Bognor International Birdman

Where: Formerly Bognor, Sussex at the Pier (Formerly at Worthing, Sussex - from the Pier)
When: Formerly a Weekend in July/August or occasionally September
Time: Formerly From 11.30 Saturday, 12 noon Sunday

 

Birdman

The Birdman competition is when humans strive to become airborne using only manpower to propel them off the pier….usually with predictable results! There are  usually three classes in the competition : Leonardo da Vinci class in which competitors use their own homemade self-designed craft; Condor class in which competitors use hang-gliders or similar craft; Kingfisher class in which fun flyers, often in fancy dress and/or raising money for charity, launch themselves with little hope of anything other than a speedy plummet southwards into the briny. The potential rewards are substantial – as well as prize money for each class, there is the elusive £10,000 reward for anyone who can fly over 100 metres. The action formerly took place over two days but now happens on the Sunday only. You can expect plenty of thrills, spills and chills with 30,000 visitors. The competition began in the early 1970s and has moved venue a few times, settling in Worthing from 2008 after 29 years along the coast at Bognor, then back to Bognor in recent years.

Helpful Hints

It was cancelled for 2020 and  2021 and hasn’t been staged since. Future dates are yet to be confirmed -there have been no updates on the Facebook page for some time.

Anyone can go to spectate, but competitors must be over 18 and the entry fee is £50. And remember that the platform is 30 feet high above the sea! It is now held every other year in odd numbered years so the next one should be 2019 on Sunday 1st September (it’s often in August but not this time) but has been cancelled, apparently for health and safety reasons.

There is a big screen so spectators can see close-ups from the platform and the commentary is easily audible all along the beach to the west of the pier. It’s fairly easy to get a good view as many of those watching sit on the pebbles or on deckchairs at the front of the beach.

Be aware that for safety reasons some of the timings may be altered or even cancelled in response to weather conditions.

Click here for the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bognorbirdman/



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