Many of us who at least attempt to take part in the XC League http://www.xcleague.com/xc/leagues/2010-1.html watched with much excitement as the battle for the top of the league was fought out as the season drew to a close. 

Our own Richard Bungay consistently maintained his place near, or indeed at, the top of the league.  Excitement reached a peak on 8^th August when many of us sitting on Combe Gibbet, unable to launch in the light conditions, watched in awe as Richard and a small gaggle of other sky Gods flew a triangle which took him, briefly, into the record books.  With the multiplier applied to his triangle distance, his total distance for the season’s best 6 flights reached 800 kilometres for the first time in the UK XC League’s history.  Sadly, another Richard was also taking advantage of the light conditions, flying from the winch, and managed a season’s best 175.5 kilometres.  Later in the day Richard Westgate was sitting at the kitchen table having downloaded his flight log when he saw Richard Bungay’s flight appear on the XC league table, nicely taking first place in the league.  He immediately logged his own flight and plonked himself firmly back on top!  Richard Bungay’s lead had lasted a whole 12 minutes!  Well done both!  As a consolation, Richard Bungay is unsurprisingly clear winner of the TVHGC league http://www.xcleague.com/xc/leagues/2010-5.html.  Well deserved prizes on their way to you both, kindly sponsored by our local paragliding school, Cloudbase Paragliding .

Mention must also be made of another XC League top 10 TVHGC pilot, Simon Twiss, whose achievement is all the more remarkable when you remember that he spent most of the season hobbling about in a ski boot-like cast protecting a badly injured Achilles tendon.   I have a mental image of awestruck bystanders watching this aviator descend from the heavens after one of his many xc adventures only to see him apparently with a broken leg.  What they must have thought!