York Gliding Club to host Competition Enterprise contest

York Gliding Club at Rufforth is playing host to Competition Enterprise, a gliding contest which has been held almost every year since 1974 at a number of sites around the UK.

The contest will be held between August 8 and 15, and is open to pilots who have a Silver C, from first-timers to world champions.

They will be set daily tasks that cater for all types of glider including glass and wood, small and big wings, with or without engines.

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Organiser Enterprise sets tasks that focus on maximising a day’s flying, rather than just aiming for speed, with points given for distance, bonus points for getting back, reaching turn points and even flying over the sea or visiting another country.

Richard Stembrowicz, who is on York Gliding Club’s organising committee, said almost 40 gliders had registered for the event.

He said: “These are all competition-experienced pilots. Someone is coming from Scotland and someone from the south coast, and everywhere in between. All gliders will be lined up across the runway and towed off in the morning.”

Richard added: “The car park will be quite restricted. We want to let locals know there will be a lot of tug and glider activities on those days. I think people will be arriving from the Thursday and Friday, ready for the competition on Saturday.”

York Gliding Club is on the former Rufforth Aerodrome – a Second World War Bomber Command base just west of York’s outer ring road which was established in the early 1960s and operates a number of modern gliders to suit different requirements.

Competition Enterprise 2025 was held at Cotswold Gliding Club when 34 competitors flew 56,513km in seven days.