Day 5 (Task 3)
Light winds forecast and so we went to Mt. Buffalo, a scenic launch off a wooden ramp over a rock gorge. The task was set for 160km with three turnpoints before goal. The conditions looked great… until we took off! We scratched around take-off eventually climbing in broken thermals over launch to around 8000ft then gaggling up near the edge of the first start.
Thursday 17 January 2008
Wednesday 16 January 2008
Day 4 (Task 2)
Yesterdays score put Jonny ahead of me by 50 or so points… Little reward to be gained for setting off first as there are no leading bonus or departure points in this comp!!
Today’s weather was up in the air for a while with the forecast of an incoming front set to change the winds from moderate northerly to southerly and increase significantly. A task was set From Mt. Emu north westerly launch. First 40k to the north along the ridges to Gundowring north then 20k south to running creek before returning to turnpoint 1 again then goal at Bullioh for 108km total distance. Conditions on launch were gusty and switching occasionally from the north. Launch remained closed to competitors for a while until wind dummy, and International Man of Mystery, Steve (Austin Powers/Windy) Gale reported back real time conditions, having free flown, to get the party started…
There was a ten minute slot in which anyone outside the top 18 could launch if they chose to (open window) before the ordered launch commenced. Because of the changeable conditions only four people got away. I took off immediately behind Oli with Jonny behind me and we climbed out to 8000ft in a rough but strong thermal. The climbs were not as frequent as the day before and so most just tried to maintain height before the start. At the edge of the start with only a minute and a half to go I meandered into an 8up and was immediately joined by around 20 others and the clock started as we climbed out to 10 000ft precisely (as that is the Aussie airspace limit). I set off on course and within the first five km a few of the pack turned back to apparently take the second start.. A smart move as it turned out… Still with the pack in tow we reached the end of the range with 10k to go to the first turnpoint and took a final, but slow, climb before gliding out and back. One or two braver guys stayed in the valley for a more direct track to the second turnpoint. Back along the low ridges we made good progress to easily take the turnpoint and head back to the north again. This is where the guys who took the valley route got their pay off… Along the range I glided along gradually losing more and more height waiting for the thermal that would get me to the next turnpoint. After ten or fifteen minutes It came along but not before I watched the valley guys soar above my head on the way to goal and the second start pilots catch me up! I took the turnpoint at 6000ft and headed straight for goal without stopping on the ridges again. I could see the other pilots ahead stopping in weakies to top up. Goal was 30k away but with a strong-ish (15kph) tailwind, even the terrible glides were enough to put me within range of the leading guys thermal. I joined the bottom of their lift just as they left on glide to goal. With an 11:1 glide to goal I set off cautiously as there was another ridge blocking my path, however, this proved to be no problem as the air slowly rose above the hill and allowed me to fast glide the remaining 4km beating one guy ahead of me in (small recompense)!
I was about twelfth in today but with so many taking the second start I don’t anticipate a good score.
Yesterdays score put Jonny ahead of me by 50 or so points… Little reward to be gained for setting off first as there are no leading bonus or departure points in this comp!!
Today’s weather was up in the air for a while with the forecast of an incoming front set to change the winds from moderate northerly to southerly and increase significantly. A task was set From Mt. Emu north westerly launch. First 40k to the north along the ridges to Gundowring north then 20k south to running creek before returning to turnpoint 1 again then goal at Bullioh for 108km total distance. Conditions on launch were gusty and switching occasionally from the north. Launch remained closed to competitors for a while until wind dummy, and International Man of Mystery, Steve (Austin Powers/Windy) Gale reported back real time conditions, having free flown, to get the party started…
There was a ten minute slot in which anyone outside the top 18 could launch if they chose to (open window) before the ordered launch commenced. Because of the changeable conditions only four people got away. I took off immediately behind Oli with Jonny behind me and we climbed out to 8000ft in a rough but strong thermal. The climbs were not as frequent as the day before and so most just tried to maintain height before the start. At the edge of the start with only a minute and a half to go I meandered into an 8up and was immediately joined by around 20 others and the clock started as we climbed out to 10 000ft precisely (as that is the Aussie airspace limit). I set off on course and within the first five km a few of the pack turned back to apparently take the second start.. A smart move as it turned out… Still with the pack in tow we reached the end of the range with 10k to go to the first turnpoint and took a final, but slow, climb before gliding out and back. One or two braver guys stayed in the valley for a more direct track to the second turnpoint. Back along the low ridges we made good progress to easily take the turnpoint and head back to the north again. This is where the guys who took the valley route got their pay off… Along the range I glided along gradually losing more and more height waiting for the thermal that would get me to the next turnpoint. After ten or fifteen minutes It came along but not before I watched the valley guys soar above my head on the way to goal and the second start pilots catch me up! I took the turnpoint at 6000ft and headed straight for goal without stopping on the ridges again. I could see the other pilots ahead stopping in weakies to top up. Goal was 30k away but with a strong-ish (15kph) tailwind, even the terrible glides were enough to put me within range of the leading guys thermal. I joined the bottom of their lift just as they left on glide to goal. With an 11:1 glide to goal I set off cautiously as there was another ridge blocking my path, however, this proved to be no problem as the air slowly rose above the hill and allowed me to fast glide the remaining 4km beating one guy ahead of me in (small recompense)!
I was about twelfth in today but with so many taking the second start I don’t anticipate a good score.
Sunday 13 January 2008
Bogong Cup 2008
Day one
Blown out and storms forecast today.. Twelve of us took a trip to Falls Creek with the French team for a look around... Nice place but not much in the way of snow!!! It would be great to see a task set over here as the scenery is simply stunning!!!
Day 2 Canned due to high winds… beautiful day for a trip to the Bright Brewery though!!! Several pints later wobbled back for an early night…
Day 3
Light Northerlies saw us set up on Mt. Emu for a 114km task via Gundowring, Ovens then Running Creek before returning to Mount Beauty airstrip. I had said I planned to be a follower today as I was new to the area (last year was too smoky to see on the one day we did fly due to forest fires). Oh Contraire! It turned out that I led the pack most of the course as the flying was so very similar to North Wales but in a much larger scale. Climbs were mostly 6 to 8up and were always above the peaks of the hills (around 4500ft). With climbs taking us to 8000ft on average and occasionally peaking at 9000’ the course was straightforward. Between the first and second turnpoints there was one valley where the glide took us below ridge height, and within attack range of the Eagles for some unlucky pilots, but the climbs were strong and we were soon racing again. On the glide to the last turnpoint I took a leap of faith when I spotted a paraglider launch into lift maybe 2km ahead and within glide, even when taking in the turnpoint..! This put me almost a minute ahead of the next guy (Oli Barthelemes) and I straight lined the next 25km across the ridge tops to make goal first on the first day.
Jonny Durand raced in ten minutes later having taken the second start so we shall have to see the results to find out who won the day!!
Blown out and storms forecast today.. Twelve of us took a trip to Falls Creek with the French team for a look around... Nice place but not much in the way of snow!!! It would be great to see a task set over here as the scenery is simply stunning!!!
Day 2 Canned due to high winds… beautiful day for a trip to the Bright Brewery though!!! Several pints later wobbled back for an early night…
Day 3
Light Northerlies saw us set up on Mt. Emu for a 114km task via Gundowring, Ovens then Running Creek before returning to Mount Beauty airstrip. I had said I planned to be a follower today as I was new to the area (last year was too smoky to see on the one day we did fly due to forest fires). Oh Contraire! It turned out that I led the pack most of the course as the flying was so very similar to North Wales but in a much larger scale. Climbs were mostly 6 to 8up and were always above the peaks of the hills (around 4500ft). With climbs taking us to 8000ft on average and occasionally peaking at 9000’ the course was straightforward. Between the first and second turnpoints there was one valley where the glide took us below ridge height, and within attack range of the Eagles for some unlucky pilots, but the climbs were strong and we were soon racing again. On the glide to the last turnpoint I took a leap of faith when I spotted a paraglider launch into lift maybe 2km ahead and within glide, even when taking in the turnpoint..! This put me almost a minute ahead of the next guy (Oli Barthelemes) and I straight lined the next 25km across the ridge tops to make goal first on the first day.
Jonny Durand raced in ten minutes later having taken the second start so we shall have to see the results to find out who won the day!!
Perfect racing sky at goal on the last day....
Day 8
Last and final day…. Although 8th in yesterday I was 23rd overall in the day scores having taken the first window..!
With a light north easterly a crosswind then downwind dogleg was set at 134km. The lift early on was strong with 8up lift from 1pm onwards but the sink was equally strong and the clouds had not yet started to form. I waited for the second, and mandatory, start. Seconds before the clock I hit a 10up and made base just on the edge of the circle making for the perfect start. With the big boys in tow I raced off on course heading for the next good cloud…. Managed to core the next two climbs and stay ahead of most of the pack at a staggering pace.. Len Paton was close behind when I glided for the turnpoint 15k out from 8200’. We hit horrendous sink and ended up scrabbling around searching for lift for what seemed ages before taking a 1.5up at 200ft agl. Eventually we climbed out to take the turnpoint then headed back on course for goal some 60k away. We raced through the sink to the sunny ground and rocketed back up to 9600ft where the instruments said go for it…! I glided to 32k and topped up a few turns as I required a 15:1 glide but was only making 12:1. Again at 8km away I had run through a sink hole so topped up again in a dusty with two wedge tailed eagles for a fast glide into goal narrowly beating Trent Brown (again). Had it not been for the poor glide into the turnpoint I had a real chance of winning the task today… Oh well we live and learn! 44 people made goal today..! Lots of smiling faces!!
Well I finally arrived in Oz after a mere 23 hours of travelling… I met Forrest Whittaker on the flight to Abu Dhabi.. Interesting guy to talk to. Got a few snaps with him… It’s New Years Eve at 8am and it’s already 22 degrees and sunny. I stayed with Roland Woherle and a few other Germans for the day and took in a day at the beach, swimming and surfing, before ringing the New Year in with them down at the harbour bridge… Perfect!
Practice Day
Finally got all my gear together and took a tow up to 1500ft for a two hour boat around. It was great to see the tow paddock so green and had been rolled and mowed in preparation for the comp. The zipper on my harness jammed open so a less than comfortable flight but I was still feeling the jetlag and so persevered rather than go back and re-tow.
Day 1
With a forecast for Blue sky thermals to 8000’ and a 12 to 18 knot easterly wind, a task was set to Burgooley (west of West Wyalong at 124km). There is a Mandatory start time each day for the top 20 pilots in the overall scores which was set as the second start (generally there are 3 starts planned with 20 minute intervals). I started in 15th place for the day and so would be scored from the second start regardless. Most guys hung around a while after launch opened as there appeared to be little lift around. A few guys who launched early found rough towing conditions breaking weak links here and there which most pilots put down to inexperience. With 40 mins before the mandatory start I got in line and took a tow and wouldn’t you know it… I had a weak link break! U got to the edge of the start cylinder 4 mins after the mandatory start and set off on route straight away. I flew most of the flight alone and so was relatively slow making goal.
Day 2
Today was forecast for good conditions with a 12 to 14 knot south easterly so Hillston 224km to the west was called with a light cross-tailwind. The start was slow and as the sky filled with cirrus a lot of people thought the task unachievable. A few guys took the first start and ambled slowly down the course. I hung around as we only had 4500ft and there was a huge band of high cloud casting shadow over the first half of the course. It seemed the sensible option to wait for the better pilots to help me along. With only a minute to the mandatory start a gaggle formed within half a kilometre of the exit start circle and as the clock turned we set off downwind with only 4800ft at a steady pace. The gaggle stayed together in the weak conditions for around 90km when we eventually cleared the cloud shadow and made our first climb out to 7000ft. Dust devils were forming all around and in the blue sky conditions that we had turned out to be invaluable markers for lift! As the gaggle split and raced off in a starburst, I teamed up with Steve Moyes, Alex Trivelato and Steve Blenkinsop and stopped only in 5up climbs minimum topping out at around 8000’. At one point we had glided for around 20km and were getting desperate for lift when Steve turned in something strong half a km to my south. I raced across and by the time I joined his thermal he was already 1000’ above me. In a couple of turns I was coring the lift and watched as my vario went from 4.8 to 9.4 to 12.6 then after that I simply held on as the vario noise went berserk! I looked down through the central vortex of probably the biggest dust devil I had ever seen; It was the width of a football field and went from the ground up to maybe 5000ft (when I came to check my instruments later it turned out to have peaked momentarily at over 20up!). I shot past Steve and topped out at a massive 9400ft and set off on glide making it to within 30km of goal where we found several other pilots struggling low. We applied the brakes and searched for a top up whilst still at 5000ft. When the numbers gave me 14:1 glide in I pulled out and set off on final glide from 18km needing only a few turns more around the 8k mark to make goal 9th on the day!
Day 3
The task today was set for a downwind, crosswind into wind course. Setup in 15th overall from yesterday I was 7th in the tow line. I rigged and got setup up ready to go and when I turned on my vario at the task brief it froze! When I tried to enter the menu it locked up and would not reset or turn off. With only ten minutes to the launch open I tried to reset but to no avail… I had to bite the bullet and fly using only the Garmin 12XL to guide me on course. With all the delays I got in line for a tow and was still on the ground when my mandatory start time passed! I was not alone in this as it turned out the task committee had set the first start only 40 mins after launch opened and many people were stuck in line. Trying to make up time I set off racing with Luis Rizo and Trent Brown. We had four perfect thermals in a row to 6600’ gliding from cloud to cloud each time before we hit the blue sky. As we searched for lift it became apparent we had flown into a different airmass and we got lower and lower until almost on the ground Trent found a thermal not yet popped and managed to maintain 200ft whilst Luis and I, both a little higher, searched around for something better. We headed for a flock of Gulaws circling near to a road. They led us into a trap as they were following a procession of cattle and not lift. A thermal did spark off though it turned out too late for me as we stumbled into it at tree top height. Without a working vario I had to make a bomb out landing at only 47km and watched as both Luis and Trent climbed out above me.
Day 4
A triangle was set in what proved to be strong and increasing winds. The task committee took the weather info from a large scale model and did not foresee the wind strength which topped at 36kph at cloudbase. Not too good today... :O(
Day 5
Brief 1,2,3,4,5… Another Triangle set with a downwind first leg to Grenfell which proved an easy glide with 3 thermals. The second leg to Eugowra proved far more difficult and with the late start the climbs got weaker as the day progressed.. Most landed out including me at TP2
Day 6
A 147km cross downwind task was called to Boorowa in the higher ground. With weak climbs at the first window only a couple of pilots were brave enough to set off early. I was second in the air but chose to wait for the second start as the thermals became better developed and the clouds began to set up on route. Climbs were averaging 4up and choosing the right glide line was paramount today as there was a lot of sinky air about. The clouds did not always work so choosing the right one was important. I was continuing to have problems with my shoulder and back so boated around the course kicking upright in my harness to thermal each time. This proved very inefficient allowing the gaggles to easily escape me but served its purpose and got me to goal albeit slow.
Turned out I got a little too much sun on day 3 and had either heatstroke or sunstroke... terrible aches and pains with headache and dehydration.. Soon remedied when you recognise it... took me a whilke though.
Day 7
Still in 30th place :O( But feeling a little better although the shoulder was still niggling. I had a massage booked prior to flight which I hoped would help, but…. The masseuse was crook!!! Typical…! Task set of 189km to the Southwest with a blue sky and moderate North Easterly forecast. Flew very conservatively taking first window turned out to be a mistake today as the lift was light and broken with average climbs of around 3up for the first 50 to 60km. only five of us set out initially including Trent Brown, Phil Schroder, Jeff Shapiro and the Rusky Girl who’s name remains a mystery. We struggled a little to keep above 3500ft. Then the clouds started to form and the pace hotted up. The lead gaggle caught up at the 100km to go mark and then it became a race. Several of them got away almost immediately in a pumping core and Trent and I managed to stick with the rest often taking the lead. We final glided from almost 40km out slowing up for lift at 32km under a big sucking cloud but no need to turn here! I had lift all the way in though most took a more direct line and hit big sink. This allowed me to regain a few places and came in in 8th place at goal! Result!!!!
Practice Day
Finally got all my gear together and took a tow up to 1500ft for a two hour boat around. It was great to see the tow paddock so green and had been rolled and mowed in preparation for the comp. The zipper on my harness jammed open so a less than comfortable flight but I was still feeling the jetlag and so persevered rather than go back and re-tow.
Day 1
With a forecast for Blue sky thermals to 8000’ and a 12 to 18 knot easterly wind, a task was set to Burgooley (west of West Wyalong at 124km). There is a Mandatory start time each day for the top 20 pilots in the overall scores which was set as the second start (generally there are 3 starts planned with 20 minute intervals). I started in 15th place for the day and so would be scored from the second start regardless. Most guys hung around a while after launch opened as there appeared to be little lift around. A few guys who launched early found rough towing conditions breaking weak links here and there which most pilots put down to inexperience. With 40 mins before the mandatory start I got in line and took a tow and wouldn’t you know it… I had a weak link break! U got to the edge of the start cylinder 4 mins after the mandatory start and set off on route straight away. I flew most of the flight alone and so was relatively slow making goal.
Day 2
Today was forecast for good conditions with a 12 to 14 knot south easterly so Hillston 224km to the west was called with a light cross-tailwind. The start was slow and as the sky filled with cirrus a lot of people thought the task unachievable. A few guys took the first start and ambled slowly down the course. I hung around as we only had 4500ft and there was a huge band of high cloud casting shadow over the first half of the course. It seemed the sensible option to wait for the better pilots to help me along. With only a minute to the mandatory start a gaggle formed within half a kilometre of the exit start circle and as the clock turned we set off downwind with only 4800ft at a steady pace. The gaggle stayed together in the weak conditions for around 90km when we eventually cleared the cloud shadow and made our first climb out to 7000ft. Dust devils were forming all around and in the blue sky conditions that we had turned out to be invaluable markers for lift! As the gaggle split and raced off in a starburst, I teamed up with Steve Moyes, Alex Trivelato and Steve Blenkinsop and stopped only in 5up climbs minimum topping out at around 8000’. At one point we had glided for around 20km and were getting desperate for lift when Steve turned in something strong half a km to my south. I raced across and by the time I joined his thermal he was already 1000’ above me. In a couple of turns I was coring the lift and watched as my vario went from 4.8 to 9.4 to 12.6 then after that I simply held on as the vario noise went berserk! I looked down through the central vortex of probably the biggest dust devil I had ever seen; It was the width of a football field and went from the ground up to maybe 5000ft (when I came to check my instruments later it turned out to have peaked momentarily at over 20up!). I shot past Steve and topped out at a massive 9400ft and set off on glide making it to within 30km of goal where we found several other pilots struggling low. We applied the brakes and searched for a top up whilst still at 5000ft. When the numbers gave me 14:1 glide in I pulled out and set off on final glide from 18km needing only a few turns more around the 8k mark to make goal 9th on the day!
Day 3
The task today was set for a downwind, crosswind into wind course. Setup in 15th overall from yesterday I was 7th in the tow line. I rigged and got setup up ready to go and when I turned on my vario at the task brief it froze! When I tried to enter the menu it locked up and would not reset or turn off. With only ten minutes to the launch open I tried to reset but to no avail… I had to bite the bullet and fly using only the Garmin 12XL to guide me on course. With all the delays I got in line for a tow and was still on the ground when my mandatory start time passed! I was not alone in this as it turned out the task committee had set the first start only 40 mins after launch opened and many people were stuck in line. Trying to make up time I set off racing with Luis Rizo and Trent Brown. We had four perfect thermals in a row to 6600’ gliding from cloud to cloud each time before we hit the blue sky. As we searched for lift it became apparent we had flown into a different airmass and we got lower and lower until almost on the ground Trent found a thermal not yet popped and managed to maintain 200ft whilst Luis and I, both a little higher, searched around for something better. We headed for a flock of Gulaws circling near to a road. They led us into a trap as they were following a procession of cattle and not lift. A thermal did spark off though it turned out too late for me as we stumbled into it at tree top height. Without a working vario I had to make a bomb out landing at only 47km and watched as both Luis and Trent climbed out above me.
Day 4
A triangle was set in what proved to be strong and increasing winds. The task committee took the weather info from a large scale model and did not foresee the wind strength which topped at 36kph at cloudbase. Not too good today... :O(
Day 5
Brief 1,2,3,4,5… Another Triangle set with a downwind first leg to Grenfell which proved an easy glide with 3 thermals. The second leg to Eugowra proved far more difficult and with the late start the climbs got weaker as the day progressed.. Most landed out including me at TP2
Day 6
A 147km cross downwind task was called to Boorowa in the higher ground. With weak climbs at the first window only a couple of pilots were brave enough to set off early. I was second in the air but chose to wait for the second start as the thermals became better developed and the clouds began to set up on route. Climbs were averaging 4up and choosing the right glide line was paramount today as there was a lot of sinky air about. The clouds did not always work so choosing the right one was important. I was continuing to have problems with my shoulder and back so boated around the course kicking upright in my harness to thermal each time. This proved very inefficient allowing the gaggles to easily escape me but served its purpose and got me to goal albeit slow.
Turned out I got a little too much sun on day 3 and had either heatstroke or sunstroke... terrible aches and pains with headache and dehydration.. Soon remedied when you recognise it... took me a whilke though.
Day 7
Still in 30th place :O( But feeling a little better although the shoulder was still niggling. I had a massage booked prior to flight which I hoped would help, but…. The masseuse was crook!!! Typical…! Task set of 189km to the Southwest with a blue sky and moderate North Easterly forecast. Flew very conservatively taking first window turned out to be a mistake today as the lift was light and broken with average climbs of around 3up for the first 50 to 60km. only five of us set out initially including Trent Brown, Phil Schroder, Jeff Shapiro and the Rusky Girl who’s name remains a mystery. We struggled a little to keep above 3500ft. Then the clouds started to form and the pace hotted up. The lead gaggle caught up at the 100km to go mark and then it became a race. Several of them got away almost immediately in a pumping core and Trent and I managed to stick with the rest often taking the lead. We final glided from almost 40km out slowing up for lift at 32km under a big sucking cloud but no need to turn here! I had lift all the way in though most took a more direct line and hit big sink. This allowed me to regain a few places and came in in 8th place at goal! Result!!!!
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