A sailing race in the sky: Becoming a World Gliding Champion

Almost a year ago now, I took the difficult decision to leave my job at Arrival after three years working with some of the talented people I have met. Like many startups, it was a roller coaster ride, trying to redefine the electric vehicle and how it should be manufactured. We achieved an incredible amount in a very short time, and the lessons I learned from my time there were invaluable.

A personal goal

Upon leaving, I decided to take some time out to both travel and focus on a very particular goal of mine. As some of you may know, my passion outside of work is Gliding - flying planes without engines using nothing but the power of the atmosphere. Specifically, I race these long-winged carbon fibre machines in international competitions, often covering hundreds of kilometres on each flight at speeds averaging over 100 kph.

In my time flying competitions, I have been lucky enough to represent Great Britain at a number of international events already. In 2015, I won my first Junior (under 26) World Champion title, and in 2019 I became the European Champion. However, despite a couple of attempts already, the title of 'World Champion' had so far alluded me.

Come the beginning of 2023, I was excited to be selected again, alongside five other pilots, to represent Team GB at the upcoming World Gliding Championships. These events are held every two years, and for 2023, it was to be hosted in Australia in December. So, after a couple of months of backpacking around South East Asia (scratching a long overdue 'gap year' itch), I turned my focus to the season ahead and how I could ensure it would be third time lucky.

How does a gliding competition work?

A cross-country gliding competition consists of a series of races in the sky. FAI international competitions take place over the course of 2 weeks, with competitors lining up each day to race each other around a course, or 'task'. The pilot completing the task in the quickest time gets the most points, and the pilot with the most points at the end of the competition is crowned champion.

Each day, a different task is set, comprising of a start line, finish ring and number of turnpoints that we must round in a set order. Think of it like a sailing race, just with an extra dimension. The direction and length of the task, as well as the number of turn points, depends on the weather conditions for the day. On good weather days, we can expect to fly tasks of between 3-500km, and can be airborne for over 5 hours. The gliders are towed in to the sky using tow planes, and once all gliders (sometimes over 100) are airborne, the start line is opened and the race begins.

But... you have no engine?

Without an engine, or indeed any means of propulsion, gliders rely purely on the power of the atmosphere to stay airborne, or 'soar'. As glider pilots, we are constantly searching out sources of rising air. Usually this comes in the form of thermals, columns of warm rising air generated by the sun heating the ground. A glider pilot can circle in these thermals to gain many thousands of feet of altitude, before continuing along our task. We repeat this climb-glide cycle many times during the flight, whilst also looking for lines of buoyant energy in the sky to preserve our altitude and allow us to complete the task faster than our opposition.

The summer heat and vast expanse of Australia provides near perfect conditions for glider racing, with gliders reaching altitudes of up to 15,000 ft. At these heights, pilots must wear a cannula supplied with supplementary oxygen to prevent hypoxia! With such strong conditions, the gliders are filled with water to increase the high speed performance. Our 525kg racing machines can complete tasks of over 500km at average speeds in excess of 150 kph, all without any means of propulsion.

To compete at this high level, being a skilful pilot alone is not enough. Competitors must have an intricate understanding of the weather conditions, be cool and consistent under pressure, and be able to fly tactically, using fellow competitors to help find the strongest climbs. Gliders will often group together in the air, forming 'gaggles' and using each other to find strong climbs. Much like the cyclists in the Tour de France, knowing when to just sit with the 'peloton' and when to make your move is a critical skill.

Much like the Formula 1 World Championship! Pilots can communicate with each other and the team by radio, whilst crew members on the ground also play a critical role, passing constant information on weather, tactics and competitor whereabouts.

Preparing for Australia

These 2023 championships were to be held in a little town called Narromine, in New South Wales, Australia. On top of the many practice competitions and training weeks all over Europe during the summer months, this year the team faced the added additional complexity of shipping the gliders and all of our equipment to the other side of the World, in time for southern hemisphere season.

It was to be my first time flying with my new team mate for 2023, Paul Fritche, and my first time flying a new class of glider - the 'standard class'. Although the competition is an individual one, with one pilot per glider, teams and pilots must work together to overcome the other competitors and secure the top places in the competition. The competition has three difference classes of aircraft, with two pilots from each team in each class.

Over the course of the European season, from April until August, Paul and myself flew hundreds of hours together, take part in practice competitions in the UK, France and Germany, as well as British Team training camps with the rest of the team.

Consistency is key in gruelling conditions

To our relief, we land in Australia in mid November to find that our team shipping container has arrived safely. We have just under a couple of weeks to unpack all of the equipment, assemble the gliders, and get practicing before the start of the competition.

Whilst it can very reasonably be argued that sitting in a reclined seat for hours on end is hardly an athletic sport, the harsh conditions that we face flying in Australia makes the competition both physically as well as mentally demanding. During the competition, as long as the weather permits, we fly every day for two weeks, with the exception of one mandatory rest day.

Temperatures on the dry, dusty airfield were exceeding 43 degrees during the competition, and although at altitude our confined cockpits would cool a little, the extreme height of the thermals in Australia meant we had to be careful to manage our oxygen levels whilst flying at altitudes over over 15,000 feet. Fighting off dehydration, sun exposure and fatigue is a constant battle.

Despite the great soaring conditions, it only takes a small lapse in concentration at a critical moment of the flight to suddenly find yourself unable to stay airborne and having to make an emergency landing at an air strip or even in a farmer's field. The scoring system heavily penalises any pilot who does not complete the task, so consistency and managing the level of sporting risk you take is absolutely vital. If you're too cautious, you risk being slow and losing points, but take too much risk and you may not complete the task at all.

The final showdown

After the formalities of the official opening ceremony, the first competition day finally arrives on the 3rd December. Each day follows a strict routine, with the gliders being prepared for flight in the relative 'cool' of the morning, before attending a daily briefing with the organisers. Afterwards, the team get together to discuss weather and tactics, and plan strategies for the day. Upon finishing the task, gliders are packed away for the day and it's straight in to a team debrief, dinner and some much needed sleep.

Team GB get off to a solid start, and we fly the first four days before a poor weather forecast gives us our first rest day. By the end of day five, I find myself in first place overall. However, there is still a long way to go!

From here on in, the competition just gets more and more intense. The temperatures soar, and the airfield becomes a dust bowl. By the second half of the comp, conditions turn stormy, with pilots having to take large detours during tasks to avoid being caught up in the storm, or potentially even struck by lightening. This shakes up the order, with several pilots not completing the tasks. Unfortunately, my teammate Paul is one of those pilots, dropping him down the overall rankings.

Going in to the last day of the competition, I have somehow hung on to my spot at the top of the leader board, with a decent margin over the local Australian pilot in second and the German pilot in third. Still, I need to complete the final task without getting stuck, something which can never be taken for granted without an engine! As it plays out, the conditions deteriorate rapidly on our way home, and for a short while I find myself on my own, separated from my teammate, and getting concerningly low to the ground. Just when I start to think it could be game over, I get a lucky break, and spot a bird of prey soaring off to my side! Saved by the bird, I climb back up and make it home to complete the task in 3rd position for the day, securing my first place overall. Sometimes you just need a bit of luck!

Well, it turned out that all the preparation and training paid off! After 2 weeks of gruelling competition in the Australian outback, I finished the competition as 2023 World Gliding Champion in the Standard Class. It has been 18 years since the last British pilot won this class, so it's a great feeling to be bringing that historic trophy home!

Of course this result would not have been possible without the help and support of many others, including my team mate and wing man Paul, my amazing ground crew and chief strategist Clem for all his help, and for the rest of the team for their support. What a great way to finish what has been a fantastic year.

So, what next? Well, all I can say is I feel ready and motivated to take on a fresh challenge, whatever that may be. Watch this space...