The Winners

Here are the winners:

Photos from the Comp

I'll add more when I can get hold of them. Page is on the left...

Sherry River

Day 6 - Tapawera

Wind SW 20 knots
There was a rush to get up the hill and an excitement to fly the final day of the Nationals. Looking at RASP it showed that Murchison was not working, maybe due to it being in cloud, and Takaka was decided against as it would be too unstable due to the sea breeze coming in.

Reaching launch on Tapawera  the wind was coming up very strong at times and after memories of yesterday, it was decided to postpone it for an hour. An hour past and the safety committee decided to cancel due to strong winds and to make it a free flying day.

There were no complaints and John Smith was off the hill in smooth lift. All pilots got off the hill and found the air to be buoyant but strong.

A few pilots tried to do the course that was set but no one made it. Most landed in the bomb out keen to get to the prize giving on time.

Again Glenn and Max impressed everyone with a fantastic buffet followed by desert.

Prize giving followed.

Sport Class
1st Shane Morton  2nd Adriel Kind  3rd Aaron Derby

Open Class
1st John Smith  2nd Hagen Bruggeman  3rd Paris Williams

The band started up after the prize giving and everyone partied on into the night.

Glenn and Max had successfully put on a great Nationals comp and have set a high standard for those organising the next one. A lot of South Island pilots have expressed their willingness to get across the Strait and see how the action is in the North Island .

We hope to please them and North Island pilots with Airspace lifted to 9000ft and a good turnout of pilots.

Next year we are looking at holding at the Paeroas and Kaimais. Dates to be decided on.
Mark Alton, Ian Miller, Les Graham and Adriel Kind will be organising the next HG Nationals in 2017

Note. We are also looking at holding a XC Clinic for interested parties before the Nationals.

Results Update

Day 5 Results are up

Task 5 - Tapawera

NW 15 knots +

Task: Take-off to Kohatu Pub then up to WANGAP back to Kohatu pub. Back to Tapawera take off then up the Tadmor Valley to Goal. 48km.

Arriving at take off the wind was light but by the time we rigged and had the briefing it had risen to 13 knots. Pilots filed off the hill into ridge lift and light thermals.

Two pilots took the second start gate and the rest took the third.

After height was gained it was a slow push to wpt 1 getting sporadic lift along the way and a slow push for the last 2km to get to the wpt. Once back on the ridge the downwind run back past take-off was not a problem.

Gaining height above take off and heading on to wpt 2 it was found that a head wind was encountered as you passed the junction of the Tadmor and Motueka valleys. It was surprising not to find convergence here but it seemed that it was on the other side of the valley.

Pilots who made it 5km from wpt 2 found rotor on the windward side of the hill which quickly pushed them to the deck.

John headed back down wind to find lift and gained more height allowing him to push out to 800 meters of wpt 2, which allowed him to win the day.

The wind had picked up after we took off and as the direction was over the far hills we must have encountered the down cycle of wave pushing everyone to the deck. All pilots landed safely and they had a good story to tell.

CAA Inspections...

Here's Mac McCarthy (CAA Inspector) checking out Rod Stuart's glider in the Forestry camp hall in Tapawera on Wednesday. He wants to learn to fly :^)

Trophies

This is what it's all for... trophies compliments of Kevin McManus

 





...and the silver, of course.