The Glider Nationals - 2011

2011 Glider Nationals CD Report

The contest began with the first briefing on Wednesday evening, this being the Unlimited and Advanced pilots chance to chose a set of figures that only they can fly and confound the opposition before the flying even begins. Selection went well with the visiting guest pilot Dietmar Poll adding some figures to the mix that looked completely impossible. There was then a scramble to put together the first unknown program to allow it to be flown on the following day.

Unusually for the Glider Nationals we had a forecast of 3 days of very flyable weather and over the contest the forecast actually proved to be very accurate in most parts. Thursday started rather slowly due to some low cloud which meant initially flying split programs but cloud base increased later in the day to give us the chance to finish the 5 programs planned for the first day.

All of the unlimited pilots struggled with the Known program with even the past world champion in the known program getting one of his very infrequent HZ’s. Unfortunately one of the only 2 Advanced pilots to enter was sick and unable to fly leaving a contest of 1 for the Advanced medals.

On Friday we were joined by the sports pilots to give us a complete compliment and the weather was as close to perfect as could be asked for, even the judges found the warmth and light breeze pleasant and hopefully this encouraged generosity in marking. Given the good weather we managed to fly 2 unlimited, 2 advanced, 2 sports and one intermediate program, in spite of a rebellion by the Intermediate pilots who determined to show their independence had decided to fly the Free program rather than the first unknown which the judges and everyone else including the CD had expected, the reasons for this were never quite worked out and it caused some delay while our scorer Sarah rapidly supplied the judges with additional paperwork.

Saturday’s met briefing had a warning of ‘high winds’ but was otherwise very good and at the start of flying the wind was still reasonable, as the day went on the wind grew peaking at 35 knots at 2000 foot when we stopped measuring it but continued flying. All of the pilots managed to stay in the box in spite of the invisible conveyer that was pushing them rapidly to the left and the final programs of the contest were completed by mid afternoon.

Our Chief Judge Pik Kuchler from Austria led a very experience panel and put up gracefully with a new CD who at times struggled to keep up with the need to provide scribes, information and refreshments to his team.

Once again our hosts Buckminster Gliding club wend beyond the call of duty to provide us with everything we needed and make us feel welcome and I would like to thank them all for their efforts. In addition our Scorer Sarah Turner provided not only fast and accurate scores but also coped without complaint with a number of changes in order of programs and the production of free and unknown paperwork on impossible schedules.

The contest concluded a day early as we completed all programs and Alan Cassidy who had up to that point been one of the judges put on his cape to become once again Chairman of the BAEA just in time to present the prizes after which we retired to the feast prepared for all of the visitors by the Buckminster club catering team.

Chris Cain
Contest Director