1st March - PWC Porterville Task 6

Similar conditions to the previous day had been forecast but with with slightler stronger valley winds in the flats as the day went on, lower cloudbase and no clouds at all! Apart from that, conditions were similar enough in that the wind direction was the same!

An 88m task again to Constriction in the next valley, with a zigzag in the Porterville flats before heading east over ridge and the vineyards into the valley of Citrusdal.

Getting a slow start by 10 mins, and only catching up the gaggle 16km further downwind by taking a booting 5m/s thermal which I took until it eased off at 0.6. Keeping a constant eye on the gaggles and watching them flying low and battling with weak climbs and a strong valley wind, the first part of the task on the flats had been reasonably slow for some.

Strong conditions meant that climbs were forgiving and I was back with the group for the next 20 or so kilometres. Taking a battered 2.5m/s climb infront of Porterville ridge to 100m above ridge height, I left the thermal alone, looking over my shoulder 2 Icepeaks, an Enzo and a Swing followed. The other half of the gaggle had decided to take a more southerly option, later they were to crab their way up to take the turnpoint, having been drifted down the Citrusdal valley past the TP.

 Following my C-Pilot I took a direct line, clipped the TP and this time, decided to fly a more direct line.
Staying fairly central-east to the valley floor, drifiting with the wind in a gentle 1.2m/s thermal half way down the valley past Citrusdal, all the while using bar and B's, I had a much more gentle ride than the previous day.
There are water reservoirs most of the way down which activate some thermal activity, so blipping my way down was certainly faster than heading into the mountains which would have given perhaps stronger climbs, but more km's were needed to reach goal.

A moment's hesitation at my decision and thinking my race was over when the climb became weaker than the lift, I was at 500m and I had -90m to goal.
Knowing that my polar curve is not quite right, I would give myself a 50m margin before barring it.
Taking a climb above a reservoir until my GPS said 150m to goal, I full barred to the Constriction Rugby field and the line. End of Speed section in the bag, I just had the physical line to cope with.

I was over the of acres of citrus tree farms now, they were rising, I knew I had no landing options should my plan fail.
Skimming over a couple of Eucalyptus trees, wondering whether I had been just a little bit too clever for my own good, more orchards, some telephone lines, a quick look at my GPS screen,  my speed over ground, my height, the distance to the line.
I flew between the rugby goal posts, over the line, turned into wind to land. THAT was how close it was.

Yan Martail came to congratulate me on the calculation of my arrival. He had filmed my finish and afterwards commented on my approach, although I very low, I had kept a cool head and not panicked. "Une arrivée digne d'un champion" were his words. That made me shine with pride - indeed congratulations from a PWC and Superfinal World Champion is a great boost.

So goal again it was and a relaxed drive home via 2 pick up from landed-out pilots on the way.

Photos to come.....