Thursday 30 September 2010
Friday am
Woke this morning to blue skys. Forecast looks ok for today and Saturday (last 2 days). Fingers crossed for a task.
Wednesday 29 September 2010
Wednesday PM
No task today due to strong winds. Tomorow looks similar if not stronger. Fingers crossed forecast is wrong!?
Tuesday 28 September 2010
Tuesday PM
We went to the new take off which is superb! A long drive but a beautiful graded large take off. Task was set but the wind at altitude was too strong. Jamie came on the radio saying he was going backwards at 4km/h at trim speed!
Task was cancelled and we all landed at a town at the bottom.
Arrangements had allready been made and we were fed with a Turkish BBQ. Belly dancing and fire dancing followed. Very entertaining.
The bus back was a blast with pleanty of singing and dancing. Good fun.
Task was cancelled and we all landed at a town at the bottom.
Arrangements had allready been made and we were fed with a Turkish BBQ. Belly dancing and fire dancing followed. Very entertaining.
The bus back was a blast with pleanty of singing and dancing. Good fun.
Monday 27 September 2010
Monday task
Another task today. We went to a lower launch today to avoid any strong winds on the normal higher take off. First thing this morning was blue skys but this changed as the day went on. Once on take off the sky filled in and we thought that we may not fly. Slowly the cloud broke up and we prepared to launch.
Today's task was elapsed time with an ordered launch. The first pilots to launch grouped up and the rest of us eventualy launched. This resulted in effect in 2 races!
A fun flight for me saw me above my gaggle and making good progress. Unfortunately the gaggle made a mistake heading up wind to try to push onto the windward side of the mountain ridge. I did not think heading into the flat lands on my own was a good idea so I followed. The move did not stick and I ended up landing with some of the gaggle.
Points will be bad today and I have no discards so today will probably hurt my position :-(
Today's task was elapsed time with an ordered launch. The first pilots to launch grouped up and the rest of us eventualy launched. This resulted in effect in 2 races!
A fun flight for me saw me above my gaggle and making good progress. Unfortunately the gaggle made a mistake heading up wind to try to push onto the windward side of the mountain ridge. I did not think heading into the flat lands on my own was a good idea so I followed. The move did not stick and I ended up landing with some of the gaggle.
Points will be bad today and I have no discards so today will probably hurt my position :-(
Sunday 26 September 2010
Monday- hope to task today
We had a great day off yesterday. We visited the limestone pools and the ruins. We went swimming in a mineral water pool. The water was very warm and the pool was full of old pieces of roman ruins. Very nice.
Today we are refreshed and hoping the wind is not too strong to fly. Fingers crossed!
Today we are refreshed and hoping the wind is not too strong to fly. Fingers crossed!
Task 4
A good days flying but unfortunately we were beaten by the weather.
A 102km task was set. One of the legs was into wind. The wind was approximately 20km/h! We all ended up on a long glide to the deck. Shame, we could have flown 200km down wind!!
Today is an official rest day. There is a trip organized to the ruins today.
A 102km task was set. One of the legs was into wind. The wind was approximately 20km/h! We all ended up on a long glide to the deck. Shame, we could have flown 200km down wind!!
Today is an official rest day. There is a trip organized to the ruins today.
Friday 24 September 2010
Day 3 -avarage day :-(
We all sat on launch for hours today waiting for the wind to drop. It was an 'ordered launch' which means your position in the scoring from the previous days total is where you are in the que. That put me at the back. Lots of hard work resulted in me being in the mix at the start. Pushing on one thermal too early left me at the back. I pushed hard and we had an amazing final glide form about 20km out, full speed for most of the glide with the instrument showing a required glide ratio of 12:1 to goal. I was not getting that, but being able to see pilots ahead climbing meant I could 'join the dots' and get the height I needed. So, I finished 7 minutes behind the winner. That is a millenium at this level and I will probably be around the middle of the field :-(
Neil Robberts did well in a top 10 position, Russel was in the top 20, Jamie pretty quick, Adrian beat me by 2 secconds. Craig took a risky final glide and landed a kilometer short.
With the scoring system we all drop our worst task score tomorrow so I may even have clawed my way into the top 100. Hmmm, not where I want to be :-(
Neil Robberts did well in a top 10 position, Russel was in the top 20, Jamie pretty quick, Adrian beat me by 2 secconds. Craig took a risky final glide and landed a kilometer short.
With the scoring system we all drop our worst task score tomorrow so I may even have clawed my way into the top 100. Hmmm, not where I want to be :-(
Thursday 23 September 2010
Day 2 disaster
Day 2 of the superfinal. We all went to take off and arrived to discover very strong winds. The organisation said the wind would drop so we waited....... And it did drop!
Task was set and we all launched. I hit a sink cycle and ended up at the bottom of the mountain about 200 feet off the ground. I managed to work a weak thermal which just got better and better endingg as a 5m/s climb which took me back into the game! We all set off for the start and I was in a good position when i noticed something .....
Yesterday I started to change some lines and ran out of time. I did not have a spanner to tighten the mayon (the metal ring with a screw closure to attach the lines to the risers). I forgot about it and as we were gliding to the first turnpoint I noticed it was open and bending alarmingly!! The lines could have come off so I landed as soon as possible. Oh dear, how stupid.
Soon after landing I was surrounded by children who kept me company until the retreve bus arrived. Now I am on the bus heading back to base :-(
What a waste of a day in such an important competition. Oh well ......
Task was set and we all launched. I hit a sink cycle and ended up at the bottom of the mountain about 200 feet off the ground. I managed to work a weak thermal which just got better and better endingg as a 5m/s climb which took me back into the game! We all set off for the start and I was in a good position when i noticed something .....
Yesterday I started to change some lines and ran out of time. I did not have a spanner to tighten the mayon (the metal ring with a screw closure to attach the lines to the risers). I forgot about it and as we were gliding to the first turnpoint I noticed it was open and bending alarmingly!! The lines could have come off so I landed as soon as possible. Oh dear, how stupid.
Soon after landing I was surrounded by children who kept me company until the retreve bus arrived. Now I am on the bus heading back to base :-(
What a waste of a day in such an important competition. Oh well ......
Wednesday 22 September 2010
First task - all exciting
First task 72km. I had a good start and was near the front, pushed hard, got stuck! Doh!
Mixed day for Brits, Jamie messenger in third, Neil Robberts top 20, Craig Morgan had a nightmare trying to launch, Adrian Thomas fell on take off and split his face open on a rock. Not good.
The goal line was not put in the right field and the leaders were confused, do they follow the GPS or the line??
But all in all a good day.
Forecast for tomorrow is dodgy (overdevelopment?) but we will see......
Mixed day for Brits, Jamie messenger in third, Neil Robberts top 20, Craig Morgan had a nightmare trying to launch, Adrian Thomas fell on take off and split his face open on a rock. Not good.
The goal line was not put in the right field and the leaders were confused, do they follow the GPS or the line??
But all in all a good day.
Forecast for tomorrow is dodgy (overdevelopment?) but we will see......
Turkey superfinal
We are in Turkey now for the PWC Superfinal. We arrived early yesterday at Dalaman airport after an overnight flight. A haggleing session with the airport Taxi drivers resulted in a ride to the hotel.
The hotel is good- it is the location used by the organisation last year- with good rooms and a large pool.
Today is Tuesday and is the official practice day. A lorry turned up at 10am and took the gliders, now we are on the transport bus up to take off.
Today's forecast looks like the possibility of storms later so a fairly quick fly with a keen look out at the clouds is in order.
Pamucale (where the competition is based) is a small tourist town at the foot of the hills. On the first hill is a magnficent series of pools created by calcium deposits. On top of the hill are some roman ruins. All very scenic. I am looking foreward to flying over them later ;-)
Update: we went up to the top take off. The wind was switching and coming mostly over the back. Conditions looked interesting and some pilots took off. Many of us thought it looked a bit dodgy and elected not to fly. We drove down and stopped at the lower take off. I go ready to take off but yet again it looked marginal with most pilots having an 'interesting' take off. Again I elected not to fly. It's a long competition ahead and to take an injury on the practice day would be catastrophic.
We got back on the bus and it promptly broke down! We walked/hitched back to town and registration/ opening ceremony. By this time he wind was blowing hard. Hmm
22nd- first task day
We awoke to very light winds this morning and are now on our way up to take off. The extended forecast is showing strong northerly winds (aparently) which is not good when take off faces south! We shall see but I am optimistic for. A task. As long as the southerly wind created by the thermals is stronger than the north metio wind we are in business. Fingers crossed......
The hotel is good- it is the location used by the organisation last year- with good rooms and a large pool.
Today is Tuesday and is the official practice day. A lorry turned up at 10am and took the gliders, now we are on the transport bus up to take off.
Today's forecast looks like the possibility of storms later so a fairly quick fly with a keen look out at the clouds is in order.
Pamucale (where the competition is based) is a small tourist town at the foot of the hills. On the first hill is a magnficent series of pools created by calcium deposits. On top of the hill are some roman ruins. All very scenic. I am looking foreward to flying over them later ;-)
Update: we went up to the top take off. The wind was switching and coming mostly over the back. Conditions looked interesting and some pilots took off. Many of us thought it looked a bit dodgy and elected not to fly. We drove down and stopped at the lower take off. I go ready to take off but yet again it looked marginal with most pilots having an 'interesting' take off. Again I elected not to fly. It's a long competition ahead and to take an injury on the practice day would be catastrophic.
We got back on the bus and it promptly broke down! We walked/hitched back to town and registration/ opening ceremony. By this time he wind was blowing hard. Hmm
22nd- first task day
We awoke to very light winds this morning and are now on our way up to take off. The extended forecast is showing strong northerly winds (aparently) which is not good when take off faces south! We shall see but I am optimistic for. A task. As long as the southerly wind created by the thermals is stronger than the north metio wind we are in business. Fingers crossed......
Friday 10 September 2010
Chilling in St Andre
Have been keeping our heads down this week. Went for a walk along the Verdon Gauge yesterday (too windy for flying). Today we borrowed the tandem wing (BiBeta4) from the school and took Wendy up for a fly. Now back at the landing field where Wendy is practicing her ground handling while I look on with a beer!
Weather looking good for flying tomorrow and I am keen to get back on the R10 after the tandem!
Weather looking good for flying tomorrow and I am keen to get back on the R10 after the tandem!
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Quick update...
Well, a lot has happened in the last week. Sorry for not posting more but I have had a busy time.....
We left Ager on the Friday evening when the competition was finished. The girls did not fly the last day so we packed and left. A real shame to leave as the party was aparently superb!
We drove towards France aided by a tail wind then stopped half way to camp and celibrate Wendy's birhday with a big meal.
We arrived at St Andre the following afternoon and settled in to the house we were staying in. Later we went and registered and chatted to the usual suspects.
The competition was blessed with 6 tasks in 7 days. I had a bad start by landing short (1.3 km) which ended my chances in both the open and the championship. Doh!
The following days we had great flying. A lot of happy pilots and a great comp.
Now we are chilling and waiting for the weather to improve so we can go flying. It's windy today but Improving.
We have a ferry booked back to the UK on the 15th. Will be good to see families again and I need to get my search for work going! (anyone got any jobs going ;-))
Then we are off to Turkey for the Paragliding World Cup Superfinal in Denizli. We only have 4 days in the uk in between! Can't wait!
We left Ager on the Friday evening when the competition was finished. The girls did not fly the last day so we packed and left. A real shame to leave as the party was aparently superb!
We drove towards France aided by a tail wind then stopped half way to camp and celibrate Wendy's birhday with a big meal.
We arrived at St Andre the following afternoon and settled in to the house we were staying in. Later we went and registered and chatted to the usual suspects.
The competition was blessed with 6 tasks in 7 days. I had a bad start by landing short (1.3 km) which ended my chances in both the open and the championship. Doh!
The following days we had great flying. A lot of happy pilots and a great comp.
Now we are chilling and waiting for the weather to improve so we can go flying. It's windy today but Improving.
We have a ferry booked back to the UK on the 15th. Will be good to see families again and I need to get my search for work going! (anyone got any jobs going ;-))
Then we are off to Turkey for the Paragliding World Cup Superfinal in Denizli. We only have 4 days in the uk in between! Can't wait!
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