The Paragliding World Cup returned to China in 2025, with Linzhou City hosting Round 2 of the season from June 7 to June 14. The event featured 130 elite pilots from 24 countries competing in one of Asia’s most renowned flying arenas.
Linzhou is located in Henan Province, about 600 km south of Beijing, and is known for its exceptional paragliding conditions. The Linzhou Mountain International Flying Site, situated on the eastern edge of the Taihang Mountains, offers a large take-off area with a vertical drop exceeding 800 meters to the valley below. The site’s topography includes sheer rock faces between 1000 and 1700 meters above sea level and a take-off slope of about 35 degrees covering 15,000 square meters, allowing many pilots to launch simultaneously.
The flying conditions in Linzhou are considered among the best in Asia and top in the world, with consistent thermal updrafts averaging 5–6 m/s in June and potential climbs up to 4,700 meters. The terrain combines rugged canyon landscapes and diverse mountain and valley flying tasks, making the competition both technical and demanding. Typical race tasks start along the east-facing cliffs in the morning and transition to flying over the flatlands in the afternoon.
The event is often called the “Formula 1 of the sky,” requiring pilots to demonstrate navigational skills, meteorological analysis, and strategic flight planning as they navigate electronic waypoints in race-to-goal disciplines. Notable competitors included Baptiste Lambert, Honorin Hamard, Hippolyte Melo, Stan Radzikowski, and Tilen Ceglar, with top women pilots like Galen Kirkpatrick and Jenny O’Neil representing the USA.
Linzhou has a rich history of hosting high-level international paragliding events, with over 40 events since 1992, including four World Cup competitions. The local community warmly welcomes international guests, offering a cultural experience alongside the sporting challenge.
In summary, the 2025 Paragliding World Cup Round 2 in Linzhou combined world-class flying conditions, a challenging natural landscape, and a vibrant cultural setting, attracting top global pilots for a thrilling competition in one of Asia’s premier paragliding destinations.