成人快手

Paraglider Craig Morgan from Sidmouth has defeated the opposition - and defied the odds - to become British Paragliding Champion.

Craig, 42, soared to victory in the 2008 championship, despite being disadvantaged by having a prosthetic right leg.

Craig lost his leg below the knee in an accident in 1986 and now has an artificial limb.

It restricts Craig in controlling the speed system on his glider, so becoming British Champion is an incredible achievement.

"When I lost my right leg in an accident at the caravan park we run, I thought all was lost," said Craig. "It was all doom and gloom.

"And now I am so proud of myself to succeed in an able-bodied sport."

Craig took up paragliding in the early 1990s when he was in New Zealand. He continued while in Canada and completed his paragliding licence on Dartmoor after returning to his home town, Sidmouth.

Mark Hayman 3rd, Craig 1st, Adrian Thomas 2nd

He became an advanced pilot under the tutorship of Innes Powell of the now defunct South West Paragliding Club. It was Innes who got Craig into the competition scene four or five years ago.

Some 120 competitors take part in the British Paragliding Championship, which is held over three events - one in England, one in the French Alps and one in Spain. The events are held abroad, because the conditions are much more conducive to competitive paragliding.

Craig won the first event in Pedro Bernardo in central Spain, but the second race at Long Mynd in Shropshire was cancelled because of the conditions.

So it all boiled down to the final race, at St Andre in the French Alps. Craig didn't win, but he did enough to claim the overall title.

Up, up and away

Craig explained how the racers are marked: "We all download the same task route. We have a whole load of turning points - such as the top of ridges, churches on a hill.

"These points have all got their co-ordinates which are programmed into your GPS (global positioning system).

"We fly for the week at each event, and your worst score can be discounted.

"Typically, we'll be in the air for three hours and will do 70-80km (43-50 miles). But sometimes, we'll do 150-160km (93-100 miles) and that will take seven hours.

"Championship flights are cross-country and we'll launch from the side of a hill. So we can start 1,000m (3,280ft) high and can go up to 3,500m (11,482ft).

Another stunning view of the French Alps route

"We go as high as the clouds - that's as high as we are allowed to go - and then we'll glide.

"You've got to catch the thermals, or else you just go down.

"When you're in the thermals, you spiral and go upwards, But the thermals can be quite fierce and turbulent, and the wings can go up and down."

Sometimes, concentrating on the race can be difficult, with all those amazing views to stop and stare at: "It's fabulously exhilarating," said Craig.

"The first time you fly, it's awesome - you're up there with the birds.

"It's awe-inspiring, and as close to being a bird as we can get really. Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I'm 3,500 metres up.

"We do fly through some stunning areas. The views, particularly in France, were awesome. You're split between racing and taking in the views."

Craig uses a 28 square metre (300 sq ft) lightweight canopy, which can be folded into a rucksack.

The gliders have two main controls - a brake for each wing which for directing, and a speed system. This is a bar pushed by the feet to make the wings speed up.

"That's where I am restricted," said Craig. "But it is a sport which I can compete in despite that.

"And to have the trophy here with me at home, with all the names of the legends in British paragliding on it, is just fabulous."