Winners of the Sweet 2015 Sweepstakes

The names were drawn, the prizes were chosen, and the photos are in. Ladies and gentlemen, the winners of the USHPA Sweet 2015 Sweepstakes are (drum roll please) ...

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Sweet 2015 Sweepstakes, particularly those who learned about it by attending a showing of the USHPA Free Flight Film Festival and those who checked out our PreFlight Safety app. Although the sweepstakes winners have all been chosen, it's not too late to enjoy the film festival or learn more about preflight safety!

Congratulations to all our winners:

1st Winner: Thomas Hill

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The very first name drawn was Thomas Hill. Tom chose the Ozone paraglider. He picked the Buzz Z5 in the blue/lime color scheme.

Tom is an H2 pilot from Tennessee. He learned to hang glide in 2013. While standing on launch recently he realized that biwingual pilots have a lot more flying opportunities, as evidenced by the paragliders in the air while he and his hang buddies were left on the ground. A few days later USHPA called with the news that he was that much closer on his path to paragliding!

He'll be starting paragliding lessons this spring with Flying Camp in Dunlap, Tennessee and is looking forward to flying when conditions are light OR strong.

Thanks very much to Matt Gerdes and Ozone for donating this prize!

Also, we look forward to the next generation who will soon be learning to paraglide as well!

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2nd Winner: Chris Vennemann

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Chris chose the Flytec 6030 flight instrument.

Chris also learned to fly in 2013. He's a P2 pilot from Southern California. He's been looking forward to taking his flying up a notch and had been researching flight instruments. Then USHPA called and his choice was easy: Flytec 6030 it is!

Thanks very much to Steve Kroop and Flytec USA for donating this prize!


3rd Winner: Tony Bayliss

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Tony chose the Ozone harness. He hasn't quite decided which model yet, since he is saving up for the wing to go along with it. He plans to start his paragliding lessons up in Washington state in early 2017.

Thanks very much to Matt Gerdes and Ozone for not only donating this prize, but giving Tony some time to make his decision since he's not quite ready to start his lessons. 


4th Winner: Summer Barham

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Summer chose the KEEN Backpack (although the picture is not of her).

Summer is a P4 pilot in California and has been flying paragliders since 2005, having started as a teenager. She was having so much fun she convinced both her parents to learn to fly!

And while we were super excited to have so many new and prospective pilots winning prizes, it was nice to see some familiar names being drawn as well.


5th Winner: Hugh Roberts

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Hugh chose the USHPA jacket.

Hugh is a P2 pilot from Arizona and he has been flying paragliders since 2014. 

Clearly Hugh is feeling very gangsta in his new USHPA jacket.


6th Winner: Richard Thorp
Image titlePrize: USHPA Shirt


7th Winner: Jose Diaz
Prize: KEEN Shoulder Sling

8th Winner: Matt Hanson
Prize: USHPA Shirt

9th Winner: Josh Hockett
Prize: USHPA Shirt

10th Winner: Norm Lesnow
Prize: Donated for RRG Fund

11th Winner: Jim Asbury
Prize: USHPA Beanie

12th Winner: Hugh McElrath
Prize: USHPA Ballcap

13th Winner: Craig Wexelberg
Prize: USHPA Shirt

14th Winner: Justin Brim
Prize: USHPA Beanie

15th Winner: Paul Webber
Prize: USHPA Shirt

16th Winner: Lewis Seiden
Prize: USHPA Ballcap