The results appear here:
http://www.flysunvalley.com/USNPC/results.html.


The local pilots on the task committee went big today with a task to the north
northeast north of Challis. The wind forecast was for a little more wind than on
the first day (the winds were light on that day) and it was predicted to come
from the south instead of the west. Therefore a big task (124.4 km) down wind.


Launch conditions, especially at the top, were intimidating. The actual feel of
the wind down below the top launch area was not as inimical, but pilots were
still hesitant. A few wind dummies were sent off with the third one having
a good result which encourages Abe and then other pilots to get going.


The drift above wasn't so bad and pilots were able to remain near the launch
area as they climbed out much better than on the previous day. I was right next
to Chuck Smith, the safety director, and two of the safety committee members on
the lower launch and Chuck was in contact with Bill. We continually monitored
the launch and in the air safety conditions. Jamie Messenger on the ground was
saying go for it. Eric Reed, was preparing to launch but waffling. Bill Bellcort
had launched and saying that it was safe in the air, but he didn't think it was
"taskable." It was unclear just what that meant.


Chuck felt that the conditions were the standard fare for Mount Baldy. A number
of pilots had launched and were thermaling over the launch and not experiencing
any difficulties. Then suddenly Josh Waldrop, who was in third place after day
one, had a cravat and was slowly spiraling down. Josh is an aerobatic pilot and
used all his skills to get out of the problem and was successful, flying away
low over Warm Springs road on the back side of the mountain.


After that bit of adrenalin, pilots continued launching and soon some were high
enough to head across the valley to Sun Peak. The start circle was large at 15
km to allow pilots to work the ridges on the east side of the valley without
having to leave the start cylinder. The task had a turnpoint at Twin Bridges to
keep the pilots near the main road, but after that they were pretty much free to
fly north past Challis to Ellis.


Meanwhile back on launch, about forty pilots were deciding the launch conditions
and perhaps the conditions on the course were not to their liking. This is quite
a chunk of pilots to feel that conditions weren't safe.


Chuck was in contact with Honza out on the course and the word was that there
was no wind out there and Honza was hoping for a little bit of wind.


I road my mountain bike down to the bottom again like on the first day and went
to talk to the pilots who were at the bottom of the hill by the bail out LZ. A
group of them felt that the conditions (the wind was too high) were unsafe and
that it was unfair that the day called for more balls than brains. They have
submitted a complaint to me as the meet director and I will rule on it tomorrow.
The complaint states that the task was unfair contravening the official purpose
of the meet.


In the meantime a number of pilots were out on the course and twelve of them
managed to make goal in the longest task called and made in the US paragliding meet.
Presents quite a dilemma doesn't it?