He's the world number one who's won 16 global championships, but if you haven't heard of Sebastian Kawa you wouldn't be alone.
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Poland's Kawa is the biggest name in gliding, the sport where unpowered aircraft are flown on naturally occurring currents of air.
The 37th World Gliding Championships are next month and is being staged at Narromine, a leading location for gliding not only in Australia but across the globe.
The competition will be headlined by 50-year-old Kawa, who has been competing since 1992 and is the most decorated pilot in gliding history.
The Australian team will be headlined by Bruce Taylor, who has competed at multiple world championships.
Eighty competitors from 21 countries will be in action at Narromine from December 2-16.
There will be three classes of racing - standard, 15M and club - and races can go as long as five hours as pilots cover distances from 300km to 500km.
The winners of each race will accumulate points and the pilots with the highest point score at the end of the competition will be declared world champions.
As host nation, the Australian team will have two pilots in each class. Each team member is an Australian national champion and has competed in previous World Gliding Championships in Europe and the USA.
The championships will also provide an economic boost. As well as the competitors from all over the world, visitors from across the country will travel to Narromine to take in the action.
Narromine previously hosted the 2015 Junior World Gliding Championships. The full-sized airfield within walking distance from the town is a major advantage for Narromine when it comes to hosting.
Narromine's greatest advantages are the facilities available to host such a large event - a full-sized airfield with access to cultural services and easy walking distance from a large town.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
