BPCup 2009 winners. L-R: Tanya Ephgrave, Martin Sandwith, Tim Bridle, Richard Chaffe, Sheryl Cameron
Mal Grace reports:
The fifth and final round of the 2009 BPCup was held over the weekend of 11–13 September, based at the Snowdon Inn (Y Fricsan) on the outskirts of Llanberis. We were blessed with the unusual promise (given what we have had this year) of a good weather forecast for all three days, with cold, clear nights and temperatures in the mid 20s.
Friday’s forecast was for light ENE winds, so everyone was sent off to Moel Berfed and a briefing set on the top at 11am.
A 28 km task was set to the coast with a turnpoint 17 km downwind from take off and, with the expected sea breeze, a run south to Criccieth.
Several pilots took off in weak nil-wind alpine conditions and, with the lack of any decent thermals, cut out and headed off to the pump on the lower slopes of the Snowdon horseshoe. They struggled to stay up and all slope-landed below the pump, which did not tempt many followers.
Another half hour passed before visiting pilot and BPCup sponsor Mark Leavesley took off and connected with a weak thermal on the south side of the hill. Mark climbed out, followed by the next few pilots including Mal Grace and Dave Thomson who managed to get up in a steady climb to approx 3000 ft in the same place and head off, followed by cup leaders Tim Bridle and Richard Chaffe and a few others.
Most pilots sat it out, seemingly worried by the light conditions and not realising that the area can be like alpine flying.
Most of those that waited were caught out by the sea breeze which, as anticipated, came in causing the wind to switch over the back. Nearly 50% of the field were left stranded on the hill unable to take off and had to walk down.
All the pilots that made it over and landed on the pump managed to launch quickly as they saw the sea breeze coming over the llanberis pass and landed in the campsite at Llyn Gwynant; the half dozen pilots that managed to stay high above the pump scraped down the Nant Gwynant valley to land around Beddgelert at approx 10-12 km.
But the hero of the day, showing that the task was possible, was David Thomson, who made it to the turn point just as the sea breeze reached it, diving into the wispies to get the point before turning and running with it to goal.
Dave later described it as probably the hardest and certainly the most technical task he’d ever flown. Despite having reached the 28km goal he scored just 66 points. Those who managed the 10-12 km scored 35-40 points, and those who had launched and bomb immediately scored the minimum distance of 27 points. When you consider the effort Dave put in to get to goal it does make you wonder about the suitability of the scoring system for the vagaries of British weather.
Day 2 (Saturday) had a forecast of wind from the north later in the morning and the possibility of a sea breeze again. We headed for Harlech on the west coast, with the idea that the meeting of the Meto wind and the sea breeze would give a wind direction straight on to the NW-facing take off.
Despite our high hopes and the good forecast, we waited and waited for the wind which never materialised. What very gentle breeze there was stayed off the hill, so this coupled with some issues around the bottom landing field Calvo had no option but to can the day.
Most people left but a few decided to stay at take off and others stopped at the lower cliff-top take-off above the beach and waited. Within 30 minutes the wind came on the hill and the majority of pilots had a fantastic late afternoon fly on the coast and over and above the castle.
Day 3 (Sunday), and the last day of this year’s BPCup. The forecast was for ENE winds, increasing in strength throughout the morning, so we headed off to Moel Berfedd again early to get the day underway before the wind picked up.
The task set was similar to Friday’s, but this time with a more direct route to the coast at 28 km and goal at Porthmadog.
This time there was more wind on the hill tempting people off. Generally there was a split in tactics: some peope took the advice of the locals, using the take off as a launch to get across to the pump, gliding off as soon as they were either at or above hill top height; the remainder stayed and soared the take off area.
As the wind picked up the weak thermals at the pump were pushed more and more across the face, making it increasingly difficult to get up for those that had chosen this tactic; those on take off were also struggling in the wind and increasingly rough conditions. Calvo decided for safety to can the task – a call well-justified, judging from the 70 km/h downwind glides experioenced by pilots making a dash for the campsite.
We all headed back to the Snowdon Inn for what turned out to be, by general consensus, the best and best-attended presentation the BPCup has ever witnessed (Calvo’s words, and he’s been at most for the last 10+ years). Champagne and Cake was supplied by sponsor Raff (Sfizio).
Prizes included a fantastic scale radio controlled model glider built and presented by Mark of Leavesley aviation; varios provided by Nick Pipe of Digifly UK, vouchers for subscriptions and goodies from XC Mag and various other prizes from Snowdon Gliders, Gradient wings, V12 outdoors shop, Red Dragon Paragliding, UK Airsports and Xpose Media.
Results:
BPCup Overall
1 – Tim Bridle – Skywalk
2 – Richard Chaffe – Niviuk
3 – Martin Sandwith – Gin
Female Overall:
1 – Tanya Ephgrave – Nova
2 – Sheryl Cameron – Gradient
3 – Liz Sampson – Gin
Sports class:
1 – Dave Thomas – Nova
2 – Andy Plimmer – Gradient
3 – Tony Aldhouse – Nova
Best DHV 1-2 : Kevin McLoughlin – Nova
Best Newcomer : Richard Chaffe
