Ken Kenken writes:

El Penon Classic Race, Valle de Bravo Mexico. It's the first hang
gliding competition of the year in North America. It draws top, and I mean top
pilots from the entire hemisphere. There are pilots here from Canada, USA,
Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, and Colombia that I know of.

Day 1 they set a fairly difficult task and these animals chewed it up, with 22
of 45 pilots in goal. Optimally, only 25% of pilots will reach goal for a
well-designed task. But these pilots are so good, and work as a team, that
together they can go much farther than any solo pilot can, and if one makes
goal, the entire "wolf pack" they are flying with do as well.

On day two, high winds aloft increased the difficulty and "only" 12 pilots made
goal.

Today they laid out a complex course with two out-and-backs followed by a large
triangle. Nineteen pilots in goal, including me. I spent an hour getting altitude near launch, then two hours charging around the
complex course. I climbed hard, flew fast through sink, rode tailwinds, fought
headwinds, and negotiated truces with crosswinds. I was #16 of 19 in goal and I
couldn't be more thrilled.

I flew over tree-covered mesas, agricultural valleys, and dusty, scrubby
wilderness. My landing, at 7000' of altitude, was ungraceful but, I am told,
better than most. Later, there was pizza.