Competitors flying off from Te Mata Peak at Hawke's Bay's Regional Paragliding Competition, January 10. Photo / Ian Cooper
Competitors flying off from Te Mata Peak at Hawke's Bay's Regional Paragliding Competition, January 10. Photo / Ian Cooper
A Hawke's Bay paraglider aiming to compete in this year's World Championships in France in May has dubbed Te Mata Peak as one of the best places to fly off.
Aaron Chesterman said the peak was a top paragliding spot. He has done about 90 flights off the summit.
"Thedistance record from Te Mata Peak is 125km, so you can travel a long way with no engine - which is amazing."
Te Mata Peak was the host location for Hawke's Bay's Regional Paragliding Competition over the weekend.
Chesterman soared to success in the open final ahead of Mark Hardman from Queenstown and Elliot Revellnash from Auckland, receiving a handmade mosaic of the peak.
Pilots raced predetermined tracks over the Hawke's Bay sky as part of the competition.
However, the regional competition didn't affect Chesterman's national rankings as it was not a high scoring event due to bad weather.
The 44-year-old said the peak was a very demanding launch and there was always a large audience watching paragliders take the big leap off the cliff.
"There are always big cheers and sighs of relief every time a pilot makes it off safely."
The Waimarama local is currently second in the New Zealand rankings for paragliding and hopes to head to the World Championships in Chamoux Sur Gelon, France in a few months' time.
"I am prepping by flying as much as possible and entering as many competitions as possible. The next competition is the NZ Nationals in Nelson in February," he said.
Aaron Chesterman, in green, flying off of Te Mata Peak's summit in Hawke's Bay's regional competition. Photo / Ian Cooper
This competition is the last for the season and will determine the final NZ rankings for the year.
"I've been number two on the NZ ladder for about the last 5 months," he said.
The ranking is determined by other competitions in the country and around the world over the past two years.
The ranking is achieved by the best four competition scores from each pilot.
Chesterman competed in Wanaka in between Christmas and New Year, placing third.
The Waimarama farmer and aerial survey photographer has been paragliding for the past five years, but has only been competing for the past two.
"I have been an aerial survey photographer for 11 years and that has got me pretty comfortable with being in the sky," he said.
Chesterman grew up at Waimarama Beach and has recently moved back there after five years of living in the Gold Coast, Australia.
He also used to do a lot of skydiving, but wanted to stay in the air for longer than four minutes at a time, so paragliding seemed to be a no-brainer.
He said the comradery between pilots and the freedom in the skies is what got him hooked at the age of 39.
"You're up in the air taking in the views with no engine noise - it's just you in the elements.
"You decide where you want to go and have to be responsible for your own safety."
Open final winner Aaron Chesterman with the Te Mata Peak mosaic trophy, second place was Mark Hardman and Elliot Revellnash finished third. Photo / Supplied
The Waimarama paraglider has been getting mentoring sessions from NZ number one Louis Tapper - which he said will put him in good stead for selection for the World Championships.
