2005 News Page

News from other years: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004

XC League Winners 2005
XC League winners 2005
  1. Graham Steele (wearing hat)
  2. Tim Guildford/LouMaurice (tandem, right)
  3. Richard Westgate (left)


Russell Ogden is the British Champion 2005

Russell Ogden and his Ozone Proto won the series of three British Open Championships 2005 to become the first British Open Champion and The British Champion 2005.

Russell, also British Champion in 2003, lead the championships from the start but was put under pressure from Adrian Thomas throughout. Adrian (Airwave FR Proto) finished second after catching up a few points in the last open. Mark Watts (Gradient Avax RSF) was third followed by Kelly Farina (AirwaveMagic FR) and Neil Roberts (Gradient Avax RSE). In Sixth place and Top serial class was Craig Morgan on his Advance Omega 6.

Top woman in the Open Championships and 15th overall was Swiss Anja Kroll on her Gin Boomerang 3.The British Womens Champion 2005 is Abigail Barr after recovering from a poor start in Mayrhofen.


Russell Ogden British Champion 2005 Craig Morgan Serial Class Champion 2005 Anja Kroll Womens Open Champion 2005 Abigail Barr British Womens Champion 2005
Russell Ogden Craig Morgan Anja Kroll Abigail Barr

British Open results

British Championships results



More British Records Smashed

First ever Declared FAI Triangles in the UK
Congratulations to Simon Ford and Graham Steel for completing the first ever Declared FAI Triangles in the UK on 2nd September. The flights were courtesy of mid-week winching at XClent near Cheltenham.

Both pilots declared the same course using FAI cylinders as turnpoints: north to Broadway Tower; SE to Stow-on-the-Wold and back to the XClent winch field, a total of 37.1km. Graham completed the triangle in the fastest time and therefore also sets a new British (Local) Record of 7.44km/h for 'Speed around a triangular course of 25km'. The flight has also catapulted Graham to the top of the 2005 Paragliding XC League.

New tandem records
On 23rd August Tim Guildford and Lou Maurice flew their Gradient Golden tandem paraglider to a new (Local) Multiplace Straight Distance Record, flying an incredible 172.3km from Frocester to Cambridge. This eclipses the previous record set 5 years ago by Ulric and Ruth Jessop of 108.6km.

This is the second British Record the pair have broken this year. On 15th May, they flew a 27.5km triangle from the Malverns to take the Multiplace Triangle Distance Record as well.



Adrian Thomas wins third British Open 2005 Adrian Thomas
27 to 30 August Bishops Castle (UK)

88 Pilots turned up to compete in the last of the three British Open Championships rounds. Three of the four days were flyable.

Adrian Thomas on his Airwave FR Proto won the second and third tasks giving him a convincing win overall! Bruce Goldsmith (Airwave FR Proto) was second. Third and Top Serial was Craig Morgan (Advance Omega 6) and Top Woman was Abigail Barr (UP Targa 2).

Results and report



GB wins Bleriot Cup 2005
16 to 20 August Col de Bleyne (France)

Neil Roberts lead the Bleriot team to a great win. Even on French soil the Brits were unbeatable. With the largest points win in Bleriot history we brought the cup home. The team (l-r) Alex Coltman, Kelly Farina, Craig Morgan, Burkitt Rudd Steve Etherington, Neil Roberts, reserve Mark Hayman and managed by Mark Graham.

Report



Mike Astons breaks Declared Goal record Mike Aston new British record
7 August in the UK

During the second task of the Mid Wales BPCup, many pilots declared a goal near Cirencester hoping to break the (Local) Straight Distance to a Declared Goal Record. Mike Aston, aboard his Gradient Avax XC, was the only pilot to reach the goal in just over 3 hours. The flight has now been ratified as a new British Record at 108.9km.



Piedrahita Winner Russell Ogden Russell Ogden wins British Open Piedrahita 2005
10 to 16 July in Piedrahita (Spain)

133 pilots competed in the biggest British open yet. Four tasks were completed and Russell Ogden (Ozone proto) won with a convincing margin. Poland's Mali (Axis Mercury) was second and Spaniard Borja Rodriguez (Gin Boomerang 4) was third.

Results and report



Bleriot team 2005

The British Bleriot Team used the Mayrhofen Championship as excellent Alpine Race Training. The team seen left to right are; John Ellison, Alex Coltman (vice captain), Peter Taylor, Neil Roberts (captain), Burkitt Rudd, Kelly Farina and Steve Etherington.

Captain Neil Roberts plans to develop teamwork and communication skills during the Dutch Open in Piedrahita Spain, before the British Open in July.

In August, an Alpine Boot camp based around Col de Bleyne in the Alps Maritime, will allow the final preparations before defending our title against the French the following week.



Russell Ogden wins British Open Mayrhofen 2005
29 May to 4 June Mayrhofen Austria

Six days out of 7 were tasked, the last day rained.

Results and report



Chris Canata sets the mark
14 May in the UK
The British (Local) Record for Altitude Gain has never been officially set. On May 14 2005, Chris Canata flew from Aonach Mor to near Luss, and on the way climbed from a low point of 1909ft to a high point of 8209ft, a gain of 6300ft (1920m). This is a worthy mark and sets the British (Local) Record.


World Championships Brazil
14 to 26 March in GV (Brazil)

Ten tasks were completed in light conditions. Switzerland, Germany and the Czech Republic came in 1st, 2nd and 3rd, whilst Britain came in 7th.

The British team were (left to right): Mark Watts, Russell Ogden, Steve Ham, Bruce Goldsmith, Adrian Thomas, Abigail Barr and Nicky Moss.

Results and report



British Squad 2005 announced

This years British Squad earmarked for Squad training and boot camps for 2005 is as follows:

Men: Bruce Goldsmith, Mark Watts, Adrian Thomas, Russell Ogden, Neil Roberts, Steve Ham, Nick Roberts, Ulric Jessop, Steve Etherington, Charlie Merrett, Simon Oliphant, Roger Fowkes

Women: Abigail Barr, Nicky Moss, Zabdi Keen