For the keen, go to www.airtribune.com for live tracking and scores as they guys publish them. Props to Andrew McKirdy and Tom Mulder of the DFC who are processing the scoring after a day's flying.
Briefly:
Saturday: Blown out
Sunday: Blown out on Mt Murchison, so the competition migrated to Havelock in the Marlborough Sounds. A steep launch on a spine pointed straight into a 20 kph westerly. Clean launches were made by most straight into strong lift with the bonus of a thermal if you were lucky. Ollie Chitty and others launched straight into 1000fpm and climbed out to around 5000 asl. The task was a cats cradle in the Sounds, with a good handful in goal. The 160 km drive each way down and back up through the fohn which blew down the Wairau Valley from Nelson Lakes to Blenheim made it all worth it. The Sounds hill country provided adequate shelter from the prevailing winds.
Ollie Chitty's video tells it all:
Monday: Blown out, as the forestry guys didn't want us back at Havelock - too hot and dry. It reached 36 degrees in the Sounds.
Tuesday: Up Mt Murchison with light winds on top, alternately cycling up the steep N side or the shallow S side. The task went north to Lookout Peak, roughly the same height as launch, and hen east across the low forested hills on to the Beeby range south of Inwoods Lookout, one of the Nelson SW sites. Then on to a turn point at the Rainbow Ski Field on top of the St Arnaud Range, followed by a glide out over the lake into wind to the gliding airstrip west of the town. Those who could climb to 7500' on the St Arnauds got to goal, those who set off at 6500' landed short.
Significantly, John Smith and Ollie Chitty didn't get a climb out on the Beeby Range and fell short - this is the first time Smithy hasn't made goal, and he now has a 400 point handicap to overcome to retain his title.
Ollie's Video:
Wednesday: Light SW, with a task into wind, south down the Matakitaki, then east into the Tutaki Valley, and back north to a landing at the Murchison end of the Tutaki. A number made goal. I think Ollie was first in. The day stayed mostly blue, with mixed high cloud, and an impressive wave system setting up 100km downwind over the east coast.
Thursday: A moderate NW/WNW forecast put paid to Matt Barlow's dreams of a 100 km task down the St Arnaud Range through the big mountains to Hanmer (it's been done only once by hang glider pilots). The risk of an increasing wind made it too risky. As it turned out, it might have worked...
The task was basically a run down the Tutaki and back up again. Steven Blackler is currently retaining his lead. The scores should be up on www.airtribune.com not too long after this gets posted.
