After a blown out day we were all ready to take to the skies to battle out a 109kms cross-tailwind task to Avon park. I launched early and found myself hanging out with Oleg and Brett at the start gate waiting for the first start to come around. We were about the only ones in position to start so we did as it was light lift with lots of clouds at 3,000 ft. We struggled a little a long the course especially when we got surrounded by the lakes about half way to goal. Oleg was the lowest then Brett and I was king of the castle at about 1,000 ft just hoping for a early christmas to come and there to be only 2 litespeeds left in the air. However the world champion does not give up and he manages after about 25 minutes to climb back up to Brett and I. We had now drifted back on to course line and could see some other pilots from the later start but a long ways downwind. we took a couple more climbs then in one cloud about 25kms from goal Oleg dissapears and pops out about 500 feet higher out the side of the cloud. I was waiting for him to like wind down to our height but instead he tucks his arms in and glides off. As we approach the next cloud he is still that high that he goes through the cloud and once again pops out the other side mean while Brett and I are forced to stop and climb. We are now 17kms from goal and it looks dismal straight on course line so Oleg decided to head for a cloud way to the right as he was now some distance in front and higher I decided to go straight line and hope for a miracle as this would be the only way I could win the day. Brett followed Oleg but much lower and they were rewarded with a good climb about 12kms out. I was now low and in need of lift to make it to goal in the 5-10 knts crosswind. At about 8kms out I hit a 150 up and take it as I watch the others gliding high pass me on final I am still forced to climb another 1,000 ft before going on final for goal. I got there easy and as soon as I landed Oleg came up to me an apologised for (accidentally) getting sucked up in the cloud.........ummm.... well what can you do I honor him for at least apologising and admitting that he did the wrong thing but it is still not cool.. Hopefully he will not pull this trick out of that hat again during the comp, but only time will see. We scored 750 points for the day with 15 pilots into goal.