http://www.bpcup.co.uk/results2007/Comp ... verall.pdf
Alastair and Chris have been doing us proud in the BPC with Guthrie 4 th overall and Chris 10th but second placed DHV 1-2.
Excellent flying lads - are you too modest to give us a report?
Northumbrians doing the bizzzzz.......
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Sad Northerner
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With poor weather forecasted Task 6 of the BPC was unexpected to say the least. The wind on TO had risen from nowt to strong in a matter of minutes and a grey sky ahead put even more doubt on the possibility of a task; nonetheless a task was set. TO was the south end of Wearnside with a 2km exit cylinder, then it was over to a TP at the north end of Whearnside, some 3km away, followed by a race to goal at Kendal (26km aprox).
With bad weather seemingly imminent most pilots opted for an early start, with the first pilot, (a hansom fellow with arms like tree trunks and eyes cold like steel), getting to TP1 within minutes of the window opening. The field seemed to stand still here for a while as thermic lift seemed elusive.
I managed to get away in the third gaggle only to join the previous two on next, small, ridge behind Whearnside.
Boredom, mixed in with occasional periods of blind panic brought about by the close proximity of the other gliders on the ridge, lead me to gliding off, alone, towards Barkin as soon as I reached the top of the stack.
Barkin worked well and I climbed straight out to base only to be met by some weird raggy convergence cloud between me goal perhaps brought about by some sea breeze influence.
With this in mind I set off in a more northerly direction, away from sea air, than the necessary due west towards goal…big mistake. 10mins into my glide from base I was in rescue mode, taking anything I could find just to stay airborne, furthermore the effects of the sea air meant that any drift, associated with a climb, took me further away from goal.
At this point I noticed Richard Bungy and John Ellison and some guy called Gordon in close pursuit. Richard found a good climb and glided overhead and into goal (spawney git). John joined me and Gordon in a good climb only a few hundred meters above the deck. I left the climb early (half way to base) and managed an easy glide into goal. John then Gordon followed 10min later.
Despite the result John scored second place due to the fact that he had passed through the start gate at a later interval making his elapsed time shorter than mine.
On reflection it is clear to see that the low cloudbase coupled with long glides between the hills, in the early part of the flight, meant that anyone on a wing with performance below that of the typical modern DHV2/3 was at a distinct disadvantage.
Ali
With bad weather seemingly imminent most pilots opted for an early start, with the first pilot, (a hansom fellow with arms like tree trunks and eyes cold like steel), getting to TP1 within minutes of the window opening. The field seemed to stand still here for a while as thermic lift seemed elusive.
I managed to get away in the third gaggle only to join the previous two on next, small, ridge behind Whearnside.
Boredom, mixed in with occasional periods of blind panic brought about by the close proximity of the other gliders on the ridge, lead me to gliding off, alone, towards Barkin as soon as I reached the top of the stack.
Barkin worked well and I climbed straight out to base only to be met by some weird raggy convergence cloud between me goal perhaps brought about by some sea breeze influence.
With this in mind I set off in a more northerly direction, away from sea air, than the necessary due west towards goal…big mistake. 10mins into my glide from base I was in rescue mode, taking anything I could find just to stay airborne, furthermore the effects of the sea air meant that any drift, associated with a climb, took me further away from goal.
At this point I noticed Richard Bungy and John Ellison and some guy called Gordon in close pursuit. Richard found a good climb and glided overhead and into goal (spawney git). John joined me and Gordon in a good climb only a few hundred meters above the deck. I left the climb early (half way to base) and managed an easy glide into goal. John then Gordon followed 10min later.
Despite the result John scored second place due to the fact that he had passed through the start gate at a later interval making his elapsed time shorter than mine.
On reflection it is clear to see that the low cloudbase coupled with long glides between the hills, in the early part of the flight, meant that anyone on a wing with performance below that of the typical modern DHV2/3 was at a distinct disadvantage.
Ali