F5J World Champions!!!

The French F5J team is simply MAGIC!

They return from the F5J World Championships in Dupnista, Bulgaria, held August 12-19, 2023 with 3 gold medals and 1 silver :

🥇 F5J Senior World Champion: the incredible Adrien Gallet

🥇 F5J Senior Women's World Champion: the magical Marie-Ange Groz

🥇 F5J Junior World Champion: the sparkling Romain Gallet

🥈 F5J Junior World Team Vice-Champions: the French Junior team (Nicolas Chansard, Romain Gallet and Mathys Lejeune).

What is F5J?

We use a glider equipped with a motor and a propeller with folding blades. At the start, you have 30 seconds to raise your glider using your engine (but not too high, as each meter of altitude is a penalty point), then you cut the engine, fold the propeller blades and stay airborne for 10 minutes, at the end of which you must land on a target. One round follows another - in all, each competitor will have 14 flights for the qualifications. This phase lasts several days, and we vary the times and conditions of passage for all, in the interests of fairness.

Then comes the Fly Off phase: like a final, only the best qualifiers are selected. In the 4 Fly Off flights, the rules are the same, but instead of lasting 10 min, you have to last 15 min. 

Competitors from all over the world

A wonderful landscape welcomes this year's competition... The gliders fly at the foot of Bulgaria's Rila National Park...

Countries from all over the world are present at the F5J World Championships in Dupnitsa, Bulgaria: Japan, USA, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Portugal, Norway, Croatia, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Argentina and many more...  

A French team at the top!

Behind the scenes at the F5J World Championship in Bulgaria... When something breaks, we either repair it (and the whole team lends a hand) or choose another model from among the 3 authorized for the competition. Either way, every decision counts and weighs in the balance...

The team is supervised by Alex Gouillon, who brings his experience and support to the team. Advice on equipment, observation of warm and updrafts, encouragement - the whole team pulls together and supports each other! Parents and spouses are also on hand to help out behind the scenes with equipment, logistics, meals, etc... 

Among the Seniors, the competition is tough, and Adrien finishes the qualifying round in 11th place out of 14 qualifiers. Adrien was then unstoppable on the 4 Fly Off flights, and won by a landslide! 

In the Senior Women's category, Marie-Ange had to contend with the German competitors, but took the lead in the end!

Among the Juniors, the results were just as incredible: Nicolas finished the qualifiers at the top of the rankings. But he was unlucky in the Fly Offs, where conditions were not in his favor. He still finished in a fine 4th place, and it was Romain, Adrien's little brother, who outclassed everyone else in the Junior Fly Offs and won the gold medal.

The role of the coach

image : Antonis Papadopoulos

During the competition, each pilot has his own coach. Here's Adrien in the middle of the Fly Off, coached by Nicolas Chansard. These two are a golden duo! 

The F5J coach is indispensable: pilots can't afford to take their eyes off their model, at the risk of losing it or confusing it with another. The role of the coach is crucial: he must observe the other competitors, the potential updrafts and the wind to advise the pilot and provide him with his observations. Bravo Nicolas for your perfect coaching, which enabled Adrien to win Gold!

The Gallet brothers are making history!

image : Antonis Papadopoulos

A passionate dad, an ultra-supportive mom and 2 brothers bursting with talent... A big bravo to this extraordinary family, who are bringing home 2 gold medals!

Well done to all!

We're proud to have partnered this magical team with our Xpower engines, and to have shared some incredible moments with them!

Images: Antonis Papadopoulos & Flash RC