The results are here: http://www.soaringspot.com/2008dba/.

The forecast was for a few cu's in the late afternoon as the inversion broke. The winds were tipped to continue, at 12 knots, now out of the east, with little or no south component. The top of the lift was forecasted to be over 6,000'.

The task had a turnpoint point to the northwest along the main highway then downwind to the west, 124 kilometers.

A few free flyers in intermediate gliders took off just before the one o'clock launch window open time and I went first among the competitors at one hoping to hook up with these guys. The clouds were just beginning to appear near the air field, although there were a good number of cu's 60 km down wind. Most of the competitors were waiting for a later start to better take advantage of the cu's that are beginning to form.

Smokey took me to a nice thermal and I climbed to 4,000' AGL. I was looking down wind to see if any of the hang gliders are turning, but they have landed three kilometers from the launch at the gun club, so there was no one out there to help with the mostly blue sky ahead. A couple of pilots had launched but they were far below me and none of the competitors had lined up to launch.

I headed out as the lift gave out and headed for the upwind side of the highway which marks the course line. Down to 1,700' AGL, I found 200 fpm in a thermal that was moving from the east north east, 45 degrees to the course line. This was not good news given the fact that single surface gliders only like to go down wind. I hung on to the thermal and drifted down wind toward the next highway and over the river.

I climbed to 4,500' AGL but making the task more difficult. I needed to get back toward the highway to get near the course line, but I would have to go cross wind to do so.

I found bits of light (less than 200 fpm) lift and turned in it as I moved cross wind back toward the course line. I could see a low hang glider behind me not providing any help. I stayed in the lift as much as I could, but the wind was blowing the thermals the wrong direction and making them hard to circle in. I lost the lift over the river.

It looked like I was set to land in a cultivated field down wind of the river after searching all along it for lift. Down to 500' AGL and set to land, I find 5 fpm and hold on hoping for better. I lost this thermal also. I just couldn't seem to stay in the thermals on this day. I land 26 km out from the start.

There was a nice cloud near me as I struggled low, but there was no way I had enough altitude to get to it. Maybe with 2,000' AGL, I would have made it.

Not all the pilots have checked in yet. At least three have made goal.