The South Island Gliding Championships organisers have cancelled competition flying for the day after the death of a pilot yesterday.
Gliding New Zealand spokesman Nigel Davy said the decision was taken as a sign of respect for the pilot who died in a crash near Lake Hawea yesterday afternoon during the second day of competition flying.
"It was a mark of respect and everyone's a bit upset, so the best thing is to not race today," he said.
"We didn't even bother looking at the weather, we just said, 'No, we're not flying.'"
The experienced Australian pilot competing in the South Island Gliding Championships has yet to be named by police.
But Mr Davy said in a statement yesterday "he was very current flying in the mountains as he had arrived more than a week ago to get current with his flying".
The competition flying began on Sunday, but with poor weather on Monday, yesterday was the second day of competition flying.
The Otago Daily Times reported last night police received a report of the crash in the Hunter Range around 5.30pm.
A helicopter was deployed from Queenstown with a paramedic and police on board to find the crash site, but while it was responding, a person in a privately owned fixed wing aircraft located the wreckage.
The death would be referred to the Coroner and the Civil Aviation Authority would be notified.
Competition flying would likely resume tomorrow, Mr Davy said.
