| Recife - Sports - Hang Gliding |
RECIFE
Sports
HANG GLIDING
 Hang Gliding has been practiced in
Brasil since July 1974, when a Frenchman decided to alter the aerial scenery from the top of Corcovado, in Rio de
Janeiro. Two months later, Brazilian Luiz Cláudio ventured into the air and began the hang gliding story in the
country. New followers of the sport quickly appeared and in 1975 the First Brazilian Free Flight Competition was
held. At the end of this same year, the Brazilian Free Flight Association was founded. The sport has grown in the
country, and in 1982 Brazilian Pepê Lopes won an Individual World Championship. In 1999, a Brazilian team came back
from Italy with the trophy from the Team World Championship.
Not long ago, adventures from Pernambuco had to go outside the State in order to practice hang gliding. Recently,
however, they have discovered some ideal jump-off peaks to put themselfs in direct contact with the skies. One of
these is Pepê's Slope (1.060m high), at the top of the Serra de Taquara, in Taquaritinga do Norte, 167km (103 miles)
from Recife. It is one of the highest peaks in the State - second only to Pico do Papagaio (Parrot Peak) (1.150m) in
Triunfo - amd it is where the Free Flight Hang Gliding Circuit is held in the month of November. Other peaks include:
Ponto do Jundiaí (560m) on Pombos Hill, in the Serra das Russas, 65km (40 miles) from Recife, and a slope that divides
Aliança, 81km (50 miles) from Recife, and Timbaúba, 98km (60 miles), in Engenho Gitó, north of Recife. |
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