Monarca 2010 – Task 3 – 68.5Km – I hate Piano’s!

Results are posted at http://www.monarcaparaglidingopen.com (Note they are still trying to get the titles right!. However the overall scores for task 2 actually include today’s results)

Today there were clouds!!!! It looked to be real nice when I arrived at launch and I was feeling very confident about today’s flight after yesterday’s uncomfortable right turn day. Today the wind was mainly from the South and with the clouds setting up early I thought they would set either a long task or a task with a long upwind leg to test the comp pilots. They choose the later making pilots fly most of the Mesa in both directions. The start was at Maguey again with a 2Km enter cylinder so having got there before (Jump starting the race!) I didn't anticipate too many problems. Today I would wait for the main gaggle to head off first. My simple strategy for today was to stay high and pimp. Couldn’t be that hard right. Look at all the clouds forming over launch.I would bite my tongue on that thought later.

The launch window opened at 11:40 and at that time anybody could get in line to launch for 15min. That would be my time. After the pilots briefing and entering the coords in my gps I would get ready and head off first to launch rather than wait. Well that seemed to be simple but alas no. By the time I entered my coords and the clock hit 11:25 the line was longer than the previous day where I waited for 30 minutes!. Oh crap. Being the lowest of low in this comp so far, it meant I would certainly be at the back of the line. No point getting ready for launch now. In fact the line just grew and grew. it seemed everybody wanted off of launch quickly today.

I decided to take some video of the launches and see what happened. The thermals were already beginning to get a little strong on launch and there were a lot of blown launches and wings with knots and cravats that took to the air while  other pilots careered down the hill. Yikes!. The clouds were about 1500 over launch, nice and white and they just started to grow and grow then  after a time would dissipate and then start the cycle again.  Today keeping out of them would be problematic I thought. Cloud flying is NOT allowed as it’s dangerous so if you did get  high you would had to go around them. Being only a little over launch it would turn out that you had to fly around them like avoiding obstacles in an arcade video game! Quite fun really.

I watched Chris, Mer, Dave, Stefan, Arun, Frank and Bill Hughes all get off the hill safely. The launch line finally started to dissipate and I pulled on my gear and went to launch to start with the 1 last remaining competitor. By this time  the thermals were strong and the other chap had some problems bringing up his wing. I pulled  my wing up controlling with A’s and C’s and I was off!. Like a rocket I shot up vertically about 100 feet before I could get into my harness. But all was good. Oh yeah…this is going to be a good day baby! Within a few minutes I was at around 9000ft where the clouds were and had to start veering away so as not to enter them. I flew past a nice fluffy one to my right and headed towards the Penon. Today I flew right past the top shoulder and could see over the top for once. Woo Hoo…at last no scratching at the bottom. Feeling good I flew around the rock to see a bunch of gliders struggling at the wall. I should have hung back, but I pressed on. Big mistake. My sink alarm came on which is set at 800 ft/min down. My glider lost pressure and I sunk like a stone towards the spines at the bottom of the Wall. Oh for frick’s sake not scratching again surely. I arrived higher on the spines than before but decided to head back to the Penon and tank up again. Mistake number 2. Sink all the way. I flew past the bottom of the front of that Rock and made it to the other side where I got lift again and started climbing. Woo Hoo. Up again I went. Ok lets try that again. Headed towards the Penon for the 2nd time and the big hand from above came down hard for the 2nd time and said where are you going mate! I saw 6 gliders below me sinking fast and heading out to the Piano. Surely not again for Pete’s sake. But alas yes. For the second time this week I landed at the Piano during a task. As it turned out there were 30 pilots who made minimal distance today so I didn’t feel too bad. In fact A lot of pilots sunk out after the 2nd waypoint and landed near Jovan’s on the way to Saucos. All reported big lift and big sink. Tell me about it!

Kudos for the day goes to Arun Moorthy who made goal. Only NW pilot to do so. He has been flying like a demon and even Frank refers to him as the Master now! Awesome Arun. Steve Theibult sunk out on way to Saucas along with Frank, and Mer  and Chris on the way back. Wheelie Bob got all the way back to the Wall from Saucas heading for Divisa but landed out there. Not sure where Stefan landed as he was making his way back to the Lake LZ when I left.

So 3 tasks down and 3 to go and still no start. I need to back to flying school. So goal for me tomorrow is to officially start! :-)