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Event info

Ukrainian and Bulgarian Open Championship 2013 FAI Category 2 will be held in July in Central Balkan mountains, Sopot, Bulgaria. The cross-country paragliding competition will take place from 7 till 12 July 2013.

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Flying site

Sopot is the most famous flying site in Bulgaria. This little town is situated at the southern foot of Stara Planina, the longest Balkan mountain chain. Its length 560 km and it crosses Bulgaria from the western border to the Black sea.

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Prize funds and scoring categories

  • Overall
  • Serial
  • Women
  • Teams
  • Ukrainian
  • Ukrainian Women
  • Bulgarian
  • Sport

Event info

Ukrainian and Bulgarian Open Championship 2013 FAI Category 2 will be held in July in Central Balkan mountains, Sopot, Bulgaria. The cross-country paragliding competition will take place from 7 till 12 July 2013. Sopot is the world’s best flying site. And next to Ukrainian Open the World Paragliding Championship 2013 will be held there. Due to live tracking the viewers will have the opportunity to be present right at the stage of competition. And hence more fans will be able to watch their pilots’ success in real time online. The number of participants is limited to 150 pilots.

Flying site

Sopot is the most famous flying site in Bulgaria. This little town is situated at the southern foot of Stara Planina, the longest Balkan mountain chain. Its length 560 km and it crosses Bulgaria from the western border to the Black sea. Sopot is in the middle. There is a great valley, called the valley of Roses, next to the mountain chain to fly various tasks. To get to the main take-off is very easy. The cable lift takes you from the landing zone up to the 850 m height, where you can practice thermalling, aerobatics or just go out for XC flights. Other take-offs are easy to reach too. Besides there is plenty of space for landing in the valleys. All this makes Sopot a very attractive place for the XC fans. Also there is another advantage of local people's friendly attitude to the paragliders. They are always ready to give a helping hand.

Flying conditions
Sopot flying conditions are excellent in summer, with wide and powerful thermal triggers of 5-6 m/s. The high season for XC flights lasts from April to September but even in low season it’s possible to make good flights of up to 50km and more. During the day the thermals are normally usable between 11 am to 6 pm. On sunny winter days (very common for Sopot), there are inversions and the air is rather stable which is good for beginners. But it may be very unstable with cumulo nimbuses, during the second half of May and occasionally in June and July. Luckily they're not so fast developing like in the Alps and you can escape them by zig-zag flying or go to the valley if they are rather tough. The major part of the Rose valley has got a local light east wind which being combined with a main west wind is perfect for out-and-return flights and makes it possible to set very interesting competition tasks.

Routes
Main task routes are set either to the East or to the West along Stara Planina chain, but there are tasks set to the valley as well. The good day allows to set 100 km there-and-back or triangle tasks. The best main Sopot take-off record was a 207 km flight made by Nikolay Yotov to the town of Sredets. Also Nikolay has made a 201 km flight from Voiniagovo take-off in Sopot area to Gorno Yabalkovo.

Main take-off
Main Sopot take off is really large and spacious and can host up to 150 pilots and stuff. It is located on a grass mountain rib at 850 meters height. Pilots, viewers and stuff are able to get there easily using an chair-lift. It works from 9.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. (4.00 p.m. in winter). A one way ticket costs €2.5 but It is required at least 8 people to rise 20€ to turn on the lift.
The slope is steep enough and clean from stones and bushes for an easy launch. Top landing is possible in case when it’s required.
The area has got East - South - West exposures. In the course of a normal day you may expect E-SE wind in the morning, South wind at noon and S-SW wind in the afternoon.
Take off and start zones are surrounded by plenty of thermal triggers.

Sopot area competition flying sites

Sopot
• Take-off: Sopot, 1450 m ASL. (N 42.687330°, E 24.749962°)
• Landing: Lift station landing field, 570 m ASL (N 42.664133°, E 24.748157°)
Beklemeto
• Take-off: Beklemeto south, 1350 m ASL (N 42.748882°, E 24.614745°)
• Landing: Hristo Danovo village, 580 m ASL (N 42.719383°, E 24.608513°)

Additional flying site for 13th FAI World Championship

Dobrostan
• Take-off: Dobrostan, 1100 m ASL (N 41.909584°, E 24.930376°)
• Landing: Gornoslav village, 240 m ASL (N 41.92569°, E 24.96426°)


Additional flying sites for free-flyers

Govedarnata: Sopot, Elevation 1027 m (N 42.6655°, E 24.7798°)
Ravnec: Karlovo, Elevation 1278 m (N 42.6627°, E 24.8307°)
Ravni vrah: Karlovo, Elevation 1949 m (N 42.6748°, E 24.8937°)
Voiniagovo: Kliment - Voiniagovo, Elevation 384 m (N 42.5871°, E 24.7094°)

Selection and entry fee

Registration is Open
The number of participants is limited to 150 pilots
Registration validation:
The registration is only valid once the organization has received the registration fee.

July 01, 2013
Cancellation of registration
The registration may be cancelled by the pilot, and the registration fee minus bank transfer fees returned, up until two weeks prior to the event. After this deadline the registration fee will only be returned provided another pilot from the waiting list is found to fill the vacant space.
Pilot's documents and eqiupment required during onsite registration:
Valid FAI sporting license
Pilot Registration Form
Signed Release of Liability Document- valid CIVL number
Medical insurance covering paragliding (proof will be checked at competition registration)
Third party liability insurance covering paragliding (proof will be checked at competition registration)
Satisfactory evidence of glider airworthiness according to Section 7B
Radio 2m ( few radios are available for rent from organizers)
Entry fee payment

Entry fee
130 EUR if payed befor 15 May 2012
150 EUR if payed from 16 May to 06 July 2012
160 EUR if payed on the first day of competition

Bank transfer for foreign pilots
Beneficiary: Oleksandr Perevalov
Beneficiary Bank: Deutsche Bank BLZ 64070024
Account number: 0211540 00
IBAN DE45640700240021154000
BIC / SWIFT-Code DEUTDEDB640

Please do send payment confirmation to the e-mail: near_birds@ukr.net

Entry fee includes
Air (flight) permission
Flight management
Transportation and retrieve accoring to briefing
GPS result calculation
LIVE TRACKING
Helicopter
Color maps
Participant's card
Lunch pack + water
Competition T-shirt
Competition ceremonies and parties admission
Start and finish medial help
Mountain S&R support

Prize fund and scoring categories

1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4rd and 5rd ranked - OPEN Class
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Serial Class: DHV 2-3, EN D
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Sport Class: DHV1 ,1-2, 2, EN A, B, C,
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Woman Overall in the competition (min 7 woman)
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Team in the competition
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Ukrainian pilot in the Ukrainian Championship
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Ukrainian woman in the Ukrainian Championship (min 6 woman)
1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked - Bulgarian pilot in the Bulgarian Championship

Prize money goes to first three pilots in SERIAL Class Category.
And for others places - material valuable prizes

General schedule

Sunday, 07 July, 2013
Official training day
09:00 - 19:30 Official Registration
19:00 - 20:00 Safety Briefing
starts 20:00 Opening ceremony,
Monday, 08 July - Friday, 12 July, 2013
Competition flying days
Friday, 12 July, 2013
Prize giving and Closing ceremony

Daily schedule

07:00 - Headquarter opens
08:30 - Briefing
09:00 - Transportation to Take-off
11:00 - Pilots' briefing
12:00 - Take-off window opens
16:00 - Scoring office opens
18:30 - Safe landing report deadline
21:30 - Provisional results announcement
09:00 - Next day – official results announcement

Accommodation and Activities

How to get here

HQ is located near Sky lift in Sopot

Sopot is 140 km to the East of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and is 60 km to the North of Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest city and its cultural capital. Both cities have international airports and from there you can easily reach Sopot by bus or train.

Bulgaria, Sopot
Sopot Bulgaria

Plane

Sofia International Airport - regular flights to many destinations. You can easily arrive to the city center from Sofia Airport.
There is a underground station at the airport. That is the most convinient way to get to the center or to the Bus/Train station.
After you pass imigration and custom control you exit from the Arrival Hall and enter the public area of the airport. Turn left and walk to the far east end of the the terminal and there you will see the signs for the metro (underground) station. This is the last station so you have only one option (Metro line 2).
To get to the Train/Bus station you have to transfer to Metro line 1 at Serdica station. Tickets are sold in the station and the price is 1BGN ( if you have a big bag - like a paraglider, you have to buy 1 more ticket for the luggage).
The journey time to the Train/Bus station is around 30min

Bus

You may as well come to Sopot by bus directly from Sofia or take a bus to reach Sopot from Karlovo if you come from this direction. In Sofia you have 2 bus stations: Central Bus Station and Serdika bus station in front of Sofia Central Railway Station.

From Sofia to Sopot
From Serdika bus station in front of Sofia Central Railway Station there is a bus to Karlovo/Sopot leaving at 12:00 and arriving to Sopot at 14:35
Web site: http://www.union-ivkoni.com
Tel: +359(2)989-0000
Tel: +359(2)989-1111

There is a bus leaving Sofia at 14:30/16:30 on Sunday.
Web site: www.kastelexport.com
Tel: +359(335)99144

From Karlovo to Sopot
05.30 - 23.00 (about every 30 minutes)
Web site: www.kastelexport.com

Check Central Bus Station (near Central Railway Station) for buses to Kazanlak. Some of them go via Karlovo, some take the highway to Plovdiv and go via Banya (10 km from Karlovo). There are buses every hour from Banya to Karlovo.

From Sofia Central Bus Station you can take a bus to Plovdiv (60 km from Sopot/Karlovo).

From Plovdiv to Karlovo
From "Avtogara Ug"/South Bus Station
Plovdiv, blvd Hristo Botev 47
Tel: +359(32)626-937
Departure:06.00; 06.30; 07.00; 08.00; 09.00; 10.00; 11.00; 12.00; 13.00; 14.00; 15.00; 16.00; 17.00; 18.00; 19.00; 20.00

From Burgas to Karlovo
Veliko Tarnovo - Banya (Plovdiv) - 08:00; 13:30.
Gorna Oryahovitsa - Karlovo - 06:00 - 9:55

You can alos arrive to Bulgaria by bus. For example there is bus line from Istanbul.
From Istanbul to Plovdiv
Cost about 20 euro
Departure: 09:00, 12:00, 20:30, 21:30 и 23:00
Platform 121
www.metrotourism.net
www.hunturturizm.com
www.ozvarolturizm.com
www.varan.com.tr

Train

To come to Sopot you can take a train to Sopot or Karlovo. Check Bulgarian railways official website www.bdz.bg for time-table updates. Here are some suggestions.

From central railway station in Sofia
Sofia (05:45) - Sopot (09:17)
Sofia (07:35) - Karlovo (10:01)
Sofia (08:48) - Sopot (11:44)
Sofia (16:10) - Karlovo (18:24)
Sofia (17:00) - Sopot (20:33)

From Plovdiv railway station to Karlovo
Plovdiv (07:43) - Karlovo (09:06)
Plovdiv (11:35) - Karlovo (13:06)
Plovdiv (14:00) - Karlovo (15:25)
Plovdiv (16:30) - Karlovo (18:00)
Plovdiv (18:00) - Karlovo (19:33)

From Burgas railway station to Karlovo
Burgas (05:35) - Karlovo (09:23)
Burgas (14:25) - Karlovo (18:45)

Car

Just keep your GPS navigator guiding you to the headquarters location: 42° 39.285'N 24° 45.386'E

Travelling hint to those who travel to Sopot by car:
Don't confuse Sopot town near Karlovo (south of Stara planina mountains on the road Sofia-Burgas) with Sopot village on the main road Sofia-Varna (north of Stara planina mountains).

Rent a car services:

"Top Rent-a-Car "


Web site: http://toprentacar.bg/en

Sofia Airport
140 "Mimi Balkanska" str.
Mobile.: +359 888 333 548
Phone.: +359 2 9815381

Varna Airport
Arrivals Hall
In Terminal
Mobile.: +359 887 205 813

Varna Downtown
17 "Tsar Osvoboditel" blvd.
Mobile.: +359 886 282 898
Phone.: +359 52 601 353

Bourgas Airport
Arrivals Hall
Mobile.: +359 882 425 516
Phone.: +359 56 872 309

Bourgas Downtown
Burgas Plaza Mall
Mobile.: +359 885 178 819
Phone.: +359 56 521 411


"Kepito"
Tel: +359 (0335) 9 22 37
Tel: +359 (0887) 528 431
Tel: +359 (0887) 657 668
Email: kepito@abv.bg

"Siona"
Evgeniya Yoncheva
Tel: +359 (0878) 82 28 30
Tel: +359 (0899) 25 00 66

Taxi

From Sofia Airport to Sopot
From the airport you can take a taxi directly to Sopot or to the Central Railway Station or the Central Bus Station. At the arrival hall look for the office of "OK super trance" taxi service. When you exit terminal 1 or 2 you will have the official taxi parking to "OK super trance" to your right.
The trip to Central Railway Station costs about 6 euro during the day and about 8 euro during the night.
Sopot airport taxi service
Taxi Service: "OK super trance"
Tel: +359(2)973-2121
Web site: http://www.oktaxi.net/cgi-bin/oktaxi.pl?code=main&lang=en

From Karlovo to Sopot
Not more than 10 euro.

Downloads

Waypoint files

Organizers

Paragliding Club NearBirds
Ukraine, Kiev
Contact: Vladimir Perevalov
Tel: +380503640133
E-mail: Near_birds@ukr.net
Contact: Tatiana Mershavka
Tel:+380976277828
E-mail: morza@ukr.net
http://www.nearbirds.com
Sport club SHAMBHALA
4300 Bulgaria, Sopot, Vasil Levski 5
Tel: +359 31 346 376
Tel: + 359 899118446
Contact: Albina Yasinskaya
E-mail: info@shambhala-center.ru
http://www.shambhala-paragliding.com
Perevalov Vladimir
Chief organizer
Mershavka Tatiana
Administator organizer
Daniel Dimov
Meet Director
Ivelin Kalushkov
Scorer
Hristo Slivkov
Safety director and Rescue Coordinator
Georgi Jordanov
Weather Forecast
Scorer
Yulia Firsova
Retrieve
Mikhaylishin Nazar
Transport and retrieve
Stanislav Velchev
Scorer

Contacts

Socials

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We have winners despite the weather!

It's a pity the weather hasn't allowed us to have good competition flying days. We made one full task and one task stopped due to rain on the course. Still the competition is acomplished and we have winners whose efforts are great despite the weather and are very valuable. Congratulations!

Overall

  1. Michal Gierlach (241)
  2. Ricardo Gomez (99)
  3. julian andres carreno colonia (727)

Overall results

Women

  1. Klaudia Bulgakow (708)
  2. Daria Krasnova (345)
  3. Andrea Jaramillo (308)

The first place was shard by Klaudia and Daria. Andrea Jaramillo Jaramillo has the third place. Well done Ladies!

Women results

Ukrainian

  1. Aleksandr Khlebnikov (39)
  2. Gleb Sukhotskiy (119)
  3. Mikhail Rodichev (48)

Ukrainian results

Bulgarian

  1. Daniel Dimov (2)
  2. Valery Tzvetanov (115)
  3. Yavor Plashilski (171)

Bulgarian results

Ukrainian Women

  1. Olga Yarochevska (126)
  2. Svitlana Belinska (28)
  3. Svitlana Kaukalova (123)

Ukrainian Women results

Sport

  1. Daria Krasnova (345)
  2. Pavel Titov (313)
  3. Bogdan Bazyuk (103)

Sport results

Teams

  1. Colombia
  2. NearBirds
  3. HCP

Teams results

Tasks and results

Task 1

10 Jul, 2013

50.3 km — Race to goal

Task 2

11 Jul, 2013

73.3 km — Race to goal

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