The World Gliding Championships will be the biggest gliding event to come Benalla for 30 years – since the last one in 1987. It will be the largest gliding event ever held in Australia, and the largest ever in the Southern Hemisphere.

114 competitors from 29 countries will be at the airfield from just after Christmas until the closing ceremony on January 22.

Gliding is a part of Benalla’s DNA – the club has been active in Benalla for 64 years, since 1951. They are the largest gliding club in Australia. The Benalla club is not present just for the WGC, they are part of an ongoing commitment to bring international and local visitors to Benalla every summer. An increasing number of glider pilots have located permanently to live in the area. The glider club is part of the community and contributes to the growth and prosperity of the town and region.

The official website for the WGC can be found at http://www.wgc2017.com and their FaceBook page is https://www.facebook.com/WGCBenalla/?fref=ts