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01.01.1970
2007 Gulgong Classic - Day 2






... 108 km out and return with a gust front at the end for the late guys ...



The task committee called an out and return along the highways to the west given the predict of a northeast wind. The winds turned out to be out of the west. The idea was to get the guys with Stings and Sonics out on the course going downwind on the first leg, but it didn't turn out that way.


We started towing up at noon and the cu's were just beginning to form. I found a little thermal over the tow paddock, Scott Barrett joined me and we climbed up to 5,500' AGL. It looked like a good day, but it was clear that we would be heading into a head wind.


The sky quickly filled up and ten of us found ourselves at the edge of the start circle where we finally got some strong lift to 6,800' AGL just before the first start time at one o'clock. Scott and I had already decided to go at the first start clock and it looked like we would have a lot of company.


We headed out splitting the group up into two sets right away, one headed for a thick cu to the left of the course line and the other toward the wispy cu's along the course line. Not much was working that great so we pushed further up the course line into the wind to find better lift. Chris Jones was out leading the way with Scott behind. Cameron Tunbridge and I were further behind. There was no lead gaggle to speak of.


It was slow going given the wind and the difficulty finding strong thermals. Everyone was spread out and few pilots knew where the other pilots were so they had no gauge to tell them how well they were doing.


Down to 1,300' AGL 5 km from the first turnpoint, I found 700 fpm to 5,500' AGL and was joined by a friendly Wedgie and a couple of pilots. It was getting to be a better day. Out in front by the turnpoint Phil Schroder was about to land. I got to see him do so as I came over the turnpoint. Scott Barrett was struggling low just to the north of the turnpoint and Chris Jones was struggling a little bit to the west.


I flew passed the turnpoint and found 550 fpm to over 8,000' AGL. Scott was working his way up slowly, Chris was out in front with Cameron not far behind. Chris was out in front most of the time but we rarely saw him.


Chris got the second turnpoint first and I came in two minutes after him. It was a fifteen km glide after a strong thermal before the turnpoint, around it and back to the lift again. But we had plenty of altitude from the last thermal.


There were big areas of shade ahead. Also there was a cu-nimb off to the east in the mountains clearing out an area in front of any cu's that might help us get to goal. It looked like we could get home but the guys behind us might have a problem.


Just past the third turnpoint Chris was low and found a strong thermal. Cameron, Scott and I raced ahead not seeing Chris ahead of us, and low still. Cameron is the highest at 7,000' AGL. We all headed for the clouds just passed the turnpoint and the obvious lift.


I just missed it and had to search a bit. Cameron got it higher than Chris or Scott and soon headed for goal. He was way too high. Scott followed Chris but from above and was able to over take him going to goal as Chris had to stop for a bit of lift. I stayed in the thermal until I got high enough and then glided the 20 km into goal.


The gust front didn't hit until later and one pilot, Don Cramer, did come in and land at the airport as it hit.


Scores for both days are up at: http://www.soaringspot.com/2007gc/results/

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