He was competing in the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association's annual Omarama Cross Country Classic hang-glider flight competition above the Mackenzie Basin last week.
He completed a flight from The Buscot, near Omarama, on Friday, and after following the Benmore Range to about 7300ft eventually landed in a paddock beside State Highway 83 between Lake Aviemore and Omarama.
Mr Urlich, a New Zealand Air Force aircraft technician, at Woodburn, and an experienced hang-gliding pilot, said the event had been held in the area in early February since the 1980s.
``We can take off from anywhere within the Mackenzie Basin,'' he said.
``The winner of the competition is the one with the most kilometres over their best three flights.''
He said the pilots could fly as many times as they liked but only their three longest flights counted.
He acknowledged that without the goodwill of the local farmers, the pilots could not follow their passion for flying hang-gliders.
``We are really privileged.
``They have been fantastic and we respect their land, their gates and their animals,'' he said.
Association spokesman Bill Degen , of Christchurch, said Derek McKee, of Christchurch, finished first with the longest accumulated flight in kilometres flown over three flights during the competition.
His three longest flights totalled 246km.
Mr Degen was second with 178km.
John Smith, of Queenstown, clocked up 114.5km on a single flight, winning the award for the longest single flight of the competition.
Hang-gliding was a physical sport involving some danger and on Mr Smith's longest flight he had covered some ground where a landing would have been nearly impossible.
``He's got no fear,'' Mr Degen said. ``There's a lot of bravery involved.''
Mr Smith only competed for two days in this year's competition, Mr Degen said. It had been a ``tough contest'' and scores suffered because ``many pilots'' either missed the first day or picked the wrong site other days.
