The XContest Task Upload Tool — available at tools.xcontest.org/xctsk — gives XC pilots a fast, browser-based way to build, encode, and share flight tasks without needing competition software. XContest outputs shareable .xctsk files and QR codes, compatible with XCTrack and other task-aware instruments. If you’re coordinating tasks for a group flying Roldanillo or anywhere else, this tool removes friction from the process.

What Exactly Is the .xctsk Format and Who Uses It?

The .xctsk format is a JSON-based task file standard that encodes waypoints, turnpoint cylinders, start and goal geometry, and task type in a single compact file. XCTrack, the Android flight instrument used across competition and free-flying, reads it natively.

This isn’t a proprietary format locked to competition platforms. Any pilot running XCTrack loads a .xctsk file and immediately has a fully navigable task on their screen — cylinder radii, goal line, all of it. That portability is what makes the tool genuinely useful beyond organized events.

For informal groups, guided weeks, or local club practice days, the task briefing doesn’t stop at the whiteboard. Every pilot walks to launch with the same task loaded and validated on their instrument.

How Does the XContest Task Upload Tool Actually Work?

The interface at tools.xcontest.org/xctsk is deliberately minimal. No account required. No login. No installed software. You open it in a browser and you’re working immediately.

Task entry: You input waypoints manually — name, latitude, longitude, altitude if desired, and cylinder radius. The tool supports multiple turnpoints, a designated start point with configurable start cylinder or start line, and a goal definition. Select task type from the available options: elapsed time, race to goal, or open distance.

Output options: Once your task is defined, the tool generates a .xctsk file for direct download and a QR code. The QR code is the operationally clever part — pilots at launch scan it with XCTrack’s built-in QR reader and load the task directly onto their instrument without file transfer, cables, or Bluetooth pairing.

Sharing the link: The tool also generates a URL that encodes the task. Send it via WhatsApp, Telegram, or your group chat. Anyone with XCTrack on Android can follow that link and load the task inside thirty seconds. For a group of twelve pilots in the car park at Piedechinche, this beats emailing files.

Know the limits: This is a task builder and sharing utility, not a scoring platform. It doesn’t submit tasks to XContest for scoring, doesn’t validate airspace, and doesn’t check waypoint elevations against terrain. Pilots still need judgment on cylinder sizing relative to terrain, especially in complex topography like the Cauca Valley where trigger altitudes and valley floor elevations vary significantly across a task.

Sharing Tasks in the Field: Application at Roldanillo and Piedechinche

Roldanillo sits in one of the most task-friendly XC environments anywhere. The Cauca Valley runs roughly north-south, the western Cordillera spine provides consistent terrain triggers, and on a good Pacifico day — when the Pacific moisture backs off and the valley dries out — cloudbase sits between 1800m and 2300m above the valley floor. Conditions that make 100km+ tasks not just possible but expected.

In that environment, task coordination matters operationally. Guided groups flying with SkyOut typically include pilots from multiple countries, running different instruments and varying competition experience. Getting everyone onto the same task quickly — when the thermal window is opening and you want everyone in the air — saves time and prevents confusion. The XContest Task Upload Tool handles exactly that.

A practical morning at launch works like this: the guide sets the task the evening before using the tool, defines turnpoints at known landmarks — the ridge above Piedechinche as TP1, a valley waypoint toward La Unión as TP2, with goal back at the Roldanillo LZ — downloads the .xctsk, and shares the QR code or URL to the group chat. Pilots arrive at launch, scan the code, XCTrack loads the task, and the briefing confirms what everyone already has on their vario screen.

No fumbling with coordinates at launch. No pilot loading the wrong task version. No retrieve confusion because someone has a different goal point.

The Pacifico wind creates timing constraints. When the westerly push starts building in the afternoon, tasks need completion before conditions deteriorate. Having a clean task load process at the start of the day means more time in the air, not in the car park troubleshooting XCTrack.

If you want to experience those Cauca Valley thermals with structured daily tasks and a guide who knows the triggers, book a tour week with SkyOut and see what the valley actually offers.

XCTrack Integration: Why the QR Code Matters More Than the File Download

XCTrack dominates the modern XC instrument landscape. Its native .xctsk support means the XContest Task Upload Tool isn’t a workaround — it’s a first-class workflow. The QR scan function inside XCTrack was built specifically to consume what this tool produces.

The workflow: open XCTrack, navigate to task management, select “scan QR code,” point the camera at the code on the guide’s phone screen. Done. The task appears with all waypoints, cylinder radii, and task type correctly loaded. No manual waypoint entry, which eliminates transposition errors on coordinates — a real safety concern when a wrongly entered waypoint could send a pilot toward controlled airspace or into terrain.

For pilots running other instruments, download the .xctsk file. Whether your ground station software or flight planner can import it depends on the application, but the format is open and documented. Developers of other flight instruments and planning tools have had ample time to implement support.

XContest established the .xctsk format as a community standard specifically because of this instrument-level integration. The tool at tools.xcontest.org/xctsk is the reference implementation for creating compliant task files outside competition management software.

Task Design Considerations for Cauca Valley Conditions

The tool builds the task you tell it to build. Task quality is entirely on the pilot or guide doing the design. In the Cauca Valley, that means understanding several things that don’t appear in any tool interface.

Cylinder sizing relative to terrain: The western ridge above Roldanillo and Piedechinche has trigger points that are well-defined but narrow. A 400m cylinder centered on the wrong coordinate puts pilots over broken terrain with no reliable thermal. Use tight cylinders on ridge turnpoints. Give yourself margin on valley crossings where sink can be aggressive if the Pacifico push has already started.

Goal placement and retrieve logistics: The tool lets you place goal anywhere. That doesn’t mean anywhere works. In the Cauca Valley, goal LZs need vehicle access — retrieve infrastructure around Roldanillo is good but not universal. Build goals at known, accessible LZs. The Roldanillo main LZ is the obvious anchor. Secondary LZs toward Zarzal or La Victoria work if retrieve is coordinated.

Altitude data: The tool doesn’t pull terrain elevation automatically. Waypoint altitudes you enter are reference data only. On task, pilots fly their vario and the terrain, not entered altitudes. For task planning — especially estimating glide to goal or setting sensible start altitude — knowing actual waypoint elevation matters. Cross-reference with Open Topo Data or similar before building tasks in mountainous terrain.

External references for task planning:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the XContest Task Upload Tool used for?

It’s a browser-based utility for building paragliding XC tasks and sharing them as .xctsk files or QR codes. Pilots and task setters use it to create tasks that load directly into XCTrack without file transfers or competition management software. It’s available free at tools.xcontest.org/xctsk.

Does the XContest Task Upload Tool require an account or login?

No. The tool is fully accessible without registration. Open the URL in any browser, build your task, and generate your output. No account creation. No login. No software installation. This makes it practical for on-the-ground use at launch.

How do I load an .xctsk file into XCTrack?

XCTrack has a built-in task management section with a QR code scanner. Point it at the QR code generated by the XContest Task Upload Tool and the task loads automatically. Alternatively, download the .xctsk file and import it through XCTrack’s task import function. Both methods take under a minute.

Can I use this tool for informal flying, not just competitions?

Absolutely. The tool has no competition requirement. It works well for guided tour groups, club practice days, or any situation where multiple pilots need to fly the same task. For group flying out of Roldanillo or similar sites, it’s one of the most practical coordination tools available.

Does the XContest Task Upload Tool check airspace or terrain clearance?

No. The tool builds task geometry based on what you input. It doesn’t validate against airspace databases or terrain elevation data. Pilots and task setters remain responsible for ensuring tasks are safe, legal, and appropriate for conditions. Use separate airspace apps and topo references to verify your task design.

What task types does the XContest Task Upload Tool support?

The tool supports standard XC task types including race to goal and elapsed time formats, with configurable start cylinders or start lines, turnpoint cylinders, and goal definitions. The exact options reflect the .xctsk format specification, which aligns with XCTrack’s task engine and FAI CIVL task rules for free-flying competition.

Is the .xctsk format only compatible with XCTrack?

XCTrack is the primary platform with native .xctsk support and the most common instrument in use for XC competition and structured free-flying. Other applications may support the format depending on their development. The format is open and JSON-based, so integration by other tool developers is technically straightforward.

The XContest Task Upload Tool solves a real operational problem: getting the same validated task onto every pilot’s instrument quickly, without friction, before the thermal window closes. XContest established the .xctsk format as the practical standard for this, and the tool at tools.xcontest.org/xctsk is how you generate compliant files without competition software.

For flying in the Cauca Valley — where Roldanillo’s predictable triggers, Piedechinche’s accessible launch, and the daily rhythm of Pacifico wind make structured task flying genuinely rewarding — clean task coordination built into your pre-flight routine is worth the five minutes it takes to learn the tool.

If you want to fly those tasks with people who know which triggers fire first and where the retrieve roads go, book a tour week with SkyOut and come fly the valley properly.