Sunday, April 25, 2010

Florida Ridge Day 7

Well it was quite a disaster with the task setting today having 4 task changes prior to takeoff. We had to enter in coordinates prior to takeoff and many pilots were very stressed. I was nice and relaxed and just chilled out under my glider watching everyone tow up. It was quite windy so I was not to keen to get up and try to stay in the start gate. I was ready to go at the first start gate with O,brien and many others but no one went so I hung out untill the 2nd start. I was in good position so I started even though some of the others did'nt. I glided all the way to the 1st turnpoint without hitting a climb and rounded it nice and low. I drifted low for about 5 mins and waited for the guys behind to come help me out. Eventually Dereck found a 400fpm climb and we topped out to 4,500 ft agl. Carl was now on top and leading the gaggle along with Dereck, Shapiro and I hot on his toes. We had a couple more good climbs before arriving low in shade and nothing but swamp and no roads in front of us. This part really slowed us down as no one wanted to leave the light 100fpm climb into the alligator infested swamp. Eventually a cloud formed to our west so we all headed over there and climbed out to base again. Davis and a few others came in high above us after hanging back in the previous thermal. They were now out in front with a few rigids wings. After 2 glides I was back on top and leading out to the turnpoint with Davis and Shapiro right behind me. I got a good climb about 8kms before the last turnpoint and we topped out to about 5,000ft agl. I lead into the turnpoint with Cambell and Shapiro hot on my toes. We now had a 30km cross headwind leg to finish the day off. It was not that easy and we got a little slow and soon found Dustin gliding in just below me from the last start. I was quite happy to see it was him and not Jeff O,brien as I still had 200 points on Dustin. I knew at this point that all I had to do was make goal so I did not try for anything stupid on final. We all left for final at around 10:1 but Dustin hit a thermal and we both stopped and let Shapiro and Dereck Turner go on glide for goal. We waited untill we had 8:1 before we left and it turned out that we made it easy 2 mins behind Shapiro. Dustin will win the day in 2hrs 17 mins and Shapiro will be 2nd about 13 minutes slower than Dustin and Dereck will take out 3rd. Gliders packing up at goal. I will place 4th and will keep my overall lead in the comp taking out the 2010 Rob Kells Memorial Comp. Zac and O,brien will be slow for the day arriving about 30 mins later. It was a very challenging day and many of us had some low saves and long stories to tell on the way home to the flight park. Ricker makes another goal. The awards will not be untill this afternoon as it was to late to score last night due to some late retrievals. We enjoyed home cooked pizza's lots of Alcohol and even a private sreening of the Morning Glory video.