Mark Sanders
Rockpolishers, for those that aren’t aware, is a friendly low-key interclub cross-country competition between six local clubs; Nympsfield, Aston Down, Usk, Talgarth, Shobdon and the Mynd. The winning club of the four round series goes through to the National finals in September, to compete for the Inter-Club League Trophy, a piece of silverware that currently resides in our trophy cabinet.
Thus, with a certain amount of honour at stake, it is pleasing to report that under the new captaincy of Mike Witton MGC has won the Rockpolishers league, despite a strong challenge from Nympsfield.
Round 1 - Aston Down
Friday night and the bar at Aston Down was overrun with Myndites. Although some clubs seem to struggle to get a complement for the competition (each club enters one novice, one intermediate and one pundit), Mike actually had a reserve in each class with Steve Foster and Mark Sanders in novice, Dave d’Arcy and Dave Crowson as intermediates, and Iain Evans and Mike himself as our pundits. Also there and flying hors concours, were John Roberts and Denise Hughes in our DG505 (KAW), Clive Jones with his ASW19 (882) and Walter Baumann with the LS4 (IV). Dave Crowson took Steve Gunn-Russell round for the ride in 494, and Helen, Lynette and Jade were there as crew. A mention in dispatches here; Aston Down has a great kitchen, but no catering staff, so Jade stepped in magnificently to cook breakfasts for all on Sunday and Monday!
Saturday was more than a bit on the low and blue side, but that didn’t stop Doug Gardner setting 176 km for the pundits, 114 km for the intermediates and 70 km for the novices. Only one got round, (Nympsfield’s intermediate) and he did that, it seems, by completely ignoring the view through the canopy and relying on blind faith in the instrumentation (…computer says “Yes”…). So there was plenty of fun for the crews getting everyone back. Mark struggled round about half of the novice task, before alighting in a beautifully manicured field, with a windsock in the corner. It turned out to be a real “Outer Limits” moment; an Aladdin’s Cave of classic aircraft and the home of the Guinot aerobatic team complete with five Stearman biplanes, together with their pilots and wing-walkers, all polishing their machines, getting ready to entertain James Dyson at his sixtieth birthday party. Dave d’Arcy turned up for the retrieve in time to wave them off, but was cursing as he realised he had missed the chance to leer at the latex-clad wing-walking lovelies as they each toiled over a shiny Stearman!
At the excellent evening barbecue, we discovered that with Iain Evans’ win in pundit, and seconds in the other two classes, we had done enough to win the day. Enough to win the weekend as it turned out, for Sunday and Monday were scrubbed, so the final result was a win by one point for the Mynd, from Nympsfield in second. We came back to the Mynd to find that their day had been scrubbed too, but at about 3pm it all cleared, the wind blew and enough ground crew were press-ganged into service, including Heidy, Marcus and Jade, to enable eight of us to enjoy an excellent
late afternoon’s bungey launching session.
Aston Down Results (5/6/7 May 2007)
Pundit AST-Yate-Edgehill-AST 176.4 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
Iain Evans |
Mynd |
ASW19 (RZ) |
(98.0km) |
|
459 |
4 |
2 |
Ray Payne |
Nympsfield |
Discus BT (200) |
(82.5km) |
|
387 |
3 |
3 |
Tim Barnes |
Aston Down |
Mosquito (594) |
(53.1km) |
|
249 |
2 |
4 |
Richard Slater |
Usk |
Aero 103 (609) |
(20.1km) |
|
94 |
1 |
Intermediate AST-Bishops Cleeve N-Chipping Norton-AST 113.8 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
David Zarb |
Nympsfield |
Ventus CXT (TCZ) |
2:18:42 |
44.0kmh |
423 |
6 |
2 |
Dave Crowson |
Mynd |
Duo Discus (494) |
(86.0km) |
|
318 |
5 |
3 |
Mike Dodd |
Shobdon |
Ka6CR (904) |
(83.6km) |
|
310 |
4 |
4 |
Helena Brogden |
Aston Down |
DG300 (356) |
(68.0km) |
|
252 |
3 |
5 |
Maureen Weaver |
Usk |
Discus (860) |
(25.8km) |
|
96 |
2 |
6 |
Geoff King |
Talgarth |
Std Jantar (HBS) |
(15.8km) |
|
59 |
1 |
Novice AST-Malmesbury Northleach-AST 69.9 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
Mark Thomas |
Usk |
Dart 17R (BVJ) |
(63.1km) |
|
237 |
5 |
2 |
Mark Sanders |
Mynd |
LS4 (288) |
(39.2km) |
|
147 |
4 |
3 |
Martin Talbot |
Nympsfield |
Discus BT (OD1) |
(20.2km) |
|
76 |
3 |
4 |
Mike Codd |
Talgarth |
Ventus B (KDV) |
Launch |
|
0 |
1 |
5 |
Barry Key |
Aston Down |
Squale (262) |
Launch |
|
0 |
1 |
Round 2 - Usk
The forecast for this weekend was dire beforehand, so it was quite a surprise to find that Saturday turned out to be taskable. A short soaring window was anticipated and tasks were set accordingly. With just one tug (37 aerotows that day) and no winch, our soaring window could easily have disappeared with us stuck on the ground, so Team Mynd (well John Roberts, flying with Paul Waller as P2) took the decision to take an early launch and hang about in the air for the weather. Mark Sanders was elevated up a class for this round as all our proper intermediates had rather inconsiderately decided to go flying in Europe that weekend! He took a launch soon after, and Alan Reynolds, our novice was also soon airborne. We were towed out to
the west, where conditions looked quite good albeit with only a 2000 foot cloud base - all the tasks however lay in the blue to the east! (Heard on the RT: “Can you drop me at 3000 feet over the field”; “I thought you were in the competition”; “I am”; “Well that’s 2000 feet over the drop zone”; “Er, OK”.) Given the met prediction, some pilots decided to go for it. Johnny and Mark eventually started about an hour and three-quarters after launch, with Johnny rapidly disappearing into the distance while Mark got spooked about crossing the Forest of Dean. Johnny was soon passing news of big climbs and “proper cumulus”. Mark was getting a bit concerned that he was flying in the wrong direction, because he remembered “proper cumulus” as being white and clearly visible at quite a distance, whilst the sky ahead looked remarkably blue, but he fell for it and was persuaded to press on anyway. It was one of those days that actually drove a bit better than it looked, and what looked like another day of mass land-outs at the outset, finally had the feeling of being achievable. Six pilots completed the tasks, and three of those were from the Mynd. In retrospect, our decision to launch early and start late had been the right one. Most of the land-outs were the early starters. The weather had confounded the forecast and the convection kept going much later than expected, with Mike having a flight in his Libelle long after we had all landed. Steve Foster also took an HC launch - but ask him to tell you about that! It had certainly been a very sunny day, and Lynette, Caroline and Jade were all looking as if they had caught a fair bit of it; Richard, also there crewing looked as if he had been more sensible! Adam Harper entertained us with some discus-launch RC gliding with a Zagi look-alike, and then we had a superb barbecue on a very pleasant evening to be outdoors. It had been another day win for the Mynd, and it was celebrated into the early hours - ask Caroline and Lenny to give you a rendition of their “Dingle-dangle scarecrow” song sometime!
Sunday was an early scrub, which left some thinking about a visit to the Game Fair next door and others, making their way home, reflecting on another weekend win for the Mynd and a five point lead at the mid-point in the series.
Usk Results (2/3 June 2007)
Pundit Usk-Cheltenham-Ledbury-Usk 133 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
John Roberts |
Mynd |
DG505 (KAW) |
2:04:48 |
66.2 |
1000 |
4 |
2 |
Paul Gentil |
Aston Down |
SHK (422) |
2:35:00 |
57.8 |
937 |
3 |
3 |
Rob Hanks |
Nympsfield |
Duo Discus (802) |
(51.4km) |
|
143 |
2 |
4 |
Simon France |
Usk |
Twin Acro (609) |
Launch |
|
0 |
1 |
Intermediate Usk-Gloucester-Ross-Usk 95 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
Rod Weaver |
Usk |
Discus (860) |
1:31:00 |
63.27 |
564 |
5 |
2 |
Mark Sanders |
Mynd |
LS4 (288) |
2:09:00 |
46.03 |
518 |
4 |
3 |
Mike Dodd |
Shobdon |
Ka6CR (904) |
(41.4km) |
|
172 |
3 |
4 |
N Greenwood |
Aston Down |
Astir77 (FSZ) |
(21.2km) |
|
19 |
2 |
5 |
P Bagnall |
Nympsfield |
Discus (158) |
(10.3km) |
|
0 |
1 |
Novice Usk-Ross-Usk 55.6 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
A Morecroft |
Nympsfield |
Discus (722) |
1:11:00 |
47.80 |
592 |
3 |
2 |
Alan Reynolds |
Mynd |
ASW28 (KGV) |
1:20:00 |
42.00 |
538 |
2 |
3 |
Geo Robertson |
Usk |
Pirat (DBV) |
Launch |
|
0 |
1 |
Round 3 - Nympsfield
The forecast for this weekend was so dire that the round was cancelled on the Friday morning to save everyone a wasted trip - and a very wise decision too!!
Round 4 - Long Mynd (14/15 July 2007)
The final round saw the Mynd nervously defending their five point lead to try and hang on for the series win. The cloud broke nicely on Saturday at around 10:00am and Paul Shuttleworth briefed at noon and hoped he hadn’t under-set, with what sounded like some achievable tasks. The word was things would only get better, so leisurely lunches were taken and everyone scoffed at how easy it would all be! Oh dear! The reality was somewhat different. A slick ground operation saw most pilots take winch launches and the whole field was airborne by 2:30. The conditions looked good to the West and good towards Shobdon too - well if you looked beyond the showers, anyway. Many pilots took several forays into the showers in an attempt to find a way through. Faced with some rather inhospitable land-out conditions, some never got further than this and landed back at the Mynd. Others got through and were treated to some entertaining flying. Congratulations to John Clark of Talgarth who not only managed to get back but even dropped his water on us as he finished, just to really rub our noses in it! The pundit class was to be congratulated for presenting gliding as a spectator sport. The preferred route seemed to be Shobdon out-and-return, followed by an out-and-return to Welshpool. Well at least that was the theory. Julian Fack, flying with Roger Skelhorn, came back to the ridge, got a climb, set off for Welshpool; found nothing; came back to the hill which had now stopped working. After clinging on for a few beats he gave it up as a bad job and headed out into the valley to fire up the old aluminium thermal. Ray Payne of Nympsfield also struggled with the softening ridge and landed at the bottom of the hill, and not to be left out Paul Gentil (Aston Down) also plonked it into the same field just to keep the crowd entertained.
Those that did land out were all safely accounted for, and so we adjourned to the bar to enjoy our wonderful selection of real ales, all in perfect condition (thanks Helen) and a superb selection of curries and apple crumble (thanks Heidy and Co). With a poor day in prospect for Sunday, the party seemed to really get going at about midnight and finished at 5:30am (apparently).
And so to Sunday - with a 20 knot easterly, heavy rain and a cloud-base you could reach up and touch, there weren’t too many objections when the day was scrubbed.
Long Mynd Results (14/15 July 2007)
Pundit Mynd-Shobdon-Welshpool-Mynd 100 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
Paul Gentil |
Aston Down |
SHK (422) |
(64.6km) |
|
223 |
5 |
2 |
Julian Fack |
Mynd |
Duo Discus (JF) |
(63.0km) |
|
215 |
4 |
3 |
Ray Payne |
Nympsfield |
Discus BT (200) |
(58.9km) |
|
194 |
3 |
Intermediate Mynd-Shobdon-Montgomery-Mynd 88 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
John Clark |
Talgarth |
Nimbus 2C (2CK) |
1:16:00 |
65.5 |
487 |
5 |
2 |
Robin Birch |
Aston Down |
Kestrel 19 (34Z) |
(54.1km) |
|
271 |
4 |
3 |
Stuart Renfrew |
Usk |
M100S (EQM) |
(8.33km) |
|
42 |
3 |
4 |
James Fisher |
Mynd |
Open Cirrus (18) |
(8.3km) |
|
41 |
2 |
5 |
Jim Wilson |
Nympsfield |
ASW20 (AV) |
(7.1km) |
|
36 |
1 |
Novice Mynd-Shobdon-Knighton-Mynd 69 km
# |
Pilot |
Club |
Glider |
Time(Dist) |
Speed |
Points |
RP Points |
1 |
Dave Hallsworth |
Nympsfield |
Pegase (FWX) |
(59.3km) |
|
296 |
5 |
2 |
Tom Good |
Aston Down |
DG300 (356) |
(9.2km) |
|
46 |
4 |
3= |
Steve Foster |
Mynd |
K6 (DHT) |
Launch |
|
0 |
1 |
3= |
Geo Robertson |
Usk |
Pirat (DBV) |
Launch |
|
0 |
1 |
So, what a year! Only three flyable days out of a possible nine, but the Mynd took best advantage of them to take the series. The final will take place here at the Mynd, probably at the end of August or the beginning of September.
Final Series Points
# |
Club |
R1-Aston Down |
R2-Usk |
R3-Nympsfield |
R4-Mynd |
Total |
1 |
Long Mynd |
13 |
10 |
- |
7 |
30 |
2 |
Nympsfield |
12 |
6 |
- |
9 |
27 |
3 |
Aston Down |
6 |
5 |
- |
13 |
24 |
4 |
Usk |
8 |
7 |
- |
4 |
19 |
5= |
Shobdon |
4 |
3 |
- |
- |
7 |
5= |
Talgarth |
2 |
0 |
- |
5 |
7 |
