Meet the 2009 U. S. Paragliding Team
ERIC REED - U.S. Team Pilot
Height: 5’6” Weight: 145
Education: Cognitive Science and Biology
Glider type: Niviuk Icepeak XP
Harness type: Genie Race
Reserve: Metamorfosi
Sponsors: Eagle Paragliding
Ranking:
MATT BEECHINOR - U.S. Team Pilot
Age: 32 Height and Weight: 6’2” 195 Birthplace: Wenatchee, WA
Occupation: Cloud farmer Education: BA
Glider type: Niviuk IcepeakXP 27 Harness type: Advance Impress
Reserve: Metamorfosi
Flying goals: Have fun with my friends and master the art of flying a paraglider. Flying since: I learned to fly in 1999 in Sun Valley Idaho thanks to Garth Callaghan taking pity on a poor college student transfixed by paragliders. Nate Scales helped further my flying education by giving constant flying advice over the years. I started competing in 2004 and believe that competitions are the best place to really take your flying to the next level.
Top Results: 2nd Place 2007 Canadian Nationals, 3rd Place 2008 Monarca Paragliding Open, 1st Nation Team 2008 Pre Worlds, Valle de Bravo, Mexico, Task wins in 2008 Italy PWC and 2008 Pre Worlds in Mexico
Sponsors: Eagle Paragliding, Flytec USA, my family.
BRAD GUNNUSCIO - U.S. Team Pilot
Age: 33 Weight: 195
Occupation: Paragliding Instructor
Glider Type: Glider Niviuk Icepeak XP
Flying Goals: To learn as much as I possibly can about paragliding, and to share this knowledge with my fellow pilots. I strive learn how to fly safer, faster, higher and to throw down harder. For years I have wanted to be on the US Paragliding team and after being one spot shy in 2007 (a heartbreaker) I am totally honored, blessed, and stoked to achieve this goal! I learned to fly hangliders in 1996 and started paragliding in 97 after watching Chris Santacroce throw down at the point every night, and thinking to myself I want to do that. I love paragliding. This sport is my addiction, and has definitely changed my life. I have a paragliding school in Utah (paraglideutah.com), and I sleep, breathe, eat, and bleed paragliding. I want to thank all my clients who have done clinics, tours, or purchased gear from me. You have helped me make this dream of mine possible, so Thank you! The next goal of mine is to nail the infinite tumble, which is very close. If I can achieve both of these goals in the same year it would be unbelievable for me. I will keep you posted.
Top finishes: 1st 2004 Chelan Cross Country classic, 5th 2006 Valadares paragliding open, 1st 2003 High roller competition, 2nd 2004 High roller competion, 3d 2005 High roller competition, 3d 2007 Rat Race, 2nd 2008 Rat Race, 5th 2008 Pre-Worlds.
Sponsors: Eagle Paragliding, Flytec , and Paraglideutah.com
KARI CASTLE - U.S. Team Pilot
Birthpace: Royal Oak, Michigan, in 1960
Began Hang Gliding: 1981
Began Paragliding: 1988 Resides: Bishop, CA in the heart of the Owens Valley.
Just as Castle mastered the Owens Valley, she also mastered her competition in contest after contest. She won the very first U.S. Women’s National Hang Gliding Championship she attended, in 1988, and thirteen more U.S. titles came fast and furious. In 1996, she captured the first of her three Women’s World Hang Gliding Championships. In 1993 Castle made headlines when she became the first woman in history to win a major competition (the Sandia Classic) over a mixed-gender line-up, and when she entered the Canadian Nationals in 1995 – the sole woman in a field of elite men – she won the gold there, too.
She was crowned U.S. Women’s National Paragliding Champion in 1995, 2001, 2002, and 2003.
Besides participating in top paragliding and hang gliding competitions throughout the year, including Hang Gliding Worlds and Paragliding Europeans, she’s a paragliding and hang gliding instructor, and she leads tours both in the United States and in far-reaching locales like South Africa. http://karicastle.com/
Sponsors: Red Bull, Eagle Paragliding, UP, Flytec USA
U. S. Team Leader: ROB SPORRER
Age: 40 Height and Weight: 6’1” - 180
Birthplace: Laramie, WY
Occupation: Owner - Eagle Paragliding - Paragliding Instructor
Education: BA
Paragliding History: Rob has been a paragliding instructor since 1997. He received the USHPA Instructor Of The Year Award in 2002, and was awarded a Commendation by USHPA in 2007. Rob has been a huge supporter of competition pilots on his Eagle Paragliding team over the years. He also serves as a Regional Director on the USHPA Board of Directors.
U. S. Team Leader: JEFF HUEYEducation: BS in Mechanical Engineering
Occupation: Currently on a hiatus from a career Oilfield Construction Engineering.
Qualifications for team leader position:
Jeff started hang gliding in 1976 in Alaska.
First tried paragliding in 1992 at Pine Mountain in Oregon
Rankings: Top ten for hang gliding competitors from 1979 to 1986. Was in the top ten in paragliding 2004 and 2005. He has been inolved in several US National team competions in both hang gliding and paragliding. He was the US Paragliding Team Leader at the 2005 Paragliding World Championships in Governador Valadares, Brazil. Jeff's international competitive experience and relationships with many of the key players leaves him well suited to deal with any political or administrative situation that may arise.
Outlook on the 2009 Paragliding World Championships:
Jeff points out: "The level of performance in the US paragliding competition scene has risen dramatically in the past several years and as a consequence we will be fielding our best team ever at the 2009 Worlds.
Combine that with the fact that the World Championships are being held at a site that US pilots are very familiar with bodes well for the US team.
The first place finish of the US National team in last years Pre-Worlds held in Valle reinforces my optimism".
Josh Cohn, Alternate U.S. Team Pilot
Age: 35 Height and Weight: 5' 9" 150
Home: Oakland, CA;
Marital Status: Shacked Up
Occupation: Buyer, independent music wholesaler
Education: Masters, geology
Glider type: UP Edge Reserve: Lara Gold Harness type: Genie Race
Home flying site: Dunlap? First altitude flight: Whaleback, CA, 1989
Ratings: P4 Total number of flights: ~2800
Total reserve deployments in anger: 3 - Criteria for hucking laundry: "If you think you might die, get it out."
Worst injury resulting from reserve ride: Blisters, from hiking down 4000'.
Philosophy: Attitude is key: It is your reaction to events that determines your happiness more than the events themselves. While it's good to be motivated, taking oneself too seriously often sabotages success.
Favorite flight: Flying from Billing to Manali after the Pre-PWC India in Nov. 2002 with 9 others. It had only been done a few times before, was off our maps, and there were high passes in the way. The flight was fairly easy, though massively committing. The landing in 20mph valley winds on rice paddy terraces at the end did provide some excitement. The 115km triangle last task of the 2008 Chelan XC Open is up there too.
Flying goals: Go bivouac flying in a cool spot, win the US Nationals again.
I am sponsored by: Eagle Paragliding, UP, Flytec
Top 6 Results: 1st Nation Team 2008 Pre Worlds, Valle de Bravo, Mexico
1st 2004 Monarca Open, Valle de Bravo, Mexico
1st 2003 SoCal Open, San Bernardino, CA
Winner(tie), task 5 of 2003 World Championships, Montalegre, Portugal
World Declared Goal Record: 177 miles, from Edinburgh, TX
US National Champion 1999, Aspen, CO
USHPA RATINGS WEBSITE LINK:
http://ushpa.aero/competition/ntss3/index.php
Copyright
. Tony Lang. All rights reserved.
