On May 2 nobody threw a paper plane further than Jovica Kozlica: Just like in 2006, the Croat was in a class of his own at the Red Bull Paper Wings World Finals 2009 at Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria. The two-time World Champion in the discipline ‘Longest Distance’ in an interview"
Jovica, what makes a man start competing with paper planes?
Well, first tell me what makes a man start training javelin? Is it that much different?
Javelin is a recognised Olympic discipline, it's a sport, and throwing paper planes ... it's more a fun activity than a sport.
You're right there. It's a very fun activity. But are the two really that different? There isn't much difference in the throwing technique. Throwing a paper plane a distance of 50 metres is like a javelin competitor throwing his spear 100 metres. And to top that, we engineer and create our tools ourselves.
At the Red Bull Paper Wings World Finals you threw a plane made out of an A4 piece of paper 54.43 meters ...
That's my own personal record. It's more than half a football field. But now I want to become the official world record holder. The world record is 58.82 metres; it's been held by the American Tony Felch for 24 years now.
What did you gain by winning the title of World Champion?
A gold medal! The highest place on the winners' pedestal, and the Croatian hymn played for me. I get goosebumps when I think of that ... And then a whirlwind of reporters, microphones and cameras. The only thing that unnerved me were the cameras. For years I've worked as a director on Split TV, so I'm up to my hair in cameras. I particulary didn't like standing in front one.
So, it was nearly the same as becoming a javelin World Champ ...
Yes, with one huge difference. The javelin champ couldn't enjoy the prize that I won – a crazy half-hour acrobatic flight in a Flying Bulls Alpha jet.
And how was the World Champion's reception back home?
It was crazy. I was greeted by my friends, my street was all red from the glow of flares ... It felt great! The only thing that kind of ruined the reception was the shocking loss of our football club Hajduk against the oposing club Varteks.
Do you train the throwing of paper planes regularly? Maybe at the Split stadium, together with the javelin trainees?
The last time I threw paper planes before this World Championship was at the last one. And the next time will be at the World Championship coming up.
Do you have any special technique for making paper planes, being the World Champ for three years?
It's important to know that the plane is made out of a standard A4 piece of paper, provided by the official organiser. You can only fold the paper. There's no cutting, ripping, glueing, stapling or other way of balancing the plane. Those are the world federation rules. My paper plane model is something between a plane and a rocket. And yes, I do have my own technique for folding the paper.
One layman's question: Could I simply crumple the A4 piece of paper into a ball and throw it?
Words of a typical amateur ... Yes, you could, it is within the rules, but you wouldn' be able to throw it very far. And you would certainly finish last.
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