The forecast:

https://ozreport.com/seweather.php

Monday

Sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the morning.

Surface wind 6 mph, northeast

HRRR 3, 2 PM:

Updraft velocity: 640 fpm

TOL: 5,600’

Wind TOUL: 9 mph, north

B/S: 10

Surface winds 6 mph east

No cu’s.

The task:

The Replay:

https://lt.flymaster.net/bs.php?grp=2696

The flight on-line:
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/2253551

http://wxc.fai.org/module.php?id=22&date=20190423&gliderclass=hg1

https://www.xcontest.org/world/en/flights/detail:davisstraub/22.4.2019/17:56

https://www.xcontest.org/world/en/ranking-hg-national:US

The narrative:

We move the launch from the northeast facing direction to an east facing
direction further west in the east/west slot runway and delay the task half an
hour to start at 2:30 PM. There are no cu's as forecast. The wind is light out
of the east.

I launch 24th and find light lift to the south of Wilotree and climb slowly to
3,600' with a couple of other pilots. Pilots who left this thermal early before
getting as high as we did and head to the northwest have to land back at
Wilotree Park.

We head northwest toward the first turnpoint, a ten kilometer cylinder around
the Chinese airfield. It's still six minutes before the first start gate. We
find 200 fpm and then 300 fpm. I leave the start cylinder four minutes after the
window opens as I climb to 4,400'. There are about eight guys higher and in
front of a few of us behind.

We are doing a bit better behind finding better lift and keeping an eye on the
gaggle in front. The lift is poor, less than 200 fpm, and the lead gaggle is
getting lower and lower with each thermal.

I veer off to the south a bit just northwest of the lumber yard and south of
some greenhouses to find much better lift at 300 fpm and climb to 4,700'. The
lead gaggle is far below and soon out of site to the north.

I take over the lead as the lead gaggle struggles and head out on my own toward
the turnpoint. I've been out here before so I have some idea of what to look for
in order to get back up as I come down from my commanding height.

It's a nine kilometer glide before I find 170 fpm by the Kokee turnpoint and I
can climb back to 3,000'. A six kilometer glide and I come over apparently from
the smell, some chicken coops just east of a prison (so many of them in
Florida). I'm down to 1,400' and looking at a possible landing field just past
the prison, but I find little bits of lift and hang with them.

I average a little over 100 fpm to 2,000' which gets me past the prison and the
field next to it. I'm familiar with the fields ahead having climbed out of them
on a previous flight. They are the last fields before the river which is
surrounded by trees. Our optimized turnpoint is just on the other side of the
river. I'm too low to cross it.

I see a small bit of smoke in the trees next to an open field and get to it at
600' AGL. I take the 254 fpm to 4,500' where we all get together at the
turnpoint. I relinquish my lead at this point.

Now it's sixteen guys racing toward the three kilometer cylinder around the
Baron turnpoint to the east northeast with seven guys in front. We race ahead
and stop for 200 to 300 fpm about every five kilometers. Five or so guys at the
top of each thermal.

As we pass south of the prisons, Phil Bloom goes out in front, with Pedro, Nene
and me just behind him getting higher. I lead out to get over Phil who has lost
a lot of altitude as we approach the turnpoint. I lead out again with Raul and
Bruno just behind racing for the turnpoint. We get the turnpoint and head south.

Those behind us see us plummeting and take a line further to the east also
heading south. Bruno moves to the south east to get in the lead with Jonny and
Kevin Dutt behind him as they work weak lift from low. Bruno lands.

Raul and I work 25 fpm for twelve minutes to climb from 2,200 to 2,700' as we
drift in an eight mph north wind toward Wilotree Park and goal. I lead out as
I'm familiar with the area. We work 100 fpm and 55 fpm climbing to 2,800' and
drifting south.

I come over the nursery on the north side of highway 50 west of Mascotte but I
don't find much. Raul spots a vulture climbing and climbs with him when I turn
east to head for the chicken coops and possible landing area. Down to 600' AGL I
find a little bit of zero sink and start working and searching for the better
core.

The guys to our east are finding better lift. Kevin Dutt gets out ahead and
continues on a long glide into goal. The pilots who took the second clock are
able to come in fifteen minutes later and score well despite poor leading and
arrival points.

It's almost 6 PM. I find the area of better lift over the possible landing field
and slowly climb out drifting slowly to the south. I climb at 120 fpm to 3,700'
topping out at 6:22 PM with a 6:1 glide to goal. I'm not in the mood for landing
short. It's an easy seven kilometer glide into goal for the last guy to make it
to goal at 6:28.