British Open Championship & 2nd Round of the British Open Series 2009
Results - British open series: Round Two. The Dales.
| Main League | Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Cumulative |
| Sports Class | Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Cumulative |
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Table of Contents
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The venue and dates for this meet are now confirmed
The Venue
Competition HQ is "The Green Dragon" at Hardraw (Nr Hawes)
http://www.greendragonhardraw.com/aboutus.htm
Subject to confirmation the competition dates will be 22nd to 26th May and we are grateful to both the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorks Sailwings club for the use of their flying sites
Dave Bluett will be available in the Green Dragon during the evening of 21st May to upload competition waypoints to pilots’ GPS and accept late registrations. This can also be done before the morning briefing on 22nd May
Programme
The initial briefing and very late registrations will take place in the car park of the Rope Museum in Hawes at 0900 22nd May.
After the first morning we will aim for the following routine:
• 0900 Provisional results available
• De-brief previous days task
• Announcements
• Met brief for the day
• Site for day announced
• Time for the next Task Briefing on the hill.
Scoring wil be done at the Green Dragon during the evening and details of report by times will be given at the task briefs on the hill.
Other Info
Meet Director: Pete Coad
Local Coordinator: Trevor Birkbeck: 07836 342312
FAI Sanction
As well as being a standalone comp in the British Open Series and counting for the overall 2009 Series scores, this is a FAI Category 2 competition for both Class 1 (flexwing) and Class 5 (rigids). This means that if you have a current FAI Sporting Licence you can earn World Pilot Ranking Scheme (WPRS) points and you may also meet the entry requirements for a Category 1 (World or continental championship) if you place in the top 2/3rds of this meet. A minimum of 2 tasks are required to validate a Category 2 competition and there is also a minimum number of competing pilots; this is 15 for the flexwing comp (not a problem) and 6 for the rigids - and we do not always get this number.
ACCOMMODATION LINKS
http://www.greendragonhardraw.com/aboutus.htm
http://www.hardrawgathering.com/accomm.html
http://www.mccoy-camping.co.uk/yorkshire/listingsnyorks1.htm
http://www.4hotels.co.uk/uk/hawes.html
http://www.wensleydale.org/hawes/results.asp?LocationKeywords=Hawes
http://www.bedandbreakfast-directory.co.uk/uploads/estate/html/to-Hawes.htm
http://www.dalesandvales.co.uk/accommodation_directory/yorkshire_dales/0013-hawes/index.html
http://www.fairview-hawes.co.uk/
http://www.thorneymirebarn.co.uk/
http://www.pryhousefarm.co.uk/
http://www.bainbridge-ings.co.uk/
http://www.stilwell.co.uk/show_town.asp?Q=hc%7CL4147203
Pilot List
| No | Pilot | Glider | Class | Club | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grant Crossingham | Moyes Litespeed RS | 1 | Skysurfers | Yes |
| 2 | Gordon Rigg | ||||
| 3 | Dave Matthews | Moyes Litespeed S | 1 | Southern | Yes |
| 4 | Gary Wirdnam | Wills Wing T2C | 1 | NHPC | Yes |
| 5 | Bruce Kavanagh | Wills Wing T2 | 1 | Skysurfers | Yes |
| 6 | Richard Lovelace | ||||
| 7 | Graham Phipps | Wills Wing T2 | 1 | Kernow | Yes |
| 8 | Malcolm Brown | ||||
| 9 | Tony Stephens | Aeros Combat L | 1 | Skysurfers | Yes |
| 10 | Justin Needham | Moyes Litespeed | 1 | SE Wales | Yes |
| 11 | Craig Dolwin | WW T2 | 1 | SE Wales | Yes |
| 12 | Steve Penfold | Airborne C4 | 1 | Joint Services | Yes |
| 14 | Ron Richardson | ||||
| 15 | Nigel Bray | ||||
| 16 | Malcolm Beard | ||||
| 17 | Brett Wright | Moyes Litespeed RS | 1 | D&S Condors | Yes |
| 18 | Trevor Birkbeck | Wills Wing T2 | 1 | Dales | Yes |
| 19 | Geoff Brook | ||||
| 20 | Steve Gale | ||||
| 21 | Nick Pain | ||||
| 22 | Wayne Thompson | Aeros Combat L | 1 | DSC | Yes |
| 23 | Ben Hull-Bailey | ||||
| 24 | Markus Kinch | Moyes Litespeed S | 1 | Dunstable | Yes |
| 25 | Jimbo Seward | Moyes Litespeed | 1 | North Wales | Yes |
| 26 | Bob Little | ||||
| 27 | Clive Belbin | Airborne C4 | 1 | Southern | Yes |
| 28 | Tim King | Litebuster | 1/5 | Sky Surfers | Yes |
| 29 | Jason Brown | ||||
| 30 | |||||
| 31 | Jamie Hanlon | ||||
| 32 | Ollie Kynaston | ||||
| 33 | Myles Kynaston | ||||
| 34 | Jenny Buck | Airborne C4 | 1 | Joint Services | Yes |
| 35 | Steve Kynaston | ||||
| 36 | Mark Phillips | ||||
| 37 | Dave Shields | Moyes Litespeed | 1 | North Wales | Yes |
| 38 | Craig Ennis | Avian Cheetah Evo | 1 | DSC | Yes |
| 39 | Stewart Reid | Icaro Laminar Zero7 | 1 | Lanark & Lothian | Yes |
| 40 | John Cheale | Wills Wing Sport | Sport | Avon | Yes |
| 41 | James Roy | Aeros Discus | Sport | Skysurfers | Yes |
| 42 | Barry Woodhead | Avian Cheetah | 1 | DSC | Yes |
| 43 | Paul Whatley | WW Sport II | Sport | Avon | Yes |
| 44 | Mark Stewart | Moyes Litespeed | 1 | Mid Wales | Yes |
| 45 | Murray Brown | Aeros Combat L | 1 | Dunstable | Yes |
| 46 | Robin Rhodes | Moyes Litespeed | 1 | Dunstable | Yes |
| 47 | James Hogan | Icaro Laminar | 1 | DSC | Yes |
| 48 | Mike Armstrong | Aeros Combat L | 1 | Lanark & Lothian | Yes |
| 49 | Kris Holland | Moyes Litespeed | Sport | Southern | Yes |
| 50 | Marek Pisarek | Avian Cheetah Evo | 1 | DSC | Yes |
| 58 | Bill Bell | Wills Wing T2C | 1 | Dunstable | Yes |
| 59 | Neil Atkinson | Hilite Tsunami | 5 | Avon | Yes |
| 60 | Andy Scott | Wills Wing T2 | 1 | Dunstable | Yes |
From Skywings! / July 2009
Yorkshire Dales
For the last few years the Yorkshire Dales leg has been blighted by vast quantities of rain. I recall last year being particularly soggy and I was in two minds whether to commit to going, as I am sure were others. However the forecast was good, and driving up under classic-looking skies the day before the comp I had a good feeling the next five days.
At the initial briefing meethead Pete Coad revealed that the Comps Panel had set a target of 33% in goal, as opposed to previous targets of 20%.
Day 1
Was overcast with 12mph from the west, forecast to back to the south-west during the day. We headed to Wether Fell nonetheless, but on arrival the wind had backed already and was way off. Later, at Tailbridge Hill, I was scratching my head - the site guide said it was suitable for up to 12 pilots, not the 40+ pilots we had entered! It is indeed a small hill but has a top landing to die for and an easy drive to the top.
The task required a jump onto the main ridge of Mallerstang Edge, a not insignificant gap. Pilots flew in dribs and drabs but conditions never really improved, although a few made some good attempts to reach the ridge. By 5.30pm it was all over, the hill completely clagged in and no one having activated the task.
Day 2
Forecast was for improving conditions at Wether Fell but probably not until quite late. After a rebrief at 12 we returned to Tailbridge where it was cold, damp and windy. Calling a task was delayed to 3pm, by which time we were so cold and tired of waiting that most were expecting to be sent home. Pete Coad set a 29km task for all classes to Ecclestone Abbey via a 3km turnpoint to avoid anyone landing out in the middle of nowhere.
Conditions did indeed improve and the air got pretty crowded as the majority flew. Those that got away didn't leave till the 5pm start gate. No one made goal, but task winner Dave Shields got pretty close at 22.9km with Tony Stephens second and Graham Phipps third. No one in the Sports class managed to get away; everyone found flying in such congested skies a serious undertaking with a steep learning curve.
Day 3
We awoke to bright sunshine and moderate winds. It had the feeling of a good day, and at Wether Fell the wind was only slightly off the south but very flyable. A 79.5km race to goal at Wombleton airfield (disused) was set for classes 1 and 5 with a shorter 37km task for the Sports class. Pilots got off early, and whilst climbs weren't initially strong there was plenty of lift around. The arrival of wave was particularly noteworthy, many pilots taking a smooth ride to around 7,000ft and Paul Harvey reporting 8,500ft. Quotes from the day included, “I don't care if I never fly again this year - that was a truly awesome flight that I'll never forget,” and, “I was having so much fun. Do we really have to do the task?”
14 pilots made goal, all from the first start at 2pm. Richard Lovelace won the day ahead of Gary Wirdnam and Dave Shields. Grant Crossingham landed frustratingly close at 800m short. Two Sports class pilots got away but none far enough to activate the task.
Day 4
Brought a classic post-frontal sky and a difficult wind direction from the south. Nappa Scar is nearly a cliff launch, but with light winds forecast this was not expected to be a problem. After a moderate carry-up we found winds gusting to 30mph, putting the rigging area in rotor and making take-off very hazardous. The meet director and safety committee did a great job judging conditions; a task was set but they kept the launch window firmly closed until conditions moderated. It was an eye-watering wait under such an epic-looking sky.
An 81.1km race to goal at Colywell was set with the Sports class having a shorter 44km task. By about 2.30pm conditions had moderated to allow the class 1 and 5 launch window open. All who chose to fly got off safely, but one or two had scary launches and Sport class pilot Craig Ennis was knocked over whilst assisting on nose wires.
Justin Needham and Bob Little must have got the start time wrong as they headed off across country shortly after launch. The first start was at 15.45, with all pilots taking it. Conditions were deteriorating and when the Sport class launch opened at 4 the sky was very grey. Most had 30 minutes of pleasant ridge soaring before the rain arrived and the wind shut down completely.
The day was won by Graham Phipps (34.8km) with Steve Penfold second (33.3km) and Wayne Thompson third (33.3km). In the evening Steve Penfold shed some light on the seemingly complex scoring system .
When I woke up in my tent on
Day 5
It sounded very windy. It was indeed very brisk under a great-looking sky. However at noon a decision was taken to scrap the day, most pilots having a long drive home ahead of them. The final results gave Richard Lovelace the win ahead of Gary Wirdnam and Graham Phipps. None of the Sports class tasks had been activated, but the pilots had learned a significant amount and are keen to get to the next meet.
