Sopot Round 2025
Imagine you, your paraglider, 30-odd fellow pilots, big mountains, warm weather and kick-ass thermals that makes you question your life choices—welcome to the BP Cup Sopot round.
The BP Cup is a series of paragliding competition rounds in Britain and abroad, plus an XC element running between rounds for BHPA pilots (Pilot-rated and above) flying EN-A/B/C wings (no “rocket ship” gliders allowed). All compete under a set of rules to test their skilful flying, navigation and safety. But this is not a normal flying comp— it’s mix of friendly boot camp for aspiring XC pilots to learn from the regular seasoned pilots. The philosophy is simple: flying, fun and learning—sometimes, but not always in that order. It is designed to help pilots progress to more skilled flying through detailed briefings, mentoring, and the all-important camaraderie that provide the needed support for when flying conditions are on or not.
Pilots gathered from the UK for the 2025 overseas round in Sopot Bulgaria, expectations high as impressive flights have been recorded here—200+ km towards the Black Sea; 230km triangles; 200 km out-and-returns. Basically, when flying here, ‘bring some nibbles’, we hoped. Sopot’s aerial playground is along the “Old Mountain” (Stara Planina) — a 400 km long, 2300 m high mountain chain that rises abruptly from the flatlands in the valley (where incidentally, most of the world’s rose oil comes from). It has something for everyone from honing your mountain flying nerve or testing your skills in predicting flatland thermal triggers. But it is the facilities in Sopot that paraglider pilots come for, most notably the excellent services of Skynomad. Ivo, Niki and their team give the ‘best weather and flying briefings ever’ that makes for the optimal task setting at comps or ambitious independent flights during a guiding week. Retrieves are amazing too, with Miti, Yanto or George usually at roadside before your wing has even been packed away. Simply, Skynomad are a world class outfit. In addition, Sopot has normally got a chairlift that whisks you from the 550m monastery meadow to a steep grassy take-off at 1400m getting you airborne in no time (more on that later) as well as secondary sites that can be accessed by roads along mountain passes (also, more on that later). Sopot’s flyable days are usually consistent too, with 80-90% percent flyable in September (more on that later!).
The weather for the week before was spot on, flyable every day, mega convergence, some 80s and 90s and 50+km FAI triangles. Saturday’s informal practice day was similar even though some dark clouds loomed the valleys triggered everywhere. It was difficult to descend! Was this a good omen for the comp?
Well, we awoke on Sunday to gloomy but dry skies. Ivo thought it would be flyable later on, but as rain overnight hadn’t totally cleared the air, high cloud would take a while to burn off. To compound the issue, the chairlift had broken down the day before (thankfully without any pilots stuck on it!), so a delayed departure to the slight lower take-off at Beklemeto, west of Sopot, was planned. A chance to grab another coffee and collar seasoned pilots to impart their knowledge of XC Tracer and SkyFlyHy setups! On take off, we waited several hours for conditions to improve. Again, good opportunity for those new to comps or just coming back after a multiyear hiatus, like me, to be guided through instrument set up. In early afternoon, patches of sun broke through in the valley and anabatics started to set-in. Due to the late start a short 31km task was set along the main ridge turning Karlovo and landing near Sopot – hopefully. Task 1 was on. There was good lift but not massively high and waiting for start time saw several pilot relaunch. Unfortunately, the clouds did not allow for optimum conditions on the hill and try as we may, saw all pilots bomb out before turn point 1! All pilots landed safe, albeit, with one opting to land in one of the Sopot’s ‘sensitive zones’. Apparently, facilitating pilots being interrogated by police is another of the Skynomad team’s skill set!
Monday and Task 2? Blue skies but a front had brought in string NW winds. While Sopot sites work for many directions, strong NW is not one of them. Long walks up to take-off or hot-spring baths in Banya town were some of the alternative activities to reduce stress from not flying.
Tuesday and Task 2? The weather gods were looking down on us with sympathy with blue skies and lighter winds. The chairlift was still out of order so Beklemeto again, and another issue potentially overshadowed the Task—there would be a military exercise in the valley (hopefully at the other end) and we awaited a phone call to signal the all-clear on take off once again. Conditions and times still allowed for a 51km task out and back along the ridge with goal set out in the valley reachable on glide with enough height. A convergence line set up nicely along the mountain chain mixing valley anabatic with the northerly wind rising over the mountains, so conditions were ‘spicey’ with regular 3 or 4-ups (m/s) with ‘lumpy’ edges. 6 pilots made goal and Miti rewarded us all with a cold can of beer. Back at the bar the banter set in and was full of the day’s drama, comparing who got the worst sink, discussing the best lines and how much speed-bar was applied.
Unfortunately, this was to be the final task, Wednesday through Friday were beset with those strong northerlies. A trip up to Beklemeto’s soaring-only, north-facing site on Friday—a last ditch effort to fly—only confirmed unflyable conditions as no one had packed their Moustache. So, no further flying possible for the this year’s BP Cup. Still, during the last few days pilots opted for cultural trips to the historic Koprivshtitsa village, ate tradition goat culinary delights in Karlovo, walked the mountains and gorges of Stara Planina to ‘learn the landscape’ for the next flying trip, visited the the Toyan Pass Freedom Arch, Skipka Monastry or the deteriorating Buzludzha ‘UFO’ monument. There was never a dull moment when not flying.
In short and weather conditions aside, the BP Cup is great event to start out or re-engage with your paragliding competition journey. However, the best part of this informal competition is the social aspect, meeting new pilots and gaining common experiences for more banter on the hill back in the UK. Many thanks to Gareth, Viv and Brad for organising a truly memorable week.