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So the competition has now closed and crews and pilots are on their way home; safe travels.

Who said that the UK was not a good place for soaring?  We had 10 soaring days in the 18m and Open classes and 7 soaring days in the 15m class and that is much better than several International competitions of late.  The total task distance set was 7568 km and the total number of kilometers flown is a staggering equivalent to 3.5 times around the equator!

Well done team GB with a Silver Medal in the Team Cup and medals in all classes.

Tim (Silver) and Gary (Bronze flanking a jubilant Freddie.

A well fought Silver for Mike

Peter (Silver) and Russell (Bronze) flanking a very happy EB29 driver

So it’s all over now.  Yesterday netted Team GB the best every Day Tally of positions; five of our 6 pilots were on the podium with Two firsts, two seconds and a third.

Today was a case of keeping up the momentum and they achieved that with 3 more podium places clinching Silver medal in the Team Cup.

Individual medals are provisionally as follows:

15m Class – Silver for Tim Scott and Bronze for Gary Stingemore

18m Class – Silver for Mike Young

Open Class – Silver for Peter Harvey and Bronze for Russell Cheetham

Gliders are being de-rigged now and everyone is looking forward to a good party this evening.

Prize giving is tomorrow morning.

The Crew should be members of a very exclusive club; the Sailplane Crew Union Members club (SCUM).  They can, and do, come in all shapes and sizes as you will see from the collection of photos below.

Without a crew, pilots would simply not be able to perform at their best.  The crew generally are responsible for ensuring that the aircraft is made ready every day, taken through the weighing station and put on the grid at the designated spot.  At the launch time they can be seen whispering good things into the ear of their pilot, then holding the wings level for launch and then retiring to their lair to await progress reports.  Whilst the pilots are in the air, crew can often been seen lurking in the area of control looking like expectant parents to be.  They will ensure that the Glider Trailer is ready just in case of an out-landing but will confidently expect their pilot to have a good run and get back to the airfield where they will collect them and tow them back to the parking area.  Gliders can also be re-ballasted at this time as it will save time in the morning.  Then they do the  same again… and again….and again….

The cast:

5 podium places as a result of yesterdays flying exploits for Team GB including 2 x Day Winners; quite a haul of points & wine!

Today it is racing tasks for all three classes of 300+ km in a similar task area up t’north and then east and its all to play for still.  Team GB still in 2nd for the Team Cup.

Task are here:  http://www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/egc2017-lasham/results

All classes Task A – first launch not before 12:00 hrs.

So now we know how its done: Hugh’s scribbled notes from briefing….

Colin Watt the CFI at Lasham explains how to do it.  Another great film by Dorian Bury.