This film explores the unique winds that pass over Omarama, New Zealand - one of the greatest places in the world to fly. The winds, formed in the southern oceans are sometimes violent and dangerous, as they sweep across the Tasman Sea to strike the Southern Alps of New Zealand, then swirl over the inland basin that surrounds the township of Omarama.

Champions of the Wave follows the fortunes of the world’s best glider pilots, gathered in Omarama to compete in the World Championships, and how they struggle to fly in these exceptional and dramatic flying conditions. With cameras mounted inside and outside the gliders, we take viewers on board with these pilots as they soar over the Southern Alps at speeds up to 300 kilometres per hour.