From 1997 to 2025 and beyond: a history of air sports at The World Games
Skydiving soared into The World Games in 1997, and air sports have remained firmly on the programme of the multi-sport event ever since. Across seven host cities in four continents, tens of thousands of spectators have witnessed stunning displays of technical skill and showmanship by skydivers, as well as paragliding, glider aerobatics, paramotor and drone racing pilots.
With The World Games such a major international event, the visibility and recognition for air sports beyond their usual audiences gives significant momentum to the development of featured disciplines and contributes to the positive image of air sports generally. The World Games is therefore a useful catalyst for funding and support for air sports in FAI Member countries, helping with budget allocation and even highlighting the importance of allocating air space for sporting and leisure activity.
Whilst the air sports disciplines highlighted at The World Games (TWG) have evolved over the years, for any pilots or athletes participating, The World Games remains a career highlight.
Killian Rousseau, champion drone pilot at The World Games 2022, remarked, “This is, for me, one of the most famous events around the world, and it’s an awesome achievement to be invited and able to compete in this event. My experience in 2022 was incredible, the global event was so big and impressive and my wish is to make it to The World Games again. It's a race where every single pilot fought together to be there and a recognition of all our hard work.”
Likewise, Cornelia Mihai, bronze medallist in the mixed Canopy Piloting in 2017 appreciates the thrill of competing at The World Games: “TWG is a fantastic event and you can only truly understand what I am talking about when you arrive. As skydivers we are used to competing on airfields and we are usually alone there, with no other athletes from different sports. Being in Birmingham with everyone else in the campus was brilliant. I truly felt like an athlete and it's great to get to know people as passionate as us but in different sports. The opening ceremony delights everyone. I still remember the feeling from Cali, Colombia in 2013 (her first time at TWG – Ed)... I felt like an Olympian!”
Looking to the future, The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, will feature air sports for the eighth time in the event’s history, with drone racing making a comeback after featuring for the first time in 2022, to wow the crowds once again.
Which air sports have featured in The World Games?
1997 Skydiving - Lahti, Finland
2001 Skydiving - Akita, Japan
2005 Skydiving - Duisburg, Germany
2009 Skydiving - Kaohsuing, Chinese Taipei
2013 Skydiving and Paragliding - Cali, Colombia
2017 Skydiving, Glider Aerobatics and Paramotor - Wrocław, Poland
2022 Skydiving and Drone Racing - Birmingham, USA
2025, Drone Racing - Chengdu, China
1997 Skydiving in Lahti, Finland
The first time that air sports were included in The World Games was 1997, with men’s and women’s Accuracy Landing, men’s Formation and men’s and women’s Freestyle competitions.
2001 Skydiving: Akita, Japan
In Japan, Accuracy Landing and Formation combined the men’s and women’s categories to offer a mixed competition. Men and women’s freestyle was also contested. USA became formation champions and also picked up a gold and a bronze for men’s freestyle.
Skydivers moving into formation at The World Games 2001, Japan
2005 Skydiving in Duisburg, Germany
In 2005 mixed canopy piloting was introduced for the first time, with Jason Moledzki of Canada taking the gold. Men’s freeflying was also added, with France taking top spot ahead of Germany and USA. In the men’s freestyle, Denmark won a gold. Istvan Asztalos put Hungary at the top of the table in Mixed Accuracy with Stefan Wiesner of Germany coming second. In the formation skydiving USA dominated once again.
Skydivers above Duisburg, Germany, competing at The World Games 2005
2009 Skydiving Kaohsuing in Chinese Taipei
In 2009, USA battled to defend their top spot and came away with two golds and a silver. Canada’s Jason Moledzki stayed ahead of Nicholas Batsch in the canopy piloting to become champion again. In accuracy landing Germany’s Stefan Wiesner managed to beat his 2005 performance to become champion.
Olga Lepezina aiming for an accuracy landing at Kaohsuing in 2009
2013 Skydiving and Paragliding in Cali, Colombia
Paragliding accuracy was introduced as a second air sport as The World Games headed to South America. Thailand performed well with medal winners in both, but Slovenia’s Matjaz Feraric became men’s champion and Lithuania’s Jolanta Romanenko women’s.
In mixed canopy piloting, which was the only skydiving event, Curt Bartholemew made an excellent performance and was hailed as ‘Athlete of the Day’ out of 4000 athletes, commenting, “The World Games means a lot to me. We have never seen a crowd this big.”
Aeromodelling was also featured as a demonstration sport.
Crowds watch the canopy piloting at The World Games in Cali 2013. Image Ronald Overdijk
2017 Skydiving, Glider Aerobatics and Paramotor in Wrocław, Poland
Two new sports were introduced alongside canopy piloting in 2017: Mixed glider aerobatics, in which the formidable Ferenc Toth claimed top spot, and mixed slalom paramotor, where Wojciech Bogdal took gold for the home country, Poland. USA continued its domination in the mixed canopy piloting, alongside an impressive performance by UAE in which Cornelia Mihai came third overall.
A French glider aerobatic pilot at The World Games 2017 in Poland. Image: FAI/Marcus King
2022 Skydiving and Drone Racing in Birmingham, USA
The French team had the Midas touch in 2022: Cedric Veiga Rios became champion in the mixed Canopy Piloting, and and 17-year old Killian Rousseau in the newly added sport of Drone Racing.
The drone racing stadium at The World Games 2022, USA. Image: Greg Pyzalka
Following The World Games 2022, drone racer Luisa Rizzo helped put the spotlight onto drone racing and air sports as she came second in The World Games Athlete of the Year poll, gaining over 50,000 votes: a remarkable achievement for the young pilot and her sport.
Rizzo commented, “It is a great honour, not only for me but for the entire air sports community, to receive this distinction, I had no idea that I was going to get so much support from The World Games community. I am endlessly grateful for the mobilisation and encouragement, and I would also like to thank IWGA for their promotion of non-Olympic Games Sports.”
Luisa Rizzo, drone pilot. Photo: CIAM
Which countries perform best in air sports at The World Games?
Right from the start, USA has dominated air sports at The World Games, winning an impressive eighteen medals, nine of which are golds. With their strong presence in canopy piloting, the US team has reaped the rewards of performances by top athletes Nicholas Batsch and Curt Bartholemew.
More recently, France has stepped up to the top of the podium, in 2022 winning both drone racing and canopy piloting, bringing their total to four golds out of ten medals overall. The French team also became freeflying champions in 2009 and 2005, and we must not forget their regular appearance on the podium for formation and freestyle.
Germany currently ranks third in the medal table for air sports, helped to the forefront by Stefan Weisner and Marco Pflueger’s accuracy landing skills.
In joint fourth position with two golds each are Canada and Hungary.
L-R: USA's Curt Bartholemew and Nick Batsch with UAE's Cornelia Mihai, medallists at The World Games 2017 in Canopy Piloting. Image: Marcus King
What is the latest news about The World Games 2025?
As The World Games heads to Chengdu, China in 2025, air sports will continue to be represented through drone racing, after its success in the 2022 event. The sport offers an exciting spectacle which appeals to a young audience, with a huge number of junior pilots. Enthusiasts can look forward to an electrifying competition from 14 to 16 August at the Secondary stadium at Dong'an Lake Sports Park in Chengdu.
IWGA has also unveiled the new logo for the upcoming Games, which received the highest number of votes from thousands of contributions.
Where will The World Games 2029 take place?
Karlsruhe, Germany, has been announced as the host city for the 2029 edition of The World Games. This will be the second time it has hosted the event, with the first time being in 1989.
Images not credited otherwise: International World Games Association
