Batu, en.SERU.co.id – Batu City officially opened the Batu International Sport Tourism Festival (BISTF) 2026 on Friday, July 31, combining the event with the third series of the International Paragliding Accuracy Championship (IPAC) 2026. The ceremony took place at the paragliding landing zone on Gunung Banyak.
Mayor H. Nurochman SH MH stressed the need for close cooperation across city departments, including tourism and education, to make the festival a success. He described the event as far more than a sports competition. It serves as a key driver of the local economy, circulating money through the city and creating opportunities for small and medium enterprises.
“This event has proven highly attractive to international athletes. We must work together on policies to develop this landing zone, so it becomes more attractive while fully meeting safety standards. Let us commit to reclaiming the world’s top ranking for Batu,” the mayor said.
Marsma TNI Reza R.R. Sastranegara, S.Sos., M.A.P., M.N.S.S., commander of Abdulrachman Saleh Air Force Base in Malang and chair of the East Java branch of the Indonesian Aerosport Federation (FASI), reminded participants that paragliding is an extreme sport carrying significant risk. Safety, he said, must remain the highest priority.
“Put safety firstBy prioritizing it from the planning stage, we can reduce the chance of mistakes as much as possible. Compete fairly, show true sportsmanship, and strengthen the sense of unity among us,” he urged.
Representing the East Java governor, Youth and Sports Agency head Dr. M. Hadi Wawan Guntoro, S.STP., M.Si., CIPA., praised the consistent organization of the championship. He noted that the provincial government continues to build the sports industry through early talent programs such as the Sportive Academy.
“Sports today are no longer only about achievement or lifestyle. They have become an industry through sport tourism and the broader sports economy. Together with FASI and the air base, we have trained around 20 young athletes of elementary and junior high school age who already hold certificates and dozens of flying hours. This forms an important foundation for regenerating East Java’s paragliding talent at the national and international levels,” Hadi Wawan said.
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Arif Eko Wahyudi, S.E., M.M., chair of the East Java Paragliding Provincial Board, expressed pride in Indonesia’s current third-place world ranking in accuracy flying. He reported that the Batu series set a new participation record. The first series in Paser drew 44 pilots and the second in Kotabaru attracted 30, while Series 3 in Batu welcomed 75 participants, including 11 from abroad, among them athletes from Malaysia.
The opening closed with a symbolic inauguration led by the mayor together with local security and government leaders, the air base commander, the provincial sports agency head, and the FASI East Java chair. After they sounded a siren, national and international pilots performed an aerobatic paragliding display.
Officials from the local leadership forum, government agencies, air sports federations, and dozens of athletes attended the ceremony. The championship continues until August 2, 2026. (dik/mzm)
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