Success in Gemona at the Inter-Services Paragliding Championships
Over 8-14 June 2025, the Army Paragliding Team took part in the Inter-Services Paragliding Championships in Gemona, Italy. Six race tasks were held over six days, within a field of 120 pilots competing at the British and Irish Sports Championships.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Lloyd RGR won the UK Armed Forces Champion title for 2025.
Spectacular scenery and a 3D environment to apply racing tactics. The Royal Navy team held on to the team trophy for the third year running (helped by two team GB pilots) with the Army coming a close second. The Inter-Services Champion title, long held by the Royal Navy, did however fall for the first time in living memory.
Tasks included mixtures of high valley crossings, using griffin vultures to find thermals, low saves by climbing up ridgelines from the valley floor to the top of mountains, and full speed racing through the updrafts along high alpine ridges, skimming the trees/grass/cliffs with only a few metres separation.
Lieutenant Colonel Nick Lloyd RGR won the UK Armed Forces Champion title for 2025, coming second in the British Sports Class Trophy, and third overall out of the 120 pilots. Also on the team were Captain Padam Gurung (Royal Artillery) (ex-1RGR) who came 16/19 UKAF pilots, and Sergeant Hasta Tamang (Corps of Royal Signals (ex-QG SIGNALS) who came 7/19 UKAF pilots – both are developing well as cross country racing pilots.
Thanks goes to the Brigade Education and Welfare Fund, for supporting this Army representative sport. To try your hand at paragliding, apply for the Paragliding Elementary Pilot course and then Club Pilot (CP) course (ideally both together) at JSMTC Bavaria by going to the AATG app on Defence Connect. The Army Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association has kit to hire at low cost once you are (CP) qualified.
By Lieutenant Colonel N R Lloyd, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
