I do not recall ever having written a CD’s report in which at least the opening words did not mention weather. Last weekend at Breighton was no exception. BA’s website indicated no less than 30 pilots were entered, of which a remarkable 11 were at Advanced level . Early weather forecasts for the weekend evidently deterred some, and worsened as the day drew closer, with Friday being hardly flyable nationwide, such that by Saturday morning there was not a single competing aircraft at Breighton.

Numerous phone calls, emails and texts passed throughout the day, mainly from pilots stranded in a huge and slow moving weather system over the southern half of England. This notwithstanding, Eric as CD held briefings every hour to update those few who were there, but at 1500, with no prospect of flight, the contest was abandoned for the day. Nevertheless, communications continued from pilots still endeavouring to transit, but when Sunday morning showed little improvement in the south, most pilots withdrew.

Unusually at that time we had more pilots than planes, for the shared G-EEEK was still stranded under low cloud; eventually Adrian Willis found a clearance and thus facilitated flight for several of his protégés. By then the field was down to 4 at Advanced, 5 at Sport and 3 at Club, so as the 4 Advanced were the first to be ready their group was launched at 1100, immediately followed by a lunch break for six cold judges. With the arrival of G-EEEK, the contest was able to proceed uninterrupted under 3000 ft plus clouds, blue sky and a cold north wind. Pilots expedited as briefed so that everyone was able to have a second flight, and flying ceased just before 1700.

Former aero pilot Martin Sandford returned last year to judge, and to Breighton brought his lovely wife Anne to assist, so it was she whom Eric invited to award the trophies to winners listed elsewhere. All who had participated, especially the pilots, were thanked for their contribution to the day’s success, and in thanking the judges for their dedication Eric appealed for more individuals to volunteer to serve on the judging line.

POSTSCRIPT:  FOLLOWING A HASTY MIS-READING OF THE RESULTS BY ME AS CONTEST DIRECTOR, THE ORDER OF SECOND AND THIRD PLACES AT SPORTS LEVEL WAS REVERSED, RESULTING IN THE INCORRECT  ISSUE OF SILVER AND BRONZE MEDALS AND SUBSEQUENT PHOTOGRAPH OF SAME. I APOLOGISE IN PARTICULAR TO JAKE COOK WHO THEREBY SUFFERED A DOWNGRADE.