The weather was amazing. Yes, I've been to many great competitions in Australia and the US. But right now the Forbes Flatlands in 2008 eight feels like one of the best ever.

Vicki Cain did a great job organizing. All the pieces were in place especially all the great volunteers who served as ground crew. Vicki was great at getting the launch issues sorted out and making sure that Bill Moyes was happy. He wanted three launch lines, and as we had enough ground crew, that made it possible. It was much nicer to reduce the people pressure on each line.

The tug pilots were great. Leroy towed me up a bunch and I'll say that he said that he loved towing me. That's because I was always willing to get off in lift. Other pilots seemed to demand their 600 meters. On the last day after a minute or two of towing we were at 200' AGL, when he finally got to the lift (it was sparse at first on that day in the blue). Then I found 800 fpm on the vario (while on tow). It stayed that way to 900' AGL when I pinned off. I just wasn't ready to pin off at 200'.

The Russian girl (21 and studying Physics) had some great flights. Making goal on two days. She wasn't in the meet, came as a driver, but with Bobby Bailey's favorable attention got some early tows and then just went for it. She more than doubled her personal best.

Numerous pilots had personal bests and Rob Clarkston made his first goal as did other pilots.

The New South Wales Regional Atmospheric Soaring Prediction web site is the best RASP I've seen so far. It was instrumental in helping the meet run well. Bernard Baer and John Whitney have done an excellent job with it. More on it later.

http://ozreport.com/ozweather.php

No major injuries and no deaths unlike last year. One pilot dislocated his shoulder. He was an inexperienced aerotow pilot but caused the problem on landing.

Eight day meet with eight days of flying. One "rest day" with a "short" task of only 143 kilometers.

The town supports the meet. The Vandenberg hotel is very nice to us. I'm hoping for DSL instead of a satellite wireless connection next year. Vicki says that she will organize the meet again in 2009.