The two-time and current New Zealand champion is one of three Kiwis competing in the 16th FAI Paragliding World Championship, near Krushevo, the highest town in the Balkans, southeast Europe.
Racing begins today and continues until August 17.
''It's a tough field and high level for sure,'' Mr Tapper said.
''It takes a minimum of 10-15 years to get to the top. For me, I am just treating it like another competition and can stay relaxed that way.
''I am seven years into the journey of paragliding so don't have too many expectations about placings. It's about the journey of improvement at this stage.''
Mr Tapper likens the event to a three-dimensional version of yacht racing, with pilots flying to virtual turn points.
A combination of time, distance and how much you lead the race determines the individual winner. The aggregate scores of pilots of the same nationalities determine which country wins.
The ''tasks'' involve pilots being in the air anywhere from one to five hours, averaging about 100km per task. They will complete eight to 10 tasks over the 10 days.
While the freedom to move with the thermals is one of the perks of the sport, it is the strategy element that attracts Mr Tapper.
''For me it's not about a rush, more a feeling of accomplishment and mastery of the weather and conditions, which can be quite complex at times.''
Mr Tapper is no stranger to a challenge - he kite surfed the notorious Cook Strait in 2008 and set a world record for the longest kite surfing journey, sailing 2000km solo up the coast of Brazil.
The ceiling for the championships is 3500m, although he has flown as high 6500m in the past.
He has spent more than 350 hours in the air this season - becoming NZ champ for the second time, winning the Indian Open, finishing second in the Spanish open distance championships and winning a task at the British Open.
Mr Tapper has spent the past two months in Europe preparing.
His team-mates are Richard Castro and Mark Hardman.
