We were in Sarangani province in SoccSarGen last weekend to cover the First Paragliding Accuracy Championship. A first air sports international event hosted by the Philippines. It was participated by 11 countries and there were 39 pilots who joined the competition.
The Veneracion family composed of action star Ian Veneracion and his two kids – Dids and Draco were the main attraction in the flying site.
Deirdre Veneracion, 13 years old, still in school and she was the youngest paraglider at the recently concluded International Paragliding Accuracy Championship help in Sarangani, SoccSarGen in Mindanao.
In our quick interview with Dids at the NAIA Terminal 2, she shared that she started flying with his dad, showbiz actor Ian Veneracion who is a licensed pilot and a paraglider when she was 11 years old.
Dids also said that the Safi Ranch which is also known as the Sarangani Paragliding Site is one of the best flying site. Dids has been practicing with his dad and brother Draco (who was also at the IPAC 2014) in Carmona in Cavite and in San Mateo in Rizal. The Sarangani site is comparable to the site in Bali in Indonesia according to the 13-year old pilot paraglider.
The young Veneracion is still in school on her Grade 8 right now. On summer time, she, Draco and her dad Ian Veneracion would fly in Carmona almost every day. She is also into sailing.
On tandem flying, the youngest is Unna Libon Lawa
Back in the Sarangani flying site where public can do tandem fly, the youngest to fly is the daughter of Jasyan Lawa. Jaysan is a local of Maasim, a photographer who is 20% artist and 80% crazy for flight. His daughter Unna Libon Lawa tried the paragliding in tandem with Air Sports Adventure Philippines president Randell “Buko” Raymundo.
Youngest and oldest gliders at the IPAC 2014
Dids Veneracion is the youngest female paraglider at only 13, while Draco Veneracion is the youngest in the male category. He is only 16 years old. The recorded oldest paraglider in the IPAC 2014 in Sarangani is Yoshiki Oka, a Japanese national. He is 65 years old.
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