19 July - Montalegre PWC - TASK5

Today's task

Return to the North take-off. Race to goal set.
Pilots realised that it would be windy with the downwind task which had been set and as soon as we were airborne we felt it.
Two gaggles formed from the same thermals as the start gate opened , one which had already been tracked back and then headed over the back towards the turn point, the other at the start of the thermal, low and blown back over the windmills in the same direction.
Leaving with the second gaggle because the thermal topped out at 1900 anyway, over the back in sink of -6 to -7m/s and a going at a max speed of 73km with a tail wind like all the others.
The first calls of "level3 were heard, then more - about 15 in total from pilots all over the track log.

Pre-start gaggle

Drifting with the wind I connected with the plateau on the other side of the valley whilst watching others land dubiously in the valley, pinned and flying backwards. I figured that landing higher would be more laminar and with larger fields, and no trees of bushes creating rotor. Crabbing and drifting at high speed for a few more kilometres, my thermal flattened out such that I could not turn anymore. Turning into wind, I too, flying at -1km/hr, landed and, rolling backwards wrapping both my breaks to bury the glider. All I could think was "my C-Pilot, my C-Pilot...."! so like a rolling stone, balled up like a hedgehog to prevent damage to my instruments. At that moment, I hear the Meet Director on the radio "for those who have not yet left the start, you need to go right...go right".
Would this not be a clear indication that the task should be stopped? After multiple calls of level 3 on the radio, with 2 people monitoring tack logs through live trackers on computers and being able to see at the speed we were all flying at...would this not be obvious that the task should have been cancelled??!!!
After yesterday, I question the safety aspect. I have always questioned the ability of competing pilots to make decision about safety and calling the level. Today is yet again, proof, as with Annecy, that those pilots in the lead of a race, will not call a level and jeopardise their place and chance of winning.
There IS a better way to safe competition flying, particularly at this level where more often than not, accidents are fatal.

To finish on a high note, the ride up to take-off was great fun! Riding in an open truck in the sunshine and dust, with music in my ears. :-)