April 22nd, 2005
The IGC believes that the Sailplane Grand Prix (SGP) series will become our premier sporting events for the media and the public. The SGP will provide the opportunity for us to showcase gliding in a simpler and more easily understandable contest. I firmly believe that without public understanding and media support we cannot progress the sport of gliding. This year’s 1st World Sailplane Grand Prix in Saint Auban will be the springboard to the 2006 Sailplane Grand Prix qualifying series and the 2007 2nd World Sailplane Grand Prix.
I request that each of you pass this newsletter to your national President, the editor of your national magazine and to your contest pilots.
The following decision was taken at the Plenary meeting in March this year:
"The meeting empowered the Bureau to receive bids for National Grand Prix, which will be open to international participation and qualifying for the next World Grand Prix. All these Grand Prix will be run according to the same rules but the organisers will have the choice of the class. The National Grand Prix will be category 2 events. Bids should be received via the NAC’s before 1 October 2005. It should be noted that the Plenum preferred the term 'Qualification Grand Prix' to the name National Grand Prix."
The following timescale is now being put in place for bids for 2006 and 2007:
30th April 2005 - a simplified Bid Procedure will be available.
31st August 2005 –Bids close for the series of 2006 Sailplane Grand Prix qualifying contests. The Bureau will review these bids in September 2005.
31st October 2005 –Bids close for the 2007 2nd World Sailplane Grand Prix.
The Bureau will review these bids in November 2005.
I believe that these timescales are appropriate. The Sailplane Grand Prix events are limited to 20 competitors and, as a result, the logistics are really a lot simpler than those required to support a full IGC WGC with 100+ sailplanes present. Our experience from Saint Auban in 2003 is that one needs a Director, Tasksetter, Scorer, Admin person, competent PR person, Referee, a small number of enthusiastic club members to look after the bar - meals - crowd control, and a small number of tow pilots.
A "unified" image will be maintained by using the same name for all, for example: Grand Prix de France, Grosser Preis of Deutschland, Grand Prix of New Zealand.
A copy of the rules is available from the IGC Secretary Peter Eriksen at eriksen@cegetel.net and a summary of the rules will be sent out to you all in a few days via a separate newsletter.
This programme is vital to the health and growth of our sport and I ask all NAC’s and National Federations to support this initiative.
Bob Henderson
President, IGC
April 22nd, 2005