Monday 30 May: Report by Mark Hayman
I had a ball today. I flew about, felt very happy with my new glider, made a good start, blatted round the first part of the course near enough to the front and then… decided to land because I couldn’t be arsed trying to push round a windy headland in the lee-side. I laughed and had a big grin on my face when I landed and it’s been a long time since I’ve really done that in a comp, or for that matter free-flying on comp gliders for the last few years. Not caring how I do anymore is making me happier and happier – it’s like learning to fly all over again.
Lots of people got round the offending bit of terrain by climbing in a windy and nasty thermal in the lee of a small hill above Kobarid and many of them had two or even three goes at it before they made it. It is testament to how good the wings are nowadays that nobody went into the trees – five years ago somebody almost certainly would have done but these new things just keep flying in super-rough air.
Looking at all this going on I thought to myself;
‘You know, I could go and mix it up, climb up, go full-speed at the lee and almost certainly get round it in the same way I’ve done it a hundred times before’
But then I thought ‘you know what, because I’ve done it a hundred times before I also know it won’t be any fun and flying is meant to be about fun, not doing something that you don’t want to do and taking a risk to do it.’
‘If I was free-flying would I do this?’ ‘No’ ‘So why do it in a comp if you don’t care about the result?’
‘You know what, Mark?’ (I often talk to myself) ‘Why don’t you just go and land as you’ve really enjoyed the flight so far?’
So I did – and then I landed, and then I laughed and then I smiled because I HAD had a good flight and, for the first time in ages, I’d really enjoyed it and I’d really enjoyed flying the glider.
Things are working out splendidly!
When I came back to the flat I opened the door to find Craig in the room. I’ll spare you the details of finding a sweaty, naked, one-legged man lying face down on the bed in the process of passing wind but it was a surprise, to say the least.
‘What you doing here?’ I asked
‘F*cked it up, didn’t I?’
‘Couldn’t get round the corner?’
‘No, coudn’t be arsed – had a few goes at it and then decided I’m supposed to be flying for fun and so I had a last dive at it and went and landed…’
Seems like this ‘flying for fun’ thing is catching. Craig’s picked the wrong room-mate!
I promise I’ll fly the whole task tomorrow if it is pleasant and has nice conditions all the way round. And if it’s crappy and windy I won’t bother. Free and easy is going to become my middle name and the trophy cabinet will just have to not get any larger in the near future! I still have a smile on my face now.
Cheers, Mark
Follow the action from the 2011 British Paragliding Open in Slovenia
Mark Hayman and Craig Morgan
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