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Press Releases

37th ANNUAL HANG GLIDING SPECTACULAR SUCCESSFUL DESPITE WEATHER

Nags Head, NC (May 2009) - Kitty Hawk Kites held the 37th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular event over the weekend at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the Kitty Hawk Kites store in Nags Head. The event brought in forty-five hang glider pilots from across the country as well as several spectators visiting the Outer Banks during the weekend.

The competition began on Friday and ran throughout the weekend. Each day, numerous spectators climbed to the top of the dunes to watch the pilots soar through the air before attempting to land in a target, positioned at the bottom of the dune. Friday night, The Pit partnered with Kitty Hawk Kites to hold the annual Film Festival. The Film Festival gained record attendance and displayed several hang gliding movies. Saturday night, the annual Woody Jones Street Dance was held in front of the Kitty Hawk Kites store in Nags Head from 8p.m. to 11p.m. The Street Dance also had a high attendance and featured a sixteen foot inflatable screen and a live band. Sunday evening concluded this year’s Spectacular with a private award and induction ceremony. Roy Haggard was inducted into the Rogallo Foundation Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to flight and aviation. 

The dune competition was divided into two skill sets: novice and advanced. The novice division was composed of fifteen hang gliding pilots while thirty pilots made up the advanced group.  George Reeves won first place in the advanced division, followed by Paul Voight in second and Matt Paulsen in third. In the novice competition, Thor Froh, Steve Baumann and Charles Sinon earned the top three spots in the dune competition.

Kitty Hawk Kites has hosted the Hang Gliding Spectacular since 1974 and is the oldest hang gliding dune competition in the world.  Each year, hang glider pilots from across the country venture to the Outer Banks to compete on Jockey’s Ridge, using the same winds that once propelled the Wright Brothers in aviation.

Local sponsors of the 37th Annual Hang Gliding Spectacular included Spa Koru, Dominos Pizza, Sooey’s BBQ, Hooter’s, Chili Peppers, Friends of Jockey’s Ridge, The Pit, and Beach 104.

For information on other events held by Kitty Hawk Kites, visit www.kittyhawk.com or call 1-877-FLY-THIS.