IBrogden

Last updated at 00:00, Friday, 07 December 2007

WORKINGTON’S Martin Sandwith has been crowned UK National Paragliding Cross-Country League champion for 2007.

The 34-year-old beat off fierce competition from 160 pilots across Britain to land the title.

He is the first Cumbrian to hit the heights nationally by making stunning long-distance paraglider flights. He was presented with the championship trophy at the NEC, Birmingham.

Sandwith’s triumph at the Sport & Leisure Aviation Show came amid claims he had cynically exploited the rules.

The accusation was levelled at him by a pilot in the Midlands and posted on a website.

The Workington flier's response was robust.

He defended his tactics with a reply under the title, Is It Fair a Northern Numpty Should Win the UK XC League? He signed his defence Marra.

The response was overwhelming.

Many paraglider pilots replied in his defence, their collective opinion being he had won the championship fair and square.

The pilot who made the original criticism backed down with a website message saying he had spoken rashly and offering an unreserved apology.

"It was quite heartening at the NEC," said Martin, a roofer by trade. "Lots of paraglider pilots were there among the thousands of people at the show.

"Quite a few came up to me, shook hands and said 'Well done, Marra!' I wasn't worried anyway. I knew my tactics had been sound. It was just a case of handbags, really.

"The league takes into account your best six flights. I had six big flights this summer.

"I was top of the league for several months. What had worried me was the next four pilots in the league were all top national team flyers. I was on tenterhooks in case any of them pipped me at the post."

He said winning the league was nice, but it was not the main event.

His partner Melanie Smith, who lives with him at Low Seaton, presented him with a baby girl 10 days before he collected his trophy.

"She's a bonny little girl weighing 8lb," he said. "We're calling her Aisha."

First published at 18:21, Thursday, 24 January 2008
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk