Finally, the forecast turned around and we had a prediction for 5,000' cloud bases and top of the lift with lift 400 - 500 fpm. The winds were predicted to be out of the north at 11 - 14 knots, so not an out and return day, but a good flying day.

Apparently Kraig ,Gugga and I had done something wrong on day 4 and we were told at the pilots briefing that we had to go to the back of the staging today and that we had no priority. I am still not sure what Kraig and I did wrong as we are on the task committee and we have priority over everyone so that means that we should be able to launch when we want. I guess not so we accepted our penalty and kept quiet.
Kraig and I were the only ones that had our gliders not in the staging line because we decided we would just get ready, walk out to launch 5 minutes before the window opened and takeoff.
This worked out great Kraig was first to launch I was second and gugga was third.
We climbed up under a cloud at the edge of the circle and most pilots got going with some holding back for the 2:15 PM start time. The task was 138 kilometers and all the pilots were high and at the edge of the start circle so there was no reason to be hanging around given the cross wind legs later in the task.

As we headed down course line the cu's got thinner to the south toward the first turnpoint at the 27 and 544 intersections, despite being a little blue we were still getting good lift and the rounded the turnpoint high.
The next turnpoint was east of 27 on highway 60 which comes out of Lake Wales. This was the first crosswind leg so many of us try to stay high but still the lead gaggle got low about 10kms from the 2nd turnpoint.

The second leg got soft with only a couple of ragged cu's on the course line and a 15km crosswind. There was about 10 pilot sin the lead gaggle and gerolf was on top with the Brazilians about 8kms before the last turnpoint. We were all in a weak climb and the guys above us left for the turnpoint and we went upwind a little and hit a strong climb.

Kraig and I topped out and rounded the turnpoint a little higher than Gerolf and co and I decided to go more upwind than they did and I hit a 500 up. As we topped out 24kms from goal I could see that I nearly had the numbers.
We left and along the way I hit another climb which I stopped and climbed in and Kraig kept going as he had nothing to loose unlike me who was still holding first place. He told me he was getting pretty good air so I left a couple of minutes later and made the final easy some minutes infront of Gerolf and the others who were not far behind on the scores.

Primoz I think was the only one from the top 10 that did not make goal that day and this will be the first 1000 point day.
Aussie Aussie Italian…



Here is Kraig and I walking to the launch line in Aussie spirits before we kicked all their butts.