Paragliding State of Origin begins at Mount Borah near Manilla

The annual three-day competition, which is regarded as one of the largest paragliding events in the world, gets underway on Good Friday with a full field of 180 pilots, ranging in age from 16 through to 60, launching off Manilla's Mt Borah.

Aimed at novice pilots, Manilla Paragliding chief flying instructor Godfrey Wenness said the competition uses a points based system to determine the overall winners with novice pilots receiving three points per kilometre flown, sports class pilots two points per km and the competition level pilots one point.

"It's really an event designed for entry level pilots," he said.

"It gives them a taste of competition."

The top class pilots are on hand to coach them along, Wenness noting that a competition class pilot has never won in the 23-year history of the event.

Last year's event did see some history created though with Tamworth's Halina Kaufman becoming the first female pilot to win the overall individual honours.

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Wenness will be part of the NSW team defending their title after wresting the trophy from Queensland's grasp two years ago. He is confident the blues can triumph again but knows Queensland will be gunning for them.

"Queensland have a very good team, very organised," he said.

"They've been doing team training camps in South East Queensland for the last month."

Teams representing ACT, and the "World Barbarians" will also compete.

Wenness said the weather conditions for the competition are forecast to be fine, which should make for some good flying, although with the days much shorter at this time of year they won't be clocking the massive distances of the XC Camp back in February, when two pilots flew over 400km.

But he expects them to be flying between 100 and 150km a day.