GLIDER pilots took on a range of challenges as they soared through the sky in a week-long contest.

About 40 gliders were listed to compete in this year's Regional Gliding Competition, hosted by Windrushers Gliding Club at Bicester Gliding Centre.

Those flying were poised to battle it out over nine-days of competition last week but due to a few rainy days the event was reduced.

Bicester Gliding Centre's deputy director of the competition, Andrew Reid, said: "The competition went really well. Although we had about three days non-stop rain, we still had six competition days with some really great flying.

"The competition is divided into two classes with one group flying more than 1,300km, the equivalent of about 800 miles, during the week.

"One of the longest tasks they had was 404km which took them to Winchester, Leicester, Grantham and back which was pretty good.

"Those in the smaller gliders had a number of challenges and despite several days of bad weather they managed four days of flying.

"They still managed to fly more than 1,000km over those four days though, which was good."

The gliding club hosts the competition annually and welcomes dozens of participants from around the country.

Each day the race director sets a challenge for gliders to complete, including a certain distance to cover with various check points across the country that pilots must fly to.

David Watt, a retired British Airways pilot and deputy chief instructor at Bicester Gliding Club, was among the winners and was closely followed by Derren Francis, who flew in the World Championships for the first time earlier this year.

In the second class the top spot was taken home by pilot Mike Fox, a training standards manager with the British Gliding Association.

Mr Reid added: "It's been really good and everybody I am sure will say they have had a successful competition.

"As for the weather, in any nine-day competition in the UK to get six days of flying is pretty good.

"Sunday was one of the best gliding days we have seen this summer."

The Bicester Gliding Club has been based at Bicester Airfield since 1956 and its fleet includes two-seater gliders with dual controls for training beginners.

The centre offers lessons and trial sessions online at bicestergliding.com