2026 Red Rocks Wide Open: Herndon, Kool, Jimenez and McClurg take the wins

The Niviuk Red Rocks Wide Open returned to Utah last month, and once again the landscape stole the show. Red rock, vast skies and infamously rugged terrain shape this paragliding event, set among high-elevation mesas speckled with aspen groves that flush orange and red as the season turns. Utah’s summer flying carries its own legend too: big lift, boisterous thermals and cloud bases nudging 18,000ft, high enough that pilots carry oxygen.

This edition came with a fresh angle. Organisers slotted an SRS Qualifier division into the mix alongside the established CCC class, drawing 66 entrants in the SRS category and a further 57 in the CCC field.

When the scores settled, Anneka Herndon topped the Women’s SRS, while Travis Kool claimed the overall SRS crown. In the CCC ranks, Violeta Jimenez won the women’s title and Gavin McClurg took the overall CCC victory – all while running the event itself. The National Champion honour went to Reavis Sutphin-Gray, capping a strong US paragliding season.

In years past the race has opened in early September, when summer conditions are still firing and monsoon moisture can make or break a task day. This time the calendar shifted two weeks later, and the gamble paid off with the finest weather the competition has seen: mostly light winds, clean cloud streets and generous bases let five of seven tasks get flown. Two lay days became welcome rest, giving pilots time to roam Utah’s sweeping red canyons.

Pilots from each class sat on the task committee, shaping routes that were occasionally tweaked between the SRS and CCC groups. Whatever the differences, every task shared one theme – what Bill Belcourt dubbed “the deepness is unavoidable” during a briefing, urging pilots to lean into the Utah adventure and pack extra food, batteries and a headlamp.

A handful of tasks stood out. One carried the field from Monroe Peak over Griffen Top to a goal in Escalante. Another was a long pinball run from Monroe Peak to Panguich. A third, an out-and-back from Horse Heaven past Mount Nebo, served up some of the best mountain panoramas, autumn colour and racing any pilot could wish for.

By week’s end, with countless kilometres logged, there was a clear sense that everyone’s cup was full. The event closed with a party framed by red rock cliffs, thumping music, lasers and smoke machines – a fitting reminder that some of the strongest bonds in the sport are forged together, in the sky.

Results: Sport Class results and CCC results.

Thinking about your own high-country adventure? Protect your wing on the road with a Fast Pack Bag or a Concertina Bag, and keep hydrated from launch to goal with the Your Journey Bottle.