The flight and task on the
HOLC and on
Google Maps/Earth


Results.


The National Weather Service was calling for a thirty percent chance of rain. As
it blew up on the day before with only a twenty percent chance of rain, we are
very concerned about the possibility of flying near huge cu-nimbs once again.
After a vigorous discussion in the task committee we decided to go back to the
Brownfield airport, downwind and away from Big Spring. We had a secondary task
to the west if it blew up to our north, but a task that would be cross wind for
70+ miles.


The south wind was indeed strong enough, 10 mph below cloud base, but 16 mph
near cloud base. The lift was weak once again near the airport but picked up
right away when we went north. I got let off under Jim Yocom, but didn't find
what he was circling in and went south to find better and really did go south,
having to work much less than 100 fpm to get back up again. This left me a
little below my compatriots at the start.


We started launching a half hour earlier than on the first two days, at noon,
and the clouds over the town started quite a bit later than on the previous
days. It looked like there was less chance of over development than was
forecast.


As we headed out on course there were no signs of over development unlike on the
previous day and the sky was dappled with cu's. As soon as we left the area of
the airport the lift improved significantly and we were in race mode right away.


There was no overdevelopment all day and it took a little under two hours to go
76 miles. Campbell Bowen won the day in rigids. He was out in front all alone
the whole way.


Brett Hazlett won the pre-Worlds, with 70+ pilots at goal. Brett took the second
clock and almost caught the few pilots who took the first one. Attila was right
behind him.


Greg Brown was the only single surface glider to make goal at La Mesa, about
half the distance of the pre-World task.  Adrian Van der Reit won the sport
class. Seven sport class pilots made goal in La Mesa. Looks like we need longer
tasks all the way around.