The 2012 Southern Hang Gliding Club (SHGC) cross country (XC) season wasn't the best in terms of the number of XC-able days compared to some other years, especially in the south of the United Kingdom (there seemed to be quite a bit more XC days "Oop North" this year), but then there were some real corkers on some days. Many pilots managed to achieve first XCs and personal bests, some big XC flights dreamt of for many years became a reality (and then some), and even a long-standing British XC record was broken!
The SHGC XC League is split into two disciplines: Paragliding and Hang Gliding. For each of these disciplines there are several XC leagues:
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Sussex League (all flights from SHGC sites, including weekends and Bank holiday)
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Sussex Weekend League (flights from SHGC sites on weekends or Bank holidays)
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Martini League (all flights from any site in the UK)
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Novice League (flights by novice XC pilots)
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Winter League (flights from SHGC sites from 1st November to end of February)
On the paragliding side, Flybubble's Carlo Borsattino won both the SHGC Sussex and Martini Paragliding XC Leagues. Carlo also received the Longest Paragliding XC award for his 145km flight from Coombe Gibbet in Berkshire to Beachy Head in East Sussex - one of the best SHGC club flights for many years, on a paraglider or hang glider. Reaching Devils Dyke from Combe Gibbet was an XC flight Carlo dreamed of doing for many years, but wasn't going to land just because he finally got there!
Flybubble's Greg Hamerton won both the SHGC Sussex Weekend and Winter Paragliding XC Leagues, was second overall in SHGC Sussex Paragliding XC League, and third overall in the SHGC Martini Paragliding XC League. Greg's longest flight of the season was a 65km XC with Carlo from Devils Dyke in West Sussex to Hastings in East Sussex.
Flybubble's Nancy Elliott was top woman in the SHGC Sussex Paragliding XC League, and 5th overall. Nancy was also second woman in the SHGC Martini Paragliding XC League, and 7th overall. Nancy managed several nice XCs in Sussex which finally left her in the lead.
Flybubble XC team pilot Lauren Martins was top woman in the SHGC Martini Paragliding XC League, and 4th overall. Lauren was also second woman in the SHGC Sussex Paragliding XC League, and 9th overall. Lauren's longest flight was a fantastic 76km XC from Rybury in Wiltshire to Whitehill in Hampshire. She also managed a fabulous 62km XC flight from Devils Dyke to Bodiam Castle.
Flybubble XC team pilot Phil Clark won the Foreign Flights XC League (both paragliding and hang gliding) with 6 great XC flights on his paraglider during the Nordic Paragliding Open in Ager, Spain.
Catherine Castle received the award for Most Improved Paraglider Pilot, and Steve Walker was awarded Best Paragliding Newcomer.
Flybubble would also like to congratulate XC newbies John Turczak, David Nickels and David Williams for their first UK paragliding XC flights this year. We look forward to their further XC adventures in future!
Flybubble XC team pilots Simon Steel, Shaun Bolton and Paul Watts also did some nice paragliding XCs in 2012 but didn't manage to enter all their flights into the SHGC XC Leagues so aren't ranked as high as they should be. We hope they will manage to do more XCs and enter all of their flights next year!
On the hang gliding side, veteran hang glider pilot Johnny Carr won the SHGC Sussex Hang Gliding XC League, Martini Hang Gliding XC League and Sussex Weekend Hang Gliding XC League. Johnny's best flight of the season was his incredible record breaking out-and-return hang gliding XC flight from the Devils Dyke to Butser Hill, and back, for which he also received the SHGC Outstanding Achievement Award.
Multi-talented Flybubble XC team pilot John Young is 'bi-wingual' i.e. he flies both paragliders and hang gliders, and flies both of them very well. This year John won the SHGC Hang Gliding Winter XC League, was 2nd in both the SHGC Sussex and Martini Hang Gliding XC Leagues, 3rd in the SHGC Hang Gliding Weekend XC League, 8th in the SHGC Sussex Paragliding XC League and 10th in the SHGC Martini Paragliding XC League. John's best hang gliding flight was a 17km FAI triangle from Devils Dyke. His best paragliding flight was a 30km XC from Devils Dyke to Drusillas Park near Alfriston.
Luke Nicol was awarded Most Improved Hang Glider Pilot, and John Birchall was awarded Best Hang Gliding Newcomer.
Many congratulations to all; we're looking forward to many more XCs in 2013!
See the SHGC XC League 2012
See some SHGC Xmas Party 2012 Photos
