Welcome everyone to this year's Northern Regionals!

It's now less than a week until the comp starts for real, and we're all getting excited up here at Sutton Bank looking forward to seeing everyone.  There are some late entries still coming in, which is fantastic.  This year's director Andy Parish has decided to swop comp t-shirts for a surprise alternative, one free to each pilot.  I can't say anymore right now, so watch this space!

We have some new people and some old friends with us this year.  Kelly Teagle has taken on the deputy directorship and job task-setting, so if she looks stressed, we'll know why!  Barry and Janet Lumb will be keeping us all in control as ever, and Colin Troise will be marshalling the grid with his usual flair.  Our own home-grown expert Steve Ball has stoutly volunteered for the job of Met Man, whilst concurrently flying the comp in the DG500 with Nick Gaunt!  Susan Aherne joins us for her first year as Northerns start/finish line, and I look forward to hearing her dulcet tones over the airwaves.  Her husband Mick is the bravest of all as far as I'm concerned, volunteering to take on the scoring with yours truly, and we'll be keeping you up-to-date withall the news_small we can, popping our heads out of the scoring den from time to time to blink in the sunlight.  Our photographer, Claire Hamlett, tells me this is her first time at a gliding competition, so we'll have to make sure we show her a good time :) 

news_small, pictures, tasks, and results from the comp will be dual posted both here and at www.ygc.co.uk/northerns so stay tuned.  Don't forget to follow our rss feed forthe latest updates.

Here's hoping for fun in the sun,

Alex.