The Bicester Regionals 2008

Sunday2's News

Yesterday everyone had lots of fun and lots of flying (and lots of km too, 313.9km for the big boys, 262.5km for the little boys and girls). With at least 11 clubs represented in the Sport Class and at least 15 clubs having an entry in the Open class, we are pleased to have such a wide ranging cosmopolitan bunch of competitors, and we've certainly enjoyed their pleasant company. And it's still so close at the top of both classes that several people are in with a chance, with no room for errors by anyone. Can the youth and natural ability of John Roberts give him yet another victory at Bicester or will Mick Webb, back after a 13 year gap from gliding comps, use old age, experience and treachery to snatch a win??? Will Mike Fox, with excellent results at Bicester over the years, use his age - I mean experience - to hold off local boy Sunay Shah??? So, watch this space as the drama unfolds. Gosh, it's just so tense, I can hardly type this...

Ready to Race for Glory on Their Final Encounter with the Clouds

8:30am It's not quite as nice a day as yesterday, but some exciting tasks are being set at this moment.

10:30am We have set a variety of tasks as the weather is not a nice as we'd like and will announce which one to fly closer to first launch, when we see how things develope.
11:30am Sport Class task is Bicester NorthWest - Worcester - Cheltenham - Buckingham - Bic A/F = 199.6km
First Launch is 11:45am

Open Class are on their Task A, Calvert - Worcester - Cheltenham - Buckingham - Bic A/F = 213.0km, launching immediately after the Sporty ones.

They're off!

13:35 Sport Start Line opened 12:33, and a steady stream soon set off at regular intervals. But the leading contenders in the Sport Class held back before starting - MF at 13:10, HGG at 13:02 and 574 at 12:56.
Open Class start opened at 13:11, and immediately several rushed off. But contenders held back a little bit, just like the sporties did, with X8 going at 13:26, JF at 13:24, 73 at 13:24 and Z27 at 13:18.
With an expensive camera at stake for the winners (not to mention fame and glory, or hugs and kisses), the finish times will be worth scrutinising. The sporty contenders will be racing round with the Open gliders, hoping to be dragged along by them.
13:40 Sounds like DNE may have landed out already...
It's quiet. Too quiet. So at 14:00, seven hours after getting up, I'm going for breakfast.

14:45 FMU has landed out as well, about 30 mins ago. No sign of any finishers.
14:46 Just heard that AA has landed out - on an island!

They're coming home!

14:56 T19, Sport, has just called five mins - he was an early starter, at 12:35
15:15 No. 7, Open, called five mins, started 13:22,
and KAW. who started 12:53
15:18 And MF called 10km, starting at 13:10, FJK is 5km, started 12:34
15:21 J15, KV and Z27 (started 13:18) all 10km in the Open class, and 379, Sport, in 2 mins
15:23 HGG and KBS are 10km out. Will HGG win on handicap? Or MF on speed? ML in 2 mins now
15:25 BJ is 5 mins, so a fair number of Sporty ones so far. Lots called while I went out the room. Hope I haven't missed a contender. (Saw X17 minutes later.)
15:34 Heard X8 on finals. N3 5km, TC and AH two mins, K19 5 km, 265 10km - it's getting busy here! KRF 10km.
An early finisher was logged at 101kph...But you'll have to wait to find out who...

15:37 LS8 10km, MH, 165, C29 all 10km, 288 one minute (started 12:50), GAM at 15:39, started 12:39
15:40 X4 is 10km, as is 846
It's getting interesting - I haven't heard JF yet, and I think X8 is already back. If so, the scores could be very tight. Ah! Just heard JF IS back, at about 15:33
15:52 D54 called one mins, and we heard Emma the Crew cheering outside.
16:02 X15 10km 16:06 D8 and EW2 are 10km out, the latter starting late (13:40),
Only other land-out so far is 466. Let's hope there are no more.
16:17 ETY and DG the DG are 10 km out
I've had a look at the scores so far, and the Open class were fast, but tantalisingly, only one of the contenders' loggers has been downloaded so far, so it is still all hanging in the balance.

16:42 R11 is 10km out, but was the last one to start, at 14:10.

17:12 And the Ka6e, CCR, is back, again! Debbie done good.
Oh, and three have done 100kph+ in the Open Class, so far, and it is a close call on who will win.
17:45 Making good progress with the scoring now, but not sure when it will be done. It's very hot in scoring with all these computers working away. Meanwhile the competitors relax outside with a cold beer... 17:55 It's going well now. We now think we will have the results by 18:30, but I won't be able to post them here until after prize-giving.

In the Open Class, all 36 got round, although one missed the sector, while in the Sport Class we only had three landouts from 38 gliders, plus one missed a sector here as well. So about 70 very happy smiling pilots, and no sad ones. Lots of kms flown, lots of fun for everyone. Dave Watt tried the Open Class task and turned in a breath-taking 112.9khp.

The Final Result

Open Class - First John Roberts, Second Mick Webb, Third Chris Curtis

Sport Class - First Mike Fox, Second Sunay Shah, Third Luke Hornsey

PS Go to the Sport Class's first day, and hover the mouse over the image of Mike Fox, and read what I said back then!

 

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