2nd task 3th day of Bassano 2010

The organisators predicted small task for today but in the end they made it almost
the same as yesterday with first turn point more in the flats, around 100km. There was rain predicted for afternoon so they sent us in the air much earlier. We started at 12:45 with a big gaggle under low cloudbase. I though I started good but then I saw guys starting from the other side of the start pylon with a much bigger height.
We scratched at low heights and in the end I made it to the cloud base again. We flew to Thiene again. Over the huge plateu there was rain waiting for us. I crossed the valley with to less height. Seppi was sctratching low and eventually made it back up. I looked for a better thermal and of course did not find it. It was a slow though race. I think some 10 to 20 made it to the goal. Manfred Rhumer won the day. This was the first group that passed the rain that came after Thiene soon as I landed. Primoz unfortunatly landed some km over me, too bad due to yesterday good win. Peternel was in top 10 again today.
For tommorow they predict rain and no task. We are here in caravan in rain and thank good for this small little thing called heather which is making our lives here a pleasure. At the landing field there is a traditional fair of free flying gear. I had chance to actually see my picture in Cross country magazine in April issue.
It was the photo that won the facebook competition.
Richard Lovelace sent me the link to the RESULTS of the first day. Here there should be also the results from today soon.
So in the end we flew for two days now. I hope that tommorow goes over fast, so on Monday we get some flying.

Here are some pictures from today

1. task second day of Bassano 2010

We had a nice, around 100 km task today. A standard direction to Thiene where we had second turnpoint and then back to Asolo on the flats before reaching the goal. The day was good with strong thermals, and lots of nice clouds which where not always a marker of a good thermal. There is still a lot of moisture so even nicest cumuluses where not always promesing. I did quite good until I pushed to low to the Asolo turnpoint so I landed 200 m short of goal cilinder. The trees where just getting biger and biger so I decided to land before and not look for my luck at passing power lines and tree line.
Our Primoz won the day. I forgot how where next places, it would be nice if organisators would put those results on internet which is realy easy thing to do, but,,,,. Franc Peternel was 9th and I was 27th after a mistake on a final glide.
We hope for a task tommorow aldo weather doesn`t look so good.

Now it is sleeping time after a long italian slow food dinner.

Here is a picture of Primoz coming in to the goal. Picture was tken by Steve Leeman.

Bassano 2010

Bassano is again looking like the real Bassano. Mud everywhere, rain every 5 minutes, and cold, but not that much as in year 2008.
Today they cancelled the first task already at the morning briefing. Pilots went to the top and flew a bit. I was a driver today for Primoz and Franc and I flet like a tourist with camera on the take off. For next days they say that we should definetly fly tommorow and the day after, then for sunday we should see. At the landing I had a chance to picture Manfred smugeling around T2c and a Litespeed with a tail.
So here we are in caravan in mud feeling touristic.... I hope tommorow comes fast.

Manfred looking for "something"

Moyes with a tail

AEROS WINTER RACE 2010 "the video"

As always I put together the video of last week competition to remind you all fellow pilots for great time we had together, and to those who were not here to have a touch of what was going on around here.

Enjoy the vid

For better quality follow the link to YOUTUBE

Finnaly a goal maker

Well so it ended the AEROS Winter race yesterday with a complicated task with turnpoints over the flats. I did quite good ending 7th on the task so I finnaly got the comp where I did not f.... up everything on one day :)
It was an amazing flight when we flew the first part mostly on the flats. I flew a lot with Oleg and Manfred Trimmel so we managed together to cross the valley back to the ridge. Quite low at this point but slowly we climbed back to normal height and then on it was easier ridge flying. Elio took second time and because of that lost the fight to Tom Weissenberger (AUT) who won the competiton and Primoz Gricar (SLO) on second place. I finished on 8th position which I find good for me.
The whole competition came out realy good, the practice of Kobala open team showed up also here in good organisation. The weather cooperated perfectly. Pilots did their best fighting against the task comitte who where trying to make a selection with interesting tasks.
Now it is time for muscle hibernate a little bit, in 14 days we are already in Bassano, wow, I like it :)

100 km 2nd task Aeros winter race

Today we had a 100 km task on the ridge and flats. I messed on start and flew the task by myself, maybe a bit too much touristic as I was too slow in the end. The conditions were great, up to 2000m with 6 m/s top lift. We had some realy rough time flying acrosss the valley to Nova Gorica but the tail worked again. In that trashed air mass I fell confident aldo it was like hiting the wall from time to time. In the end I ended up 15th and in overal 10th. Tomorrow we have another to fly and I am looking forward for it. You can see the track log HERE
Tomorrow I will be finnaly an owner of this green glider. My last one went to Croatia to Alen and I am sure that he will have some more nice hours with it as I had.
Primoz was so generous that he borowed me this glider for the comp either way if I would buy it or not. I got infected in first 5 minutes with it :)
Hope for a good day tommorow..

AEROS winter race, I like it :=)

We had a 70 km task today. I somehow managed to start out of the cilinder totaly oposit way then next turnpoint was and lost the first guys. We flew nice aldo there was a overcasted sky almost all the time. Regina showed all suspicious pilots that there actually is lift :)
I managed to stay with te group and finnaly had a feeling of flight with the best guns for a longer time. I climbed with this tail like baloon, I was able to chase Oleg in climbs which I found very satisfiable :) We came back to the last ridge for taking the last turnpoint where Stanislav made a good choice and went for it with out climbing, Elio, Tom, Oleg and I waited a bit more and so he won the day. I came the last in this pack but still satisfied with the glider and with my flying. Too bad that Elio Cataldi had problems with Compeo, it was his first time he flew with out the reserve one, imagine this. Many pilots in goal, many happy faces and a good weather report for tommorow. What do we want more :)

Official results are HERE