SPKA Race Weekend 2011/2012 Series
29th & 30th January 2012 - West Sands, St. Andrews
The first races of 2012 will take place on Saturday and Sunday 29th & 30th of January, it is expected there will be a few international visitors joining us for the event.
Registration will be from 9.30am on Saturday in the car park area.
Please remember to bring your pilots licence, proof of insurance and entry fee of £10 for the weekend if competing in the series races.
There will be an introductory race for anyone wanting to try racing over the weekend if there is any interest.
Report on 3rd & 4th December 2011 - Luce Sands, Nr. Stranraer
Yet again the weather gods had they're way and demolished another weekend of racing. The off shore winds, although with plenty of strength, just didn't have enough consistency to allow safe racing conditions to prevail.
Report on the 29th & 30th of October 2011 - St Andrews
The weekend started with rain gusty SW winds ( never good at St A's) and a fast incoming tide. Subsequently
only one race was completed and that was a fun race and did not count for the series. Sunday proved more promising.
Three races were started but only one was counted. One being void for safety and the other because the course
was being eaten by the tide.
Race 1: Good start all away well. About 10min in Keith has an OBE. Race stopped for safety reasons.
Race 2: Good start all away well. Completed race counts for series.
Race 3: Good start but it became clear that the course was rapidly changing. Although the mark was not engulfed by
water its surrounding area was. The race was not counted for the series.
Results are available here: SPKA Annual Buggy Race Series 2011/2012 Results
All in all it was a good weekend. And thanks to Simon for some wonderful pics. When you have a sequences this good there
is only one thing to do. Make it into an animated GIF. I know its old school but it works :)
Report on the 1st & 2nd of October 2011 - Fraserburgh
This event was unfortunatly a compleat wash out. Both days had little wind and a lot of rain. However a big thank you to Mark & Maggie for being good hosts. We will revisit Fraserburgh since its facilities and beach have a great deal of potential.
Not everything was a washout at Fraserburgh
Freestyle from the top of the tiger
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SPKA Race Series 2010/11 now complete
Last Race - 18th & 19th of June 2011 - West Sands, St. Andrews
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Well done to: |
The SPKA Annual Buggy Racing Series is now over and once again the TK cup and title of Scottish Champion returns to Stuart McGougan. With racing on some of the best Scottish beaches the SPKA series is a great way to meet new flyers, explore new places and challenge your skills and abilities in new ways.
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SPKA Summer Fly
Report on the 2nd & 3rd of July 2011 - West Sands, St. Andrews
The SPKA held it's annual Summer Fly at St. Andrews on the 2nd & 3rd of July, with BBQ and prize giving for the annual buggy race series winners.
SPKA Celtic Challenge - Scottish Round
Report on the 18th & 19th of June 2011 - West Sands, St. Andrews
The return leg of the Celtic Challenge went off very well. Our Irish Cousins arrived late Friday evening after a tour of Scotland en-route to St. Andrews, did a quick assembly of the IPKSA village and settled down for a few beers. It seems some hilarity occurred during the sma’ hours but no great detail filtered though!
The Irish were up at the crack of dawn (well early at least, 7am) and sneaked off down the beach for a couple of hours practice before the forecasted rains came in. The morning then became a damp blathering session before the rain subsided just after midday.
A course was set out and an introductory race was run for two newcomers keen to experience fleet racing, they did very well and are expected to join the 2011/12 series. The rest of the fleet took the opportunity to get a feel of the course before the first race of the Scottish round got under way. Having waited so long for the weather to clear and the wind to kick in, the tide decided it was time to spoil the day. We did manage to complete the first race of the larger course then fell back to a shorter course to manage 2 races in total for the day. Scotland had managed to turn the 7 point deficit into a 13 point advantage, with Stu McGoo (SCO) and Rob Findlay (IR) tying for first place over all, 1 win and 1 runner up each, and Pete Stinton (IR) holding 3rd spot.
Saturday evening went down well. A good BBQ and scrumptious dessert ably supplied by our Bob and Joyce (many thanks). The Irish, determined to get in more practice, instigated a return back down to the beach again mid evening and, along with a few Scots, ran up and down the strip till gone 10pm.
Sunday morning awoke to a dry day with very little wind and a nice bit of sun, just as per the forecast. A proposal was made that, should the light winds still prevail after lunch, then, a technical course would be set for a head to head between the two leading contenders. After writing out their respective pace notes to navigate the 10 point course in light winds they set off, being directed around the course by a marshal at every mark, Rob Findlay took the honours having lapped Stu Mcgoo who was struggling in the light winds having opted to run discs for this particular challenge.
And so the Celtic Challenge drew to a close for yet another year. The Irish retaliating and taking home 2 out of three of the individual prizes, just as we had done to them a few weeks earlier. The event, as always, such a great time for all concerned and with the cup securely back on Scottish soil after a two year rest in Ireland, its all to play for again next year as the Celtic Challenge heads into its 6th year!
If you're interested in trying racing then please take a look at the SPKA Buggy Licencing Page
for more information, introductory races are held at each SPKA race day
and provide an excellent opportunity to try racing without any
pressure.
With the series now over you can find out the Overall SPKA Annual Buggy Race Series Results 2010-2011.
Celtic Challenge - Irish Round
Report on the 28th & 29th of May 2011 - Benone, N. Ireland
After various hiccups with ferry, air and rail transport in the lead up to the weekend, all that intended going managed to get there and turned up on the beach on Saturday morning to very 'blustery' conditions coming right down the beach from the West, but hey it was a 'usable wind' for 2 years in a row it looked like we were going to get racing at an Irish round!
Our hosts dully set out a doable course considering the wind conditions,
first race saw the assault of the moons surface down a diagonal of the
course, around the mark heading for the sea and ...... half the Irish
fleet seemed to bail out before the next mark..... wheel's off, kites in
the sea, tangles with them selves, it ended up with our Keith keeping
them all company for the duration of that race. Sad to say they still
had a pilot or two on the course and it was an Irish pilot (IR14) that
took the checkered flag after the 20 minutes with Scotland bearing down
hard on his heals with our Bob (SCO3) and Alan (SCO159) respectively and
IR25 chasing them.
A few squalls came raging through over the next hour or two till finally
it was deemed to be a sufficient break in the weather to allow us out
again. Race 2 setoff and the wind went for a bit of a rest, easing for a
lap or two, where those braving the bigger kites (3M) managed to scrape
an advantage, before bouncing back with vengeance and having the race
master shorten the race duration as the gales started to flatten most
folk out on the course. Ireland once again sealed first place with their
Bob (IR2), our Bob again taking second and Pete (IR181) holding 3rd.
With the weather bearing down so hard and the tide starting to encroach
the course, the day was called at that stage (2pm) and everyone retired
to the camp site for tea and cookies! 4pm saw the lighting of the
barbecue which evolved into a most conducive evening of fine fare and
good company washed down with just a hint of alcoholic beverage as
befits such an occasion. Midnight or there about saw the winding down of
the evening, the folding down of the shelter (fearing overnight winds
might otherwise take their toll of it) and off to bed to await the
onslaught of Sunday.
And, as forecast, higher winds, greater gusts, a swing round more to
cross-off all contributed to a common acceptance that conditions were
just not acceptable for racing as a fleet. The morning developed into a
'potty' session with the mini yachts being rigged and those that dared
to brave the elements setting out to eat the sand at various stages as
the toppled and turned.
Mid morning saw the presentation proceedings under way as the RM, Garry,
and IPKSA el presidentie, Aidan, called the individual and overall
results for the previous days racing.
In Third place over all was Adrian Phelan (IR25), sporting his well
strapped shoulder, courtesy of the Irish medic Shane, from the end of
the second race the day before.
In Second place overall, and from the look of utter surprise on his
face, one of his greater achievements in the sport to date, was Alan
Payne (SCO 159) taking to the floor with a victory dance towards the
podium to pick up his medal.
In First place, having taken 2 consecutive second spots the day before,
was Bob Michell (SCO3) stepping out with a huge grin to take his medal
and associated trophy, I gather his first ever First placing in all his
years of competing in kite buggying.
Although Scotland excelled in the overall individual results, we still
managed to succumb to the Irish prowess in securing a 7 point lead over
all with 52 points to our own 59 points. Roll on June the 18/19th for
the return leg where Scotland hope to over turn the deficit. One thing
is for sure the Celtic Challenge continues to live up to its name and
brings a wealth of fun through out the weekend no matter who's shore it
happens on!
A mention here for the fabulous trophies sourced through one of the
Irish members Mr Wojt Young along with all the brilliant photo's and
videos of the event displayed by him and our own resident camera man
Simon Arlott.
Bring it on is the cry!
Racing is an exciting and challenging way to improve kite and buggy skills and the Celtic Challenge is the most social of race events, so come along and join in if you can!
If you're interested in trying racing then please take a look at the SPKA Buggy Licencing Page for more information, introductory races are held at each SPKA race day and provide an excellent opportunity to try racing without any pressure.
SPKA Race Weekend
Report on the 23rd & 24th of April 2011 - Sands of Luce, Nr. Stranraer
Again the weekend was a failure thanks to the weather, discussions are still ongoing about whether further races should be run.
If you're interested in trying racing then please take a look at the SPKA Buggy Licencing Page for more information, introductory races are held at each SPKA race day and provide an excellent opportunity to try racing without any pressure.
SPKA Race Weekend
Report on the 12th &13th of March 2011 - West Sands, St. Andrews
The whole weekend was entirely un-flyable for the first time due to the wet and windy weather both days, everyone is hopeful that the next weekend will prove more positive!
If you're interested in trying racing then please take a look at the SPKA Buggy Licencing Page for more information, introductory races are held at each SPKA race day and provide an excellent opportunity to try racing without any pressure.
SPKA Race Weekend
Report on the 12th &13th of February 2011 - Sands of Luce, Nr. Stranraer
Racing on Saturday was made interesting for many flyers with some tacking and gybing up the beach required to make progress around the course, but few were discouraged by the light winds. With flyers from the central belt right up towards the more northern reaches of the country attending.
Unfortunately the light winds initially on Saturday and the tides meant that only one race was completed, and on Sunday the driving rain and high winds stopped flying before the weather cleared up to reveal sunshine and a windless beach.
If you're interested in trying racing then please take a look at the SPKA Buggy Licencing Page for more information, introductory races are held at each SPKA race day and provide an excellent opportunity to try racing without any pressure.
Results for the racing are now available: SPKA Annual Buggy Race Series Results 2010-2011.
Join Now :
Individual: £28
Family: £60
Junior: £20
1 Years Membership (includes insurance)
Next Event:
Race Event 5
West Sands, St. Andrews
3rd & 4th of March 2012
Last SPKA Event:
Race Event 4
West Sands, St. Andrews
29th & 30th of January 2012
Last International Event:
European Championships
Report from Peter Lynn site, its quite good.
Videos of event. Also quite good :)