The World Gliding Championships (WGC) is a gliding competition held roughly every two years by the FAI Gliding Commission. The dates are not always exactly two years apart, often because the contests are always held in the summer in either the Southern Hemisphere or Northern Hemisphere.
History Gliding had been a demonstration sport at the 1936 Summer Olympics and was due to become an official Olympic sport in the Helsinki Games in 1940. However, since the Second World War, gliding has not featured in the Olympics, and so the World Championships are the highest level in the sport. There are now contests for six classes of glider and so in recent years the Championships have been divided between two locations. The women's, junior, grand prix and aerobatic events are also held separately.
Each of the following entries give the year and location of the contest followed by the winner of each class, nationality and the glider used.
Year Location Class Winner Glider Notes 1937 Wasserkuppe Open Heini Dittmar Fafnir São Paulo This was thought not to be a true world championship and was just an 'International Competition', but it has been acknowledged as the first World Gliding Championship. 1948 Samedan Open Per-Axel Persson DFS Weihe 1950 Örebro Open Billy Nilsson DFS Weihe 1952 Madrid Open Philip Wills Slingsby Sky Hanna Reitsch was bronze, the first woman to compete. Two Seater Luis Juez Roberto Bermúdez DFS Kranich 1954 Camphill Farm, Great Hucklow Open Gerard Pierre Breguet 901 Two Seater Zvonimir Rain Bozidar Komac Ikarus Košava 1956 Saint-Yan Open Paul MacCready Breguet 901 Two Seater Nick Goodhart Frank Foster Slingsby Eagle 1958 Leszno Open Ernst Haase HKS-3 Standard Adam Witek SZD-22 Mucha Standard 1960 Cologne/Köln Open Rodolfo Hossinger Slingsby Skylark 3 Rolf on his Swedish passport. Standard Heinz Huth Schleicher Ka 6BR 1963 Junín Open Edward Makula SZD-19 Zefir 2 Standard Heinz Huth Schleicher Ka 6 1965 South Cerney Open Jan Wróblewski SZD-24 Foka 4 Standard François-Louis Henry Siren Edelweiss 1968 Leszno Open Harro Wodl Schempp-Hirth Cirrus Standard Andrew Smith Neukom S-3 Standard-Elfe 1970 Marfa, Texas Open George Moffat Schempp-Hirth Nimbus Standard Helmut Reichmann Rolladen-Schneider LS1-c 1972 Vršac Open Göran Ax Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-2 Standard Jan Wróblewski SZD-43 Orion 1974 Waikerie Open George Moffat Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-2 Standard Helmut Reichmann Rolladen-Schneider LS2 1976 Räyskälä Airfield, Loppi Open George Lee Schleicher ASW 17 Standard Ingo Renner Eiri PIK-20B 1978 Châteauroux Open George Lee Schleicher ASW 17 15 metre Helmut Reichmann Akaflieg Braunschweig SB-11 Standard Baer Selen Schleicher ASW 19 1981 Paderborn Open George Lee Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3 15 metre Göran Ax Schleicher ASW 20 Standard Marc Schroeder Rolladen-Schneider LS4 1983 Hobbs, New Mexico Open Ingo Renner Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3 15 metre Kees Musters Schempp-Hirth Ventus A Standard Stig Øye Rolladen-Schneider LS4 1985 Rieti Open Ingo Renner Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-3 15 metre Doug Jacobs Rolladen-Schneider LS6 Standard Leonardo Brigliadori Schempp-Hirth Discus 1987 Benalla Open Ingo Renner Schleicher ASW 22B Gliding Club of Victoria 15 metre Brian Spreckley Rolladen-Schneider LS6 Standard Markku Kuittinen Schempp-Hirth Discus-a 1989 Wiener Neustadt Open Schleicher ASW 22B 15 metre Bruno Gantenbrink Schempp-Hirth Ventus C Standard Jacques Aboulin Schempp-Hirth Discus 1991 Uvalde Open Janusz Centka Schleicher ASW 22B 15 metre Brad Edwards Rolladen-Schneider LS6-b Standard Baer Selen Schempp-Hirth Discus 1993 Borlänge Open Janusz Centka Schleicher ASW 22B 15 metre Gilbert Gerbaud Eric Napoleon Rolladen-Schneider LS6-bRolladen-Schneider LS6-b Standard Andrew Davis Schempp-Hirth Discus-B 1995 Omarama Open Ray Lynskey Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4 15 metre Eric Napoleon Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 Standard Markku Kuittinen Schempp-Hirth Discus-a 1997 Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban Open Gérard Lherm Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4 15 metre Werner Meuser Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2a Standard Jean-Marc Caillard Rolladen-Schneider LS8-a İnönü, Eskişehir World Frederic Hoyeau PZL PW-5 1999 Bayreuth Open Holger Karow Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4 15 metre Giorgio Galetto Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 Standard Jean-Marc Caillard Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a Leszno World Henry Julien PZL PW-5 2001 Mafikeng Open Oscar Goudriaan Schleicher ASW 22 BLE 15 metre Werner Meuser Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax Standard Laurent Aboulin Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a Gawler Club Peter Masson Glaser-Dirks DG-101 Lillo 18 metre Stephen Jones Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 World Olivier Darroze PZL PW-5 2002 Musbach Club Tomáš Suchánek 2003 Leszno Open Holger Karow Nimbus-4M 18 metre Wolfgang Janowitsch Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cx 15 metre John Coutts Schleicher ASW 27B3 Standard Andrew Davis Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a Nitra World Sebastian Kawa PZL PW-5 2004 Elverum Club Sebastian Kawa SZD-48-3M Jantar 3 2006 Eskilstuna Open Michael Sommer Schleicher ASW 22 BLE 18 metre Phil Jones Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cxt 15 metre Janusz Centka SZD 56-2 Diana 2 Standard Leigh Wells Rolladen-Schneider LS8 Vinon-sur-Verdon Club Sebastian Kawa SZD-48-3M Jantar 3 World Christophe Ruch PZL PW-5 2008 Rieti Standard Michael Buchthal Schempp-Hirth Discus-2 Club Matthias Sturm Glasflügel 206 Hornet World Laurent Couture PZL PW-5 Lüsse Open Michael Sommer Schleicher ASW 22 BLE 18 metre Olivier Darroze Schleicher ASG 29-18 15 metre György Gulyas Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2a 2010 Prievidza Standard Sebastian Kawa Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a 3 – 18 July 2010 Club Arndt Hovestadt Glasflügel Standard Libelle World Laurent Couture PZL PW-5 Szeged Open Michael Sommer Binder EB29 20 July – 7 August 2010 18 metre Zbigniew Nieradka Schleicher ASG 29-18 15 metre Stefano Ghiorzo SZD 56-2 Diana 2 2012 Uvalde Open Laurent Aboulin Schempp-Hirth Quintus M 28 July – 19 August 18 metre Zbigniew Nieradka Schleicher ASG 29-18 15 metre Sebastian Kawa SZD 56-2 Diana 2 2013 Adolfo Gonzales Chaves, Buenos Aires Standard Sebastian Kawa Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a 6 – 19 January 2013 Club Santiago Berca SZD-48 Jantar Standard 2 World Sebastián Riera PZL PW-5 Last World class world championship 2014 Räyskälä Airfield, Loppi Club Eric Bernard Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus 22 June – 5 July 2014 Standard Bert Schmelzer Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a 20m Multi-Seat Steve Jones Howard Jones Schempp-Hirth Arcus T 2014 Leszno Open Michael Sommer Binder EB29 26 July – 10 August 2014 Photo-gallery 18 metre Karol Staryszak Schleicher ASG 29-18 15 metre Sebastian Kawa SZD 56-2 Diana 2 2015 Pociūnai 13.5 metre Stefano Ghiorzo Diana 2 Versus 2–15 August 2015 2016 Pociūnai Club Jan Rothhardt Rolladen-Schneider LS1-d 31 July – 13 August 2016 Standard Louis Bouderlique Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a 20m Multi-Seat Laurent Aboulin Julien Duboc Schempp-Hirth Arcus T 2017 Benalla Open Russell Cheetham Jonker JS-1C 9 – 21 January 2017 18 metre Killian Walbrou Jonker JS-1 15 metre Sebastian Kawa SZD 56-2 Diana 2 2017 Szatymaz 13.5 metre Sebastian Kawa GP 14 VELO 3–15 July 2017 2018 Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland Club Rasmus Ørskov Schleicher ASW 20 7–21 July 2018 Standard Sjaak Selen Schempp-Hirth Discus-2a 15 metre Sebastian Kawa Schleicher ASG 29 2018 Hosín, Czech Republic Open Michael Sommer Binder EB29 27 July – 11 August 2018 18 metre Wolfgang Janowitsch Ventus-3T 20 m Multi-seat Christoph Matkowski Sebastian Kawa Schleicher ASG 32 Mi 2019 Pavullo nel Frignano, Italy 13.5 metre Stefano Ghiorzo Diana VersVS 1–14 September 2019 2021 Montluçon – Guéret 15 metre Sebastian Kawa SZD 56-2 Diana 2 7 – 21 August 2021 Standard Simon Schröder Rolladen-Schneider LS8 Club Uwe Wahlig Rolladen-Schneider LS3 2022 Pociūnai, Lithuania 13.5 metre Nick Hanenburg Mini LAK 3–15 July 2022 2022 Szeged, Hungary Open Felipe Levin Binder EB-29 R 24 July – 5 August 2022 18 metre Christophe Abadie Jonker JS-3 20 m Multi-seat Ivan Novák Petr Krejčiřík Arcus M 2023 Narromine 15 metre Sebastian Kawa SZD 56-2 Diana 2 3 – 15 December 2023 Standard Tom Arscott Rolladen-Schneider LS8 Club James Nugent Rolladen-Schneider LS3 2024 Uvalde, United States Open Felipe Levin Binder EB-29 R 18 – 30 August 2024 18 metre Stefan Langer AS 33 Me 20 m Multi-seat Sarah Arnold Karl Striedieck Arcus M 2025 Tábor 15 metre Łukasz Grabowski SZD 56-2 Diana 2 8 – 20 June 2025 Standard Jeroen Jennen Rolladen-Schneider LS8 Club Stefan Langer Rolladen-Schneider LS3 2026 Kościelec, Poland Open Felipe Levin Binder EB-29 R 17 – 29 May 2026 18 metre Victor Mallick Jonker JS-3 20 m Multi-seat Karsten Leucker Jan Omsels Schempp-Hirth Arcus T
A list of future events is available here
FAI Sailplane Grand Prix
The FAI Sailplane Grand Prix (SGP) (Gliding Grand Prix) is a series of international gliding competitions created by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) to make the sport of soaring more accessible and exciting for the public. Unlike traditional gliding championships, which often involve staggered starts, complex scoring, and long tasks that are difficult for spectators to follow, the SGP format features a simultaneous start, clearly defined racing rules, and a “first across the finish line wins” principle. This produces fast-paced, head-to-head racing that is easier to understand and more dramatic to watch.SGP Aero – About
Each Grand Prix race typically covers 200–300 kilometres, lasts two to three hours, and is contested by up to 20 pilots flying high-performance sailplanes. Points are awarded to the leading finishers on each racing day, with the overall winner crowned at the end of the series. Through innovations such as real-time GPS tracking, livestreamed video, and on-board pilot commentary, the SGP has become one of the most spectator-friendly formats in competitive gliding.SGP Aero – History
Since its launch in 2005, there have been 12 SGP series, with the 13th series scheduled to begin in 2026. Each series normally features around ten Qualifying SGP events held at soaring sites across the globe. The top two pilots from each qualifying event advance to the World Final, where a field of 20 of the world’s best sailplane pilots compete head-to-head for the coveted title of FAI Sailplane Grand Prix World Champion.SGP Aero – Series 13 Bidding Now Open
Season Location Winner Second Third Pilot Glider Pilot Glider Pilot Glider 2005 Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban Sebastian Kawa SZD 56 Diana 2 Mario Kiessling Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax Petr Krejčiřík Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax 2006–2007 Omarama Sebastian Kawa SZD 56 Diana 2 Uli Schwenk Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax Ben Flewett Schleicher ASW 27 2008–2009 Santiago Sebastian Kawa SZD 56 Diana 2 Carlos Rocca Vidal Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2b Mario Kiessling Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax 2010–2011 Wasserkuppe Giorgio Galetto Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax Sebastian Nägel Schleicher ASW 27 Peter Hartmann Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2ax2012–2014 Vaumeilh near Sisteron Didier Hauss Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cxa Sebastian Kawa SZD 56 Diana 2 Uli Schwenk Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2cxa2014–2015 Varese Maximilian Seis Jonker JS-1 evo Christope Ruch Jonker JS-1 evo Sebastian Kawa Schleicher ASG 29-182015–2016 Potchefstroom Holger Karow Jonker JS-1 evo Oscar Goudriaan Jonker JS-1 evo TJ Christophe Abadie Jonker JS-1 evo TJ2018 VitacuraSebastian Kawa (Poland)Jonker JS-1 evoSebastian Nägel (Germany)Ventus-3TSMario Kiessling (Germany)Ventus-3TS2019 La CerdanyaTilo Holighaus (Germany)Ventus-3TSSebastian Kawa (Poland)MD-JS3 JetLouis Bouderlique (France)MD-JS32021 Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban Sebastian KawaAS33ESMario Kiessling (Germany)Ventus-3TSMaximilian Seis (France)MD-JS32022-2023 Pavullo nel Frignano Stefan LangerSchleicher ASG 29-18Erik BorgmannMD-JS3Hermann LeuckerMD-JS32024-2025 Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban Maximilian SeisVentus 3-18Christophe AbadieMD-JS3Kévin FaurMD-JS3
Women's World Gliding Championships
The Women's World Gliding Championships (WWGC) is a women-only gliding competition. From 1979 to 1999 women's gliding competitions were held as International European Women's Gliding Championships.