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We've had incredible ceremonies and pageantry when we've gone to Europe for the Worlds. Segillo and Berg went all out for us and hundreds and thousands of people participated. It made you feel like hey cool this really is the Worlds and it is a big deal. Humans are funny that way.

The opening ceremony for the rigid wing worlds at Quest Air last year was almost non existent (in its ceremonial aspects), but it did have some great baby alligators. That was a big thrill for these international pilots.

In our processionals in Europe we have wound through the narrow streets with people hanging out of their windows. It is just hard to imagine a parade of hang glider pilots in America with any one noticing, their houses far from the road, spaced far apart. But they found the perfect spot for us at the amphitheater in their wonderful Big Spring park (at the actual Big Spring). This is a stone amphitheater that seats 7,000 (about 1/3rd the population of Big Spring) and the stage looks like the Alamo. While there weren't 7,000 folks there to take in our ceremony, we did have a few locals looking on.

We did have a procession of the teams in the competition down the center stone aisle to the stage. Belinda had flags for every one, put up on beautiful poles made by the local committee (the committee that supports the hang gliding in Big Spring). And every national team walked with their colors to music by Jody Nix (a well known west Texas country musician and resident of Big Spring).

All the twenty five flags were then staged on the stage to give an international flavor to this little west Texas town. The mayor spoke, the airport manager spoke, the CIVL president spoke, the USHPA representative spoke, and the FAI flag was raised and the FAI anthem was played. It was for the most part short and sweet. It really drove home the point that hey this is the Worlds and we can have a parade here and a "real' opening ceremony if we just hold it in the right spot.

Click for a higher resolution version of the mayor of Big Spring speaking.

Afterwards we all walked to the barbeque pit at the park where they served up Texas brisket. The air was warm and the smell pleasant and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as it slowly got dark. Every one from around the world was made to feel welcome in Texas. I was very proud of the town in the US that does the very most to support hang gliding.

Lots of pilots flew today and while it was almost completely blue they had good flights with the day finally turning on around 3:30 PM. I don't think anyone took the course (forty miles to the north to LaMesa) as they needed to get back in time for the opening ceremonies. I'm sure glad that they all attended.

The weather continues to look good into the future. It is very moist here, a lot like east Texas and not at all like west Texas. You can see the dry line to the east every day with the cu's towering up. The winds are dying down over the next few days as the high pressure continues to build over us.

The best pilots in the world are hear today except for Oleg Bondarchuck who is recovering at home from his tumble in Greifenburg. They seem quite happy and so far no one has hurt himself. The EMT's are on site.

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