8th Series SGP – Magalies, South Africa

FAI Sailplane Grand Prix competition is refreshingly simple. The race begins with a regatta start (timer countdown) with all the gliders starting abreast along a 5km start line, directly over the airport. Then, a series of assigned turnpoints (forming a fixed race course) are navigated as fast as possible by all competitors, followed by a finish line directly over the airport. The first pilot to finish the race wins! The winner of each race earns up to 11 points (10 maximum assuming at least ten pilots finish, plus a bonus point for winning the race). Each subsequent place earns one less point (2nd place recieves 9 points, and so on...). The pilot with the most total points at the end of the SGP competition wins. This simple format is incredibly fun for competitors and is also very exciting for spectators (online and on-site) as well as fans.

With regards to qualifiction for the FAI SGP World Final, only the top two pilots from the Magalies SGP will qualify. So the Magalies SGP will be an intense, exciting and challenging event likely to attract pilots from all over the world looking to qualify for the SGP Final.

The Magalies SGP will take place at Orient airfield which lies at 5100 feet above mean sea level with two parallel 1500m long grass strips laid out 18-36, a cross runway of 700m (11-29) and an emergency strip of 500m. Orient is situated approximately 50km west-northwest of central Johannesburg and 65km southwest of central Pretoria. 

The SGP will begin with an official practise day on Sunday 16 April, then six days of flat out racing to decide the Champion.

Of the twenty total positions available for SGP event competitors, per FAI policy, five are reserved for foreign pilots. After an entry deadline, any unclaimed international positions will be made available to North American pilots on the waiting list.