Updated by the data entry person of the NZ PG flights database, Tim Percival.
Last updated 27 July 2026.
Here’s the wrap up of the 2026 competition! Again the weather could be described as being a mixed bag and overall the number of South Island flights over 100 km in distance were down compared to seasons 2025 and 2024, as were the number of 50 km flights of the North Island.
However, for those pilots prepared and in the right place when it came on, there were opportunities to fly for a long time and to fly a long way.
Here’s a list of some of the highlights:
- NZ’s tally of 200 km open-distance flights doubled (Ben Kellett, 230 & 206 km, from Coronet Peak)
- NZ’s 9th best open-distance (191 km, Leo Chelle, Coronet Peak)
- The long-standing (Jan. 1999) open-distance record for Te Mata Peak and the North Island bettered (Aaron Chesterman, 128 km)
- Provisionally, NZ’s best open-distance by a female pilot (Kinga Masztalerz, 173 km, Coronet Peak)
- NZ’s 2nd best FAI Triangle by a female pilot (Masztalerz, 151 km, Coronet Peak)
- 5 FAI Triangles over 140 km, and a further 8 more FAI or Flat Triangles over 100 km
- In total, 34 NZ 100 km flights of various course types.
2026 NZ XC Champions and Category Winners
|
Title/Category |
Pilot |
Notes |
|
1st place and |
Bradley Franks |
Runner up last season, Bradley has secured his first XC Champs title by flying three out of five of the season’s best FAI triangles! (154 km, 149 km and 142 km, all from Coronet Peak, Otago). |
|
1st Runner Up |
Ben Kellett |
This year Ben became a two-time NZ 200 km open distance pilot flying 230 km on December 12 and 206 km on December 17, both from Coronet Peak, netting Ben second place overall and a clear first place in the open distance category. |
|
2nd Runner Up and |
Kinga Masztalerz |
Kinga’s flights included the second longest FAI Triangle course ever flown in NZ by paraglider by a female (151 km, Coronet Peak) and the 4th best open distance of the competition (173 km, Coronet Peak)! |
|
Best Rookie (first-time PG2 competitor) |
Finn Almog |
Placed 26th overall, Finn’s best was a 103 km course heading out north from Coronet Peak to visit Lochnagar and the back country of the Harris Mountains, before very nearly returning all the way back to Coronet! |
|
North Island Champion |
Aaron Chesterman |
Aaron kick-started his North Island scoring on Nov. 16 with 106 km open-distance from Te Mata Peak, just the 8th ever North Island 100 km flight, and then went 20 km further on Jan. 8 (128 km) to finish 100 points ahead of his nearest North Island rival. |
|
North Island Best Open Distance |
Aaron Chesterman |
|
|
South Island Best Open Distance |
Ben Kellett |
Well done all of the above! (Especially Bradley) :) Thank you to all who submitted flights so we could see where there was good flying to be had.
2025/2026 NZ PG XC Champs Final Standings (top 50 places)
For detailed flight information and relative rankings of all NZ resident pilots, see the 2026 PG XC Champs Table at XContest (XContest season name: “2025/26”).
|
Pos |
Pilot |
Club |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
Total |
|
1 |
Bradley Franks |
Southern |
309.5 |
299.5 |
284.1 |
893.1 |
|
2 |
Ben Kellett |
Southern |
288.3 |
275.8 |
257.5 |
821.6 |
|
3 |
Kinga Masztalerz (F) |
Southern |
302.4 |
216.9 |
184.4 |
703.7 |
|
4 |
Leo Chelle |
Southern |
251.6 |
238.7 |
168.9 |
659.2 |
|
5 |
Thomas Rold |
Southern |
298.5 |
270.3 |
76.3 |
645.1 |
|
6 |
Mark Hardman |
Southern |
213.8 |
170.7 |
131.2 |
515.7 |
|
7 |
Glen Stevens |
Southern |
204.1 |
131.5 |
113.1 |
448.7 |
|
8 |
Doug Patterson |
Southern |
133.2 |
122.2 |
115.0 |
370.4 |
|
9 |
Aaron Chesterman |
Hawkes Bay |
160.8 |
132.6 |
74.0 |
367.4 |
|
10 |
Nick Taber |
Tasman |
122.1 |
112.1 |
104.0 |
338.2 |
|
11 |
Anthony Saupin |
Southern |
198.8 |
62.4 |
59.1 |
320.3 |
|
12 |
James Gibson |
Canterbury |
159.5 |
75.8 |
73.9 |
309.2 |
|
13 |
Clemence Cadario (F) |
Southern |
131.8 |
114.8 |
61.9 |
308.5 |
|
14 |
Benjamin Porte |
Southern |
214.4 |
63.9 |
27.5 |
305.8 |
|
15 |
Matthew Taggart |
Waikato |
107.6 |
92.2 |
91.2 |
291.0 |
|
16 |
Jakub Krauz |
Canterbury |
153.1 |
78.2 |
57.5 |
288.8 |
|
17 |
Stew Karstens |
Tasman |
108.9 |
92.3 |
79.2 |
280.4 |
|
18 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
106.9 |
85.6 |
81.2 |
273.7 |
|
19 |
Irwin Imhoff |
Wellington |
109.2 |
95.7 |
57.2 |
262.1 |
|
20 |
Mark Macdonald |
Waikato |
95.9 |
82.0 |
73.4 |
251.3 |
|
21 |
Laetitia Bottollier Curtet (F) |
Southern |
118.2 |
72.5 |
58.0 |
248.7 |
|
22 |
Daniel Diaz Rizo |
Southern |
104.9 |
86.5 |
50.9 |
242.3 |
|
23 |
Leighton Joll |
Auckland |
145.1 |
54.2 |
41.9 |
241.2 |
|
24 |
Greg Ellis |
Waikato |
108.6 |
62.2 |
61.9 |
232.7 |
|
25 |
Warrick Boustred |
Southern |
80.0 |
73.7 |
72.1 |
225.8 |
|
26 |
Finn Almog |
Southern |
103.9 |
68.5 |
52.1 |
224.5 |
|
27 |
Emlyn Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
78.6 |
70.0 |
65.5 |
214.1 |
|
28 |
Danny Warley |
Southern |
103.7 |
67.2 |
40.8 |
211.7 |
|
29 |
Daniel Rosinsky |
Canterbury |
74.4 |
71.0 |
60.6 |
206.0 |
|
30 |
Ross Johnstone |
Canterbury |
80.7 |
67.0 |
53.3 |
201.0 |
|
31 |
Bevan Small |
Canterbury |
64.7 |
63.6 |
62.8 |
191.1 |
|
32 |
Bruce Vickerman |
Waikato |
90.8 |
56.7 |
38.7 |
186.2 |
|
33 |
Jonas Yang |
Canterbury |
89.2 |
59.2 |
34.5 |
182.9 |
|
34 |
Iata Jorge de Brito |
Canterbury |
125.3 |
40.0 |
15.8 |
181.1 |
|
35 |
Pete Martin |
Waikato |
98.0 |
41.2 |
40.8 |
180.0 |
|
36 |
David Gerner |
Southern |
68.7 |
57.1 |
53.6 |
179.4 |
|
37 |
Evan Lamberton |
Auckland |
69.2 |
57.7 |
50.8 |
177.7 |
|
38 |
Tobias Joechle-Rings |
Tasman |
63.3 |
62.3 |
50.3 |
175.9 |
|
39 |
Bernie Massey |
Northland |
61.5 |
56.6 |
53.8 |
171.9 |
|
40 |
Jan Kurak |
Canterbury |
76.7 |
51.6 |
43.2 |
171.5 |
|
41 |
James Cato |
Manawatu |
62.9 |
61.2 |
47.1 |
171.2 |
|
42 |
Jesse Dhue |
Southern |
138.5 |
8.7 |
|
147.2 |
|
43 |
Ondrej Wieden |
Canterbury |
57.9 |
55.5 |
33.5 |
146.9 |
|
44 |
Leslie Graham |
Auckland |
57.4 |
48.0 |
39.5 |
144.9 |
|
45 |
Kyle Zhou |
Southern |
55.7 |
49.3 |
38.9 |
143.9 |
|
46 |
Robbo Robinson |
Auckland |
71.5 |
68.6 |
|
140.1 |
|
47 |
Rob Hughes-Games |
Canterbury |
56.2 |
45.8 |
36.9 |
138.9 |
|
48 |
Brent Edwards |
Tasman |
49.1 |
44.9 |
44.6 |
138.6 |
|
49 |
Hamish Dicker |
Tasman |
54.5 |
49.9 |
30.2 |
134.6 |
|
50 |
Barry Sayer |
Hawkes Bay |
57.2 |
46.3 |
26.6 |
130.1 |
North Island Table (top 25 places)
(Top scoring from North Island flights).
|
Pos |
Pilot |
Club |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
Total |
|
1 |
Aaron Chesterman |
Hawkes Bay |
160.8 |
132.6 |
74.0 |
367.4 |
|
2 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
106.9 |
85.6 |
81.2 |
273.7 |
|
3 |
Mark Macdonald |
Waikato |
95.9 |
82.0 |
73.4 |
251.3 |
|
4 |
Greg Ellis |
Waikato |
108.6 |
62.2 |
61.9 |
232.7 |
|
5 |
Emlyn Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
78.6 |
70.0 |
65.5 |
214.1 |
|
6 |
Bruce Vickerman |
Waikato |
90.8 |
56.7 |
38.7 |
186.2 |
|
7 |
Pete Martin |
Waikato |
98.0 |
41.2 |
40.8 |
180.0 |
|
8 |
Evan Lamberton |
Auckland |
69.2 |
57.7 |
50.8 |
177.7 |
|
9 |
James Cato |
Manawatu |
62.9 |
61.2 |
31.2 |
155.3 |
|
10 |
Leighton Joll |
Auckland |
145.1 |
|
|
145.1 |
|
11 |
Leslie Graham |
Auckland |
57.4 |
48.0 |
39.5 |
144.9 |
|
12 |
Robbo Robinson |
Auckland |
71.5 |
68.6 |
|
140.1 |
|
13 |
Bernie Massey |
Northland |
61.5 |
56.6 |
|
118.1 |
|
14 |
Ken Beach |
Hawkes Bay |
64.4 |
28.1 |
22.6 |
115.1 |
|
15 |
Mike Christiansen |
Wairarapa |
68.7 |
31.1 |
10.0 |
109.8 |
|
16 |
Bruno Metz |
Auckland |
95.5 |
8.9 |
|
104.4 |
|
17 |
Craig Miller |
Hawkes Bay |
41.3 |
28.5 |
25.1 |
94.9 |
|
18 |
Nick Buhaets |
Auckland |
65.1 |
22.0 |
|
87.1 |
|
19 |
Peter Jones |
Waikato |
36.5 |
25.6 |
22.8 |
84.9 |
|
20 |
Ian Bowie |
Other/Unknown |
44.9 |
12.1 |
12.1 |
69.1 |
|
21 |
Andy Spierer |
Auckland |
23.6 |
21.4 |
18.6 |
63.6 |
|
22 |
Devina Shedde (F) |
Auckland |
28.9 |
20.2 |
12.8 |
61.9 |
|
23 |
Albert Moniod |
Auckland |
37.7 |
18.2 |
5.9 |
61.8 |
|
24 |
Phil Williams |
Auckland |
36.0 |
24.4 |
|
60.4 |
|
25 |
Robbie Kerr |
Hawkes Bay |
53.6 |
|
|
53.6 |
Open Distance Table (top 20 places)
(Ranking based on the maximum distance of a pilot’s flights).
|
Pos |
Pilot |
Club |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
Total |
|
1 |
Ben Kellett |
Southern |
230.7 |
206.0 |
172.2 |
608.9 |
|
2 |
Kinga Masztalerz (F) |
Southern |
173.5 |
147.5 |
85.4 |
406.4 |
|
3 |
Leo Chelle |
Southern |
191.0 |
100.5 |
54.4 |
345.9 |
|
4 |
Aaron Chesterman |
Hawkes Bay |
128.7 |
106.1 |
53.1 |
287.9 |
|
5 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
85.5 |
68.5 |
62.1 |
216.1 |
|
6 |
Mark Macdonald |
Waikato |
76.8 |
65.6 |
58.7 |
201.1 |
|
7 |
Clemence Cadario (F) |
Southern |
91.8 |
53.0 |
49.5 |
194.3 |
|
8 |
Mark Hardman |
Southern |
105.0 |
43.7 |
43.2 |
191.9 |
|
9 |
Leighton Joll |
Auckland |
116.1 |
43.4 |
31.3 |
190.8 |
|
10 |
Glen Stevens |
Southern |
105.2 |
37.4 |
36.8 |
179.4 |
|
11 |
Nick Taber |
Tasman |
89.7 |
45.3 |
40.0 |
175.0 |
|
12 |
Emlyn Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
62.9 |
56.0 |
52.4 |
171.3 |
|
13 |
Bradley Franks |
Southern |
58.5 |
55.0 |
54.5 |
168.0 |
|
14 |
Thomas Rold |
Southern |
56.5 |
54.2 |
53.0 |
163.7 |
|
15 |
Laetitia Bottollier Curtet (F) |
Southern |
81.6 |
34.9 |
29.5 |
146.0 |
|
16 |
Stew Karstens |
Tasman |
87.1 |
30.4 |
24.9 |
142.4 |
|
17 |
Pete Martin |
Waikato |
78.4 |
33.0 |
30.9 |
142.3 |
|
18 |
Evan Lamberton |
Auckland |
55.4 |
40.6 |
39.6 |
135.6 |
|
19 |
Bruce Vickerman |
Waikato |
72.6 |
31.0 |
30.1 |
133.7 |
|
20 |
Daniel Rosinsky |
Canterbury |
44.8 |
44.4 |
43.7 |
132.9 |
North Island Open Distance Table (top 10 places)
(Ranking based on the maximum distance of a pilot’s North Island flights).
|
Pos |
Pilot |
Club |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
Total |
|
1 |
Aaron Chesterman |
Hawkes Bay |
128.7 |
106.1 |
53.1 |
287.9 |
|
2 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
85.5 |
68.5 |
62.1 |
216.1 |
|
3 |
Mark Macdonald |
Waikato |
76.8 |
65.6 |
58.7 |
201.1 |
|
4 |
Emlyn Revell-Nash |
Auckland |
62.9 |
56.0 |
52.4 |
171.3 |
|
5 |
Pete Martin |
Waikato |
78.4 |
33.0 |
30.9 |
142.3 |
|
6 |
Evan Lamberton |
Auckland |
55.4 |
40.6 |
39.6 |
135.6 |
|
7 |
Bruce Vickerman |
Waikato |
72.6 |
31.0 |
23.4 |
127.0 |
|
8 |
Leighton Joll |
Auckland |
116.1 |
|
|
116.1 |
|
9 |
Robbo Robinson |
Auckland |
57.2 |
54.9 |
|
112.1 |
|
10 |
Bernie Massey |
Northland |
49.2 |
45.3 |
|
94.5 |
2026 Season Site Best Flights (from entries)
FAI Triangle and Flat Triangle
|
Region |
Site/Site Group |
Distance |
Type |
Pilot |
Date |
Take Off |
SL |
|
Waikato |
Kaimai Range |
72.4 |
FL |
Greg Ellis |
7/01/2026 |
(Kaimai) |
|
|
Waikato |
Kaimai Range |
28.4 |
FAI |
Bruce Vickerman |
4/11/2025 |
(Kaimai) |
|
|
Wairarapa |
Kourarau |
45.8 |
FL |
Mike Christiansen |
1/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Wairarapa |
Kourarau |
22.4 |
FAI |
Ian Bowie |
21/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Nelson |
Peel Range |
31.6 |
FAI |
Tobias Joechle-Rings |
1/11/2025 |
(Lake Peel Track) |
|
|
Nelson |
Takaka – Riwaka |
23.0 |
FL |
Nick Taber |
06/01/2026 |
(Takaka Hill) |
|
|
Nelson |
Barnicoat Range |
FL |
Stew Karstens |
21/08/2025 |
(Barnicoat) |
|
|
|
Nelson |
Barnicoat Range |
25.5 |
FAI |
Stew Karstens |
24/08/2025 |
(Barnicoat) |
|
|
Nelson |
Inwoods Lookout |
63.0 |
FL |
Nick Taber |
28/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Nelson |
Mt Murchison |
81.4 |
FL |
Nick Taber |
4/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Canterbury |
Libretto Range – Lewis |
27.7 |
FL |
Irwin Imhoff |
4/02/2026 |
(Mt Faust) |
|
|
Canterbury |
St James Range North |
54.6 |
FAI |
Irwin Imhoff |
11/03/2026 |
(St James 1640) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Craigieburn Range |
62.7 |
FAI |
Iata Jorge de Brito |
23/11/2025 |
(Long Spur) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Little River |
FAI |
James Gibson |
8/11/2025 |
|
||
|
Otago |
Mt Maude |
34.1 |
FL |
Kat West |
14/01/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Hawea Eastern Ranges |
26.4 |
FAI |
Anthony Saupin |
14/10/2025 |
(Pakituhi Spur) |
|
|
Otago |
Treble Cone |
102.0 |
FAI |
Glen Stevens |
14/10/2025 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Roys Peak |
85.3 |
FAI |
Mark Hardman |
27/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Coronet Peak |
154.7 |
FAI |
Bradley Franks |
24/02/2026 |
|
|
** Ratified Site Record
FAI Out-and-Back
|
Region |
Site/Site Group |
Distance |
Pilot |
Date |
Take Off |
SL |
|
Waikato |
Kaimai Range |
68.9 |
Greg Ellis |
07/01/2026 |
(Kaimai) |
|
|
Wairarapa |
Kourarau |
Mike Christiansen |
01/02/2026 |
|
* |
|
|
Nelson |
Peel Range |
Brent Edwards |
13/04/2025 |
(Lake Peel Track) |
* |
|
|
Nelson |
Takaka – Riwaka |
22.2 |
Nick Taber |
06/01/2026 |
(Takaka Hill) |
|
|
Nelson |
Barnicoat Range |
Stew Karstens |
21/08/2025 |
(Barnicoat) |
* |
|
|
Nelson |
Inwoods Lookout |
Nick Taber |
28/02/2026 |
|
||
|
Nelson |
Mt Murchison |
59.5 |
Nick Taber |
04/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Canterbury |
Libretto Range – Lewis |
25.9 |
Irwin Imhoff |
04/02/2026 |
(Mt Faust) |
|
|
Canterbury |
St James Range North |
29.4 |
Irwin Imhoff |
11/03/2026 |
(St James 1640) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Craigieburn Range |
34.0 |
Iata Jorge de Brito |
23/11/2025 |
(Long Spur) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Little River |
James Gibson |
08/11/2025 |
|
||
|
Otago |
Mt Maude |
31.5 |
Kat West |
14/01/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Hawea Eastern Ranges |
24.2 |
Anthony Saupin |
14/10/2025 |
(Pakituhi Spur) |
|
|
Otago |
Treble Cone |
62.7 |
Jakub Krauz |
28/12/2025 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Roys Peak |
60.7 |
Glen Stevens |
28/12/2025 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Coronet Peak |
99.8 |
Ben Kellett |
08/02/2026 |
|
|
* Site longest flight ever, no record claim made as yet (at time of writing)
** Ratified Site Record
Open Distance
|
Region |
Site/Site Group |
Distance |
Pilot |
Date |
Take Off |
SL |
|
Northland |
Kamo |
49.2 |
Bernie Massey |
1/11/2025 |
|
|
|
Auckland |
Bridges |
56.0 |
Emlyn Revell-Nash |
1/11/2025 |
|
|
|
Auckland |
Dills Hill |
62.1 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
12/04/2025 |
|
|
|
Auckland |
Moirs Hill |
68.5 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
7/01/2026 |
|
|
|
Waikato |
Alans Hill |
31.0 |
Bruce Vickerman |
17/10/2025 |
|
|
|
Waikato |
Waihi |
29.2 |
Peter Jones |
13/12/2025 |
(Hospital Hill) |
|
|
Waikato |
Kaimai Range |
85.5 |
Elliot Revell-Nash |
5/02/2026 |
(Kaimai) |
|
|
Bay of Plenty |
Paeroa |
65.0 |
Alex Raymont |
21/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Hawkes Bay |
Te Mata Peak |
Aaron Chesterman |
8/01/2026 |
|
† |
|
|
Hawkes Bay |
Burma Road |
Leighton Joll |
8/01/2026 |
|
* |
|
|
Wairarapa |
Dalefield Road |
24.7 |
James Cato |
13/12/2025 |
|
|
|
Wairarapa |
Kourarau |
30.0 |
Mike Christiansen |
1/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Nelson |
Takaka – Riwaka |
25.6 |
Nick Taber |
6/01/2026 |
(Takaka Hill) |
|
|
Nelson |
Barnicoat Range |
49.1 |
Nate Vervaart |
28/01/2026 |
(Barnicoat) |
|
|
Nelson |
Inwoods Lookout |
46.3 |
Nate Vervaart |
4/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Nelson |
St Arnaud |
89.7 |
Nick Taber |
11/03/2026 |
(Mt Robert) |
|
|
Nelson |
Mt Murchison |
37.8 |
Nick Taber |
1/02/2026 |
|
|
|
Marlborough |
Picton |
Henry Bayne |
13/12/2025 |
(Collins Hill) |
* |
|
|
West Coast |
Denniston – Millerton |
35.3 |
Nick Taber |
19/09/2025 |
(Millerton) |
|
|
Canterbury |
St James Range North |
33.5 |
Bevan Small |
5/01/2026 |
(St James 1640) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Crimea Range North |
38.2 |
Peter Steinberger |
1/12/2025 |
(Paget Ridge) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Craigieburn Range |
61.4 |
Jan Kurak |
21/03/2026 |
(Cheeseman) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Two Thumb Range |
50.2 |
Bevan Small |
13/12/2025 |
(Dobson Ski Field) |
|
|
Canterbury |
Benmore Peak East |
89.1 |
Peter Steinberger |
24/11/2025 |
|
|
|
Canterbury |
Dingle Burn-Ahuriri Divide |
92.8 |
Ben Kellett |
14/01/2026 |
(Dingle-Ahuriri Pass) |
|
|
Otago |
Lindis Pass |
29.9 |
Paulius Kvietkauskas |
3/03/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
McKerrow Range |
20.1 |
Benjamin Porte |
4/05/2025 |
(Mt Shrimpton) |
|
|
Otago |
Mt Maude |
41.3 |
Kinga Masztalerz |
14/01/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Hawea Eastern Ranges |
81.6 |
Laetitia Bottollier Curtet |
13/12/2025 |
(Breast Hill) |
|
|
Otago |
Matukituki |
43.7 |
Daniel Rosinsky |
28/02/2026 |
(Mt Eostre) |
|
|
Otago |
Treble Cone |
105.2 |
Glen Stevens |
22/03/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Roys Peak |
43.2 |
Mark Hardman |
22/11/2025 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Shotover Ranges |
44.4 |
Daniel Rosinsky |
27/02/2026 |
(Mt Saint Just) |
|
|
Otago |
Cardrona |
42.2 |
Kinga Masztalerz |
27/02/2026 |
(Mt Soho North Ridge) |
|
|
Otago |
Coronet Peak |
Ben Kellett |
12/12/2025 |
|
* |
|
|
Otago |
Mt Ida |
30.3 |
Ben Kellett |
5/01/2026 |
|
|
|
Otago |
Ida Range East |
51.5 |
Ben Kellett |
6/01/2026 |
(Mt Buster) |
|
* Site longest flight ever, no record claim made as yet (at time of writing)
† Ratified North Island Record
Note: Some flights have been excluded from these site best tables because the flight track log showed the pilot making use of an opened GAA, but nothing about that was noted in the comments of the flight post, e.g. flights from the Port Hills to Akaroa that seem to have made use of G853 Lyttleton.
Season 2026 Milestone Flights
NZHGPA Cross-Country Milestone Achievement certificates are awarded the first time a NZ resident pilot surpasses the ‘milestone’ distances of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 or 200 km (open distance) on a hang glider or paraglider in New Zealand. (Flights qualify if at least 2/3 of the flight distance is flown inland).
The table below lists the pilots who achieved milestone paraglider flights during the 2026 XC Champs season through to the end of March. Well done all these pilots!
The standout milestone flights of the South Island came from Ben Kellett and Kinga Masztalerz. Kellett became only the second paraglider (after Nick Neynens) to achieve NZ 200 km open-distance with his flight from Coronet Peak, Otago, on December 12. One week later, Masztalerz joined the NZ 150 km ‘club’ (still just 15 paraglider members), flying a similar route north from Coronet Peak towards Fox Glacier, West Coast.
Meanwhile, three significant milestone flights were achieved in the North Island. It had been 27 years since the last NZ 100 km or 125 km paraglider milestone flights of the North Island: Barry Sayer (115 km) and Shaun Gilbert (125 km) extending the North Island open-distance record flying from Te Mata Peak, Hawkes Bay in early Jan. 1999. This season, Aaron Chesterman and Leighton Joll joined that rarefied company by achieving NZ 100+ km open-distance in the North Island (from Te Mata Peak and nearby Burma Road, respectively), with Chesterman subsequently achieving the NZ 125 km milestone as well. Inspirational!
Other commendable North Island efforts came from Robbo Robinson and Seba Baruffaldi (North Island 50 km) and Bruno Metz and Pete Martin (North Island 75 km).
|
Pilot |
Milestone Achieved (km) |
Flight Date |
OD Distance |
Site Name |
|
Danny Warley |
25 |
14/10/2025 |
Treble Cone |
|
|
Jonas Yang |
25 |
1/11/2025 |
Long Spur |
|
|
Aaron Chesterman |
100 |
16/11/2025 |
Te Mata Peak |
|
|
Matt Morris |
25 |
22/11/2025 |
Roys Peak |
|
|
Finn Almog |
25 |
24/11/2025 |
Coronet Peak |
|
|
Ben Kellett |
200 |
12/12/2025 |
Coronet Peak |
|
|
Bevan Small |
50 |
13/12/2025 |
Dobson Ski Field |
|
|
Henry Bayne |
25 |
13/12/2025 |
Collins Hill |
|
|
Kinga Masztalerz |
150 |
17/12/2025 |
Coronet Peak |
|
|
Christian Campos |
25 |
28/12/2025 |
Treble Cone |
|
|
Iva Hrubosova |
25 |
28/12/2025 |
Treble Cone |
|
|
Robbo Robinson |
50 |
7/01/2026 |
Moirs Hill |
|
|
Aaron Chesterman |
125 |
8/01/2026 |
Te Mata Peak |
|
|
Leighton Joll |
100 |
8/01/2026 |
Burma Road |
|
|
Ari Walker |
25 |
1/02/2026 |
Mt Murchison |
|
|
Mike Christiansen |
25 |
1/02/2026 |
Kourarau |
|
|
Daniel Rosinsky |
25 |
4/02/2026 |
Inwoods Lookout |
|
|
Sam White |
25 |
4/02/2026 |
Inwoods Lookout |
|
|
Bruno Metz |
75 |
5/02/2026 |
Kaimai |
|
|
Paulius Kvietkauskas |
25 |
3/03/2026 |
Lindis Pass |
|
|
Pete Martin |
75 |
4/03/2026 |
Kaimai |
|
|
Seba Baruffaldi |
50 |
15/03/2026 |
Kaimai |
|
|
Tristan Sansiquet |
25 |
15/03/2026 |
Kaimai |
|
|
Jan Kurak |
50 |
21/03/2026 |
Cheeseman |