Birdman charity set for Friday

Manama : The 23rd British Club Annual Competition for ‘budding aviators’ is set to take place this Friday at the British Club premises in Mahooz from 3pm.

This event is organised by the Llongsteppers cycling section of the club and features a children’s category up to the age of 18 and a ‘not so grown-up’ adult category.

Participants are urged to wear fancy dress focused on popular and topical themes and personalities when they dive or jump into the pool. All participants are measured how far they can ‘fly’ down the length of the pool, but currently no one in the history of the competition has yet to jump the entire distance of the pool so far.

Annually around 50 participate in the children and adult sections and generate a great deal of support from the watching spectators in this fun event which is also a major charity event fund-raiser, which this year is for The Mission For Seafarers Society.

Participants can pay BD1 for a private entry or a BD20 company sponsored entry.

Every year a similar contest takes place in Sussex on the South of England coast where “budding aviators” attempt to fly by jumping off a pier. It started in 1971 at Selsey then went to Bognor Regis down the coast in 1978.

Since 2010, both Bognor Regis and Worthing organise the International Birdman Series with big prize money on offer.

To date none has succeeded and all have been caught by the safety net of the English Channel.

The “Spirit” of the British Club event is to have fun and have a great day out and see who can Fly The Furthest.

Prizes will be awarded in a number of categories for ‘Furthest Flight’, ‘Best Costume’ or ‘Machine’ and ‘Best Entertainment Value’. 

Further details are available from Andrew Savage on 39606439, Simon Cox on 39405921 and the British Club on 17728245.