Grand Prix gliding

FAI World Grand Prix Gliding Championships are gliding competitions promoted by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) for gliders that are both more spectacular and more easily understood by the public than conventional gliding competitions.
Origins.
Gliding competitions existed before the Second World War but as the technologies evolved, the performance of the gliders has taken them away from the public view. Furthermore the scoring is complex and gliders can start at different times. Proposals were made in 1970 but it was not until 2005 that first world gliding competition in Grand Prix format was held in France at [[Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban|Saint Auban]]. This was at the Salon Européen du Vol à Voile (European Sailplane Show/Exhibition) in 2005 as part of the FAI's marketing strategy to promote the sport of gliding by establishing annual international competitions.
Competition formula.
In a gliding Grand Prix the gliders race in competition close together around a pre-set task. A smaller number of competitors reduces the risks of the simultaneous start. A place-scoring system provides rewards for excellence without unduly punishing a poor performance.
References.
[[Category:Gliding competitions]]