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Name: Russell Cheetham
Country: UK
Date of birth: 2nd June 1961
Class: gp
Glider: ASG29
Contest number: E1

Russell goes into the 2006 Qualifying GP having won Gold and Silver medals in the 2004 and 2005 European Championships in Open Class. In 2004, Russell completed a record breaking flight of 1020 kilometres in the UK (the first FAI 1000 km diploma ever flown in the UK). Amongst many other achievements are 4 UK National Championship wins in Standard and more recently in Open Class.

Having been interested in model flying, Russell took up gliding on the advice of a friend and has never looked back: "Gliding gives you a special opportunity to taste nature by simulating birds in some of the most beautiful places in the World" Then add the "rush" of competition and it has everything. Russell is also a keen sailor and can often be found in his RS400 on Rutland Water.

He now flies from Husbands Bosworth airfield in Leicestershire, where his wife is also an avid glider pilot having won Regional Championships.
They have 2 children - Kim (7) and Alex (5), and Russell is keen to enjoy time with his young family without denting his gliding ambitions.
Russell is the joint owner of a baby nursery equipment manufacturer.