The results are found here: http://soaringspot.com/BSI2008 (flex wing) and http://soaringspot.com/BSIR2008 (rigid).

David Glover, meet director, blogging: http://2007worlds.blogspot.com/

Jeff O'Brien blogging here: http://hang6.blogspot.com

Task here.

Cu's beginning to appear at 11:15 AM. Forecast for 18 knot winds out of the south or southeast. Some chance of overdevelopment.

The over development doesn't appear, so we are good to go. There are plenty of clouds around at 1:30 as we start launching and they only get better by 2:45 when the flex wings leave the start circle for the 133.3 mile task.

The task to Tahoka to the north northwest then to Morton to the northwest seems to be about normal for Texas. Not to long, but long enough to present a bit of a challenge. It is a dog leg that requires some cross wind flying on both legs, at least according to one of the wind forecasts.

There were a number of big black cu's north of the airport and pilots were hanging out near cloud base. I just can't get up to cloud base (10,000') and could only find light lift. I had pinned off in a nice thermal, but left it when it slowed down at 7,500' then couldn't find good lift for the next hour in the start circle, in spite of the fact that I kept hearing reports of 800 fpm.

With almost all the pilots high near cloud base and a cloud street in front of us toward the turnpoint 69 miles to the north northwest we took the first start time with me being drag along from below. I figured that we'd find a strong thermal at some point and I'd be able to catch up.

There was good lift and plenty of it under all the cu's. You just had to get over sunny ground and under the cu.  I (and I'm sure this was true for everyone) was averaging 600+ fpm to over 9,500'. Forty six miles out I was able to catch up with Jeff O'Brien and Dustin, but I didn't see Kraig or Glen.  Jeff was very helpful for a while after that telling me where he was getting up. Dustin also.

We were battling a cross wind and not getting nearly as high after I hooked up with these guys. Derrick Turner also came by and we flew together a short ways. The turnpoint was visible ahead and I came in under Jeff and Dustin and Kraig four miles to the southwest down wind of it still not climbing fast and only to 7,500'

I ran out up wind to get the turnpoint at the small airport and turned west  even though the goal was to the northwest along the paved road as I was getting a bit low. There were still lots of clouds around and I saw a good looking one to the west. I found 600+ fpm again and got back up to over 9,000'

Jeff and Dustin had gone to the northwest and were north of me. I decided to keep pushing more westerly as there were more clouds in that direction and the wind was a bit cross from the south. It looked like it was getting very blue along the course line where Jeff and Dustin were.

Derrick and Paul came into a thermal a few thousand feet below me ten miles past the turnpoint. It looked like I might have a little help on my off course line path. I was soon five miles to the south of the course line. The lift after the first couple of thermals was much weaker, the clouds smaller and much further apart. It was a game of carefully selecting places to find lift. I was out in front and so far alone.

Derrick caught me 20 miles from the turnpoint as I was down to 1,500'. From then on we flew together.  The goal was 45 miles away and the cu's were sparse.

Twenty six miles out just east of the town of Sundown we finally found another strong thermal and climbed to over 10,000'. We then went on a fourteen mile glide over the town of Whiteface with the numbers on our varios showing that we could make goal (but we were a long ways out). Derrick started a little bit above me and went out first this time. I followed but to his left going more westerly as I had been doing ever since the turnpoint. There were thin cu's ahead but I wanted to get to the southerly most one and have the best chance to finding lift by going under all of them.

As I watched Derrick to see if he would hit anything I found 155 fpm at 1,900' AGL with the numbers to goal still positive, but not very positive. I was still eight miles out.

I just drifted in the light lift as I had been positioning myself to be south of the goal and south of the course line in the southerly flow ever since the turnpoint. The wind was 21 mph at 171 degrees, so it was all working out. Derrick was getting low and not finding any lift to my north, but still he had positive numbers.

I drifted for a couple of miles climbing, saw that my altitude above goal prediction was over 1,000', turned and glided to goal with no dramas. Derrick landed just two miles short. I was the forth pilot into goal.

Dustin had been flying with Jeff O'Brien and I believe near Glen and Kraig. He was in the lead overall, but with only less than 100 points. Instead of just staying with these guys he made a break on his own hoping to get to goal first or at least early.

It didn't work out and he came in after me. Glen was the first pilot in, following my Jeff, then Kraig. Forty minutes later Jeff Shaprio and John Hesch made goal.

Lots of pilot flew over 100 miles and it seemed just like a good old regular day here in Big Spring. Lots of cu's, lots of nice smooth lift, strong winds, and plenty of great flying. Another day in hang gliding paradise.