I'm a winner! Cross Country Prize Draw 2026 Winners 🥳

[Jim Black]

Hey Pilots,

I very rarely enter any contests (and have never won anything), but I'm sure glad I did!

I'll take this opportunity to step up to a high B from my Phi Beat (mid B). I'm leaning towards an Advance IOTA DLS.

https://www.advance.swiss/en/products/paragliders/iota-dls

Does anyone have any experience or recommendations for other High B gliders that I should consider from Advance, Gin, Ozone or Supair?

Can't wait for some flyable weather...

Jim

PS - If you don't subscribe to Cross Country Magazine... It's a great read😁

https://xcmag.com/

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Cross Country Magazine <off...@xcmag.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 7:05 AM
Subject: Cross Country Prize Draw 2026 Winners 🥳
To: <jbl...@naz.edu>

Did you win your dream wing?

 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Hey Jim, Congratulations to Jim Black (USA), who has won a brand new paraglider in the latest Cross Country Subscribers’ Prize Draw! He now has the very pleasant dilemma of choosing which solo wing he’d like to fly, with options available from Advance, Gin, Ozone or Supair. Twice each year, Cross Country magazine subscribers are automatically entered into our prize draw to win a new solo paraglider – and twice each year, pilots really do walk away with a brand new wing. Alongside the headline prize, this draw also included an impressive line-up of gear, with prizes ranging from a cutting-edge Naviter Oudie N, a Supair Evo Lite 2 harness, High Adventure gloves, Velodrom pilot sunglasses, and vouchers for the XCShop. The full list of prize winners is as follows: First prize winner: Jim Black, USA Prize: A solo EN A, B or C paraglider from Advance, Ozone, Gin or Supair Second prize winner: Chris Kopack, USA Prize: A state-of-the-art Naviter Oudie N Third prize winner: Florian Racaché, France Prize: A brand new Supair Evo Lite 2 harness Fourth prize winner: Wayne Henning, USA Prize: High Adventure Pizi gloves Fifth prize winner: Niklas Nilsson, Sweden Prize: High Adventure Izi gloves Sixth prize winner: Sebastian Marshall, Germany Prize: Specialist pilot sunglasses from Velodrom Runners-Up winners: Mick Brothers (UK), Anssi Huhtala (FIN), Stefan Plazier (NZL), Travis Williams (USA) Prizes: £50 voucher for our online shop at xcmag.com/shop Congratulations to all of our pilot winners, and a big thank-you to every subscriber – new and long-standing – who supports the magazine. Cross Country is made by pilots, for pilots, and as a reader-supported publication, your backing genuinely makes a difference. If your name wasn’t drawn this time, don’t worry: our next Subscribers’ Prize Draw will take place later this year, with another chance to win a brand new wing. All the best, Ed Ewing Editor, Cross Country Magazine Here to help We are available UK office hours – or leave a message off...@xcmag.com WhatsApp   +44 1273 256 090 If you no longer want to receive our emails unsubscribe here Cross Country International, Tollgate, Beddingham Near Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6JZ, United Kingdom

[Katrin Parsiegla]

Congratulations! Rob had an Ozone Rush, Karl flies an old Gin Explorer, Louis and Saadi have experience with high B wings. Karl sais you should post on WhatsApp. 

What excitement 😆 

--
!!Want more?!! Paid members of Rochester Area Flyers and Free Spirit Hang Gliding have access to our What’s App groups for more up-to-the-minute flight coordination and discussion. Become a member today! Details of joining the What’s App conversations will be provided by the club(s) upon becoming a member.
https://www.rochesterareaflyers.com/members
https://www.freespiritflight.com/join-our-club
 
***Be sure to check the Group Calendar often!***
http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=rochesterareaflyers%40gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York
You received this because you are subscribed to "RochesterAreaFlyers"
To post to this group, send email to:
rochester...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to:
rochesterareafl...@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at:
http://groups.google.com/group/rochesterareaflyers?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RochesterAreaFlyers" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rochesterareafl...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rochesterareaflyers/CALQqo91Q661oi3d3HiboTsjd7QsOU%2B2hDNxVyADRkx2xHyR-CQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jared Yates]

I have stepped off of the wing progression path. The wings keep getting better and better, and I'm seeing less need for anything more than the B category. Honestly my only concern in going down a step is making sure I can penetrate in winds, which might be flawed considering that every wing has its limits. I currently have an original Maestro and a Cumeo, and both are a bit faster than the BGD Echo that I flew before. I do appreciate that speed increase.

When I was at an SIV I asked the instructor, of all of the high B wings that came through, which ones had the best behavior? He spoke highest of the Iota DLS. But he might have been a dealer. It can be hard in this sport to know whether advice is uburdened, when our teachers are also our salespeople. 

I say all of that to say, if I was in your shoes, I would consider the new wing proposition separately from the progression. You can get a new wing without changing the performance class and still get more performance. 

The B category is the biggest one and there are lots of great choices. Maybe celebrate with a trip out to Salt Lake where you could probably demo all of them!

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rochesterareaflyers/CAPRzCp%2BTUscqOH4i_yhz0a9K%2BaFiwOJ1hNqAkPmN%2B2rXUby6vg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Robert Skinner]

Congratulations Jim ....

The IOTA sounds like a winner ...

If I had to look for a recommendation I'd tap Louis, Karl, and Dave Oddy.

Maybe Dave Garber too, although I think his expertise might be limited to Fluid.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rochesterareaflyers/CAEB8tKF2Kb2ciu%3Dy8OARb-6Zd3HxmMW01Y41xddL8mmsGOV2NA%40mail.gmail.com.

--

Rob