XC Open-Putaleng 2022 debuts in Lai Chau

The first national cross country paragliding competition has been organized by the General Department of Sports and Physical Training and the provincial People’s Committee, drawing the participation of 100 pilots, including 35 foreigners from 15 countries and territories.

Participants will compete across two categories, including the national award category for Vietnamese paragliders and the general award category for both Vietnamese and foreign paragliders.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Tong Thanh Hai, vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee highlighted the first XC Open-Putaleng as a prime opportunity for the locality to promote Lai Chau's nature, culture, and people to domestic and foreign tourists. Hai went on to call for further investors to help create leverage for the province's tourism development.

The occasion also offers a chance for local and foreign paragliders to exchange and contribute to further promoting the development of paragliding in Vietnam, as well as enhancing integration with Southeast Asia and the wider world in terms of sporting activities.

Hai added that the locality is keen to ensure that XC Open-Putaleng 2022 is an international-level competition and make it the official paragliding competition in the system of the World Air Sports Federation (FAI) and the Paragliding World Cup.

Tam Duong district of Lai Chau has become a popular area for paragliding for years and it is the only place to host international large-scale competitions in Vietnam that are recognized by the FAI.