By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:53 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:01 EST, 27 February 2014 . Stephen Elkins won the 2009 Worthing International Birdman contest but also claimed the £30,000 bonus for 'flying' 100 metres off the town's pier . A champion birdman was brought down to earth yesterday – losing his court claim for a £30,000 prize. Stephen Elkins won the 2009 Worthing International Birdman contest but also claimed the £30,000 bonus for ‘flying’ 100 metres off the town’s pier. However, officials said the 51-year-old managed only 99.86m in his modified glider before hitting the sea. It led to a long dispute that ended in Brighton County Court when His Honour Jonathan Simpkiss ruled that he was ‘not satisfied’ the competitor had crossed the mark. Judges conceded that the triangulation technique used to measure flights could be as much as five metres out. Mr Elkins, from Hope, Derbyshire, claimed that the margin of error meant he should have been awarded the prize. ‘What I object to is having to fly well past the 100-metre mark to be awarded a prize for flying 100 metres,’ he said. He added: 'I feel that I went the distance. When I came up in the water I was right next to the buoy.' Birdman judge Jim Brooks said the distance awarded to Mr Elkins - a hang-glider designer - was the furthest of the organisers’ calculations. He defended the triangulation technique used but conceded it was only accurate to between one and five metres. That means the actual result of Mr Elkins’ flight - in front of thousands of spectators on August 22, 2009 - will never be known. Mr Brooks said: 'It was a brilliant flight. If he had just gone a couple of metres past then it would have been a clear win. 'We judged that the buoys were being dragged back towards the pier at the time and that he fell short of the 100m mark. 'Everyone wants to see it won. It would be such a fantastic achievement and great publicity for the event.' Mr Elkins said the inaccuracy of the judges’ measurement technique meant his flight was within their tolerance and should have been deemed a winner. He said: 'If they can be up to five metres out then I have clearly flown the distance. 'I was very lucky to get things coming together on the day and the chances of that happening again are slim.' The judges used triangulation and trigonometry, developed by Greek mathematician Pythagoras, to measure the distance flown by the birdmen . Judge Simpkiss said: 'It is clearly a difficult matter to measure the distance flown by the competitors in this competition and this must be judged against the context, which is of a fun competition with some serious competitors. 'It has not yet reached the sophistication of horseracing or international athletics and no evidence has been advanced to suggest otherwise. 'Unlike the long-jump or discus, a mark is not left in the sand pit or ground which can then be measured. 'I conclude that the claimant has not satisfied me that, in accordance with the rules, he flew the required distance and has not made out his case for the Jackpot Prize. 'The judges made a decision not to award the prize. The claim is therefore dismissed.' He added: 'Even if I am wrong and there is now evidence to justify the prize being awarded the evidence did not exist until long after the end of the competition. 'It was far too late for there to have been a successful challenge by that stage.' The judgement came as a relief to organisers Worthing Town Centre Initiative, which has insurance to cover the cost of a Jackpot Prize win. Had they lost, they would have faced a huge hike in premiums, which could have threatened the running of the event. Chairman Chris Spratt said: 'The Birdman event is free to spectators and provides fantastic family fun while raising the profile of the town and raising thousands of pounds for charities. Judge Simpkiss said: 'It is clearly a difficult matter to measure the distance flown by the competitors in this competition and this must be judged against the context, which is of a fun competition with some serious competitors' 'The WTCI see themselves as guardians of business and public funds that are used for the good of Worthing and the last thing we wanted was a legal case wasting money because of a spurious claim. 'We had no option but to defend our position vigorously and we are pleased that a judge has found our actions to be credible. 'We can now get on with our objectives and championing Worthing Town Centre.' Mr Elkins said he was 'pretty devastated' by the verdict having vociferously put his claim across for nearly five years. He added: 'I am very frustrated. I do not think they understand the ramifications. 'The ruling is very peculiar and hard to understand but perhaps I am too close to the case.' Mr Elkins said costs for the case had not been awarded yet but hoped he would not have to pay both sides’ legal expenses. He added: 'I am not optimistic.' The judges used triangulation and trigonometry, developed by Greek mathematician Pythagoras, to measure the distance flown by the birdmen. Three observers measured the angle between their points and the landing spot of each contestant.One of them is on the pier below the flyers, one on the promenade at the base of the pier, and one on the promenade at the 100m mark. Knowing the distance between each of the three measuring points, they then calculate the distance flown using mathematical equations governing the angles within triangles. But the system is not perfect and with the buoys used as distance markers tethered to the seabed and therefore at the whim of the tide, it can never be 100 per cent accurate.
Stephen Elkins won the 2009 Worthing International Birdman contest .
He also claimed the £30,000 bonus for ‘flying’ 100 metres off pier .
However, officials said 51-year-old managed only 99.86m in modified glider .
Today a judge has said he was 'not satisfied' he had crossed the mark .
By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:53 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:01 EST, 27 February 2014 . Stephen Elkins won the 2009 Worthing International Birdman contest but also claimed the £30,000 bonus for 'flying' 100 metres off the town's pier . A champion birdman was brought down to earth yesterday – losing his court claim for a £30,000 prize. Stephen Elkins won the 2009 Worthing International Birdman contest but also claimed the £30,000 bonus for ‘flying’ 100 metres off the town’s pier. However, officials said the 51-year-old managed only 99.86m in his modified glider before hitting the sea. It led to a long dispute that ended in Brighton County Court when His Honour Jonathan Simpkiss ruled that he was ‘not satisfied’ the competitor had crossed the mark. Judges conceded that the triangulation technique used to measure flights could be as much as five metres out. Mr Elkins, from Hope, Derbyshire, claimed that the margin of error meant he should have been awarded the prize. ‘What I object to is having to fly well past the 100-metre mark to be awarded a prize for flying 100 metres,’ he said. He added: 'I feel that I went the distance. When I came up in the water I was right next to the buoy.' Birdman judge Jim Brooks said the distance awarded to Mr Elkins - a hang-glider designer - was the furthest of the organisers’ calculations. He defended the triangulation technique used but conceded it was only accurate to between one and five metres. That means the actual result of Mr Elkins’ flight - in front of thousands of spectators on August 22, 2009 - will never be known. Mr Brooks said: 'It was a brilliant flight. If he had just gone a couple of metres past then it would have been a clear win. 'We judged that the buoys were being dragged back towards the pier at the time and that he fell short of the 100m mark. 'Everyone wants to see it won. It would be such a fantastic achievement and great publicity for the event.' Mr Elkins said the inaccuracy of the judges’ measurement technique meant his flight was within their tolerance and should have been deemed a winner. He said: 'If they can be up to five metres out then I have clearly flown the distance. 'I was very lucky to get things coming together on the day and the chances of that happening again are slim.' The judges used triangulation and trigonometry, developed by Greek mathematician Pythagoras, to measure the distance flown by the birdmen . Judge Simpkiss said: 'It is clearly a difficult matter to measure the distance flown by the competitors in this competition and this must be judged against the context, which is of a fun competition with some serious competitors. 'It has not yet reached the sophistication of horseracing or international athletics and no evidence has been advanced to suggest otherwise. 'Unlike the long-jump or discus, a mark is not left in the sand pit or ground which can then be measured. 'I conclude that the claimant has not satisfied me that, in accordance with the rules, he flew the required distance and has not made out his case for the Jackpot Prize. 'The judges made a decision not to award the prize. The claim is therefore dismissed.' He added: 'Even if I am wrong and there is now evidence to justify the prize being awarded the evidence did not exist until long after the end of the competition. 'It was far too late for there to have been a successful challenge by that stage.' The judgement came as a relief to organisers Worthing Town Centre Initiative, which has insurance to cover the cost of a Jackpot Prize win. Had they lost, they would have faced a huge hike in premiums, which could have threatened the running of the event. Chairman Chris Spratt said: 'The Birdman event is free to spectators and provides fantastic family fun while raising the profile of the town and raising thousands of pounds for charities. Judge Simpkiss said: 'It is clearly a difficult matter to measure the distance flown by the competitors in this competition and this must be judged against the context, which is of a fun competition with some serious competitors' 'The WTCI see themselves as guardians of business and public funds that are used for the good of Worthing and the last thing we wanted was a legal case wasting money because of a spurious claim. 'We had no option but to defend our position vigorously and we are pleased that a judge has found our actions to be credible. 'We can now get on with our objectives and championing Worthing Town Centre.' Mr Elkins said he was 'pretty devastated' by the verdict having vociferously put his claim across for nearly five years. He added: 'I am very frustrated. I do not think they understand the ramifications. 'The ruling is very peculiar and hard to understand but perhaps I am too close to the case.' Mr Elkins said costs for the case had not been awarded yet but hoped he would not have to pay both sides’ legal expenses. He added: 'I am not optimistic.' The judges used triangulation and trigonometry, developed by Greek mathematician Pythagoras, to measure the distance flown by the birdmen. Three observers measured the angle between their points and the landing spot of each contestant.One of them is on the pier below the flyers, one on the promenade at the base of the pier, and one on the promenade at the 100m mark. Knowing the distance between each of the three measuring points, they then calculate the distance flown using mathematical equations governing the angles within triangles. But the system is not perfect and with the buoys used as distance markers tethered to the seabed and therefore at the whim of the tide, it can never be 100 per cent accurate.
February 2014 . Stephen Elkins won the 2009 won the 2009 Worthing International Birdman contest but also claimed the £30,000 bonus for ‘flying’ 100 metres off the town’s pier. However, officials said the 51-year-old managed only 99.86m in his modified glider before hitting the Simpkiss ruled that he was ‘not satisfied’ the competitor had crossed the mark. Judges conceded