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This meet is the third, and probably the final meet of the 2007 Open Hang Gliding Series (the others being the British Open in SE Wales and the Yorkshire Dales meet). The competition base will be in The Inn on the Green (01588 650105), Wentnor where we will probably be scoring in the bar (?). Wentnor is below the Long Mynd itself to the West. Dates are 21st to 25th July inclusive with registration and GPS uploading during the evening of Friday 20th July at the Inn on the Green.

This will be a stand-alone competition but will also score for the series and pilots will bring to this meet points scored in the previous 2007 Open Series comps. As in the other Open Series meets, eligibility only requires a minimum rating of Pilot, current BHPA membership and (for UK based pilots) membership of their local club. To enter just download an application form from the DOCUMENTS section of this site and send it to the address given, together with a cheque for £50.

Tasks will be set (weather permitting) from Saturday 21st July through until, and including, Wednesday 25th July. Entry includes a Hog Roast (plus veggie option if notified in advance) which will probably take place on the Monday evening at the Inn on the Green. Additional tickets for this can be booked by email to Mike Armstrong.

Any pilot arriving early for the competition should not fly local sites without contacting the host club. The Long Mynd club web site guide can be found at http://www.longmynd-soaring.org.uk/ and the Mid Wales site guide at http://homepages.enterprise.net/wises/

Essential maps are the latest Southern England and Wales half mil air chart, plus OS Travelmaster 7, Wales & West Midlands. Appropriate OS 1:50,000 maps of the area may also be useful.

Registration and GPS uploads will take place at the Inn on the Green during the evening of Friday 20th July. The initial briefing and late registrations will take place in the car park of the Inn on the Green at 09:30 21st July. After the first morning we will aim for the following routine:

• 0930 Provisional results available
• De-brief previous days task
• Met brief for the day
• Announcements
• Site for day announced
• TBN Task briefing on site.

Officials responsible for this meet are:

• John Aldridge, Meet Director, mobile 07720 559083
• Mark Stewart, club liaison, mobile 07790 864242

Accommodation lists can be obtained from the local Tourist Information Offices but The Inn on the Green itself has 4 or 5 rooms in a variety of configurations. The telephone number is 01588 650105. There is also a campsite next door to the pub, The Green Caravan Park - URL below. There is also another camp site closer to the Mynd which is worth checking out, the Poplar Farm campsite - 01588 650383 for details & a brochure.Other links for local accommodation are:

http://www.greencaravanpark.co.uk/
http://www.virtual-shropshire.co.uk/accommodation_bb/church_stretton_bb.shtml

http://www.stilwell.co.uk/scm.asp?Q=camps|R4|C54

http://www.beduk.co.uk/

http://www.wentnor.com/

http://www.visitus.co.uk/list.aspx?regionID=5&town=BISHOPS%20CASTLE

http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/

Report

With Gloucestershire inundated, we got just one flyable day out of five in late July at the Long Mynd. As it turned out it wasn't a bad day at all. Closed roads precluded a task beyond the Severn Valley to the south-east, so we chose our frequently used goal at Castlemorton Common just beyond the Malverns.

The task began with an unusual double-back along the Long Mynd ridge designed to get people on course quickly, but it turned out to have the opposite effect. Clocks were running as pilots flew the very short distance down the ridge and back for the first 5km. This was when the problems set in, because with the clock ticking many of the lead racers were reluctant to go unless they flew into a strong thermal immediately after returning to the launch turnpoint.

Much faffing took place with many taking restarts. We also had a dramatic crosswind to fly, and whilst the south end of the ridge made huge sense to ease this really hard problem, all the cumulus was at the north end, which increased the faff possibilities no end. Meanwhile opportunities to go XC were being missed and the sky was looking less promising.

After my third restart I got a sinking feeling that I might be on the ridge for good unless I got moving. Knowing that it commonly kicks off in the lee of the Mynd, I dribbled off in a miserable bump from just south of the gliding club. This soon abandoned me with about 1,800 asl and a couple of km over the back. I took a glide towards some marginal cu to the south-east towards Ludlow and found a proper climb-out. Jamie Cannon meanwhile was leaving from the north end and I kept an eye on his progress.

With a strong westerly crosswind glides were at 90 degrees to the climb lines. Every drift in a weak thermal made the course line harder. My XC speed towards the goal was only steady, and that was before the overdevelopment set in.

Halfway between Ludlow and Bromyard I needed to choose between a usable line of cumulus heading downwind or the course line beneath spreadout grey to the south. I had to take south and was soon looking for a low save off a grey field amongst grey. I got lucky I guess, and minced away as the sky marginally improved.

Several weak thermals later I was able to appreciate the sight of the Malverns finally within guaranteed reach. I hugely appreciate flying in the UK every time I fly to this strikingly attractive ridge. Getting there also meant goal was at hand.

I landed as the sky opened up. At Great Malvern the day looked superb from about 3:30pm although the westerly crosswind seemed to be getting stronger, and this was the hardest problem for pilots still in the air. Gordon Rigg came into goal half an hour behind me having been blown well off route and having taken a very different path. My multiple restarts paid off and provided a useful overall edge. Most others got blown too far off the course line to recover. Bob Little made it to within 11km but several were left behind on the hill. The lesson? As ever: get going!

Justin Needham