It was a double celebration for Team France last night (December 8), when French pilots Tim Alongi and Eliot Nochez were awarded the gold and silver medals for the FAI World Air Games Solo Paragliding Aerobatics event.

A crowd of more than 200 people cheered on the new champions, as they stepped up to collect their medals alongside Horacio Llorens of Spain, who claimed the bronze.

Alongi told us his victory was down to his performance in the last of the three tasks flown.

"I was in a middle position, and that really kicked my ass, so I took some risks performing manoeuvres I've only done a few times before, and it paid off," he said.

Alongi's victory is even more remarkable given that he had to land under his reserve parachute after an in-flight incident a few days before the competition, something that could easily have knocked his confidence.

"I just try to fly my own style," the Frenchman added. "It's all about training. Then with a bit of luck it all works out."

Alongi and Nochez, flying together for VRL Team, also came second in the Synchro Paragliding Aerobatics competition behind the Twisted Boys: Llorens and his flying partner Théo de Blic (FRA).

Llorens said that competitive success was about keeping your nerve under pressure. "You have to fly as well in competition as you do in training," he said.

Other medals awarded at the ceremony at the Skydive Dubai Palm Dropzone included golds for Australian Bruce de Chastel, who won the Aeromodelling F3T - or Semi Scale Pylon Racing - competition, and Latvian Aleksandrs Prokofjevs, winner of the F2D Combat Model Aircraft contest.

Luca Magni (ITA) also won gold in the Aircraft Building event, after constructing a fully functioning aircraft in just three-and-a-half days with his team.

For full results of all the competitions, check out the World Air Games Dubai website.

By Andy Pag

Photos: Marcus King / FAI Media Team

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