Alvin Russell Trophy
Three years in hang gliding doesn't seem like much now but to appreciate the contribution of Alvin Russell to the sport it is necessary to remember the intense pace of development that was the norm 25 years ago. When Alvin started flying in 1973 there were no clubs, no international competitions, no formalised training schemes, no clear requirements for schools or instructors. By the time of his death in a flying accident late in 1976 everything was in place and he had usually played a part in developing it.
Alvin was a complex personality. His background was in motor sport and music but once he became involved in hang gliding he became completely addicted, devoting every minute to it - even to the extent of continuing to fly with a leg in plaster. He founded the Long Mynd Club, imported Bill Bennett's range of Phoenix gliders, flew in every possible competition in Britain, pioneered overseas visits to alpine sites, advocated Sports Council support for our teams and correctly predicted their success if it were to be forthcoming, took up the post of BHGA Training Officer (for less than £20 per week!) and aided Brian Milton in setting up the League. He probably did much more besides.
Alvin was among the top British Pilots, always testing the limits of both weather and gliders. He died in Ireland on a relatively unfamiliar aircraft which he may have rigged incorrectly and his loss was felt as a body blow to all enthusiasts at the time.
The Alvin Russell Trophy was initiated in 1977 as a result of subscription from friends and colleagues throughout hang gliding and is awarded annually to the British National Champion.
Winners have been:
| 1977 | Brian Woods | 1993 | Peter Harvey | |
| 1978 | Keith Reynolds | 1994 | Michael Stephens | |
| 1979 | Bob Calvert | 1995 | John Pendry | |
| 1980 | Bob Calvert | 1996 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1981 | Johnny Carr | 1997 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1982 | Bob Calvert | 1998 | Allan Barnes | |
| 1983 | Bob Calvert | 1999 | Steve Cook | |
| 1984 | Michael Carnet | 2000 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1985 | Graham Slater | 2001 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1986 | John Pendry | 2002 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1987 | Michael Carnet | 2003 | Justin Needham | |
| 1988 | Robert Whittal | 2004 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1989 | Jes Flynn | 2005 | Richard Lovelace | |
| 1990 | John Pendry | 2006 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1991 | Bruce Goldsmith | 2007 | Gordon Rigg | |
| 1992 | Bruce Goldsmith | 2008 | TBD |
Johnny Carr Trophy
Johnny Carr took delivery of his first hang glider in July 1974; it was a curved boom Wasp CB with a 240 square foot sail. A month later he entered his first competition at Cam Long Down near Stroud, Gloucester. To his surprise he won the big glider class and was 3rd overall. He had only entered the competition so he could meet other pilots who were doing this exiting new sport – but now he was hooked on comps as well.
In 1975 Johnny broke the British endurance record for prone flight on a Hiway 260 at Rhossilli and the following year got his first Class 2 glider, a Miles Handley Griffin. He went to Kossen that summer and came 10th in the World Championships. He won the Embassy British Championships at Pickering on another Handley glider, the Gulp. He also, briefly had a biplane hang glider that year but did not get on with in. It was that year a group of pilots, including Johnny, got together under Brian Milton to form the British League. The first league series in 1977 saw Johnny ending up second.
In 1978 he achieved fourth place in the European Championships at Kossen on a Moonraker and later played around with Griffins and the Moyes Maxi. In ’79 he took a Cyclone to the World Championships at Saint Hillarie and finished second behind Josef Guggenmoss of Germany. He also flew it in the US Masters and has a gold medal from the American Cup at Lookout Mountain that year. In 1980 he abandoned Class 1 and flew a Fledge 2 to finish third in the league and win another silver for Britain in the European Championships.
In ‘81 Johnny was persuaded by Rory Carter to fly an Airwave Comet, subsequently renamed the Magic. This Class 1 machine was the break through in performance the hang gliding world had been waiting for. It was also the year Johnny finally became British Champion; he also came 6th in the World Championships in Japan and was the first pilot to fly over 50 miles from Mere. In ’82 he won the British Open on a Magic 2 and in ’83 made 11th place representing Britain at the Tegelberg Worlds;
Johnny won the 1984 World Cross Country Championships and represented Britain in Class 1 for the last time at the ’85 Worlds in Kossen. After that he had a few lean competition years with just a British Out & Return record of 45 miles to his credit. He bought his Swift in ’93 and moved back to Class 2 flying. In 1995 he flew it to 5th place at the Class 2 Worlds in Spain. In ‘99 he made another bid for the Class 2 Gold at the Worlds in Italy but slipped to silver after a camera failure on his 50th birthday. He was gutted.
2000, quarter of a century in the sport, start of his new millennium, first ever UK Class 2 championship and Johnny Carr was flying both Class 1 and Class 2 gliders. The Swift had been re-classified into Class 4 so Johnny bought a Ghostbuster to continue in Class 2. He also generously offered to commission the trophy for the new championship and announced that he would do his best to ensure his name was the first on it. He achieved this in a close contest and shortly after flew his Litespeed to a task victory and second place in the Class 1 league final, his best League result since the 80s.
In his long career in hang gliding Johnny Carr has competed at the highest level – and still does so. He has represented his country many times – and still does so. He has twice met the Queen while representing our sport, been on the Competitions Panel for most of its existence and above all, enjoyed flying. It is a bonus that he is still with us and still competing.
In 2000 it was decided that national Class 2 hang gliding championship should be run. Because of his long association with this class of glider Johnny immediately volunteered to provide a trophy. As was fitting, he went out and won it himself that year.
Past winners have been:
| 2000 | Johnny Carr |
| 2001 | Steve Elkins |
Percy Moss Trophy
Winners of the Percy Moss trophy have been:
- 1986 Kay Simpson
- 1987 Jenny Ganderton
- 1988 Judy Leden
- 1989 Judy Leden MBE
- 1990 Judy Leden MBE
- 1991 Judy Leden MBE
- 1992 Judy Leden MBE
- 1993 Kathleen Rigg
- 1994 Kathleen Rigg
- 1995 Kathleen Rigg
- 1996 Kathleen Rigg
- 1997 Niki Hamilton
- 1998 Jenny Auckland
- 1999 Kathleen Rigg
- 2000 Kathleen Rigg
- 2001 Kathleen Rigg
Jim Taggart Trophy
In July 1973, after a background in military parachuting and freefall, Jim Taggart made his first hang glider flight. He subsequently became a founder member of the Thames Valley Hang Gliding Club where he was listed with membership Number One. Right from the beginning he was a natural and, in those early days, soon became known as one of the foremost exponents of the sport in UK and Europe. He had considerable influence on the development of the sport and the setting of training standards in the UK though the British Hang Gliding Association. In the mid-70s he was also involved in competition at international level and was the UK CIVL delegate from 1976 to 1978.
While serving five years in Germany Jim inspired many others to take up the sport. He formed an Army club, arranged flying trips and took part in competitions. He also lobbied support from everyone possible in his drive to get hang-gliding officially recognised in the Army and it was mainly due to his efforts that the Army Hang Gliding Centre was set up at Sennebridge in April 1981. As Chief Instructor there he then worked day and night to get it expanded into the Joint Services Hang Gliding Centre. Since then thousands of service men and women have attended courses there and continue to do so today. It was during this period that he worked with the BHGA to ensure the training standards set at Sennebridge were adopted nationally and was a member of the BHGA Council. This work did not go unrecognised and Jim was awarded the MBE in the Military Division of the 1983 New Years Honours List.
Comments
Could really do with some updates on these items chaps. Anyone care to oblige ?