Paragliding athletes who come from afar could enjoy the beautiful Jayapura scenery from the hills while performing their best ability during the competition
Jakarta (ANTARA) - National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) chairperson Marciano Norman has lauded the venue chosen for the paragliding competition of the XX National Sports Week ( PON), which offers scenic views of Jayapura, Papua Province.



The PON committee has decided to make Gracia Hill in Buton village, Jayapura city as the starting point for the paragliding competition, and the KONI chairperson visited the hill before the competition commenced on Thursday.



"When I observe the take-off point for the paragliding competition, I see it as a very strategic location because we can see the beauty of Jayapura from that point," Norman stated in an official statement released by KONI the same day.



Gracia Hill was an alternative to several venues that were considered initially, he added.


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The first candidate, Teletubbies Hill in Waibu, was taken off the list due to its proximity to an airfield and the next starting point candidate—the Mac Arthur Monument site in Sentani—was also struck off because of the presence of an aerial power line that would have crossed the gliding zone, Norman informed.



After the PON Games committee deemed the Waena Camping Ground in Sentani—the third option—unfit to be the starting point, Gracia Hill emerged as the next possible option, he said.



A further assessment and observation of the hill yielded positive results, and the committee agreed to set it as the starting point for the paragliding competition, he added.


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"The take-off point has a proper inclination angle of between 18 to 23 degrees; the location also has a good headwind that will help competitors to gain lift while gliding, and the location is also accessible," technical delegate for paragliding sport Djoko Bisowarno pointed out.



The KONI chairperson expressed the hope that the athletes would compete well and enjoy the stunning scenery of Jayapura from Gracia Hill.


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"Paragliding athletes who come from afar could enjoy the beautiful Jayapura scenery from the hills while performing their best ability during the competition," Norman added.



The paragliding competition has been organized on Gracia Hill from September 30 until October 12, 2021. A total of 64 athletes comprising 18 women and 46 men from 9 provinces will compete in 12 paragliding matches at the PON competition.


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Translator: Livia Kristianti, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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