DAY 5
Video
Tough day today. Most of the field had three goes at the start gate and were forced to take the last due to the 7000ft inversion making it a struggle to get away from takeoff. Eventually it broke and we climbed up to 10,000ft not long after the first turn-point. Our late start resulted in us almost running out of day to make it into goal.I managed to stay high near the end and just squeaked it in making one of the most intense final glides I have ever done. 13:1 glide, 20km from the Esplanada goal watching the sun go down. Happy to be in!
John landed just short as did many others.
Forecast for tomorrow is for clouds so fingers crossed and then a mandatory rest day on Tuesday.
Day Results
1. Peter Benes (Czechoslovakia)
2. Zac Majors (USA)
3. ALVARO FIGUEIREDO SANDOLI (Brazil)
NZ Team
16. Jonas
74. John
101. Derek
http://www.cbvl.esp.br/evento/resultado/117
Hang Gliding Worlds: Day 4
DAY 4
120km task with two legs racing up and down the main ridge with goal once again at the infamous Esplanada.
We had 3 start gates today with 15 minute intervals in order to try and break up the intense gaggles in the blue conditions that we're consistently getting here. John and I both took the first with about three-quarters of the field and raced off down course. John went low and ran the ridge with a handful of other dudes while I tried to stay high in messy broken lift. This turned out to be a bad call as the guys who soared the ridge low were much quicker and were about 15 minutes faster than me to the second turn-point.
I wasted some precious time mucking around in broken lift low on the ridge instead of pushing on and ridge soaring on route to TP2 and was soon caught by the 2nd start group. This messed with my head and I struggled to make good decisions with my frustrated mood. Eventually I caught up to John again over the big forest 30km before goal and we climbed up to 9500ft together only needing a small top up 10km further before making it into the Esplanada. Our times were slow but it was good to make it in there anyway. Tomorrows another day!
Derek landed just short of the second turnpoint struggling like many of us did in the stable disorganized lift down on the ridge.
Day 4 Results
1. Jonny Durand (Australia)
2. Mario Alonzi (France)
3. Atilla Bertok (Hungary)
NZ Team
47. John Smith
50. Jonas Lobitz
110. Derek McKee
120km task with two legs racing up and down the main ridge with goal once again at the infamous Esplanada.
We had 3 start gates today with 15 minute intervals in order to try and break up the intense gaggles in the blue conditions that we're consistently getting here. John and I both took the first with about three-quarters of the field and raced off down course. John went low and ran the ridge with a handful of other dudes while I tried to stay high in messy broken lift. This turned out to be a bad call as the guys who soared the ridge low were much quicker and were about 15 minutes faster than me to the second turn-point.
I wasted some precious time mucking around in broken lift low on the ridge instead of pushing on and ridge soaring on route to TP2 and was soon caught by the 2nd start group. This messed with my head and I struggled to make good decisions with my frustrated mood. Eventually I caught up to John again over the big forest 30km before goal and we climbed up to 9500ft together only needing a small top up 10km further before making it into the Esplanada. Our times were slow but it was good to make it in there anyway. Tomorrows another day!
Derek landed just short of the second turnpoint struggling like many of us did in the stable disorganized lift down on the ridge.
Day 4 Results
1. Jonny Durand (Australia)
2. Mario Alonzi (France)
3. Atilla Bertok (Hungary)
NZ Team
47. John Smith
50. Jonas Lobitz
110. Derek McKee
Hang Gliding Worlds: Day 3
DAY 3
With similar conditions to yesterday (blue again, slightly weaker lift and stronger winds-20kmh NNE) a 130km polygon task was set with 5 turn points and goal taking us back to the Esplanada.
Two major gaggles formed before the start, one on the ridge and another about 8km in the flats out in front of take off. The first start was half an hour later than previous days (2:00PM) as organizers were concerned about difficult launching conditions so we had an extra half hour to kill in the air before the race began.
John and I were in the gaggle out on the flats and had a good start from about 9000ft. At the first turnpoint both gaggles fused into a super gaggle of about 80 pilots which flew the course together as one up until the second last turn-point.
John was pushing hard and often out in front leading the pack, racing low he found the strongest climb in the area on several occasions only to be swarmed by 80 others gliders, myself included. Thermals averaged around 500fpm but were often pulsing and the cores were shifting around a lot which made it hard for anyone to breakaway and go alone.
The second last turn-point proved the most difficult of the day. It was getting late and conditions were weakening and the 20km headwind provided no favours. The super gaggle dispersed and I managed to stick with a good crew getting a jump on the rest of the field. After about 10 minutes of scratching just after the second last TP, our climb eventually kicked and we got back up to 9500ft. I was with the robots Alex Ploner and Christian Ciech as well as several other top dudes. The lift had now significantly weakened and we were taking 200-300fpm climbs but staying high.
I had to stop just before the lake leading up to goal at Brasilia and drift in a mega weak 100fpm until my numbers went positive and glided with a 12:1 into goal crossing the line in about 16th place.
The Esplanada has to be one of the radest goals around. I landed to a DJ blasting tunes, food and beer for sale, hundreds of local people around to check out the action as well as a big pilot massage tent where competitors can relax and get a post flight rub up.
Many pilots landed about 10km short including John as the day had majorly shut down so the slower guys didn't have a chance anymore.
Day 3 results:
1. Alex Ploner (Italy)
2. ALVARO FIGUEIREDO SANDOLI (Brazil)
3. Christian Ciech (Italy)
NZ Team
16. Jonas Lobitz
58. John Smith
121. Derek McKee
With similar conditions to yesterday (blue again, slightly weaker lift and stronger winds-20kmh NNE) a 130km polygon task was set with 5 turn points and goal taking us back to the Esplanada.
Two major gaggles formed before the start, one on the ridge and another about 8km in the flats out in front of take off. The first start was half an hour later than previous days (2:00PM) as organizers were concerned about difficult launching conditions so we had an extra half hour to kill in the air before the race began.
John and I were in the gaggle out on the flats and had a good start from about 9000ft. At the first turnpoint both gaggles fused into a super gaggle of about 80 pilots which flew the course together as one up until the second last turn-point.
John was pushing hard and often out in front leading the pack, racing low he found the strongest climb in the area on several occasions only to be swarmed by 80 others gliders, myself included. Thermals averaged around 500fpm but were often pulsing and the cores were shifting around a lot which made it hard for anyone to breakaway and go alone.
The second last turn-point proved the most difficult of the day. It was getting late and conditions were weakening and the 20km headwind provided no favours. The super gaggle dispersed and I managed to stick with a good crew getting a jump on the rest of the field. After about 10 minutes of scratching just after the second last TP, our climb eventually kicked and we got back up to 9500ft. I was with the robots Alex Ploner and Christian Ciech as well as several other top dudes. The lift had now significantly weakened and we were taking 200-300fpm climbs but staying high.
I had to stop just before the lake leading up to goal at Brasilia and drift in a mega weak 100fpm until my numbers went positive and glided with a 12:1 into goal crossing the line in about 16th place.
The Esplanada has to be one of the radest goals around. I landed to a DJ blasting tunes, food and beer for sale, hundreds of local people around to check out the action as well as a big pilot massage tent where competitors can relax and get a post flight rub up.
Many pilots landed about 10km short including John as the day had majorly shut down so the slower guys didn't have a chance anymore.
Day 3 results:
1. Alex Ploner (Italy)
2. ALVARO FIGUEIREDO SANDOLI (Brazil)
3. Christian Ciech (Italy)
NZ Team
16. Jonas Lobitz
58. John Smith
121. Derek McKee
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