Weather: Light easterly dropping off around midday and
increasing late afternoon. Clouds.
Task: WNW to Warra then NE to Jandowae, ESE to Bell
racecourse then back to Dalby 133Km
With light lift above the airfield, it was a slow climb to
cloud base at 5900ft. Gaggles formed to
the west of take-off but had to keep moving up wind to stay within the 5Km
start circle. Most pilots were in the air when the 12:30 start gate opened but
not all made it high enough to leave.
John Smith was one of the lower pilots and lead the lower
pilots to the first thermal from start. It was a good climb and even the higher
pilots stopped to top up. There was a fast pace to Warra and the few pilots
that got low at the turn-point had slow climbs up. The lead gaggle had a fast
line to the second turn-point but those who got low along this part of the
course had slow climbs out as the cloud shadows on the ground left very little
room for sun to get through. Many low saves were made on route to WPT 3.
John said over breakfast the next day “That if he had got a
save at WPT 3 that he would have gone to Jesus”. But when John’s feet hit the
ground he accepted the inevitability of his position and realised the only way
he was going to get to goal was by car.
With the high cloud moving in and the wind picking up the
day started to slow down with a lot of pilots landing around Bell. Big John went well north of the task line to
Bell and this manoeuvre won him the day. Those lucky enough to get around WPT 3
had a 21Km run to Dalby airport with a sky that was blueing out, so those who
stayed high managed to get to goal, with around 12 pilots making it in. Conrad
was the first Kiwi in with quite a few pilots dropping just short of goal.
It was a very technical day and the cycles very different
from the previous days when climbs where everywhere. Most of the young guys who
had been doing well did not make goal with most of the old timers making it.
Staying high seemed to be the best course for the day.
Another great day at Dalby and it does not look like there
will be a lay day as the forecast for the rest of the comp is good.
Quote of the day from Captain Flockhart log: “Survive the
course’s filters”
Advice for the day “Pace yourself”