Scores
Cumulative
Final
First day abandoned due to high winds. On day 2 we drove 115 miles to a site just beyond Cahors and flew a 93 km task. Mario Alonzi was first followed by Antoine Boisellier and then Gordon Rigg.
On day 3 we flew local site Puncho d'Agast in very little wind - but increasing cloud followed by intermittent rain which was occasionally quite heavy. Antoine Boisselier won the day with Amir Shalom second. Only 4 in goal and no Brits. Grant Crossingham was closest and those remaining on the hill saw him struggling low under the overcast in the distance. He eventually topped out and went on an optimistic glide in the gloomy conditions but the damp air and lack on much good landing eventually forced him down 3 km short.
Gordon's dreams slipped away like sand
When at goal several miles before planned
So he radioed to Trevor
"Just look at this weather
Surely this task should be canned?"
Anon pilot
Day 4 saw overdevelopment in Millau by 10 a.m. and it was another long flog to Cahors. Conditions were very week all day, particularly early on, and the results produced some big changes to the overall running order and to the UK nationals. Many pilots who were in the air early spent more than 2 hours on the ridge before getting away and Martin Pacitti was in the air for around 6 hrs before finally getting to goal. The overall results are also affected by the French pilots taking a rest day either to stay fresh for the forthcoming Europeans or to save the ozone layer from all the fuel fumes generated in the long drive. Impressive - but not always successful - were the re-lights. Gordon, Sam H-B, Grant, Justin and Johnny all made second attempts, all except Grant and Justin doing better from them. Gordon was most impressive launching a little after 5:30 and getting to 6km from goal.
With that desperate look in his eyes
Gordon glared from his field at the skies
Then leapt from the ground
and with one mighty bound
Took us all from behind by surprise
Anon pilot
Day 5 forecast made site decision tricky - and we got it wrong. Instead of opening the launch window on Puncho at 13:00 the order was given to move to Brunas for a task brief at 3 p.m. A few pilots flew over and were looking very smug when the rest arrived to start rigging. Task of 76 km set, first to the north, then out front, down to the south east and on to goal. It was a late start, a brisk wind and fairly bumpy but most pilots had good flights and there were lots in goal - including goal virgins Steve Leeman (with a personal best distance) and Wes Woodward. The day was won by Jean Francois Gerard.
Day 6 produced strong and blustery westerly winds. With no where else to go and conditions untaskable on Puncho d'Agast the day was canned. However celebrations were still in order for other reasons:
Owed (sic) to Trevor
So it is true what they said, Trevor Birkbecks not dead
But his bus pass is free so I'm told.
He flies like a dream on his Aeros machine,
But still tends to land on his head.
He lives in the Dales, flies in France and in Wales,
And his habits are easy to feed:
Drinking beer by the keg, trying to fill up each leg,
Just don't ask him to stand on the scales.
So raise a glass, raise a cheer, Honest TJ is still here,
And he's proving the doubters were wrong,
Competes with a smile, flies for mile after mile,
Trevor Birkbeck … 61 years … still young.
Happy birthday Trev!
Day 7 - awoke to rain and cloud. Winds not quite as strong as predicted but trough of low pressure over France and no prospect of a meaningful task. Day canned and prize giving at midday. Gordon is UK National Champion again.
The UK National Championship in
Class 1 Hang Gliding
The venue will be Millau which is in the MIDI-PYRENEES region (the South West) of France and at the heart of the PARC REGIONAL NATUREL des GRANDES CAUSES. This is a well know flying area and has hosted previous Women's Worlds, European and French national championships as well as the 1999 Bleriot Cup. Immediately after our own competition the 2004 European Championships will run from the same sites, with the same competition headquarters and using the same waypoints and scoring systems. We will use the Local Regulations for the European Championships as our competition rules insofar as these do not conflict with the established principle in our own rules.
The competition headquarters will be located at the Millau-Plage Campsite and our contact in the area is Richard Walbec, long time world ranking pilot and the meet director for the 2004 Europeans. Our programme will be:
Saturday 12th June - registration
13th - 19th June tasks (weather permitting)
19th June - prize giving [p.m.]
21st June - registration and practice day for European Championship.
The competition will be scored using the FAI GAP 2002 formula, RACE 2003 and flight verification by GPS using CompeGPS v5.5. This verification software will handle output from Garmin series 12 GPS units, most other Garmin units, Gallileo and the MLR unit. Full details of GPS compatability can be found on Ivan Twose's website. A full set of competition rules will be made available for downloading from the documents page of this website and Appendix B gives the current rules for GPS flight verification. These rules do not conflict with Section 7 of the FAI Sporting Code.
The Millau Open has been sanctioned as an FAI Category 2 competition and pilots will earn WRPS ranking points. All pilots must produce a current FAI licence. The entry fee (inscription) will be £85 or € 115. Maximum pilot entry is restricted to 100 and 40 of those places are reserved for non-UK pilots. Entry forms can be downloaded from the documents page of this site and can be either posted or emailed to the organiser. UK cheques should be forwarded with entries but foreign pilots may pay in either sterling or Euros at inscription. The fee will cover entry to the competition, a T-Shirt, map, GPS TP download, a local map and a map with the competition turn points marked - but not transport to launch or retrieve.
In the Class 1 Millau Open trophies will be awarded to the top ten pilots, the highest placed UK non-nationals pilot and the highest placed woman. There will also be team trophies. The UK Class 1 National Champion will be awarded the Alvin Russell trophy. Task prizes will also be awarded. A list of pilots who have entered so far can be found here.
Contact details for the campsite will be provided when available. Millau is 508 miles from Calais - roughly 10 hours driving - and fairy straightforward to get to. Main roads to (but around) Paris, continue south past Orleans and Limousin, Clermont-Ferrand and the E11 will take you to Millau itself. The city has its own airport (Millau-Larzac) but this is unlikely to be serviced by UK airlines.
Access to the main flying sites of Brunas (N/NW), Puncho D'Agast (S/SW/W/NW/N) and Pic D'Andan (S/SE) is via tarmac roads and takes no more than 30 minutes to each. In addition there are other sites 2-3 hours away which can be used in some strong wind condition.
