Competitions and Awards

Competition flying is an important part of gliding. Although competitions usually involve racing sailplanes around pre-planned cross-country tasks, pilots also take part in aerobatic competitions where they are scored for accuracy of flying. Competitions can be great social occasions too, and following the cross country racing action from the ground is getting easier thanks to online tracking.

Organised on-site competitions range from a one day single race event through to nine-day or two-week championships involving multiple races and classes of gliders. Some pilots compete in online competitions, for example the BGA Ladder or the OLC, where pilots upload logger traces of their cross-country flights to compare performances. Each glider type has a performance handicap. Details are in the Competition Rules.


Competition Calendar

Competition website links will be added when supplied by the host club.

Start Date End Date Competition Venue
25/5/24 2/6/24 18M Std Class Nationals 2024 Lasham Gliding Society
25/5/24 2/6/24 20M Multi-Seat Class Nationals 2024 Lasham Gliding Society
15/6/24 23/6/24 Standard Class Nationals 2024 Cotswold Gliding Club - Aston Down
15/6/24 23/6/24 15M Class Nationals 2024 Cotswold Gliding Club - Aston Down
15/6/24 23/6/24 Open Class Nationals 2024 Cotswold Gliding Club - Aston Down
22/6/24 30/6/24 Bidford Regionals 2024 Bidford Gliding Club
6/7/24 14/7/24 Shenington Regionals 2024 Edgehill Gliding Centre - Shenington Airfield
13/7/24 27/7/24 13th FAI Standard & Club Class Junior World Championships 2024 Ostrow Wielkopolski, Poland
20/7/24 28/7/24 Dunstable Regionals London Gliding Club
27/7/24 4/8/24 The HusBos Challenge Cup The Gliding Centre - Husbands Bosworth
28/7/24 17/8/24 Club, Standard & 15m - European Gliding Championships 2024 Tabor - Czech Republic
3/8/24 11/8/24 Club Class Nationals 2024 Bristol & Glos - Nympsfield
14/8/24 1/9/24 38th FAI, Open, 18m & 20m Multi-seat Class World Gliding Championships 2024 Uvalde, Texas
17/8/24 25/8/24 Junior Nationals 2024 The Gliding Centre - Husbands Bosworth Airfield
18/8/24 25/8/24 Two Seater Competition * Wolds Gliding Club
1/9/24 7/9/24 UK Mountain Soaring Competition * Deeside Gliding Club (Aboyne)

* Non rated competition
** Glider Aerobatic


Competition rules and guidance

BGA Competition Requirements

BGA Competition Rules

BGA Competition organiser’s briefing notes

BGA Competition organisers guide – important information when planning a competition

Simplified competition rules

A simplified competition rules format has been developed as an alternative to the ‘rules for rated competitions’. The standard rules are necessarily rigorous to cater for National Championships where similarity to International rules is required. However, at UK regional competition level, such rigour is not necessary and the complexity of the standard rules can be a barrier to pilots and potential organisers. It is hoped that clubs will trial this format in 2022 to encourage new cross-country pilots to gain the skills and experience that will enable them to safely take part in higher-level competitions in their gliding journey.

Simplified competition rules

Simplified competition rules organiser’s information

Inter-Club League

Inter-club league information is available here.


Ethics

Ethics in a sporting environment comprise the principles and values that participants and others are expected to demonstrate and the behaviours they are expected to exhibit and promote. Fairness, respectfulness, and ethically sound behaviours reasonably apply in any gliding environment.

You can view the relevant FAI policy here.

BGA policies can be viewed here.


FAI IGC Documents

FAI IGC website

FAI IGC documents (eg Sporting Code)


Gliding Records

Pilots can view existing British gliding records here.

If you intend to or have broken a record, you can apply to have your record recognised using an FAI IGC form available from this link.


Official Observers

Pilots may apply to be an FAI Official Observer. Details are available here.

The BGA Official Observer application form is here.

An FAI video detailing guidance for Official Observers is available here.


Other Information

Airspace

Airspace files

BGA ladder

British Gliding Team

Competition licence (online application)

Competition scoring script

Nationals entry

OLC

Task setting

Trophy winners

We Glide


Competitions and Awards Committee

The BGA Competitions and Awards Committee is always keen to recruit new committee members. If you are interested in learning more about the Competition and Awards Committee, or more generally about competitions and awards please contact the BGA office or email compscommittee@gliding.co.uk

The committee terms of reference are available here.

Previous meeting notes are available here (click on chronologically to date order)