Controversy hit the Hang Gliding World Championships on Tuesday as storms cut short the 130 km task, which was stopped when most of the competitors were just over half way round the course.
With rain reported on the course line organisers had no choice to stop the task. But as pilots glided back to the landing field at Laragne, France, there were already signs of more heavy weather ahead for the comp organisers and scorers.
“We have a stopped task, with multiple task gates, and a slow launch,” said Scott Barett (AUS). “The worst scenario for a hang gliding race.”
Switching and difficult wind conditions on launch meant lots of pilots were still on launch when the first start gate opened. When the task was stopped it was scored on distance only. That meant those who had been forced to take a later start gate lay way back in the field.
Comp leader Christian Ciech (ITA) suffered the biggest upset. He waited in the air for the second start gate, perhaps gambling that he could race through the pack to goal and a fast finish time, but instead ended up in 66th place.
More controversy followed when the scoring system scored the race as a 1000 point day. Provisional results were posted Tuesday night, although overall results were not published, perhaps suggesting the scoring will be reviewed.
Gordon Rigg (GB) was almost left speechless at the day scoring 1000 points. “The pre-Worlds was decided on a stopped task and that was unfair. Now we are at the World Championships and nothing has changed.”
Follow the action online at www.chabre2009.blogspot.com. Results at www.chabre2009.com
