Sunday, April 30, 2006

Japan Nationals

Day 1 The weather prediction was looking somewhat promising with light winds and some clouds. As we reached the top of the mountain we could clearly see there was a strong inversion well below hill height that would need to break before anything was going to happen. I was surprised to see so many pilots here for the comp I was beginning to think I was at a major international championship with around 80 kamikaze pilots. It is very difficult for me to understand much here so I am kind of in my own world, which sometimes is not to bad of a thing if you know what I mean. Noma explained the task to me in English, which was nice as there was no way I, would figure it out otherwise. We had a 60kms task with 4 turn points before returning back to the main landing field at the base of the mountain. I launched about 20th and soon found a good climb and managed to dodge and weave my way through the gaggle and climb to the top just in time for the first start gate. We the nature of the task I was planning to do the 2nd start but my boss Toru San told me the best thing to do is to follow Koji diamond San as he would be the one to watch out for this comp. Well I was in the right position for that at the start and he left just below me so I thought oh well I might as well go, it was a silky smooth glide as I think we were now above the inversion that had not quite broken on the flatlands. We glided almost 20kms to the first turn point before taking some weak lift and drifting into the sector. I left toward the 2nd turn point and found another shitty climb, at this point I was wishing that I had done the later start now as I knew it would not be difficult to catch up 15 minutes. Just before the 2nd turn point diamond san went back for some gliders turning but I pushed on and did the turn point and glided for the 3rd low. I noticed a fire that had started a little of course but I thought it would be the best chance of breaking through the inversion. Well it got me a little higher than previous climbs and I was now able to connect back to the clouds and was rewarded with a 600 up to 2,200m. There were about 4 others just below me 10kms out from the 3rd turn point we glided all they way there in like convergence and I was pressing on through good lift hoping to pull away from the others. I rounded the 3rd and headed back for the last turn point hoping that I would not have to stop and thermal again. The last turn point was only 6kms from goal so final glide computer did not work until I reached the 4th turn point. As I rounded the turn point I looked at my numbers and I was +200ft on my numbers so I kept going soon I found out that there was a much stronger wind lower and my numbers were dropping fast. I was now approaching the city and was not going to make it over so I tried for a low save and that just drifted me downwind until eventually I gave up 20 feet off the ground. Lucky for me the others were also there on final and did not make it either but that did not stop the latecomers from making goal. I believe there were nearly 25 pilots in goal with some very talented ones just short……