Thread 53 - Covid GCSE Cohort - Happy New Year 2025 to our fab young people

[Delphigirl]

New thread! Looking forward to traversing 2025 with this fantastic group 🎉😘

33rd place for DS yesterday. Now placing 11th overall.

As for the sport... it is very outing, but I will give some clues and see if you can guess it. (Just for fun)

Clue 1

His course on Monday was 480km long and DS travelled at an average speed of 99.8 kmph.

Rowing?

@Zebracat definitely not rowing for 480km, most races are between 2 and 5k (DS2 is a rower) and certainly not at that speed!

I'm assuming it involves some kind of motorised vehicle @Aslockton ?

@mummyinbeds ds said Vanuatu is very beautiful and the people are friendly. Definitely worth a visit!

Numbers are no5 my strong point!😊

World Championship News: A much better day for DS. He came 6th today, now back up to 5th place overall. 80 points behind the leader.

It is not a motorised sport!

Aslockton, please don’t tease, we are really nice, no stalkers. Promise. Just tell us!🤐

I'm thinking of Rod Stewart...

Or, possibly , looking at distances it's more likely that Queen liked to do this.

Sailing?

Similar to sailing, but in the sky.

He wears a parachute everytime he competes.

It must be gliding? There's a big gliding club near here, you see them all out at weekends and towing the huge trailers around.

Was the course actually 478.08 km?

https://www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/39th-fai-world-gliding-championships-tabor-2025/tasks/standard/task-1-on-2025-06-09

Right, I'm going to be following his progress now! Good luck

Yes! You are correct. DS has been flying solo since 14 years old... 3 years before he could drive! (Mumsnet is what got DS into the sport, when someone suggested 'gliding cadets' rather than 'air cadets' to get into flying).

DS finished 14th today. Down to 7th from 5th place yesterday. His team-mate (a very experienced pilot has finished 26th, 21st, 1st and 6th so far. He is now up to 6th place, 3 points ahead of DS).

He has towed a very big trailer all over Europe since 18 years old. I find this the hardest part of the competition, although DS said the weather made it a scary flying day yesterday. The weather was very good, so lots of gliders were flying close to each other when thermalling. This gives lots of opportunities for mid air collisions and near-misses.

476.13 km on Monday for DS. Thank you for your good wishes. I am amazed you found the competition, I had to get DS to send me the link!

Oh yes, and Team GB, made up of the 6 pilots, are currently in Gold Medal position for the team competition.

That's amazing @Aslockton the towing as well as the actual gliding, they are enormous. You can go to the cafe at the club near us and sit and watch them being towed up into the air. I had a boss many years ago who was a very keen glider pilot, it was his whole life outside work and he had such interesting tales.

Ah that's fantastic @Aslockton ! Really well done to your DS!

Well last exam done for DS. End of an era. Cannot believe how quickly those 3 years have gone. He and his 3 foot IKEA crocodile bought when he was 6 hopefully will have some v happy College memories....two weeks of rowing and May Ball and fun stuff now.

How exciting @Aslockton
So he drives and tows a trailer with glider in? I can imagine that being worrying at 18!

Amazing, well done you DS @Aslockton !

@Aslockton Congratulations to your DS!

Thank you for all your best wishes. No flying today for DS.

He did get a message via LinkedIn from the vice president of the company he is starting his grad job with in July congratulating him on making the podium on the first day and wishing him luck for the rest of the competition. He was really touched. Two of his A level teachers have also sent messages too.

I tried on dress for graduation today. Is everyone’s graduation ceremonies this summer or are they in Autumn/Winter?

DS finishes the world championships on Friday, then is attending a training camp in Germany with the junior team, back in the UK on 1st July. He moves into a house share on 5th July in a different part of the country to home and university, starts his job on 14th July then graduates on 22nd July… all being well,

Exciting times for your young man @Aslockton, best wishes for the rest of his competition, lots going on before he starts in the world of work!

@Aslockton - DD’s graduation is on 24 July.