Changed take off today. Nice and grassy - this must be the one that they have the sprinklers on. It was freezing up there and I had to wear my sweater arms on my legs to keep warm. Then suddenly around 2pm, the thermals kicked in and the temperature rose by about 18degrees! A shorter task was set today, zigzagging our way up and down the valley to the goal field lakeside. Struggling with the upwind leg between TP1 and TP2, the air low down lacking in any thermal activity whatsoever by 5pm and up above the air stable up to 2000m, a large proportion of the field went down, myself included within the next 20km's. Many of the top pilots were also unlucky and long faces appeared later at HQ for download, but in the end 12 got to goal with Luc Armant just pipped at the post by Yan Martal.
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| Loaded truck of gliders ready to go to take off |
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| Chilly winds before the thermals kick in |
Looking at the forecast, the weather looks much the same for tomorrow. For me, "racing" my glider is not the right thing to do, unable to compete with others higher performance gliders, and permanently in a position of "bar or catch-up", with the current conditions I need to change my strategy. Although I had the best start I have ever had with only 26 seconds elapsed until I exited the start cylinder, I think, for me, remaining high is the only way to get closer to the goal field. Change of tactics and food for thought overnight.
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