IT'S the busiest time of the year at Manilla, and business is booming as pilots arrive in town for the Australian and New Zealand paragliding championships.
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The event organiser Godfrey Wenness said 140 pilots would compete in each competition – second in number only to the world championships in Europe.
The town's supermarket, internet cafe, pubs and eateries, to name a few, will literally overflow with pilots for the next two weeks.
Manilla's Royal Hotel owner Thomas Cocking said the hotel haDbeen booked out for more than three months.
"Over 50 people will be staying with us, and hundreds more will be having a drink with us over the next few weeks," Mr Cocking said.
"It's the biggest time of the year for Manilla in general, as every business benefits from the gliding fraternity, either directly or
indirectly.
"From the florist to doctors, the chemist, the cafes, the RSL dining room, and the golf course – everyone is better off."
Manilla Motel owner Claire Sankey said the motel had been booked out since last year's competition.
"We have five units booked out by teams from Norway and Denmark, and we always have large numbers of Japanese pilots staying with us," Ms Sankey said.
"Paragliding and hang gliding are really good for business."
Lindsay Cederblad, who owns the only internet cafe in Manilla, said summer was his busiest season.
"On Tuesday you couldn't move in the shop for about four hours, there were so many pilots waiting to use the computers."
Manilla Rivergums Caravan Park owners Eric and Francoise Pernoud welcome back the same pilots each year.
"We've got pilots staying with us right now from Japan, England, Poland, Russia and France, and are expecting more this week from Canada, Israel, Switzerland, Columbia, Germany and America," Mr Pernoud said.
"Paragliding is a big money-spinner for the whole community, not just those providing accommodation."
Manilla mayor Cheryl Randall said the competitions "give the town vitality", as well as boosting the local economy.
"Many Manilla locals work for the international pilots during the competitions – they assist in scoring the competition, or operate as retrieve drivers for the different teams," Cr Randall said.
"The council sponsors the purchase of competition t-shirts, and allows use of the small hall in town for competition briefings."
Victorian pilot Karl Texler has competed at Manilla since 1997 and said each pilot would spend between $600 and $1000 a week.