The Speedrun Cup is a exciting new race format open to teams and individual pilots that would like to test their skill set in XC racing. Race Courses are set out by organising clubs and has to be a distance of between 130 and 150kms long.
Here is a summary of the rules:
1. The route must have one mandatory landing point with a maximum of two. The route is designed with a start and finish at the same location.
2. Pilots are not to overload their maximum weight on a glider indicated by the manufacturer.
3. Pilots are not to use soft fuel bladder reserve bags unless their have some form of hard protection (this is to protect pilots of incidents of emergency landing with heavy fuel loads that pose a danger in case of rupture over pilot and hot engine)
4. The race starts on the ground and is announced by Safety Officer. Orange Light gives a 5 minute warning and Red Light gives indication that course is open.
5. Four categories. Speedrun – All pro racers. Donut Run – Pilots with sub 3 year experience flying slower gliders. Ladies – All lady pilots have their own category but are free to be in Speedrun Cup if they choose to. Trike King – Open to all wheel trike categories.
6. Refuel is possible at the first landing point. Pilots are to give their mixed fuel to the ground team prior to the race at which time it is transported to the landing point.
The idea is to push both pilot and machine to their max performance over longer distances. It is essential for pilots to know at what speed they are both efficient and fast even if it means only making the halfway point for refuel. Pilots that have their gear designed in such a way that they limit their time on the ground, have a clear advantage (if no refuel is required)
Nirvana has been extremely successful in the Speedrun Cup results for 2021 with 7 out of the top 10 points ranked racers flying Nirvanas. Dudek has also shinned with Eugene Cussons on the Nirvana F-light 200 XC & Dudek Warp combination, winning the first 3 races for 2021 by margins larger than 20 minutes. With teams starting to form and individuals learning how to best design their gear layout and glider choice, the race results within the South African race circuit is bound to change with finishing times tightening up.
Here are some of the key success points Nirvana has achieved in 2021:
1. Average Speeds have been consistently higher than 67km/hr including time on the ground.
2. Fuel economy of the F-light 200 has been no more than 5 liters per hour. With pilots having to complete most of the race on full speedbar, this has been an astounding achievement.
3. Once on cruise altitudes the Dudek Warp could provide a constant speed of 78km/hr (data from Eugene Cussons and Francois Theron driving the F200XC)
With technology moving at a rapid pace, both fuel economy numbers and speeds are bound to improve.
Joint the Facebook page of the Speedrun cup if you would like to stay informed on the Speedrun Cup or if you wish to be notified of racers in order to participate.
