Club Trophies & Awards

This is a list of current Trophies and Awards.

 

Award Description Current Holder Achievement
Chris Ellison Award The trophy will be awarded to the pilot who has achieved the longest XC flight from a DHPC site.

The trophy will be awarded only on the basis of entries by pilots into the Dunstable league and that have Dunstable set as their primary club in their XC League account.  Pilots must also be Full members of the club.

 Zsolt Gaspar 167km from Dunstable Downs
Waypoint Challenge The pilot who scores the most waypoints in the DHPC Waypoint Comp. Adam Collis 14 Waypoints
Outstanding BCC rep Must have competed for DHPC in BCC round and will be nominated by Martin McVay.
Pilot development / LAT / Rising Star Award Nominated by Committee members and awarded by Committee decision.
Richard Greaves Award (previously Clubman/woman award) Non Committee member that has contributed to the overall benefit of DHPC.

Nominated by club members or Committee members and awarded by Committee decision.
Hang Glider of the Year Award In days past, hang gliders ruled the sky's over Dunstable Downs. Like latter day pterodactyls, they were the unchallenged foot launched apex predator of their day. Times have changed somewhat and it's a rare day that sees hang gliders sharing the air at Dunstable. This award recognises the important part that hang gliding community still has within the DHPC and seeks to support and highlight their achievements.

Nominated by HG rep, awarded by Committee.
Best Dressed Pilot Award In times gone by, DHPC has witnessed appalling standard of dress code as this early footage from Dunstable Downs more than adequately demonstrates.

As a direct result of this, the NT insisted on dress code being written into the Sharpenhoe licence agreement since 1986. This states "that all members of the Club gliding on the Licensor’s property shall be suitably clothed". Clause 3.13.16 still safeguards this laudable insistence on standards to this day, a commitment the committee fully supports. To encourage and support an improvement in the tardy standards of attire across DHPC sites the Committee has determined an award for best dressed pilot should be introduced.
Photo submission to the Committee, clipped in at DHPC site, awarded by Committee decision.
Perfect Partner / Ground Crew Award Let's face it. Hang Gliding & Paragliding are quite selfish and all consuming. Those that commit to a life of free flight make a pact with the devil and exist in a perpetual state of weather window alertness, unwilling or unable to make the most tenuous of commitments for fear of missing "a day". Our families, other halves, and non flying friends can pay a heavy price for this pitiful, perpetual state of half living, half dreaming, 0.01% flying existence. They never meant to join a paragliding club, but somehow they know what 'post-frontal' means and can reverse a hatchback down a muddy track in the dark. They’re the text-answerers, hill-watchers, and xc-retrievers. We may not always say it, but we cherish and salute you.

Email submission by DHPC pilot to the Committee outlining the pain and suffering imposed by the pilot or the acts of outstanding support to the Committee, awarded by Committee decision to a non-flying supporter.
Retrieve story of the year People do eventually make it back to civilisation after XC excursions. It's all part of the day (or multiple day's) adventure in some cases. Most retrieves are uneventful, many fall into the category of the ridiculous. This award celebrates the art of the retrieve in all its many colourful and obscure forms.

Email submission to the Committee, awarded by Committee decision.
Tree hugger award Most spectacular tree landing at DHPC sites, photo submissions encouraged.
 

The awards for 2025 will be presented to the lucky award winners at the AGM on Saturday, 15th November.

If you would like to nominate someone for any of these awards please submit your nominations to the Committee at: committee@dunstablehpc.com (in good time before the above date).