While learning to fly is great fun, competitive gliding is even more so. Regional, national, and international competitions are held every year. As many of the the CUGC members are pre-solo or early solo we take part in a range of competitions better suited to their level of experience.

See also: the links at the bottom of this page.

Sky Lions

Logo of the Sky Lions, CUGC's competition team

The Cambridge University Gliding Club's team is called the Sky Lions. Team members must have at least their Bronze certificate and be selected by the Captain. The Sky Lions represent CUGC at a range of competitions each year.

Cross-country ladder

Unfortunately there isn't a gliding competition every day of the year, however you can still record your flights and submit them to the national cross-country BGA ladder at bgaladder.co.uk.

Other gliding competitions

For more experienced pilots.

• Juniors ([1])
• Regionals
• Nationals
• British Gliding Team ([2])
• National Aerobatic Competition ([3])
• Vintage Wenlock Olympian Glider Competition ([4])

Record-breaking flights

Some pilots choose to attempt the distance records. As of September 2012 the records are:

Altitute record

Steve Fossett (USA) — 15 460m

Free distance using up to 3 turn points

Klaus Ohlmann (GER) — 3009 km

However there a many more records, because there are different classes of glider, and because distance records can be set as straight line distance, distance around a triangular task, or distance out and return.

All records can be found on the FAI website. Many of the records have never been set (because the FAI has minimum standards for a world record flights) or have been held for a long time and could easily be broken.

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