Gliding competitions existed before the Second World War, but as the technologies evolved, the performance of the gliders has taken them away from the public view.

Proposals were made in 1970[1] but it was not until 2005 that first world gliding competition in Grand Prix format was held in France at Saint Auban.

This was at the Salon Européen du Vol à Voile (European Sailplane Show/Exhibition) in 2005 as part of the FAI's marketing strategy to promote the sport of gliding by establishing annual international competitions.

In a gliding Grand Prix the gliders race in competition close together around a pre-set task.

A place-scoring system provides rewards for excellence without unduly punishing a poor performance.