Michael Kuffer overjoyed at first World Cup victory
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, November 1
Swiss pilot, Michael Kuffer emerged the overall champion of the AAI Paragliding World Cup here in Bir Billing that ended late in the evening yesterday. In the task yesterday the 26-year-old Kuffer finished a mere 14 seconds behind Mexican Manuel Quintanilla but his steady performances in the earlier tasks made him overall winner.
The women’s overall crown was claimed by Japan’s Yuki Sato. Sato was second in the final task. The final task was won by the legendary Polish pilot Klaudia Bulgakow.
It was Kuffer’s first World Cup win and the young pilot from the German-speaking area in Switzerland was overjoyed with his success. His best finish in a World Cup prior to this win was a third place finish in his home country Switzerland. He was third at Dissentis World Cup earlier this year.
In the AAI Paragliding World Cup, he beat the in-form Xevi Bonet of Spain, legendary French pilots, Julien Wirtz and Maxime Pinot, both former World Number 1, and Slovenia’s Jurij Vidic, another former World No. 1.
Kuffer did not win any of the Tasks. He was ninth in Task 1, second in Task 2, 28th in Task 3 and 16th in Task 4 and at second place in Task 5.
A customised 18-inch Winged Trophy was presented to the winner by Sudhir Sharma, Minister of Urban Development and President of the Billing Paragliding Association.
Speaking about his win, Kuffer said, “I am overjoyed and I am going to celebrate this success with a relaxed week and I am going to see some more places around.”
Kuffer, who divides his time between studying Business Administration and taking tourists on tandem flights in Interlaken, Switzerland said, “I have loved India, its food and the people. Bir Billing is a magnificent place and it just the kind of a place a paragliding pilot would dream about.
Xevi Bonet Dalmau of Spain, who was the overall leader till Friday evening, came second, while former World No. 1 and legendary Frenchman Julien Wirtz, was third overall.
Another Frenchman Maxime Pinot and Slovenia’s Jurij Vidic ended fourth and fifth, respectively. Pinot was third in the final task and Vidic was sixth.
Among the Indians, Ajay Kumar was best at the 31st place overall, Gurpreet Dhindsa was 63rd and Arvind Paul 70th. The weather on the final day was clear and quite warm.
