Cumbria Soaring Club proudly presents the Lakes Charity Classic
The premier free flying event in the North!

The 2012 Lakes Charity Classic will be held on 8/9 June 2012 in Buttermere. The competition is now accepting entries.

Latest News (16/05/2012)

The 2 free spaces on the A comp have now been booked.

We've had some T-shirts made this year. They'll be on sale at the event. Make sure you get one early as stocks will be limited!

Details of the Buttermere Bash and camping are now available - click the Bash/Camping Tab above. This year, Bash and camping must be pre-booked.

Applications for the A competition and the coaching group are now closed - all places are taken. The B competition is still open for entries but remember, your place is only reserved when your signed application form and cheque arrive. Only 2 spaces in the A and 4 places in the B are still available.

We've decided to score the 'B' comp by GPS this year. You don't need anything fancy, just a simple GPS capable of storing a tracklog.

What is the Lakes Charity Classic?

The Lakes Charity Classic is an informal paragliding competition held in some of England's most spectacular scenery. If you want to get a flavour of what it's all about then have a look at this Youtube Video - courtesy of Ian Watson

There are 2 competitions

A Competition - This is for more experienced and seasoned pilots holding a minimum of pilot rating and flying ENC/DHV2 rated gliders and above and including open class.

B competition - This is most suitable for less experienced pilots who wish to get the most flying from their day in a spectacularly scenic area.  Less demanding, friendly tasks will be set and it is open to all pilots from Club Pilot upwards flying gliders of ENB/DHV1-2 and below.

The programme starts early on Friday morning where there will be a briefing before we head off for the flying sites. We aim to get the best out of the day so the tasks will be geared to the conditions. Remember, though, that the Lake District is the wettest place in England. In 2009, we were rained off. By contrast, 2010 provided memorable conditions with some great XC flying. This is what it looks like on a good day.

The Friday might be a long day if the conditions are good. On return to the campsite in Buttermere, competitors may get an opportunity for a fly down to the campsite. An evening meal is provided for competitors.

Saturday follows the same format although the day might be shorter. We aim to be back on the campsite around 1700 when Cumbria Soaring Club hands over the reins to Air Ventures who run the infamous 'Bash' where anything could happen! A barbecue is available and the LCC awards will be handed - once the scoring team have fathomed out the task director's tasks. Live bands will be playing and the event runs into the small hours.

If your head is clear on the Sunday morning and the weather holds up, then you have the opportunity for some free flying in the most spectacular corner of the Lakes.

We also offer 2 days of coaching as an alternative. If you don't fancy taking part in a competition but fancy some flying in some of the most spectacular scenery in England, then the coaching event gives you a chance to fly with the coaching team from CSC.

1. Your entry fee is essentially a donation to charity; you are not paying to fly, and the entry fee is not refundable
2. All competitors must have current membership of the BHPA, and show their membership card at registration.

 No BHPA card, no entry. This rule will be strictly applied

3. You must carry a suitable correctly fitted reserve system.
4. It is your personal responsibility to ensure that you are fit to fly and that conditions are not beyond your ability.
5. All flying must be in accordance with the rules of the air and obey airspace restrictions. In addition the direction of turn for 360-ing may be set by the Task Director and must be obeyed while flying in the vicinity of the take off area.
6. It is your responsibility to attend the morning briefings at base and briefings which take place on the hill and to ensure that all details of the task and any additional information given out at these briefings relating to your conduct on the hill and in the air are understood by you.
7. The Task Director will control take-off and landing areas. He will ensure adherence to take off windows, as specified at the task briefing. In addition he may decide not to allow any take-off if, in his opinion, the conditions are unsafe. (The Director’s job is a difficult and thankless one so please accede to his every request with good humour).
8. All pilots must wear a suitable helmet at any time they are attached to a glider, including ground handling.
9. All equipment used must be in an airworthy condition.
10. It is the duty of every competitor to land and render assistance to any other pilot who appears to be in difficulty on the ground or, if it is deemed unsafe to land, to contact an official or the emergency services at the earliest opportunity.
11. You must complete each day’s score from your GPS as quickly as possible after the end of the task.
12. Any dispute or protest must be filed with the Task Director within one hour of the relevant task results being released. The Task Director’s decision is final.
13. Any competitor flagrantly disobeying any of the above, or who is judged to have flown in a reckless manner endangering other pilots, or who is found to be obviously under the influence of drink or drugs while preparing for flight will be liable to disqualification.
14. ALL pilots (not just competitors) landing on the LCC field must land ONLY in the designated landing areas, in a standard manner and as safely as possible. Do not engage in low level swooping over people or marquees. Depending on the weather there will be paragliding competitions, acro and speed flying displays in this area.
15. Above all else, enjoy yourselves!

 

Only B competition is still open for entry - A competition and Coaching are now full

You can enter the A competition or the B competition. We will also be running 2 days of coaching for up to 10 participants. For all three events, there is a registration fee which is a donation to charity

For CSC Members, the registration fee is a minimum donation of £30

For Non CSC Members, the registration fee is a minimum donation of £40

Your registration fee provides for 2 days of competition/coaching (weather permitting) and a meal on the Friday night. if you think you are a member of CSC, please make sure that you are still a member of CSC before you send off your cheque. If you can't log on to the members only section of the website, then your membership has expired. Another clue? If you haven't received the latest copy of SFC, same thing.

This year, registration is mainly on-line. As we're still wrestling with the bank, you will need to send us a cheque together with an application form. To register, make sure that you can print of the final application form and then follow this link and complete the application form. Cheques payable to "Lakes Charity Classic" please. Please note that entry to the Buttermere Bash and camping fees are handled separately by Air Ventures - your LCC entry fee does not cover this.

For all events, it's first come, first served! The A and B competitions have a maximum of 50 participants each. The coaching sessions are limited to 10 participants.

Competition entry will be closed when the maximum limit has been reached or by 1700 on Wednesday 6 June. The coaching group is now closed for applications.

Please follow these simple guidelines to make sure you get a place at the LCC

• Don't send your application form by recorded or special delivery. This involves a long trip to the sorting office if you do.
• We need an emergency contact and a contact number for them
• If it says mandatory on the form, it means you need to enter something in the box.

You should get an e-mail acknowledgment shortly after we receive your application. You can keep an eye on the "participants" section of this page and you should see your name appear. If you haven't heard anything within a week of sending off your application then get in touch with the webmaster using the link below.

List of Participants - 2012 LCC

A competition

No	Surname	Forename
A001	Shirt	Richard
A002	Colbeck	Alex
A006	Eastwood	Keith
A004	Sewell	Richard
A005	Butler	Alex
A007	Cleasby	Ed
A008	Postill	Harry
A010	Doub	Brian
A009	Archer	Andy
A011	Donaldson	Ron
A012	McLoughlin	Kevin
A013	Shield	Alan
A014	Smith	Jeremy
A015	McLoughlin	Andy
A016	Maltby	Andrew
A019	Hughes	John
A020	Pickering	Anthony
A021	Gordon	Lester
A022	Tomlinson	Simon
A023	Harvey	James
A024	Maxwell	William
A025	Garton	Louis
A026	Brown	Alistair
A027	Foulkes	David
A028	Baxter	Martin
A029	Gravestock	Mark
A033	Baillie	Simon
A031	Bradley	Tony
A032	Little	Chris
A034	Thwaites	Steve
A035	Little	Jan
A036	Winterbottom	Paul
A037	Knight	Martin
A038	Cove	Will
A039	Richard	Carter
A040	Underdown	Martin
A041	Chadwick	Richard
A042	Dickinson	Owen
A043	Kingston	Robert
A045	Etherington	Steven
A046	Myerscough	Kay
A047	Stenhouse	Gary
A048	Roberts	Barry
A049	Danbury	Richard
A050	Rood	Tim
A053	Goodger	Joseph
A054	Wood	Peter
A055	Patterson	Malcolm
A056	Moore	Anthony
A057	Murphy	John

Number of participants in A competition : 50

B competition

No	Surname	Forename
B001	Hamlett	John
B002	Oliver	Tim
B003	Askew	Peter
B004	Westle	Al
B005	Buxton	Dave
B007	Knights	Jackie
B008	Harrison	James
B009	Carpenter	Matt
B010	Cannell	Ean
B011	Watson	Richard
B012	Metcalfe	Jaysen
B013	Bewley	Edmund
B014	Blake	Simon
B018	Keightley	James
B015	Hutchinson	Ian
B016	Tyson	Chris
B017	Goodman	Simon
B023	Russell	Patrick
B019	Smith	David
B020	Farbridge	John Lewis
B021	Potter	Chris
B022	Leach	Mark
B024	Machen	Ken
B025	Mantle	Dave
B026	Cheshire	Rob
B027	Moore	Steve
B028	Swires	William
B029	Payne	Reece
B030	White	Peter
B031	Baird	Antony
B032	Thompson	John
B033	Seed	James
B034	Moss	Geoff
B035	Preston	Karen
B036	Thompson	Stuart
B037	Clarke	Paul
B038	Johnson	Robert
B039	Jennings	Richard
B040	Daynes	Andrew
B042	Smerdon	Eddy
B044	Owen	Thomas
B045	Moorhouse	Stuart
B046	Brown	David
B047	Mitchell	Russell
B048	Foster	Paul
B049	Briggs	Toby

Number of participants in B competition : 46

Coaching

No	Surname	Forename
C001	Tomlinson	Chris
C003	O'Carroll	Pierce
C004	Kirby	Nicholas
C005	Gamble	Kenneth
C007	Lang	Andrew
C008	Osborne	Jon
C009	Pearce	Henry
C010	Aitken	Max
C011	Worrall	Ali
C013	Webb	Martin

Number of participants for Coaching : 10

Briefings. The Task Director will endeavour to provide detailed briefings before each task. Please listen carefully as you will be given important information about the task for the day, local safety information and landing agreements.

Flying the Lakeland Fells. At this time of year strong conditions can be encountered and caution must be exercised when flying in the mountains. The Task Director is an experienced local pilot who knows these fells. It is well worth listening and acting upon all he/she has to say.

Your decision. The decision to fly will always be yours and yours alone. If you are not happy and confident in the prevailing conditions on any day then do not fly just because it is a competition.

Flying in company. If you are not a seasoned competition pilot be sure that you are fully conversant with the rules of the air. It may become crowded over launch and it is your responsibility to fly safely and with consideration for others at all times. 

Reserves. To compete in the LCC you must carry a suitably sized reserve system, correctly fitted to your harness, and understand how to use it, it’s limitations and potential dangers.  If in doubt seek advice from an experienced packer.

Mobile Phones & Radios. It is mandatory that you carry a mobile phone whilst taking part in the competition. Mobiles can be useful in an emergency situation and will be used at the end of each day to ensure you have landed safely.  If you own a radio bring it along.  The Task Director will advise of safety frequencies. Please remember however that radios are NOT for idle chit chat.

 

 

The 2012 Lakes Charity Classic will be held at the same site as in previous years. The site is in the Buttermere valley on the eastern site of Buttermere just over 1 mile SE of Buttermere village.

The simplest route is to follow the B5289 out of Keswick south towards Borrowdale. This route is recommended if you're new to the area. Keep following the B5289 through Borrowdale; eventually you will start climbing steeply up the Honister Pass. Go right over the pass and descend into Buttermere. At the foot of the pass you will pass through Gatescarth farm. After a short distance the road will turn sharply to the right and will start to skirt the edge of Buttermere lake. The road will then turn left - you should now see the campsite on your left. After another short distance, you will see a gate on the left hand side and a track leading down to the campsite. If you have a large camper van, stay on the road until you see Hasness house on the left - you should park in here.

The shortest and more entertaining route is over Newlands Hause. Leave Keswick to the west going towards Cockermouth and rejoin the A66. Go past the turning for Portinscale and watch out for a fork left to Braithwaite, turn left here. Go past the campsite on your left and watch for another fork left; take this turn. Turn left at the next T-junction and go over the bridge. Follow the road round to the left and continue up the Newlands valley. After just under half a mile fork right - keep following the signs for Buttermere. Eventually, the road will start climbing up to Newlands Hause after which it makes a steep descent into the Buttermere valley. At the foot of the descent, just before Buttermere village, turn left and go up the valley. After a mile you will see Hasness house on your right - large camper vans should park up here. Continuing on, as you emerge out of the woods, you will see a gate leading down to the camping field on your right. You will need to make a tight U-turn on the road before you can go through the gate. If you don't like the look of the manouevre, continue onto Gatescarth and turn round there. The track is rough and you go down to the field at your own risk.

If you have a large or heavy vehicle, you are best to avoid the Honister or Newlands passes as these involve very steep ascents/descents. The best way is to come from Cockermouth down the B5292/B5289 through Lorton and down the side of Crummock Water.

Note that mobile phone coverage in the valley is non existent.

The campsite shown at Dalegarth will be open for the event for alternative camping - however your Buttermere Bash fee does not cover camping here - you must pay at the campsite. Your Buttermere Bash camping ticket entitles you to camping on the Buttermere Bash field, the area shown to the right of Crag Wood on the above map. Drivers of large camper vans should go to the Buttermere Bash field.

Buttermere Bash/Camping

The Buttermere Bash and camping at the LCC site is organised by Air Ventures. This year all camping places and Bash tickets must be pre-booked. IT WILL BE STRICTLY NO TICKET NO ENTRY. An application form can be found at the foot of this page. Before you complete the application form, please read the following terms and conditions. We have tried to keep these to a minimum; the Ts and Cs are to increase safety and ensure everyone enjoys the event.

EVENT TERMS and CONDITIONS

(for the LCC, all other Flying, Spectating, Camping and the ‘Bash’)

All attendance is conditional as follows:

1. ADMISSION TO THE EVENT IS ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK:

The organisers will not be held liable for any loss, injury or damage sustained at the event, including damage,
theft or loss to property or motor vehicles, even if the cause is due to the negligence of a ticket holder, the
organisers or the actions of other third parties.

2. HAZARDS:

• There will be CHILDREN on the site. Guardians: be aware of their whereabouts and safety at all times.
  Drivers & Pilots: please be especially aware!
• There will be a lot of TRAFFIC on the site, particularly for access to and from the camping areas. Please be vigilant and stay away from the access roads.
• The event takes place mainly in tents & on uneven farm land, with many TRIPPING AND FALLING obstacles. Take care around the whole site, particularly if it is slippery or wet, and especially when using stiles.
• Weather permitting, there may be flying, acrobatic and speed competitions. Please be aware that PILOTS MAY BE FORCED TO LAND in non-designated areas.
• Designated LANDING AREAS must be kept clear at ALL times.
• ACCESS is over a very rough farm track. The organisers will not be held liable for any damage caused to your vehicle should you choose to enter.

3. BEHAVIOUR:

• ALL PILOTS (not just competitors): no low flying or swooping over people or marquees. If landing on the LCC field use only the designated landing area, land in a standard manner and as safely as possible.
• Vehicle SPEED LIMIT: 5 mph in all areas.
• Obey all LCC signs & instructions from event marshals.
• No music or noisy behaviour after 12pm Thursday/Friday, or after 2am Saturday night/Sun morning.
• No open fires or BBQ’s directly on the grass.
• Take your litter & rubbish with you when you leave.
• Do not climb or damage trees or walls.
• Excessive drunkenness is annoying and antisocial, we will ask you to leave.
• Any antisocial or illegal behaviour will not be tolerated and you may be asked to leave the venue. The organisers reserve the right to require anyone to leave the venue without explanation or refund.
• Please bring to the attention of the organisers any spilt fuel or oil ASAP.
• In accordance with UK law, smoking is not permitted in any enclosed area, which includes the beer tent and party tent.
• Vehicle size limit, Due to the narrow local roads and access to the site maximum vehicle length is 8m.
• Please be aware that Buttermere is a quite valley with narrow roads, please respect this beautiful place and be courteous to local people and other visitors.

If you wish to book places at the Bash and camping, please download the application form using the PDF link and complete it. You will need to send the form, your cheque and an SAE to the address on the form. Please do not send the form to the CSC Membership Secretary! If you have any questions, please go to the Air Ventures web site and use the e-mail link to contact the organiser

For Information on Previous Events - Click on the link

2011	Buttermere	3/4 June 2011
2010	Buttermere	4/5 June 2010
2009	Buttermere	5/6 June 2009
2008	Buttermere	6/7 June 2008
2007	Buttermere	1/2 June 2008

You can download a tracklog where indicated by right clicking and saving the file on your PC. If you don't have a specialist program associated with an igc file, then the way to view a flight in Google Earth is as follows

• Use the File > Open Log menu option of GPS Dump - freeware - to open the igc file
• Then click a point in the results grid and then Ctrl/A (to select all points.
• Now File >> Save Log or Ctrl/S. Save the file as a kml file.
• Double click this file to see the flight in Google Earth - you will need to download Google Earth first
• Alternatively you can download a program called igc flight replay (free) and that will play the flight for you from a pilots perspective in Google Earth.