To Be Announced at the 2026 Ölüdeniz International Air Games
WTFF Acro Hall of Fame
Honoring the Complete History of Acro Paragliding
The WTFF Acro Hall of Fame recognizes the pilots, innovators, record setters, teachers and builders who shaped aerobatic paragliding.
It is not a popularity contest, a current-season ranking or a reproduction of any federation’s awards. Competition titles matter, but they are only one part of a pilot’s historical importance. The Hall of Fame also recognizes the people who invented maneuvers, advanced equipment and safety, developed other athletes, created competitions, expanded the sport into new regions and inspired generations of pilots.
Every candidate is evaluated through the same 100-point historical scoring system. WTFF considers the strength of the available evidence, the conditions of the pilot’s era and the complete scope of the pilot’s contribution.
The 100-Point Scoring System
Competition Results — 25 Points
Competition results receive the greatest single weight, but no title is automatically treated as equal to every other title.
WTFF considers:
* World, continental, international and national results
* Solo, synchro and other recognized competitive formats
* Overall results as well as women’s, junior, senior and other divisions
* Strength and depth of the field
* Number of completed rounds
* Competitive format and judging system
* Consistency across multiple events and seasons
* Performance against the leading pilots of the era
* Whether a title or result is fully documented, disputed or under integrity review
General scoring guide:
* 0–5: Limited documented competition history
* 6–10: National results or occasional international participation
* 11–15: Consistent international finalist or podium-level pilot
* 16–20: Multiple major victories or sustained international success
* 21–25: Repeated championship-level success against the strongest fields of the era
A governance or integrity question does not automatically erase a result. When a material issue remains unresolved, the affected points may be marked provisional until the underlying records are reviewed.
Innovation and Maneuver Creation — 20 Points
Acro exists because pilots imagined maneuvers that had never been performed before. Innovation therefore carries almost as much weight as competition.
WTFF considers:
* Documented invention of recognized maneuvers
* Creation of major maneuver families
* First successful performance of a new maneuver
* Development of important variations, transitions or connections
* Introduction of twisted, reversed, synchro or other new concepts
* Technical work that changed how maneuvers are performed
* Influence of the innovation on later pilots and competition programs
General scoring guide:
* 0–4: Creative flying without a documented original contribution
* 5–8: Recognized variations or influential combinations
* 9–12: Documented development of important transitions or maneuver concepts
* 13–16: Multiple recognized innovations used by other pilots
* 17–20: Foundational inventions that permanently changed the sport
A maneuver is not credited solely because it is associated with a pilot’s name. WTFF looks for contemporary reports, video, rulebook history, witness accounts and other supporting evidence.
Era Dominance — 10 Points
Pilots are evaluated within the conditions of their own time.
WTFF considers:
* Performance relative to contemporary rivals
* Margin of victory
* Length of time at or near the top
* Technical difficulty available during the era
* Access to equipment, training sites and competition opportunities
* Whether the pilot advanced the standard that others were attempting to reach
This prevents modern pilots from receiving an automatic advantage merely because today’s wings and maneuvers are more advanced.
Longevity — 10 Points
Longevity measures sustained significance, not simply the number of years since a pilot first flew.
WTFF considers:
* Years competing at a meaningful level
* Successful returns after retirement or interruption
* Continued progression across equipment generations
* Long-term judging, coaching, organizing or technical work
* Ongoing influence after active competition
A shorter career can still score highly if its impact was extraordinary, but sustained relevance across multiple eras receives additional credit.
Records and Historical Firsts — 10 Points
WTFF recognizes achievements that established a measurable benchmark or opened a new frontier.
These may include:
* Ratified world records
* Guinness or independently documented records
* First documented performances
* First competition performances
* First major championship achievements
* Women’s and regional firsts
* Launch-method records
* Solo, synchro, tandem and other distinct record categories
Records are labeled according to evidence:
* Officially ratified
* Independently documented
* Credible legacy claim
* Pending verification
* Disputed
Record claims do not receive full credit without sufficient supporting evidence.
Complete Flying Ability — 7 Points
The Hall of Fame considers whether a pilot demonstrated exceptional ability beyond one narrow competition skill.
WTFF may consider:
* Solo acro
* Synchro acro
* Cross-country competition
* Accuracy
* Speed flying or speed riding
* Paramotor acro
* Tandem acro
* Ground handling and freestyle
* Demonstration and exhibition flying
* Adaptability across wings, sites and launch systems
This category rewards range without diminishing specialists who transformed one discipline.
Institution-Building — 6 Points
Sports survive because people build structures that continue after a particular competition or career.
WTFF considers:
* Creating or sustaining competitions
* Founding teams, leagues, schools or training programs
* Developing rules and judging systems
* Serving as a judge, meet director or technical official
* Expanding acro into an underserved country or region
* Preserving historical records
* Creating durable opportunities for future athletes
Holding an official position does not automatically earn maximum credit. The score reflects documented work and lasting results.
Equipment and Safety — 4 Points
WTFF recognizes contributions that improved what pilots fly and how safely they can progress.
These may include:
* Wing or harness development
* Reserve and quick-release systems
* Testing and technical feedback
* Safety procedures
* SIV methodology
* Rescue systems
* Competition-safety improvements
* Published technical or safety education
Ordinary sponsorship or use of equipment does not constitute a development contribution.
Teaching and Athlete Development — 4 Points
Teaching credit is based on more than offering commercial instruction.
WTFF considers:
* Long-term coaching
* Development of notable pilots
* Creation of structured training methods
* Seminars, books, tutorials and educational films
* Judge education
* Support for emerging competition communities
* Making advanced knowledge safer and more accessible
Cultural and Global Impact — 4 Points
Some pilots change how the world sees the sport.
WTFF considers:
* Inspiring a generation of pilots
* Expanding international awareness of acro
* Important films, photography, books or media
* Representation of women and underrepresented regions
* Public exhibitions and culturally significant projects
* Bringing new audiences, sponsors or communities into the sport
* Establishing a recognizable style or philosophy that influenced others
Follower counts alone do not determine cultural impact.
Evidence Standards
Every published score should be supported by a candidate evidence file. Sources are classified as:
Verified
Supported by official results, contemporary documents, ratified records, original video or another strong primary source.
Credible but Not Fully Verified
Supported by reliable contemporary reporting or multiple consistent sources, but missing the original result sheet, record file or complete documentation.
Legacy Claim Pending Verification
Historically repeated and plausible, but currently dependent on personal accounts, later biographies or incomplete archives.
Disputed
Conflicting evidence exists, or a material governance, eligibility, judging or integrity issue remains unresolved.
Missing Evidence
WTFF has not found enough reliable material to award the requested credit.
Missing historical records should not automatically be treated as proof that an achievement never happened. This is especially important for women, early-era competitors, pilots from underrepresented regions and achievements completed before modern digital databases existed. WTFF will continue searching archives and accepts documented corrections.
How Final Scores Are Calculated
Points awarded in all ten categories are added to produce a maximum score of 100.
A pilot cannot receive more than the published maximum in any category. The scoring categories do not overlap unnecessarily: for example, a championship contributes to Competition Results and may help demonstrate Era Dominance, but it does not become a Record or Historical First unless it actually established one.
When two pilots receive the same total score, the tie is resolved in this order:
1. Innovation and Maneuver Creation
2. Competition Results
3. Records and Historical Firsts
4. Era Dominance
5. Strength and completeness of the supporting evidence
Scores may remain provisional while important evidence or integrity questions are being reviewed.
Corrections and Historical Review
The WTFF Hall of Fame is intended to become more accurate over time.
Pilots, organizers, historians and witnesses may submit:
* Official result sheets
* Contemporary articles
* Original photographs or video
* Record documentation
* Rulebook history
* Equipment-development records
* Corrections to names, countries, dates or achievements
* Evidence supporting an overlooked pilot
A score may increase, decrease or remain provisional when new evidence is found. Significant revisions should include a public explanation of what changed and why.
What the Rankings Mean
The Hall of Fame ranking measures documented historical impact across the complete sport. It does not claim that a pilot from one generation would defeat a pilot from another generation under modern equipment, rules or conditions.
The purpose is larger than deciding who was “best.”
It is to preserve the people, performances, inventions and acts of leadership that made acro paragliding what it is—and to ensure that the sport’s history includes everyone who truly helped build it.