The task setters had a challenge up their sleeves today – 91.7km of bumpy racing with 3 turnpoints and a 6km exit cylinder around the Penon launch. I had something of an epic today, was all lined up to launch in the ”free for all” 10 minutes window right after open window, inflated the first time only to discover that my backup gps came undone, so I killed the wing, reattached and secured GPS, reinflated and was promptly lifted into some trees off to the side of launch.
Frantic lumberjackin’ ensued, with friends materialising from everywhere with machetes and saws, and the glider and I were freed in maybe 20 minutes. Some line sorting was now needed, so I ended up being one of the last to launch but fortunately still managed to be at the start gate in time.
First leg was out into the ”flats” SW of launch, and the gaggle was big and competitive. The air was working on this first leg, and again it didn’t seem to matter much if one stopped to climb on the way or if one went straight for it – the groups met again at the turnpoint. From there it became less straight forward, with the next leg going into some lower hills towards the SE (llanos turnpoint, for those with local knowledge). The groups seemed more cautious here, taking whatever they could get, and I went and pushed out in front with Gasper (Prevc) and Wagga (Watts), a move that paid off for me and Gasper but not for Wagga – not sure where he went missing but he got delayed there somehow. Then it was almost full speed on to Llanos which was unfortunately in the shade and things got real slow for a while. By now two groups of leaders had formed, with Ronny leading one and Russ Ogden sort of leading the other, and they went separate ways. Next turnpoint was the antenna over WNW of launch, don’t remember the name but we were there yesterday as well. The Russ Ogden group went back over the first turnpoint and the flats, the Ronny group went back over launch and El Penon, and this time the two different options made a big difference, with Ronny’s group making way better time. I myself had a different idea, went around halfway down to the first turnpoint then branched off and headed straight out towards the 3 kings and the antenna ridge. This paid of nicely, and I managed to almost catch the leaders again over at the antenna. Coming back to the goal up on the plateau E of Valle we had hoped to catch the convergence over the high ground, but it never really materialised so many pilots opted for the safer route along the antenna ridge back towards launch. The leaders again got delayed in several places, and in spite of me feeling like I never hit any proper thermals I suddenly found myself racing into goal with Aljaz, David Ohlidahl and Frankie Brown. Another group had gone a more easterly route and their leaders snuck in together with us, but all in all I was well pleased with the result after a difficult start to the day.
Brad Gunn won the day, with Eric Reed in the top five, so Eric will probably still be in the lead – the yanks are kicking ass here, cool to watch.
Oh and by the way, fast final glides were just never really my thing but today I actually overtook Aljaz into goal – I’ll go to sleep smiling ’cos that has never happened before, I mean he’s young and doesn’t have kids and all! 🙂
Leaders spent around 3 h 5min on the 91km, so in spite of me hammering away at my risers in frustration over lack of decent lift on several occasions, it can’t have been too bad.
Mads Syndergaard
