First Paragliding Flight From MT Kinabalu To Tip Of Borneo

Come next year, plans are underway to notch up a record for the first paragliding flight from the vicinity of the summit of Mount Kinabalu to the Tip of Borneo, in the northern-most district of Kudat.

Local paragliding company Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures is now working with the Sabah Tourism Board to see the attempt by a local in either March or April.

The company's instructor, Bruce Patrick Soimil, said the idea came about after a German had hang-glided from Laban Rata at Mount Kinabalu to Masilau in 1985. Only this time, Soimil wants to take it a step further, and set a record for a local, instead.

In an interview with Bernama Sunday, he said the company had identified a person for the record attempt and that the board's response to the idea was "most welcoming". Meanwhile, the Sabah Malaysian Borneo XC (Cross Country) 2010, the first worldclass paragliding event held at Tamparuli, ended today. During the event, weather and wind conditions proved challenging to the participants since last Friday.

Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures, together with the Tuaran District Office and Tamparuli Sub-district office, have jointly organised the three-day event at Ruhiang Hill, Tamparuli. It is aimed at boosting the tourism industry there, while promoting paragliding as a sport.

Soimil said more than 40 participants from 11 countries were expected to turn up at the event, but only 20 international paragliders, namely those from Indonesia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Nepal, China, Korea and India, showed up. "Since this is our first time organizing such an event, there are bound to be glitches here and there, but as we go along, the organisation will be smoother," he said, hoping to see more foreign participants next year.

Source: Bernama

Other: http://www.discoverborneo.com/blog/2010/06/first_paragliding_flight_from_mt_kinabalu_to_tip_of_borneo.html

Tamparuli set for tourist inflow

Tourist Attraction at Tamparuli Sabah.

10 October 2009, " Links - Click Here "

TAMPARULI: Located some 36km from Kota Kinabalu, Tampa­ruli is set to soar into international tourism following the launch of a paragliding adventure. State Youth and Sports Assistant Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim said: “Once the sport takes off, it will benefit the local community in job and business opportunities, besides boosting Sabah’s tourism industry.”

Jahid, who is also Tamparuli assemblyman, said the area had high potential for paragliding activities.“This is good for Tamparuli as the sport will benefit locals,” he said after launching the event here recently.Also present was Korean Paragliding Association president Kim Dong Sul, had been here several times to conduct trial runs for the paragliding activities.

The activities are operated by Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures, with the takeoff on the 1,000m Bukit Ruhiang, while the flat land beside Tamparuli Cultural House near the town has been marked out as the landing site.“I was informed that there are about 250,000 paragliders in South Korea and about six million worldwide.“If we can get just 10,000 of them to come to Sabah, it will be a shot in the arm for tourism here,” Jahid noted.

He said there were plans to promote activities such as white-water rafting to tap the sub-district’s potential as a tourism site.To a question on infrastructural development, Jahid said that paragliding required minimal costs while providing maximum impact in terms of tourism to the local economy.He expressed confidence in the sport as youths craved for challenges and an adrenalin rush.Meanwhile, Kim said that Sabah had suitable hills and mountains like Bukit Ruhiang for paragliding.Borneo Air Sport Ozone Adventures chief operations manager Bruce Patrick Soimil, who has known Kim for three years, hoped to bring international paragliding competitions to Tamparuli next year.

Meanwhile, Sungai Kiulu in the district is gaining attention as a tourism destination because of its crystal clear water and rapids, making it suitable for extreme sports. The Kiulu 4M Challenge is held here every year with participants from all over Malaysia converging to watch or participate in activities like running, bamboo-rafting, swimming with bamboo and walking on bamboo stilts.

Due to the encouraging response, the Sabah government has listed the event in the state tourism calendar and put Kiulu on the world tourism map. — Bernama

Story Adpted from: The Star, Bernama

Picture: Bernama

Sources: The Star Online