Scores
Cumulative
nats-2005-final
UK Nationals 2005
The Event:
The venue will be Lumbier, some 40 kms south east of Pamplona; from the city you go south on the N-121 initially and then south east on the N-240. The site here faces both north and south from the Sierra de Lijar. It is know to some Brits as Lumbier and locally as Arangoiti; some details can be here. It has twice been used for Spanish national championships and should provide interesting flying with the vast numbers of gryphon vultures which frequent the escarpment. It is also a friendly site for less experienced pilots late in the day. A satellite picture of the area, with the site marked can be found via Gordon Rigg's website.
Lumbier Town Council will be providing us with somewhere for the competition headquarters in Lumbier itself and there are plenty of campsites in the area. The two most useful ones for us are:
Camping Iturbero, in Lumbier itself, near the town swimming-pool and
Camping Cantolagua, in Sangüesa (9 km. from Lumbier).
In Lumbier, there is also a Hostal, the Hostal Irubide. The prices for two people room: 49€ . Single room: 39€. It is also recommended for dinner, menu at 16€+7% tax. Hotel Restaurante Iru-Bide: Fax-Phone: 948880435.
In Artieda, 7 Km north Lumbier, a Hotel with activities: spa, horse riding, golf, bicycle and canoe rental, rooms 4(72 € night) and 6 places(90 € night), for week-end and week. Information and reservation: 704-200000.
We do not have details of gite-type accommodation.
The competition programme will be:
Saturday 6th August - registration
7th - 13th August tasks (weather permitting)
13th August - prize giving [p.m.]
The competition will be scored using the FAI GAP 2002 formula, RACE 2003 and GPS flight verification using the latest available version of CompeGPS. 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 but any pilot bringing other using a GPS unit other than MLRs or Garmin units which connect via a serial port should bring his own GPS-PC interface cable. 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 Open competition 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 waypoint download, but not transport to launch or retrieve. A local map with the competition turn points marked will be displayed. CompeGPS waypoint files can be downloaded from the documents page if pilots wish to use them for the practice week; the version provided by our Spanish contact will be the definitive version and Gordon Rigg has produced one with altitude converted to feet.
In Class 1 Open trophies will be awarded to the top ten pilots and the highest placed UK newcomer; if there are sufficient entries (5 in each class) trophies will also be supplied for the top woman pilot and top Class 5. There will also be team trophies in the flexwing competition. 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.
All pilots will need to have third party liability insurance which includes pilot to pilot cover. UK based pilots will need medical insurance which covers helicopter rescue and aeromed flight cover. This is available from Airsports Insurance Bureau, 48 Alexander Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 7JT - tel/fax 01983 298480.
Day 7 (13 Aug)
Very similar conditions forecast again. Inversion early and day did not really get going till late. Another task to west and south with lots in eventually in goal.
Day 6 (12 Aug)
Very light winds forecast for early afternoon and NW of 10-15 later; a blue day. Disconcertingly the vultures were not out to play but a longer task was set; north for 12 km initially and then south to join up with the first day's task route and finish again in Erla. 103 km in total.
Day 5 (11 Aug)
Strong winds forecast throughout the day and wave evident at 10 a.m. forced a rest day.
Day 4 (10 Aug)
Mixed forecasts with some indications of storms. Wind forecast to start SW and go NW by mid afternoon. Three attempts at task setting with conditions deteriorating and the window finally opened at 14:00 for a task to the East while a cu-nimb developed to the West. First start was 14:40 and the task was abandoned 15 minutes later as a gust front and rain approached.
Day 3 (9 Aug)
A difficult day to call, wind from the southeast, an inversion and very hazy at launch altitude. Cloud forecast to increase. A short task set, initially to the east then back past launch and up in the direction of Pamplona to Najurieta Church before a short cross-wind glide to goal. Conditions away from the hill better than expected and 28 made goal.
Day 2 (8 Aug)
Wind from south west and task set along lake to Jaca in east then back 10 km to goal. Periods of high cloud cover shut off thermal activity from time to time and made task something of a lottery. Only two pilots in goal - both French.
Day 1 (7 Aug)
Northerly winds and task set to south and then to east. Conditions good en route and a successful task with 25% in goal.