Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Day 2

Today was looking like another good day with light winds a 105kms bow tie task was called. We started about 30 mins earlier today and again I was the first to tow up. I struggled for the first 45 minutes to get up but eventually was able to start at 7,500ft.

I started with Chris, Jeff and Davis to the right of course line and we had the best start out of the field. The next few climbs are not great but once we get within 15kms from the turn point we hit a strong climb to just over 10,000ft. I was on top and pushed onto the turn point getting another 800 up I hit the turn point at 10,500ft then headed back to the 2nd turn point.

I hit another great climb about 12kms from the 2nd and will top out to 12,000ft with Davis, Chris and Jeff below me. We all hit the turn point and Chris was climbing in about 200 up below and decided to glide to the 3rd turn point. I did a 25km glide without hitting anything and will end up low 5kms before the last turn point. I hit a light climb and drift slowly toward the turn point then I see the others coming over me much higher.

They had topped out behind me in that light thermal to over 11,000 ft which will give them a 35km final glide. Dustin was behind us the whole day but managed to get some good climbs and came in above Chris, Davis and Jeff at the 2nd turn point. I will get low just after the last turn point and have to find a climb to get to goal whilst the others are on final.

I find a dust devil and enter low and climb out until I get my numbers for final. Dustin will win the day 3 seconds ahead of Chris and Jeff will be 1 second behind him. Davis will be a couple minutes behind Jeff then I will be 1 minute behind Davis. Scott Gravelle was the last one to make goal about 1 hour later.

After we landed we had a huge dust storm that came ripping through the resort. The winds reached 40 mph and we were all covered in dust as we spent the whole time baby sitting our gliders so they did not blow away.