Back off Bognor as Worthing Birdman is here to stay
WORTHING Birdman is here to stay – that's the message to the thousands of people who flocked to the event at the weekend as news emerges that Bognor Regis plans to bring its Birdman back to rival Worthing's event.
The day before Worthing Birdman 2009 began, the chairman of the Bognor Birdman committee announced the competition would be returning to Bognor Regis.
But Worthing town centre manager Sharon Clarke said the date for next year's Worthing Birdman has already been set and the return of Bognor's event will not put a dampener on plans.
Here to stay
She said: "Worthing and Birdman go together now and Worthing Birdman will be back and bigger in 2010.
"Worthing Birdman is now here to stay."
Mrs Clarke said she was sceptical about whether the Bognor event could safely go ahead.
The world-famous competition moved to Worthing for the first time last year after it was cancelled in Bognor Regis because of concerns about the safety of the pier.
Maintenance work left Bognor's pier 18.2 metres shorter and organisers feared the water was too shallow and could be dangerous for flyers.
However, the move to Worthing did ruffle a few feathers around Bognor this week with Peter Wells, from the Bognor Regis Chamber of Commerce, announcing that Worthing had just been "borrowing the event".
Bitter
Derek Trotman, former member of the Bognor Birdman Trust and one of the organisers of the Worthing Birdman competition, said: "I think they are just bitter because it is not in Bognor.
"I backed out of Bognor Birdman because it just wasn't safe any more.
"I could not live with myself if I had to stand next to someone in a wheelchair and I had said it was safe to jump.
"In my opinion, it will still not be safe to hold it from Bognor Pier next year unless they are willing to spend 5m restoring the pier to its original length."
Date set
Barry Jones, chairman of the Bognor Birdman committee, said he has set a date for the Bognor Regis International Birdman competition to return on September 11 and 12 next year.
He said: "Birdman is coming back to Bognor for 2010. It should never have stopped and I know an awful lot of people are desperate to see it back in the town and can't wait until next year.
"Birdman is Bognor's event, we won't try to replace Worthing Birdman, but people can make their own mind up about which to go to."
Mr Jones said despite not yet being given the go-ahead from health and safety advisors, he has received backing from business and key players in Bognor Regis and is adamant the event can return.
Worthing Birdman will take place on August 14-15, 2010.
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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Wind direction: West
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Light showers
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