BRIT NATS 2013 - Sunday 25 August

The weather looked dubious from the start. 

The day has been cancelled. No surprise. 

I went to enjoy the afternoon riding the rapids in the Verdon Gorge at Castellane.

 

BRIT NATS 2013- Task 5 (30 August)

With the looming cunims, the Task Committee have set a provisionnal task to the west into the flatlands towards Orison and away from the building storm clouds.   

We are waiting for confirmation on take off at present and watching conditions to evaluate the validity of a task. 

BRIT NATS 2013 - Day 4

A Complex weather system had put a damper on the Meet Director and Task Committee being able to give us a task today. 

Photos taken at 09h15 this morning to the North and the South show tell-tale signs of the predominant front approaching. 

Forecast are strong 10-15km south easterly winds at take off level, at altitude these will lighten and become more southerly, however, swinging round to stronger North westerlies by 15h00 and bringing rain with them. 

Meaning that if a task were to be set, it would have to be short and sharp with all pilots in the ground by 14h30, and even this, if we are able to take off in such blustery conditions. 

For the moment the pilots are assembling on the South launch at Chalvet for further instructions. 

BRIT NATS 2013 - Task 3

We have a task! An interesting "rectangle" using the outer perimeter of the coupe in the first stages and then heading south towards Castellane before heading in the direction of the pic de Chamatte for the final turnpoints. 

The task committee have chosen the last Andre landing field as ESS and goal which shod give the spectators the exciting and colorful sight of seeing all the gliders coming into goal. 

Winds are south easterly turning southerly later so we are taking off from the south launch. 

BRIT NATS 2013 - Task 2

We have a task today. 

A 67km to goal with an interesting start offering several options: either waiting on Chalvet, Coupe or Mouchon ridges. 

Pilots will wait until they are in the air to decide which is the best option and will inevitably be watching who will make the first move and to where. 

The middle part of the task is a standard run, the final turn points are interesting in that we are to fly to the west of the coupe to clip the second to last balise before heading south for the final top up and glide into end of speed section at the Chamatte. 

Weather conditions are better than yesterday with the wind turning westerly at the end of the afternoon. Development should be less than yesterday and the task has been made in order to keep pilots in a more favorable flying zone away from any growing cunims. 

Russell Ogden, yesterdays task winner, kindly have us a debriefing on how he won the day. 

British Nationals 2013-task 1

We have a first task for this third day of the Open. Yesterday was mistral with high winds, the day before was overdevelopment and storms forecast at the beginning of the afternoon. Both previous days were well forecast as the predictions proved correct. Today's task is a gentle introduction for those who have not flown here before, is a 67km race to goal. 

Conditions are good with a slight south westerly wind and the usual valley breezes in the mix. From take off, start and first turnpoints at Cote Longue, then down to Courchon, a return to the large shark fin, and end of speed section and goal at take off. The reason for the pal at altitude is a safety decision to avoid pilots racing low to the end of speed section. 

May the best man win :-)))

More later...

13th World Championships. Monday 13th July. Task 5.

Hi everyone,

Well this evening, I've just got home from a BBQ supper with the South Africans. I am now "zapped'" after having 2 mojito's courtesy of Guy Anderson (one of the ugly sisters!), and having fought for 4.40hrs endeavour to reach goal after a solo flight round a 130km task.

The first gliders start the gaggle into the blue

Task setting Committee and Yassen who wanted a "mountain" task today

Sadly I landed 9km short after running out of thermals, BUT I did not come in last, claiming a 125th place!  :-)  and landing 9km short of goal! Although the enthusiasm of my overall positions today might seem strange to some, compared with previous' days' performance, I am happy to have got a decent flight in and NOT come last today!!!!!

The task was half set in the mountains with strong conditions and booting thermals. It was tricky on full bar between the transitions because of the choppy conditions, but after having got so far behind after TP2, I had only one way to go: forwards, upwards and onwards, and alone which was difficult, but OK.


Eeked out every last bit of climb until 250m from the ground I had to turn again into wind to prep for landing. Such a shame.
So near and yet so far.....

My lovely packers in Dobene village

Poor team, having waited so patiently for a hour for me to get into goal. What a disappointment for them. Still, as a nation, we came in third today which stands the team in good stead for the next 3 tasks in hand.

Tomorrow maybe my luck and skill will take a turn for the better. I hope so. In the meantime, I am content with a cracking long flight in the air, and just loved the conditions. Mountains and strong climbs. More of the same tomorrow please...

Now to learn to fly faster and stay with the gaggle.....although perhaps a World Chamipionships is not the most realistic playgorund to be in, it is good training.

Night night.

13th World Championships - Sunday 23rd July

We woke to rain this morning. No surprise that this called for a "no fly" day today.

The photo below is of one from previous days. I had never encountered large dust devils until I came here. This one rose higher than a skyscraper in the flats in the valley and lasted for some 20 minutes until dissipating. No surprise the same day this was taken, our task was cancelled. On that day, some pilots almost lost their flying gear as it was tossed like a feather into the air and whisked away to another valley in a thermal. This was the day that I saw with my own eyes, a pod harness and glider fly on its own accord, like a rag doll, swirling without its pilot, until the convergence decided to toss it to the ground in a frustrated rage.

Big "dust devil" going off in the valley

That aside, today, and this afternoon in particular, the skies cleared out and I went to the local swimming pool, swam some laps to burn off energy, then sat with friends and "set the world to rights" over a diet coke.

Later that evening, dinner in a new venue in town.  Not bad, although I am still to find that elusive rump steak I've been dreaming about....

13th World Championship - Saturday 22nd July. Task 5

We woke to a deceptive sky this morning.
With a dodgy forecast the MD set a task heading South East away from the afternoon's predicted over development.

We could see the clouds growing before even the task was set.

No sooner than the field had taken off, the task was cancelled.

Cunims grew bigger as the heavens opened over Sopot.
Pilots made a speed-bar dash heading West towards the airstrip landing field, followed closely by a booming thunderstorm, a wall of heavy rain and fork lightening.


Every effort was made to descend as quickly as possible - easier said than done when the whole valley is going off big time.

Glad to be on the ground, our trusty Team Leader, Kitt was waiting for us with the van to take us home.

Later that afternoon the skies became clearer and we all decided to go in search of a waterhole to swim. We found a small river and the boys braved the cold water, whilst I was a bystander, secretly laughing as I watched their bodies turn a paler shade of purple!!

13th World Championships. Fri 19th July. Task 4

What can I say?
This is an enormous learning curve for me.
I never thought that pilots could get any better until I came here. The speed at which they fly, the light of which they make the conditions, able to fly in such weak flatland lift and leeside thermals is incredulous.

Today, without having flown further than some 30km in a task, I question my ability to fly at all!!  Frustration is starting to set in and after having just been retrieved and returned to HQ in the minibus to download, my startling 17km flight today was far from fun.

I tried every tactic today to stay with the gaggles. I executed persistence when struggling with shattered leeside lift on the hillside to get altitude, I hummed a tune and told myself to forget the race and just concentrate on make it out of the difficult spot I was in, I repeated my mantras, I searched, I scratched, I fought hard...all the things I had been taught to do, and still could not grasp that golden thermal to get me further down the course line, the others now out of sight aside from a couple of other gliders struggling as much as I was....

What to do? I am bewildered. Each day, I have been trying to understand how to fly here. I have been staying with the gaggles which eventually leave me for dust after flying faster, climbing efficiently, faster, higher....the hills don't work here, the flats are weak and unforgiving. I am a mountain pilot.

Not my best day. I am at a loss, and my moral is starting to slip into a black hole of oblivion where everything I have learned so far is utterly useless, whatever I try..

I am not enjoying this, I am not having fun.

13th World Championships. 18th July . Task 3.

We waited, waited and waited some more.
The eternal para-wait from 09h30am until 4pm!

The window was re-scheduled 4 times before finally at 16h00, the decision was made.

With such blustery backing northerly winds on launch, the meet director could do nothing but can the day.

I wonder whether this was a good choice of venue for the Worlds.  I am thinking, from my humble experience of venues that there are others which spring to mind as being more agreeably consistent....but then, I'm not the Meet Director...TG!

A hike the mountains, a swim in a pool of icy water in the pine forest, a reasonable dinner with the team, and bed early. Lets hope tomorrow will deliver some of the epic conditions that we have heard this place can offer....

13th World Championships. Wed 17th July - Day 3. Task 2

70km race to goal.

Gaggle at the start from above 

Forward launching in nil wind was odd to meet better lift in the valley under cloud as the Northerly bounced off the tops of the hills behind launch. Climbs were good to cloud base and our heads were comfortably high at the start-gate.

Disappointingly to became so very weak in the flats, with average climbs reaching only 1.5m/s.

Racing to TP1

Watching the speed and skill at which the pilots work the weak lift and flatlands is admirable and a leaf to be taken out of anyone's book. The standard is incredibly high, comparing to nothing I have ever seen or experienced before, so I am glad to be here and am observing and learning each day.

In the flats heading for TP2

So, bailing out mid-station, I got my retrieve back to base fairly quickly where I was consolled by others' who had had similar experience of weak conditions in the flats, not having been able to stay with it.

The consolation prize, a cool beer with friends at HQ. Tomorrow is another day....

13th World Championships. Tues 16th July - Day 2

No task. Cancelled due to strong winds. As it is only midday, we have the day to discover the surrounding area and relax.

Invite by the South African Team this afternoon, poolside, for a match of volley-ball and a delicious BBQ supper.

After discovering that Adrian Thomas has hidden springs in the soles of his feet, the Brits won the match 2-1!

Thank you South Africans for a great afternoon and evening - you are great hosts.

Roll on tomorrow and a task...

13th World Championships. Tues 16th July - Day 2

Wind at altitude is 7m/s from the North (40km/hr). As we take off in leeside thermals, this wind is currently keeping us on the ground.

The Organisation had just turned the chairlift on, but rumour has it that we won't be going up for a while. The Slovenian's are doubtful we will fly today at all. More later. 

13th World Championship. Mon 15th July - Day 1 -Task 1

With a 78km task set to goal, conditions were not ideal.

With the 5 wind-dummies on the ground, weak conditions and little thermals to speak off, the take-off conditions shut down. The race started and only some 30 minutes later did the first pilots take off - forward launching into such weak conditions, it was a true test of one's thermal ability.

With the start gaggle open to be clipped whenever anyone chose to take the lead, the race had started.  Two gaggles formed and some stragglers at the tail end, but all the pilots were off the hill within 25mins of watching a couple of bravehearts climb in weak lift to coudbase.

Personally opting to stay on the ridge, I climbed with an Enzo in a gentle 0.3m/s which eventually turned into a 2.0m/s to cloud base, pushing out to take the start gate and then taking a diagonal line back to the ridge to join the second gaggle.

The leaders were about 2 climbs ahead, closely knit and sticking firmly to the ridge. Weak climbs and the Northerly wind flushing mercilessly any pilot who was lower than 1800m.

The two gaggles made their way in blipping thermal conditions, battling constantly with the Northerly flushing over the top of the mountain, meaning that leeside lift was the only way forward.
Clipping the first TP and then heading up the valley floor to TP2 was the only way forward. Those who chose to return to the ridge battled with the leeside north wind and got flushed to the ground in no time, whilst those pilots who boldly chose the valley, found sparse thermals dotted along the course line.

The french seemed to make good headway and indeed got to goal ahead of the game.

Emile Van Wyk made a tidy goal bird ahead of the rest of the GB's in the top 10 today. Well done Emile :-) along with Jamie Messenger latterly. Guy, Adam and Adrian along with myself, struggled with the tricky conditions.

The field is still open even after this first day. Many went down before TP1 and then latterly TP2, so there is much to play.

The guys are all now enjoying an enormous Steak and Chips in a local tavern, so I think I'll join them before non's left....!

Results are not out yet, but can be found eventually at: http://airtribune.com/13-fai-world-paragliding-championship/results

13th World Championships. Sun 14th July - Practice day.

Flying day cancelled due to high northerly winds and un-flyable conditions.

Instead, the South African team invited us over for a BBQ and a swim in their pool :-)
What a great afternoon until early evening, in such wonderful company.

Volleyball matches pool-side... Thank you South Africa for being such great hosts - we owe you a terrific BBQ "Brit style"! before the next 2 weeks is over.

Many of the GB team turned in early. Me too.

Instruments charged I'm ready to fly....

13th World Paragliding Championship - Sat 13th July

We are here!
Arrival day for many pilots and the start of the 13th World Championships. A great team of pilots representing Great Britain this year: Emile Van Wyk, Adam Hill, Guy Anderson, Jamie Messenger, Adrian Thomas and myself for the Women's.

The long upload queues this morning put many off until later on in the afternoon, but with little hope of flying today, we waited patiently for 3hrs, shuffling through HQ, filling in forms about insurance, license and equipment. The inevitable spot checks on gliders and of course the uploads in addition to the "weigh-in"! We were all set by mid-afternoon.

Yawn! as Adrian and I join the queue.

Pilot briefing in the auditorium scheduled at 17h30, but which only started at 18h30, including speaches and introductions from the committee, who presented all the pilots with a slide show and an outline of the area, the rules and the local dangers to avoid.

The major hazard of this venue - the North wind which means lee-side take-off's everyday.

At 20h00, we gathered for the welcome speeches from the local Mayor on the main square. All the 45 nations represented by flag bearers and banners.
The parade meandered through the back streets of Sopot, with bystanders waving and cheering as we walked past, all the way to the base of the chairlift some 2km away. The evening was filled with street entertainment, with  performing artists miming and juggling.  Much to everyone's delight there were also fire-easters, who helped to warm the crowd from the howling northerly wind pouring its way over the hills and through the valley.

Registration over. I have my World Championship pilot card.

An earylish night for me - practice day awaits tomorrow and the promise of better skies.

Task 2. Portugal

The task has been set. Here it is. 102km to a remote goal downwind!

We do not have a take off time yet, the meet Director is waiting on confirmation of the weather conditions. 

More later. 

Task3. Day 3. Portugal BRITISH OPEN

Yesterday's winner was portuguese pilot Nuno Virgiles followed by Ronnie Geisen them in third our British Team Pilot Adrian Thomas. Whilst they enjoyed a swim in the pool at goal, they were able to watch some 95pilots cruise into goal. This is believed to be both a British record and indeed a site competition record - to be confirmed by the Meet Director and Club Vertical. 

A task has even set for 97km to remote goal. 

Adrian Thomas has given an excellent pilot briefing again today, with in depth explanations of conditions, Valle convergence and race tactics to conquer both mountain and flatland flying for this task. 

We are currently waiting for the wind to switch on and anticipate that the window should be open in about an hour. 

More later....

Task 2. Portugal - British Nationals

Witness to a pilot incident today just before launching, I decided to offer my assistance and support, rather than fly.

An incident some moments after take off, watching with disbelief an Enzo glider perilously helicoptering and then flat spinning, all the way to the rocky ground some 40m below.

The harness, helmet and glider was that of Kirsty Cameron.

Struggling to get out of my harness, and leaving my glider on launch, I scrambled down the slope to where she was lying - the rescue people were already on site and noisily, but efficiently, evaluating the situation. Stabilising her was crucial whilst only being able to move parts of her body that could be move without pain.

Holding her hand, talking to her, reassuring her of every move the rescue people were doing, wiping her dirt-covered face, helping to free her squashed limbs from her harness, holding her head as the emergency services put on her neck brace and slid the stretcher under her body and then helping to carry her down the rugged terrain and scree slope to the mountain rescue ambulance where Mane, the Safety Director, was waiting. The A & E ambulance from Guarda hospital was already waiting on the tarmac road to transport her.
Collecting her flying equipment and glider from the rescue vehicle, I was given a ride to our house where I swapped it for some personal belongings and essentials to take with me to the hospital.  I did not know how long she would be in there.

Waiting in A & E for what seemed an eternity, where hours later,
where thorough examinations revealed she was an extremely lucky girl, with nothing broken and no damage aside from severe bruising.
The afternoon waiting at the hospital for the news, either good or bad, gave rise to questions about my own flying ability and the risk I encountered every time my feet left the ground.
The hospital finally gave me the OK for her release at 19h30 - it had been a long, worrying day.
We both drove home, emotionally battered

DAY 4. Task 1. Portugal, Serra da Estrella, Manteigas BRITISH OPEN

Monday 1 July

White Rabbits !

Up to take off at 10h00 and briefing onsite. Distribution of live trackers and a task set.

Conditions looked good with convergence setting up nicely. A 97km task was set with turnpoints above the valley before heading out into the plains and the remote goal.

Sadly but a wise decision, the task had to be stopped, before the overcast skies turned to rumbling thunder in the distance.

Although no one made it to goal, minimum distance (45km) was achieved so the task will score.

I had an pleasing start, spiralling 3x360°’s just before the start-gate opened to avoid unnecessary lift. Once the gate had opened, I was hence able to fly along the course line directly to clock the first turnpoint ahead, whilst the main gaggle lost time having to skirt round the cloud suck.

Conditions switched off at TP3, cirrus came in the clouds beyond that grew. We could see a wall of rain and my guess was that the lead gaggle at that point called a Level 3.  Those who hadn’t already landed by then soon did, swiftly as a wall of rain could be seen in the distance followed after the stopped task. Retrieves were swift and efficient with a main drop-off point at one of the village bars where we were able to sample cool beer from the bottle at a mere 0,70c !

The mood is positive and pilots and happy with the « call ».

Downloads are still in progress but this evening, we have a BBQ organised of grilled Sardines. J

DAY 3 Practice Day - Portugal, Serra da Estrella BRITISH OPEN

Sunday 30th June

Practice task day. With the last few registrations completed w

e headed up the hill to the smaller take off. Light North Easterlies forecast the day looked good. A few pilots got away in the first group in the stable air whilst the majority of the field waited on take off for the conditions to improve. I was in the second group.

Taking one climb in front of take off that took us to cloudbase, at the time 3600m, the task was completed in 1 ½ - 2hrs. A 67km with three turnpoints and no time restriction.

The conditions were strong, climbs averaging at 4-5m/s and clouds formed later in the afternoon, giving us the opportunity to sample cloud-suck at it’s best. Emile got hoofed up at 9m/s and barred to the edged before disappearing. I only managed 7m/s and that was enough. They say St Andrei s strong, but conditions there are a playground in comparison to what we experienced today.

Cruising into goal with a ridiculous altitude like the rest of the pilots, we ran for shade, packing up under the trees. Shuttle busses waited to return us to HQ. Beer, swimming, dinner and an early night. The organisation team is second to none. Friendly, efficient, organised. With all the pilots having arrived by the time night fell, tomorrow the race begins

.

Day 2 - Portugal, Serra da Estrella, Manteigas BRITISH OPEN

Saturday 29th June

As the northerly was forecast strong, breakfast became a lazy affair. Meeting up with fellow team-mates Emile Van Wyk and Adrian Thomas, we drove to HQ and met with the organisation, then to the main take off to check out the conditions and what the site had to offer. We were not disappointed.

Taking in the far-reaching views of the national park’s plateau, rolling hills leading to the flatter plain, and also witnessing the largest dust -devil I had ever seen the size of a watchtower.

The afternoon was spent in the shade of the cherry trees on the lawn with intermittent swims in the river.

Registrations and uploads completed by 7pm, followed by dinner. The weather is hot, very hot. 33°C and rising as the week progresses.