Dates: 13th - 15th Aug
Duration: 3 days
Cost: £ 52.50 (Newcomers £45)
Max Pilots: 100
Location: Y Fricsan (The Snowdon Inn) SH 555 624, 1.25 miles North West of Llanberis.
FAI Category: 2

Despite the poor forecast this was an enjoyable last event to this years BPCup, from which Calvo and Gareth managed to get two tasks.

Friday started with strong winds and a low base. With a worsening forecast the decision was made to can the day.

On the Saturday we could see cloudbase was low in the morning and it wasn't due to rise either, and winds were forecast to increase, so it looked like Saturday too would be canned.

Gareth, having recently attended the Calvo School of Optimism, decided we'd have a rebrief at 11 with a view to getting to the coastal site of Foel Lus soon afterwards. Apparently, there is a strange phenomenum in Snowdonia where in strong northerly winds it is often quite gentle on the Northerly coast. A ridiculous notion that turned out to be true.

And so, we had a small task with several turnpoints which resulted in some amazing flying. Once on the course there was lift everywhere and many pilots did not do one 360 for the whole flight. We soared above the clouds just inland from the coast, and followed the A55 down to goal. Magnificent. Fastest time was Martin Sandwith but Cris Miles gained enough departure points to give him first place in the Open with Martin taking first place in the Cup. Cup leader Tony Spirling missed a turnpoint due to forgetting to reset his GPS datum when entering new points, and this allowed Richard Butterworth to take overall 1st place.

On the Sunday we headed up Berfedd where a 23k race to goal at Criccieth Castle was set. Low cloud and an expected sea breeze arrival meant the window opened early, and soon pilots were heading over to the pump on the flanks of Snowdon. From there it turned out largely to be a case of who could get the longest glide and Martin Sandwith took 1st place closely followed by Richard Butterworth.