Scores of hang gliders and paragliders are flocking to Chelan Butte for this year's Chelan XC Open and Paragliding World Cup. Many people launching off the Butte have had spotless flights, but there were some crashes and accidents that highlighted the hazards of the sport. One hang glider clipped trees at Chelan Falls soccer field while landing and crashed to the turf, suffering scrapes and bruises and was hospitalized. Claudio Alberto Mota was paragliding as part of the World Cup and fell 100 feet to the pavement on State Route 174 Saturday, after his parasail tangled, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. He was airlifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, after complaining of neck and back pain. Another injury came not from hang gliding, but from helping. A man was injured on Chelan Butte while assisting a hang glider on July 2. He was taken to Central Washington Hospital, where his condition was listed as stable as of Monday.
Scores for the Chelan XC Open are being updated on www.chelanxcopen.com
Contact Erinn Unger at reporter@lakechelanmirror.com or 509‑682‑2213.
