The competition brings a large contingent to the area between Christmas and New Year and organiser Lizzy Nevins is looking forward to another great event.

“On average we have 60 to 80 pilots, with roughly half coming from overseas,” this year’s competition organiser Lizzy Nevins said.

“We have a crew of about 30 who volunteer their time to help run the competition.”

There’s already 35 entries for this year’s competition, with many of those return visitors. Ms Nevins expects more entries to roll in closer to the date.

Forbes has twice hosted world championships – in 1997 and 2013 – and some of those pilots return year after year to take advantage of the local flying conditions.

“We tow out of a paddock north of the Forbes airport and fly within a 250km radius of Forbes unless we have exceptional weather that permits us to fly much further,” Ms Nevins said. 

“In 2016 we set the longest task ever in a hang gliding competition flying 368 km from Forbes to Walgett.” 

Towing pilots from a flat paddock start means that they can take off no matter which way the wind is blowing.

“Sometimes the conditions allow us to fly out in one direction, other days we set a triangle and return to Forbes,” Ms Nevins said.

Organisers are looking for houses to rent to accommodate pilots and crew during the period.

Local sponsorship would also be gratefully received.

Contact them at fly@forbesflatlands.com