Local talent, Mark Tingey, is soaring towards the World Sailplane Grand Prix Final in Chile.

Though Mark has only been seriously competing in sailplane racing for three years, he has secured many titles to his name.

During his career he has been presented with the Gliding NZ Air New Zealand Soaring Award – presented to the pilot showing the most improved standard of flying - and in the same year represented New Zealand at the World Gliding Championships in Australia.

While in Australia, Mark also entered the Australian Sailplane Grand Prix – the only pilot to do so who did not hold a world ranking.

Mark glided to the top and ended up taking out second place and this success meant that he has qualified for the World Sailplane Grand Prix Final held in Santiago, Chile in January 2018.

'I've only really been competitively flying for the last three or four years,” says Mark. 'I managed to qualify for the world gliding championships, but while I was there I entered into the Australian Grand Prix as training for that event and I ended up coming second.

'It was quite outstanding I think I surprised everyone there including myself. I came second and ended up qualifying for the world final in Chile.”

He says gliding has been a hobby of his from a young age.

'It's just like anybody who's passionate about aviation,” he says. 'You start out young and either your old man was into it or you hung around airplanes as a kid, you just get into it.

'Gliding is more of a sport as opposed to just flying planes, you have to work out how to get from point A to B and you only have the energy of the sun to get you there.

'It's not without its risks and because of those risks it is challenging but it is rewarding when you can get around those and when you get to fly around the countryside in some beautiful areas.

Flying in the extreme conditions of the Andes mountains, the worlds' event is regarded as involving some of the most challenging and exhilarating flying on the planet.

Only 20 glider pilots in the world are invited to attend this event and Mark is the only New Zealand pilot to compete in a World final.

'It can be a little scary at times, and flying in the Andes is going to be nerve racking,” he says.

'Nothing is really going to prepare me for the event but I will be flying in the South Island as well as at the Chilean nationals and on the track about ten days before the event.

'I've flown at Omarama from time to time, which is challenging but the Andes is Omarama on steroids, the conditions in which we will be flying will be much more extreme.

'It's an international class field and I'll be up against the number one ranked pilot in the world,” he says. 'Little old me from Tauranga, giving it a crack.”

But qualifying was only half the battle. The cost of just getting to the start line, by shipping his glider to Chile, was the next issue.

All other pilots attending the competition from Europe had their shipping costs paid for them, but not those from down under.

When Maersk shipping line heard of Mark's incredible journey to the top through the Port of Tauranga, they very generously offered to ship Mark's glider to Chile and back free of charge.

'By the time I got my glider and my partner there and back, the whole trip was going to cost me around $40, 000,” he says. 'I couldn't really justify the cost so I started thinking outside the box.

'We managed to get a house swap organised with one of the local gliders in Chile who wants to bring his family to New Zealand so that sorted accommodation.

'Alongside this we managed to talk to the guys at the Port of Tauranga who introduced me to Gerard Morison who's the director of Maersk Line and I told him my story.

'Through my job as a lawyer I've had a bit to do with Port of Tauranga and Maersk Line and through that introduction they told me they loved my story and that they'd send me to Chile and back for nothing.”

Holland Beckett Law, where Mark works as a Commercial Partner, is s also proud to support Mark on his journey to conquer the world in pursuit of a world title.

'I'm very appreciative of all the support I've had that's made this happen.”