Top picture: Team leaders on the podium

The 19th FAI World Microlight Championships wrapped up last week in the Metz region with a close contest between host nation France and long-time rivals Czechia.

Team France

Across six days (9-16 August) and eight tasks in hot, sunny weather, 53 teams with 82 pilots from nine nations competed for world honours. France claimed the top prize in the team classification, finishing just five points clear of Czechia, who nevertheless dominated in several individual classes. Poland secured bronze in the team standings.

Team Czechia

The duel played out across the categories: French pilots struck gold at home with Thomas Joron (RAL1) and Guilhem Rolland (RWL1), while Czech crews secured three victories – Matouš Adam and Jan Pařez in RWL2, Michal Elias and Ladislav Teplý in RGL2, and a double silver in RAL1 and RAL2. Ukraine also had reason to celebrate, as Yuriy Yakovlyev and Tymofii Iakovliev triumphed in the RAL2 class.

• Full results
• Photos

Task precision landing

Winners

Class RAL1 (Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown solo)

1. Thomas Joron (FRA)

2. Marek Velát (CZE)

3. Arnošt Stelšovský (CZE)

Class RAL2 (Movable Aerodynamic Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons)

1. Yuriy Yakovlyev – Tymofii Iakovliev (UKR)

2. Oldrich Stumbauer – Michal Nemec (CZE)

3. Filip Vita – Tomáš Procházka (CZE)

Class RWL1 (Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown solo)

1. Guilhem Rolland (FRA)

2. Błażej Piech (POL)

3. Lison Rebouillat (FRA)

Class RWL2 (Weight-shift Control / Landplane / Flown with two persons)

1. Matouš Adam – Jan Pařez (CZE)

2. Łukasz Hałasa – Rafal Klęk (POL)

3. Viktor Wyklicky – Ursula Bochnig (GER)

Class RGL2 (Autogyro / Landplane / Flown with two persons)

1. Michal Elias – Ladislav Teplý (CZE)

2. Alexandre Deldon – Lucile Bonamich (FRA)

3. Johannes Lemburg – Gisela Böllhoff (GER)

Team Classification

1. France

2. Czechia

3. Poland

Team Poland

Chambley from the air

Photo credit (except picture from the air): Wolfgang Lintl

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