Thursday, January 07, 2010

Forbes Day 5

With quite a good weather forecast we set a 149km triangle course. There was a mandatory start for the top 20 pilots at 2:20pm. I launched early and climbed straight out to 7,000ft with Flocky. After leaving the tow field I found that the lift was very weak and could not get above 5,000ft. I ended up having a good start compared to many others but was still only 5,000ft and glided off with Carl,Attila and Zac. We had 2 thermals together before Carl and attila went to a small ridge 9kms upwind of course line. I stayed back watching them getting lower then glided off more on course line keeping an eye on them every second. I soon saw them turning and I looked back and saw Zac behind and lower and thought I want to be with friends today. I glided to Carl and Attila and then noticed that Zac had gone more the way I wanted to go, but not alone so early on a blue crappy day. Turns out that this was the mistake of the day as Attila and carl were barely climbing and we all spent the next 45 mins scratching our way closer to the turnpoint. I noticed many pilots overtaking us by following the course line to the east. I decided to dive downwind for the hills as big Jon was there calling good lift. Attila and carl followed and we all climbed up and ran the ridge to the turnpoint. I saw the zac and others at like 9,000ft at the turnpoint and could only dream of getting that high. many pilots landed before the 1st turnpoint and also just after it as it was now headwind for nearly 40kms. My dream came true and soon I was at 9,000ft over the turpoint but could see the others already miles in front. I did a long glide and hit another good climb before diving off headwind again. I then came back in below Attila who I had lost at the turnpoint as he dove headwind and got low. We then spent the rest of the flight together just trying to make goal. Ant called me on the radio and said that Zac and Balazs had just made goal and I was still 42kms out from goal. It was now just after 6pm so the lift was dying and we scratched in almost zero for 20 mins or more before finally starting to climb at 1-200fpm. Big Jon came in and joined us and we all climbed in light lift drifting slowly towards goal. I could see others behind high and one went gliding past and got low in front of us. I think I was the only one to see him and I kept my eye on hiim as he started to climb. He looked like he was climbing better than we were and my numbers to goal were now 16:1 I left the thermal we were in and Big Jon and attila stayed while I glided off for James Stinnent. I came in just below him and climbed up until I saw 11:1 and glided off. I flew fast on final and Beat James in and also Attila as he had stayed back in the climb before. Balazs will win the day 10 seconds in front of Zac the Gerrolf will arrive 15mins later. I finished just over 1 hr behind Balazs and Zac and will loose 300 points to Zac today. Here is how the scores are looking after today. 1 Zac Majors M USA Wills Wing T2C 144 998 974 918 715 995 4600 2 Jonny Durand M AUS Moyes Litespeed RS3.5 867 1000 834 864 702 4267 3 Attila Bertok M HUN Moyes Litespeed S5 890 844 1000 685 700 4119 4 Gerolf Heinrichs M AUT Moyes Litespeed RS3.5 492 745 858 1000 889 3984 5 Peter Szasz M HUN Moyes Litespeed S3.5 748 642 890 634 885 3799 6 Carl Wallbank M GBR Moyes Litespeed RS3.5 881 840 929 728 357 3735 7 Conrad Loten M NZL Moyes Litespeed S4 813 696 818 561 809 3697 8 Balazs Ujhelyi M HUN Moyes Litespeed RS4 457 815 553 871 1000 3696 9 Steve Blenkinsop M AUS Moyes Litespeed S3.5 492 698 927 730 691 3538 10 Lukas Bader M GER Moyes Litespeed RS4 891 348 915 745 259 3158 Todays Painful video.