As athletes from around the world converged on London for the Olympics, another category of sportsperson gathered at Lasham airfield in the UK for what the Royal Aeronautical Society believes was the first-ever human-powered aircraft competition.
From 13-22 July, five aircraft flew 200m (650ft), 1km, slalom races and other challenges. Teams endured two crashes -- quickly repaired - and took advantage of bad weather breaks to make adjustments. Robin Kraike in "Airglow" won the Icarus Cup and its £2,000 ($3,120) first prize, ahead of David Barford's "Betterfly" and John Edgley's new canard design "EA 12", and teams from Bath and Southampton universities.
Source: Flight International
