In 2021, the Lakes Charity Classic was held at the Grasmere Sports Showground in the centre of the Lake District. The event was held on a Saturday 17 July and Sunday 18 July.

Many thanks to Grasmere Showground for all their help and assistance over the weekend.

 

Beneficiaries of the 2021 Lakes Charity Classic were

During 2000 (as the LCC was cancelled after bookings had been taken) we gave £1,500 to 3 local food banks.

Kendal Food Bank	£500
Carlisle Food Bank	£500
Cockermouth Food Bank	£500

On 6 February 2021, Chris Lewis was part of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue team, going to the aid of 2 campers at Red Screes above Kirkstone Pass. During the call out, Chris slipped and fell 500 ft during which he suffered life-changing injuries. Cumbria Soaring Club donated £1,000 to the Chris Lewis Support Fund.

Chris Lewis Support Fund

£1,000

A Competition

The task setters for the A competition were Mike Cavanagh and Richard Bungay.

As the Lakes Charity Classic for 2021 approached there were two big unknowns, what the current COVID restrictions would be and what the weather would deal us. The COVID restrictions could be managed with careful planning but the weather we would just have to deal with. In the end we ended up with a large area of high pressure sat over the UK for the weekend. As most pilots know, this provides excellent BBQ conditions but is not the best for flying with a stable airmass.

Both days had a similar forecast of generally north westerly winds which were squashed under a strongish inversion at around 3500 ft. The obvious choice of site was Clough Head with tasks using the Helvellyn ridge but as this has a general height of 3000 ft the winds were going to squeeze through a small gap and had the potential to be quite strong!

All three groups, A Comp, B Comp and coaching chose to go to Clough Head on both days.

On the Saturday the A comp task was set to run up and down the ridge to Helvellyn and then off into the flats and across the Eden valley to goal at Appleby. The B comp were tagging a turn point out in the valley and then following the general direction of the A comp with a goal at Rheged. The run up and down the ridge was fairly straight forward but most pilots from both the A and B groups found it very tough going in the stable flats. The majority of the A comp were decked between 14km and 33km on the way to Appleby with Harvey Foster and Gary Stenhouse getting the furthest following this route. The A comp was won by local pilot "Dangerous" Dave who took a very long and innovative route. Rather than heading towards goal having got back up the ridge to Clough, he headed back down the ridge again passed Helvellyn almost to the Grasmere base. He then went over the back here and took a route through the high mountains before taking the shorter route through the flats of the Eden valley ending up just 8km short of goal.

Sundays A comp task had a similar start to the Saturday task with a run from Clough down to Helvellyn and back. The route then went all the way down the ridge to finish with a circuit around the valley at Grasmere with a goal at the base. Although the task was set as Elapsed Time, the majority of pilots all headed off down the ridge at the same time and seemed to have a mass attraction to the ice cream van (at the north end of Thirlmere) at 6km. Only Gary and Dave managed to stay up to return to Clough after tagging the Helvellyn turn point. After that conditions improved and they both made it back down the ridge to attempt the circuit around the valley. Gary was ahead and made all but the last turn point winning the day, Dave was also close but a little further behind and ran out of time.

The majority of the B comp also suffered the suck of the ice cream van with just two pilots making it down the ridge to goal at Grasmere base.

Four pilots from the coaching group benefitted from later starts and showed how it should be done flying down the ridge to land at the Grasmere goal.

Dave's devious route choice on the Saturday and good finish on the Sunday gave him the overall A comp win. Gary's consistent flying gave him second place followed up by Harvey in third place.

Overall, it was an excellent weekend with some very persistent and determined flying by the competitors in difficult stable conditions and much fun had by all.

See you in 2022.

Richard Bungay

Saturday

Name	Waypoint	Radius	Total Distance	Notes
Clough Head	LT008	400m	0km	Start
Helvellyn	LW006	6000m	1.5km	Start of Speed Section
Helvellyn	LW006	900m	6.6km
Jenkin Hill	LT003	4500m	14.2km
Appleby	LW029	3000m	48.1km	End of Speed Section
Appleby	LW029	1000m	50.1km	Goal

The day started with string sunshine and clear blue skies. The weather forecast was indicating strong winds on the tops. It was decided to go to Clough Head and set a task that avoided too much in the mountains. The task started with a leg to Helvellyn and then back out front towards Jenkin Hill. The challenge was then to get out to the east and Appleby. No-one made goal but Dave Ashcroft took a challenging route back to Helvellyn and through the Far Eastern fells to Crosby Ravensworth in the Eden valley.

You can see an animation of the flights by clicking the link below. Click on the contact icon (top right) to follow a specific pilot.

https://ayvri.com/scene/yj8gwz10kg/ckrc4lcys000u266k5hbz6x96

Saturday Results

Pilot No.	Name	Start Time	Distance[km]	Dist. Points	Total
A022	David Ashcroft	12:36:06	41.68	838.0	838.0
A056	Harvey Foster	13:00:05	33.44	672.3	672.3
A033	Gary Stenhouse	12:20:28	27.63	555.6	555.6
A050	Scott O'neil	12:13:00	25.91	520.9	520.9
A036	Will Barstow	12:21:52	23.56	473.7	473.7
A030	John Murphy	12:13:40	22.11	444.5	444.5
A041	Christopher Blanchard	12:36:44	21.83	438.9	438.9
A007	Ed Cleasby	12:33:56	21.39	430.1	430.1
A013	Simon Baillie	12:24:16	21.13	424.8	424.8
A031	Yannick Le Gall	12:37:00	20.88	419.8	419.8
A004	Alan Birtles	12:40:48	19.79	397.8	397.8
A032	Rosie Ireland	12:34:44	19.60	394.1	394.1
A003	Paul Winterbottom	12:22:21	18.85	379.0	379.0
A054	John Gibb	12:41:06	16.60	333.7	333.7
A010	Viv Fouracre	12:38:32	16.54	332.5	332.5
A055	Benjamin Ireland	12:35:07	16.49	331.6	331.6
A008	Andy Archer	12:24:41	16.42	330.1	330.1
A049	John Oliver	12:33:15	15.15	304.6	304.6
A006	Christopher Little	12:30:48	15.08	303.1	303.1
A023	Tim Oliver	12:20:06	14.83	298.2	298.2
A027	Chris Foster	12:33:23	13.93	280.0	280.0
A029	Richard Sewell	12:29:36	13.90	279.4	279.4
A025	Lester Gordon	12:32:57	13.85	278.5	278.5
A052	Kevin Mcloughlin	12:34:31	13.82	277.9	277.9
A035	William Scott	12:58:10	6.73	135.3	135.3
A026	Peter White	12:55:33	6.46	129.9	129.9
A017	Michael Rawsterne	12:37:58	6.40	128.7	128.7
A016	Harold Postill	13:04:16	5.69	114.3	114.3
A018	Jeremy Smith	12:57:53	4.32	86.9	86.9

Sunday

Sunday's task was a leg down to Helvellyn and back, then down the Helvellyn ridge to waypoints around Grasmere.

Name	Waypoint	Radius	Notes
Clough Head	LT008	400m	Start
Helvellyn	LW006	6000m	Start of Speed Section
Helvellyn	LW006	1300m
Jenkin Hill	LT003	5200m	Effectively the west end of the coach road north of Clough Head
Helm Crag	LW003	1000m	The "Lion and Lamb" hill to the north of Grasmere
Heron Crag	LW002	400m	Waypoint to south of Heron Crag
Helm Crag	LW003	800m
Seat Sandal	LT009	1000m
Grasmere	BS001	1000m	End of Speed Section
Grasmere	BS001	400m	Goal

Sunday was a similar day to Saturday with high pressure centred over the UK. The day did not follw the forecast (of clear blue skies) as substantial cloud cover was present mid day. The day was all about timing as most pilots failed to get past the north end of Thirlmere. The task start was similar to Saturday with a leg to Helvellyn and back to a cylinder based on Jenkin Hill. The task then involved a trip down the Helvellyn ridge to a set of waypoints based around Grasmere.

You can see an animation of the flights by clicking the link below.

https://ayvri.com/scene/yj8gwz10kg/ckrc4rwwk000s266ka8d96ktv

Sunday Results

Pilot No.	Name	Start Time	Distance[km]	Dist. Points	Total
A033	Gary Stenhouse	13:24:05	30.88	688.5	688.5
A022	David Ashcroft	12:16:36	28.56	636.9	636.9
A049	John Oliver	12:39:05	5.93	132.1	132.1
A006	Christopher Little	12:38:51	5.89	131.4	131.4
A039	Dave Cox	12:43:37	5.83	130.0	130.0
A052	Kevin Mcloughlin	12:18:12	5.79	129.2	129.2
A007	Ed Cleasby	13:24:33	5.41	120.7	120.7
A018	Jeremy Smith	12:04:36	5.39	120.2	120.2
A041	Christopher Blanchard	12:27:35	5.36	119.6	119.6
A031	Yannick Le Gall	12:30:33	5.34	119.0	119.0
A003	Paul Winterbottom	12:28:42	5.33	118.8	118.8
A023	Tim Oliver	12:24:12	5.32	118.6	118.6
A010	Viv Fouracre	13:32:24	5.31	118.5	118.5
A027	Chris Foster	12:39:28	5.30	118.3	118.3
A030	John Murphy	12:10:58	5.27	117.4	117.4
A032	Rosie Ireland	12:20:51	4.99	111.3	111.3
A055	Benjamin Ireland	12:21:05	4.84	107.9	107.9
A016	Harold Postill	12:55:45	4.73	105.5	105.5
A025	Lester Gordon	12:21:22	4.69	104.6	104.6
A056	Harvey Foster	12:46:13	4.68	104.3	104.3
A054	John Gibb	12:20:29	4.61	102.8	102.8
A013	Simon Baillie	12:21:50	4.53	101.0	101.0
A017	Michael Rawsterne	12:23:51	4.52	100.8	100.8
A029	Richard Sewell	12:14:24	3.97	88.4	88.4
A008	Andy Archer	12:12:14	2.78	62.0	62.0
A036	Will Barstow	13:33:30	2.00	44.6	44.6
A050	Scott O'neil	13:46:42	2.00	44.6	44.6
A004	Alan Birtles		2.00	44.6	44.6

Final Results

Posn	Pilot No.	Name	T1	T2	Total
1	A022	David Ashcroft	838.0	636.9	1475
2	A033	Gary Stenhouse	555.6	688.5	1244
3	A056	Harvey Foster	672.3	104.3	777
4	A050	Scott O'neil	520.9	44.6	566
5	A030	John Murphy	444.5	117.4	562
6	A041	Christopher Blanchard	438.9	119.6	559
7	A007	Ed Cleasby	430.1	120.7	551
8	A031	Yannick Le Gall	419.8	119.0	539
9	A013	Simon Baillie	424.8	101.0	526
10	A036	Will Barstow	473.7	44.6	518
11	A032	Rosie Ireland	394.1	111.3	505
12	A003	Paul Winterbottom	379.0	118.8	498
13	A039	Dave Cox	333.1	130.0	463
14	A010	Viv Fouracre	332.5	118.5	451
15	A004	Alan Birtles	397.8	44.6	442
16	A055	Benjamin Ireland	331.6	107.9	440
17	A054	John Gibb	333.7	102.8	437
17	A049	John Oliver	304.6	132.1	437
19	A006	Christopher Little	303.1	131.4	435
20	A023	Tim Oliver	298.2	118.6	417
21	A052	Kevin Mcloughlin	277.9	129.2	407
22	A027	Chris Foster	280.0	118.3	398
23	A008	Andy Archer	330.1	62.0	392
24	A025	Lester Gordon	278.5	104.6	383
25	A029	Richard Sewell	279.4	88.4	368
26	A017	Michael Rawsterne	128.7	100.8	230
27	A016	Harold Postill	114.3	105.5	220
28	A018	Jeremy Smith	86.9	120.2	207
29	A035	William Scott	135.3	0.0	135
30	A026	Peter White	129.9	0.0	130
31	A009	Phil Fouracre	0.0	0.0	0
31	A002	Andrew Billington	0.0	0.0	0
31	A014	Richard Bungay	0.0	0.0	0
31	A020	Matt Canning	0.0	0.0	0
31	A034	Rebecca Hazzard	0.0	0.0	0
31	A028	Derek Luffman	0.0	0.0	0
31	A048	Richard Froggatt	0.0	0.0	0
31	A040	Mike Manners	0.0	0.0	0
31	A019	Peter Holdy	0.0	0.0	0

B Competition

The task setters for the B competition were Ben Keayes and Phil Kew.

Saturday

Name	Waypoint	Radius	Total Distance	Notes
Clough Head	LT008	800m		Start at exit from cylinder
Walla Crag	LW007	4000m		Start of Speed Section
Rheged (M6 J40)	LW030	3500m		End

You can see an animation of the flights by clicking the link below.

https://ayvri.com/scene/yj8gwz10kg/ckrc4xydh000s266kntgyj3fd

Saturday Results

Pilot No.	Name	Start Time	Distance[km]	Dist. Points	Total
B046	Mark Leach	12:36:42	12.36	838.0	838.0
B017	Sarah Eilbeck	12:36:16	10.85	735.5	735.5
B030	Mark Limb	13:05:39	9.47	642.0	642.0
B044	Brian Waller	13:24:51	8.64	585.6	585.6
B024	Adam Milward	13:25:25	8.11	549.7	549.7
B014	Seth Barber	13:04:28	8.03	544.6	544.6
B015	Ralf Klinnert	13:22:23	7.65	518.6	518.6
B045	Sam Grosvenor	12:34:26	7.54	511.5	511.5
B010	Kevin Dines	13:07:26	7.54	511.5	511.5
B029	Gordon Coulthard	13:07:26	7.54	511.5	511.5
B033	Danny Murphy	12:29:32	7.44	504.7	504.7
B021	Alan Dunn	12:42:12	6.68	452.7	452.7
B023	Jamie Moffat	12:35:01	6.44	436.5	436.5
B019	Graham Anderson	12:55:51	5.43	368.3	368.3
B022	Chris Dervin	12:41:54	5.23	354.7	354.7
B020	Rebecca Anderson	13:15:45	5.09	345.2	345.2
B013	Ian Mancey	12:23:18	3.88	263.1	263.1
B001	Michael Williams	12:38:45	3.28	222.5	222.5
B025	Jeremy Fisk	13:02:40	2.93	198.9	198.9
B035	Chris Webb	14:34:48	2.72	184.6	184.6
B002	Ross Mason	14:12:57	2.18	148.0	148.0
B037	George Allen	15:16:34	1.20	81.0	81.0
B034	Anthony Pickering	12:46:10	1.15	78.0	78.0
B042	John Lewis Farbridge		1.00	67.8	67.8
B003	Darren Odell		1.00	67.8	67.8
B041	Ian Hutchinson		1.00	67.8	67.8
B006	Theano Pitrakou		1.00	67.8	67.8

Sunday

Sunday's task was a leg down to Helvellyn and back, then down the Helvellyn ridge to waypoints around Grasmere.

Name	Waypoint	Radius	Notes
Clough Head	LT008	800m	Start
Helm Crag	LW003	1000m	The "Lion and Lamb" hill to the north of Grasmere. Start of Speed section.
Grasmere	BS001	1000m	End of Speed Section
Grasmere	BS001	400m	Goal

You can see an animation of the flights by clicking the link below.

https://ayvri.com/scene/yj8gwz10kg/ckrc517tp000o266kgzvqws8o

Sunday Results

SS = Time at start of speed section
ES = Time at end of speed section
Time = average speed in speed section

Pilot No.	Name	SS	ES	Time	Speed	Dist [km]	Dist. Points	Time Points	Total
B031	Jonathan Greenwood	12:03:30	13:31:59	01:28:29	9.4	15.30	695.9	304.1	1000.0
B033	Danny Murphy	12:05:00	14:07:25	02:02:25	6.8	15.30	695.9	143.2	839.1
B021	Alan Dunn	12:05:54				6.19	281.7		281.7
B019	Graham Anderson	13:30:45				6.08	276.6		276.6
B017	Sarah Eilbeck	12:21:02				5.89	268.0		268.0
B001	Michael Williams	12:18:36				5.87	267.0		267.0
B046	Mark Leach	12:37:31				5.85	266.2		266.2
B010	Kevin Dines	13:30:54				5.84	265.5		265.5
B042	John Lewis Farbridge	12:36:47				5.78	263.0		263.0
B045	Sam Grosvenor	13:25:54				5.72	259.9		259.9
B025	Jeremy Fisk	12:17:37				5.69	258.9		258.9
B029	Gordon Coulthard	12:17:55				5.67	257.8		257.8
B030	Mark Limb	12:35:57				5.63	255.9		255.9
B044	Brian Waller	12:06:19				5.47	248.9		248.9
B013	Ian Mancey	12:12:17				5.43	247.0		247.0
B006	Theano Pitrakou	13:25:57				5.36	243.9		243.9
B034	Anthony Pickering	12:25:34				5.10	232.1		232.1
B014	Seth Barber	13:41:44				4.96	225.7		225.7
B002	Ross Mason	12:17:49				4.43	201.6		201.6
B041	Ian Hutchinson	12:39:09				4.36	198.5		198.5
B022	Chris Dervin	12:28:21				4.28	194.5		194.5
B039	Rene Jungbar	12:14:06				3.65	166.1		166.1
B037	George Allen	12:35:39				2.00	91.0		91.0

Final Results

Posn	Pilot No.	Name	T1	T2	Total
1	B033	Danny Murphy	504.7	839.1	1344
2	B046	Mark Leach	838.0	266.2	1104
3	B017	Sarah Eilbeck	735.5	268.0	1004
4	B031	Jonathan Greenwood	0.0	1000.0	1000
5	B030	Mark Limb	642.0	255.9	898
6	B044	Brian Waller	585.6	248.9	835
7	B010	Kevin Dines	511.5	265.5	777
8	B045	Sam Grosvenor	511.5	259.9	771
9	B014	Seth Barber	544.6	225.7	770
10	B029	Gordon Coulthard	511.5	257.8	769
11	B021	Alan Dunn	452.7	281.7	734
12	B019	Graham Anderson	368.3	276.6	645
13	B024	Adam Milward	549.7	0.0	550
14	B022	Chris Dervin	354.7	194.5	549
15	B015	Ralf Klinnert	518.6	0.0	519
16	B013	Ian Mancey	263.1	247.0	510
17	B001	Michael Williams	222.5	267.0	490
18	B025	Jeremy Fisk	198.9	258.9	458
19	B023	Jamie Moffat	436.5	0.0	437
20	B002	Ross Mason	148.0	201.6	350
21	B020	Rebecca Anderson	345.2	0.0	345
22	B042	John Lewis Farbridge	67.8	263.0	331
23	B006	Theano Pitrakou	67.8	243.9	312
24	B034	Anthony Pickering	78.0	232.1	310
25	B041	Ian Hutchinson	67.8	198.5	266
26	B035	Chris Webb	184.6	0.0	185
27	B037	George Allen	81.0	91.0	172
28	B039	Rene Jungbar	0.0	166.1	166
29	B003	Darren Odell	67.8	0.0	68
30	B007	Antony James	0.0	0.0	0
30	B011	Matthew Burton	0.0	0.0	0
30	B004	Philliip Josiah Cook	0.0	0.0	0
30	B008	Graeme Stephenson	0.0	0.0	0
30	B043	James Brock	0.0	0.0	0
30	B005	Glenn Stockton	0.0	0.0	0

LCC Coaching Report 16 and 17 July 2021

Lead coaches were Malcolm Grout and Baz Roberts.

The weather looked to be set fair for the weekend, many pilots arriving on Friday to enjoy good soaring conditions.

With a sizeable group of pilots I was a little concerned as to whether or not I would have any other coaches to assist. There was no need. Richard Bungay contacted me to say Baz Roberts would be available to help. It was fantastic to have such an experienced pilot with a wealth of mountaineering experience and work in outdoor education. We were also ably assisted by Karen Preston, also acting as photographer.

Forecasts were interesting to say the least. High pressure dominated, potentially quite a stable air mass with fairly breezy conditions aloft. Also only 1 RASP star for the Saturday. However valley bottoms were getting so hot it all had to go somewhere making for excellent conditions with a sea breeze increasing the wind strength a little in the afternoon. Everyone went up Clough Head, the coaching group briefing and waiting for the comps to get away, before making the most of the conditions.

Four pilots made it to Grasmere which we had set as a task for the XC inspired. This is a fantastic and motivating flight for the less experienced pilot to achieve. Well done all. For other pilots who wanted to stay more local we gave the challenge of a Tewet Tarn, Great Dodd Fell, Clough Head triangle. Certainly a challenge and not easily achievable flying into the strongish head wind. Slope and top land practice was not really on, as getting near the hill meant heading rapidly skywards.

The Sunday provided another interesting but different forecast, although little change in wind direction. I got out of my tent expecting to see the by now normal clear blue morning skies. Some broken cloud cover and wave bars stretching from North to South along the Clough Head, Helvellyn ridge greeted me. I scratched my head, wondering if I would have to rewrite the whole met briefing. We all went off to Clough Head again. Wind was a little stronger aloft, although conditions remained well soarable all day. One member of the coaching group flew to Grasmere for a second time. A fantastic effort as getting round Helvellyn was not that easy. Many pilots succumbed to 'ice cream suck' in the lay-by at the foot of Helvellyn. Not just in the coaching group! The wave clouds remained all day and well into the evening.

The usual afternoon prize giving and raffle ended a great weekend. Great flying, Great company and great weather. What more could any glider pilot ever need. Feed back from pilots in the coaching group was both positive and appreciative which was lovely. Any other feed back would of course be accepted!

Report by Malc Grout.

Cumbria Soaring Club would like to thank all of its sponsors and supporting organisations. Their generosity helps make the LCC a great event!

Sponsors

Sick and the Wrong

Ozone

Advance

Little Cloud

Skywatch

Navitar

Sup'Air

Skywalk

Gin

BGD

Gin

UK Airsports

Many Competitors and Friends who have given prizes