Flugtag event attracts record crowd in Moscow

Moscow has hosted the Red Bull Flugtag event for the second time in three years.

They can barely overcome gravity, and it would hardly be safe to call Flugtag, which is German for "flight day", actually a sport. But it is competitive, it is creative, and it generates a lot of fun with participants presenting their home-made flying machines and putting them through their paces. They have to be unsinkable, and are not allowed to have any kind of engine.

Performances are judged by the following criteria: distance of the flight, creativity and showmanship. While it is worth mentioning that the last two aspects usually dominate the first.

Red Bull Flugtag hit the Russian capital for the second time, proving to be an extremely attractive event for Muscovites, with nearly 100,000 spectators watching the show.

Fun is only part of the action here, as some followers of Flugtag have plenty of motivation, while for others it is a way of life.

When it comes to Flugtag, apparently the flight of one`s imagination has no limits. Some strive just for the feeling of taking off. Some do their best to entertain with bizarre creations.

But this time around, creativity beat distance. Lobsters are not usually known to fly, but do seem to be boosted by barrels of beer. A Red Giant brought victory to the feasting team from the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

And finally, regarding the one sporting component of the event, the furthest distance "flown" was achieved by the team from Ulyanovsk. Their self-made airplane`s flight managed a full 19 meters, though the world record is a considerably longer 63 meters.

sections: Culture