Paragliding XC League
Dean Crosby who runs Activeedge paragliding school will be sponsoring the PG XC league this year. Dean is a BHPA 
instructor, Team Nova pilot, Ex British champion, and winner of the national XC league in 1993 and 2006.
There have been no flights made from the Dales so far this year, so you could be the first. The prizes on offer are:-
1st Place – Choice of any State of the Art Flying suit up to the value of £150
2nd Place – Nova Hoody
3rd Place – Nova fleece
For pilots new to XC there is also the Dales Club 100k XC Challenge
For the pilots who have never made a total of 100kM in any single season there is the 100k XC Challenge to be won. Is this the year that you could total 100k ? The reward is the challenge trophy, the respect of your fellow pilots and the prize is a really nice flight deck .
The Dales League will as last year be hosted by the British Paragliding Competitions website www.pgcoms.co.uk
To register simply select “competitions” and then “registration” from the drop down menu and then click on UK XC League, fill out the form which appears.
Once registered you can log in and enter your flights into the Dales HG or Dales PG league. Registration is free for the Dales league, however if you wish to have your flights displayed in the national XC league then there is a £5.00 fee. You can opt for this at any time during the season. For entry into the club league the minimum open distance is 5km, and 15km for turnpoint flights. All other rules are the same as for the national league. Flights for the club league must be made from a club site, which can include non-guidebook sites. You should be pilot rated if flying cross country; however club pilots can enter flights into the league, this is to allow mentored or BCC flights etc. to be included.
Please read the XC league rules at http://www.pgcomps.org.uk/xcleague/xc/rules.htm for more information on qualifying flight types and the scoring system.
The league opened on 1/11/2007 and will close on 31/10/08 if you have made any qualifying flights get them entered now!
British Club Challenge
The BCC is open to all members of the BHPA (British Hangliding and Paragliding Association). Designed as a friendly club level competition, the focus is more on fun and team flying than out and out racing. After an excellent season last year with many pilots achieving personal bests and their first cross countries, the Dales Club will be entering two teams again this year. If you are club pilot or pilot rated and want to improve you flying skills in the company of others, maybe leave the hill behind and go XC for the first time then the BCC is for you! The dates of the regional rounds will be announced soon but in the mean time if you want to join the squad or just need a little more information please email sean or kev and have a look at www.flybcc.co.uk
Bleriot Cup
Well done to the britsh team who won the Bleriot cup again this year, especially our very own John Ellison who put in the best flight of the comp.
Read more at http://www.pgcomps.org.uk/ - under Competitions, Bleriot Cup
Baildon Sod
The 112th Annual Baildon Sod festival of free flight was held Wednesday 12th September. A light northwest wind put us on a small slope across the road from the usual hill. Conditions were good, and some good flights of short distance and low altitude scraped off down the hill. Andy Woods was the clear winner of the hang gliding trophy whilst Pete Logan and Kev Mcloughlin share first place, for flights made on Pete`s paraglider! See yourself in action at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/paracomps/BaildonSod2007
BCC Final
The Dales Club BCC team finished in second place in the BCC Final held on the 18th and 19th of August at Llandinam in Wales.
Well done to everyone who helped us to this well deserved landmark achievement.
Dales BCC Round
Another round of the BCC was held in the lakes last Sunday. The Dales club entered two teams and faired well in the task flown from Jenkin hill, our best resulted in a 38k XC! There is another round proposed for this weekend 28th & 29th july, which will possibly be held on a Dales club site. The Dales Club needs you! Contact Sean or kev to fly for the Dales this weekend.
Cumbria BCC Round
The Cumbria BCC round was held on Sunday at Cross Fell. With ten enthusiastic dales club piolts ready to compete in almost perfect conditions the task was set, race to goal about 12k away at Appleby. Everyone flew and had a enjoyable day. Hamish got tempted off early, following Andy Plimer on a Nova RA, but could not quite match the glide, he landed out at about 8km. Alex and myself worked the thermals down the ridges, never quite reaching cloudbase, we both needed one more climb in order to push out from the ridge towards Appelby but never found it. The headwind beat us and we landed just short of goal. Results will follow as we get them. All pilots please send me your landing grid ref. See here for pictures.
Paragliding Competitions
Only 129 days left before the XC league closes, so get your kit ready for when the rain stops!
National Paragliding XC League Read more »
BCC News
The Dales round of the BCC was held last weekend at Model Ridge. The weather obliged on both Saturday and Sunday so we have now completed two rounds out of a possible six. Saturday morning started slowly with a hearty breakfast and more than one cup of coffee at the café, as we all waited for the fog to clear.
At about midday the skies began to clear, the fog burnt off and the task was called. Sean held the briefing.. “take off, get some height on the ridge, fly to Cringle (1Km), then on to Hastie Bank (5Km) back to cringle then over the back” easy! No not at all, with the wind off the hill slightly and low cloudbase it was never going to be easy. Alex set of first and made it over to cringle, even before the start window opened, he had to be called back in order to score! Unfortunately one pilot had a mishap, and everyone was grounded whilst he was attended to. Thankfully he is alright, the air bag in his harness worked very effectively. The task was re-started and with weak thermals at take-off some pilots managed a gentle climb from the ridge and had a scratch round onto cringle. Ridge lift after cringle was not so good and some bombed out, others used the weak thermals out from the ridge to make turnpoint two, and then back to cringle. Going over the back proved to be even more difficult with the low cloudbase but nevertheless about three pilots had a go.Saturday night was party night, pie chips and peas supper, good beer and a Disco, some whacky air guitar, and dancing to disco classics made for an entertaining evening. Thanks due to Dave Smart and the North Yorks Sailwing Club. Sunday morning, more fog, but light wind in the right direction meant is was worth waiting for. Again the fog cleared the sun came out and the thermals began to breeze through. The wind was even lighter than on Saturday, and so a simpler task was set. Fly to cringle where the start gate was set, then open distance. Getting off the ridge proved to be difficult, Hamish led the way, whilst everyone was waiting for the wind to pick up, he launched straight into a thermal and climbed out! Some pilots went down in front of takeoff whilst some managed to scrape round to cringle. A good day was had by all. Scores to follow. Looking forward we have the Nothumbria round this weekend 16th & 17th June – weather permitting of course. If you want to join in the fun email me or sean. Read more »
BCC News
Sunday`s BCC training day held on Dodd Fell was a great success. Everyone flew the full length of the ridge, and made the practice turn-point, small broken thermals meant that at times it required a degree of patience to maintain height but as the day developed conditions improved. Some pilots managed to climb out and fly across to Wether Fell and beyond. A great days flying for all! Thanks to Chief Coach Dean Crosby.
Details for the Derbishire Round will follow shortly
