Othar Lawrence wins US National Championship -- And Open Too! July 23, 1997

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sopris Marketing Group
Contact: Rick Lawrence
phone: 970-963-2520
fax: 970-963-2625
email: webmaster@netoasis.com

Announcing The 1997 U.S. National Paragliding Champion

(CARBONDALE, COLORADO, USA--August 27, 1997) - Carbondale, Colorado native, Othar (OJ) Lawrence, is the 1997 U.S. National Paragliding Champion. Othar became the youngest National Champion ever and the first American to win the overall competition. Foreigners can compete and have won the overall title in the past six years.

The Championships were held August 16-23, 1997 at King Mountain, Idaho. Othar started paragliding 3 1/2 years ago and secured a spot on the U.S. National Team in 1996 with a third place finish at the 1996 U.S. National Championships.

Othar competed in Paragliding World Cup competitions in Brazil and Venezuela early this year.

In July, as a member of the U.S. National Paragliding Team, he represented the United States at the 1997 World Paragliding Championships held at Castejon de Sos, Spain. The U.S. Team finished 6th out of 36 teams.

After the World Championships, Othar came back to the U.S. National Championships and beat a field of 47 competitors that included a former world champion (also his paragliding mentor) and the two-time defending national champion.

Othar is currently sponsored by Edel USA, Firebird Paragliders and Ball Varios.

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Othar Lawrence can be reached by email at: oj@carbondale.com

For complete results from the 1997 US National Championship and Open, click here.

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