Congrats to Dennis for earning his badge in the way the original founders of
gliding intended. Though long retired from the sport I can well understand
how Dennis must feel. I did my five hours in smoky thermals over
Stoke-on-Trent (UK), my height off a very low launch at Sutton Bank in
Yorkshire both of those in an old wooden Olympia 2. Distance was in a Ka8
from Dunstable. It took fourteen years all told because I was instructing
within a year of going solo and could never get into a single seater. In my
view all sports are going the same way -- high performance equipment being
used against the old low performance goals. I guess the Silver distance
should be at least 150Km to level the playing field.

Alistair Wright
UK Silver 4769