Blog

World Gliding Championships  report 7-14-10

 

Wow, absolutely our best day of the contest! A first and a second!  On the second day of the contest Francois Pin racked up a second.  Sean has been pushing the top ten since the first day.  But today not only did everybody get home but were in the money now.   We just had a little trouble getting started.  Most of our guys are flat land pilots and this place has mountains, lots of mountains.  The whole task area is mountains and valleys.  It is pretty intimidating to cross a mountain top without knowing what's behind it. 

I talked to Sean about his flight.  Of course it was hard to talk with a big smile on your face.  Blair had predicted that he would have two 10 knot thermals today.  He did!!  He started after 2/3 of the crackerjack German team, caught them at a difficult pass on the third leg , worked a thermal that they missed and watched them milling around behind a mountain as he sailed over head to start his final glide home.

Francois wanted to do it his way.  He figured the gaggle would progress at the pace of the slowest pilot, He knew it was going to be a strong day so he left early and never saw another ship all day.  He was the very first ship home including all classes.  Climbing out of his ship he banged up his knee.

Of course we had a few hurdles getting there.  Bill Snead's nice big VW quit outside the gate this morning and they had to push it in to the airport.  Nancy spent the day trying to get it fixed.  They finally got another car….. without a trailer hitch. The repair shop thinks they will have it fixed by Friday.  Of course that allows no slippage. Saturday is the last contest day and we will all be leaving after the closing ceremonies Sunday morning.   

Dick Mockler