Bartholemew wins American battle for canopy piloting swooping gold at World Air Games

More spectacular competition took place on the fourth day of the Games ©Facebook/FAI World Air Games Dubai 2015

Curt Bartholemew came out on top in an American battle for gold in the canopy piloting swooping event at the World Air Games in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The competition saw two of the three canopy pilots in history to boast multiple world titles going head-to-head to add another gold medal to their collection, with four-time world champion Bartholemew facing Nick Batsch, who boasts two crowns.

It was the recently crowned American champion Bartholemew, however, who was awarded the final verdict by the judges, who score the competition based on the skydivers’ accuracy, distance and speed.

“It was one of the tightest in a while, it came down to the last jump,” Bartholemew reflected afterwards.

“Conditions are beautiful, it made for good, tight competition.

“It means everything, this is my fifth world title.

“I was pushing to get this one before I turned 30 because this is the last recognised FAI (World Air Sports Federation) world title I haven’t won yet.”

Competition is set to continue in Dubai until December 10 ©Twitter/WagDubai

There was also success for the home country with the United Arab Emirates’ Cornelia Mihai completing the podium for the event.

Despite the conclusion of the canopy piloting event, the overall swooping winner is set to be decided tomorrow following the freestyle competition.

The aerobatic gliding competition also drew to a close in Dubai on the fourth day of the Games, which are due to conclude on December 10, with Italy’s Luca Bertossio crowned champion.

The 25-year-old, who switched from swapped motorised aerobatics to gliding competition, impressed the judges in the free, unknown and freestyle programmes to claim the overall victor ahead of Hungary’s pilot Ferenc Toth.

While he performed well in the unknown discipline, in which he judges determine which figures the pilots have to fly to determine their skill, Bertossio admitted that the freestyle was his “signature” event.

"It's a chance to show off your fantasy and imagination,” he said.

"It's all about the concentrating through the effort, G-forces, and speeds.”

Bertossio and Toth were joined on the podium by the Czech Republic’s Premsyl Vavra, who the judges awarded bronze.