Comment by BXLE_1-1-BitIs1

You need to keep your nose on the grindstone for years to progress to glider cross country flying. Then you end up as an instructor and have to finagle time in your own glider. There's a bunch of time upgrading and updating flight instruments. You need a viable glider club to have enough people to get you in the air between working on club aircraft, equipment and airfield issues.

These guys had a big oxygen tank.

It's nice to see they were using an Air Glide S and managed to make their goal against the odd 56kt headwind.