second place for the day, crossing just 8 seconds behind Kiessling at 161.6 km/h. Klaus Kalmbach (CT) rounded out the Race 7 podium in his JS3, finishing at 158.8 km/h.
Race 7 Official Podium:
1st Place: Mario Kiessling (DE) – Ventus 3T – 161.8 km/h (01:19:09) | 11 Pts
2nd Place: Conrad Hartter (DE) – JS1-C – 161.6 km/h (+00:08) | 8 Pts
3rd Place: Klaus Kalmbach (DE) – JS3 – 158.8 km/h (+01:31) | 7 Pts
The Overall Championship and Tickets to Chile
Kiessling’s victory brings his overall total to a massive 56 points, making him the undisputed FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Champion in France.
The drama of the day centered on the second overall position. Didier Hauss entered the day with 36 points, needing to fend off Jean-Denis Barrois, Patrick Puskeiler, and Erik Borgmann for the final qualification spot for the SGP World Final in Chile.
Despite a highly challenging final race that saw Hauss finish outside the points in 17th place, his rivals were unable to capitalize. Barrois (13th) and Puskeiler (16th) also failed to score, while Borgmann managed 2 points for an 8th place finish.
The mathematics held true: Didier Hauss retains his second-place overall ranking with 36 points, officially punching his ticket to the grand finale in Chile!
Final Overall
1. Mario Kiessling (DE) — 56 Points (Qualified for Chile)
2. Didier Hauss (FR) — 36 Points (Qualified for Chile)
3. Jean-Denis Barrois (FR) — 29 Points
4. Patrick Puskeiler (DE) — 29 Points
5. Erik Borgmann (NL) — 29 Points
(Note: Barrois, Puskeiler, and Borgmann conclude the event in a remarkable three-way tie for third place with 29 points each).
Signing Off from Vinon
From tactical mountain soaring to world-premiere live broadcasts from inside the gliders, the Vinon SGP has been an unforgettable event. We extend a massive thank you to all the pilots, organizers, and fans who followed the racing this week.
If you missed today's spectacular final glide or Antoine's expert commentary, the full Race 7 livestream replay is available here on our YouTube channel.
Congratulations once again to Mario Kiessling and Didier Hauss. Next stop: Chile!
