RSSHEADLINES SKYSPORTS

As we were setting up at the “Bill Moyes International Airport”, we saw a area of overcast and rain moving towards us creating shade just as the first pilots were towing up.

I was way back in line to tow at 21. position in the green line, and it took a very long time to get all pilots airborne today. The bad clouds were over us by the time I could start. I got towed into rain, and it became quite heavy as as I was thermalling up in weak lift, I got soaked and the weak lift turned into heavy sink, so I had to run downwind and find another very weak thermal to try to stay airborne while the glider dried up a little.

I eventually got to 1200 meters drifting in a weak thermal, but got some very bad lines after both the next low saves and lost a lot of time. Around halfway to goal I had to cross over a shaded area with no indications of good lift anywhere, and no other gliders were visible ahead of me. It did not work and I had to land 86km from goal.

It was one of those days when the timing with lift and couds just never linked up for me. In retrospect I should have waited at the last cloudbase for some more pilots to join or just to drift a little more before crossing the shade, as the rest of the courseline had lots of sun and good clouds all the way to goal.

Olav Opsanger made goal with a very good time, Olav Lien, Erland and Thomas also landed out, as did many others, it was a difficult day with high winds and broken rough lift.

Forecast for tomorrow is less winds and better lift, hope it turns out true.