Friday, October 31, 2008

Classic day 3 video..

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Canungra Classic Results..

To check out the latest result for the Competition CLICK HERE.

Day 6 Classic

Finally we were going to Beechmont with a light easterly turning more north as the day goes on. We set a 88kms zig zag course with goal at lake moogerah. I pushed at launch and it took about 15 minutes before I was off and climbing. I climbed out with Blay and a few others straight in front of launch all the way to 4,700 ft asl. We got to base and had to wait for about 8 minutes to the start and then we were off heading toward Boonah T.I was out in front and then got stuck on witheren with Scott, Attila, Blay and Blinky. The ones behind got high and were now heading across to mahomet were they started climbing. Attila headed down the ridge to the south were others were climbing high, so I decided to go over the back low into the Kerry for the chicken sheads that had been in sun for the last 10 mins. High cloud just mooved in and kicked off a big thermal just for me that was quite a suprise as I was hoping to just be able to stay in the air since I was low. Ther thermal turned into a smoothe 900 fpm climb and I took it to cloud base one of the only clouds in sight. I called Enda over who was climbing in a weaker climb near mt mahomet to join me. I waited for him and then we flew together working light lift before joining the guys that had passed us earlier. The sun was out now and it was game on the pace picked up and before I knew it we were rounding the 1st turnpoint. I was in front with Enda and Missy and Attila who I had not seen for the last 40kms had now just caught up. Curt was now on top with Attila just below him and then me as we climb up over Boonah town still 25kms from the last turnpoint. Curt leaves and we stay, a minute later he hits a good climb and we race off after him and all climb up in a 400 fpm thermal. I leave from below and head down the valley toward the TP whislt the others went further left over the ridges looking for another climb. I hit it pretty good and they kept going for a bit then turned back and came in above me and we all climbed to about 4,200 ft before heading off. I hit a good climb on a small ridge 5kms upwind of the turnpoint and we climbed in a 400 fpm thermal. Once getting to about 4,000ft Curt and Attila who were higher headed for the turnpoint. We stayed to climb more and the thermal kicked, so we went to about 5,200 ft asl 2kms from turnpoint Curt and Attila who were now much lower and only just in front were looking somewhat desperate. I still had a 11:1 glide to goal so I rounded the turnpoint and headed straight line down the ridge toward goal. Enda and Missy were behind and we all just ridge soared the ridge and headed straight to goal. I arrived first a minute or so in front of Missy and Enda. Big Jon was next in about 10 minutes later then we saw one glider land about 2kms short which turned out to be Curt. About 5 minutes later Attila comes in an does not look to happy after being on top 13kms from goal and losing 15 minutes at the end. It can be a frustrating sport sometimes.. In the end 11 pilots make goal and about another 10 were within 5-6kms from goal.So a good task for the day considering the conditions. Untill tomorrow...fly safely..

Day 5 Classic

Today was looking good, we decided on going to Flying fox launch and set a task that would take us deep over the Great Dividing Range. Our first turnpoint was at killarney then we turned and headed north along the range for 30 kms to a small town on the Cunningham highway called Maryvale. Climbing out above launch.. I pushed on lunch and dove off the 300m high hill and was rewarded with a 500 fpm climb to base 5 mins before the 1st start. I was not alone there was a gaggle there and we all left me out in front and I tried not to stop for about 12kms before hitting a good climb. I was a little in front and kept charging for new forming clouds in front. Before long Attila has caught me and there was now about 5 of us climbing on the hills north of Rathdowney. Attila was on top now and headed off for Maroon and Curt also above me followed. I stayed with flocky and we climber higher before making the long crossing to the next hill. I hit a good climb on top of Mt Maroon and Attila turned back and came in below and straight away I headed down the valley along the big rocky cliff faces and hit a solid 900 fpm climb and Attila and Flocky raced in below and started climbing fast.the caught up to me on climb and later reported in goal that they had 11-1200fpm climb.. looking south along the Great Dividing Range.. We all flew together in towards the Great dividing Range just near a big fire that was burning. I went a different direction to Attila and Flocky and hit a good climb which put me a few kms in front and higher. Now 20 kms out from turnpoint we are all together again and I head out first with Atilla just below me glided over the range and about 5 kms short of the TP we topped up with alttitude. I then rounded the turnpoint with Attila just below and headed tail wind now to the north towards goal. I stopped for a light climb that Attila missed and watched as he got lower in front of me.he hit a light climb too so I headed over towards him but kept going to a ridge a few kms past him and hit a good 500 fpm climb. I took this one to 5,200ft and headed for the next ridge and topped up 17kms out from goal thinking I had final I left and got drilled about 10kms out and did not clear the last ridge and had to find one more thermal. It took me a little while to find it and eventually it kicked but I could see Attila coming so I had to do just a few more turns to make sure I clear the hill and off I went. I managed to climb all the way to goal and arrived at about 3,000ft.. I was 1 minute 20 sec in front of Attila and he was about 1 min in front of Flocky. The next pilots arrived some 30 mins later and kept arriving with 21 making the 117kms task. There was so many happy faces in goal after experiencing such a flight like that one. Scott who was leading landed early and Curt in 2nd landed before the turnpoint on top of the range. Blay who was in 3rd also landed 8kms short so there will be big changes in the scores. Attila will now be leading with Enda in 2nd and Missy in 3rd. I will moove to 5th after getting the first 1000 points for the comp.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Day 4 Classic

Day 4 started with some unhappy faces from the previous days results and their appeared to be lots of tension in the camp. A 71kms dogleg was set ending up at Koralbyn resort. Evereyone got off the hill and there was not one comp pilot in the bombout. Come the 1st start gate there was a gaggle of 50 gliders and most did the start apart from about 6 of us. I did the 2nd start and led out in chase of gliders in front of us. We managed to catch most of them up at the turn point and Attila and I raced ahead for goal. Jonas a german guy was the only one in front of us and he landed about 7 mins before at goal. Turns out he will win the day with the leading points and Attila will be 10 secs in front of me. There were a lot of happy faces at goal and I think about 25 made it in including our first kingpost to make goal this comp. Well done Tim..
Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Canungra classic 08

Day 1 85 kms task with only 4 pilots making goal and a scattered field throughout the course making for a nearly fully valid day. Scott Barrett took the honours of winning with Glen, Missy and Bruce not far behind. Enda did well landing 3kms short and Joel flying a sonic managed to fly about 50kms landing with Attila. Day 2 Today was going to be hard good skies but hard to get everyone off the hill unless we started much earlier like 9am which would have been soarable. Anyway only 9 pilots got off the hill before the see breeze moved in and shut launch conditions down and the day was cancelled.. day 3 well today I was finally able to fly and we went to Flyingfox despite many bidding for driving 3 hrs to Killarney for a fly. A 75kms dogleg task was set and a good day was had by many. Over 20 in goal with I believe Attila wininig the day doing the 2nd start. I started 1 hr before the 1st start as I was in 50th place from not flying the first day I was not locked into doing any starts. I was out alone on the first leg before getting low and taking some slow climbs nothing stronger than 200-300 fpm. Big Jon and Neil Peterson caught up to me after starting nearly 15 mins later we flew then together untill the turnpoint. I made a long glide into a place that most pilots would not to venture and was rewarded with the first strong climb of the day to 6,000ft. Big jon and Neil did not follow me on this glide and left them both behind and charged off to goal alone. I was first in with Big jon arriving 20 mins later and neil landed. It was a long wait nearly 1 hr which was the time I left before the 1st start. Then I could see Scott and Curt racing for the line. Scott was higher and in front but after the short 6kms final Curt crossed the line about 500 feet higher and a few seconds in front it was amazing to see from the ground just how big the glide difference was at high speed still. It just goes to show you how well Scott is flying getting these results with this performance. Curt should be 2nd Scott 3rd and Me 4th about 1 minute behind them so I did well considering I was alone and early. Stayed tuned for todays video of the task. I left my camera at HQ so was unable to edit the vid last night.
Thursday, October 02, 2008

Morning Glory

After setting out from home 2 weeks ago in search for the Moning Glory roll cloud, we arrived home without flying one. We managed to see 2 Morning Glory's but they were all out to sea. Mark the photographer managed to get onto one of the Glory's with Jamie in the trike and turned the engine off soaring around. Here is some pictures of the only Morning Glory that Mark and Jamie got to fly in the Trike. I set up my glider in the dark every morning at 5:30am waiting for the sun to rise to see if there was a Morning Glory on the horizon. Here is a picture of me looping over the salt flats near Burketown. The Salt flats are tidal and therefor create amazing tree like images through the salt flats. We had some very crazy adventures there in Burketown including crocodile catching in the river, training a sea eagle to eat fish that we caught, dragon flying and exploring the salt flats and rivers. Or even just hanging out at the Local Pub. For more Pictures check out Incite Images