4,5,6th day

Back with my powers so I am able to write again. 4th day was cancelled

where we where at La Asomada take off and it was to stable for 60 pilots to fly the task. Next day it was the same but we took the advantage of the wind and did a few flights with top landings. Good for filming as I was able to change the camera view more times in one day. Quite rough conditions in the air as you would expect smooth ridge soaring.
In the evening all the fun began. We went with part of AUT team to pizza. I came back to the hotel and felt like I am pregnant. Ok, too much pizza I would say, but evening revealed what happened to me.
All night hugging the toilet, next morning I leave no chance

for flying and went up with the guys praying that the task wont happen. I sleep the whole day in the van trying not to think about the pain :=
Some medicine in the evening and today I am feeling better. I went under the magic 70kg edge I think.
Looks like Mala again today. Lets hope for a good one.

P.s. Manfred Trimmel is making the same story as I have done yesterday.

Timezone UTC 00:00

Yesterday I was doing my home work in the morning, home work that you start to do with joy. Back
in Germany before I started my trip down here, I got a news that I am expected in the Timezone team. You can find Timezone link under my sponsor section on the right side of the site.

I am truly honoured to be in the team of such a great company and be accompanied with such a great athletes as two hang gliding World champions and many more overall great personalities in our sport.

As for Lanzarote today, it looks like a new take off will be taken somewhere else as the wind turned more to the E. Looks like really no Famara flying for us this year. But, we never know.

Task 3 at Mala take off

Another nice day at Mala take off today. The sky looked better then all days

so they called up a 50 km task. Almost the same as yesterday just on different point outside in Mala flats. I finally got myself in the right mode where I was able to watch the game from above all the time. As soon as we left Mala take off the struggle for the thermals started again. I did the cloudbase together with Bob Baier and then it was a gamble out to the flats. After San bartolome most of the pilots landed while few of us struggled in the drift of the wind. Thermal stoped so I had to make a choice where to go, while not having a clue which is the best way over vulcanic hils to the goal. I left one thermal in hope that wind and the hill will be a perfect combunatiin to get to the goal but I was wrong. I driffted around the hill and soon realised that I have to land as I saw nice wires just about 50m away so there was a turn and landing. This hiw you fly here, until you´re not doomed with 5m of height you might get a ticket back up.
Landed ok, Seppi came in behind in few minutes making a bit more km then I did.

I had quite a walk down to the civilization from the moon type area, but like that you get to see paces you would never have.
Looks like we will fly all days, hope for another good one tomorrow.

Second task at Mala, Lanzarote

Picture from Bob Baier


First day when I felt like I am in summer again. Shorts, t-shirt was enough to

finally feel that I am out of the winter for few days. Amazing how body needs one day to react to the changes. I am sure it will react faster when I come back :)

A bit more windy day took us again to the Mala take off. Sunny sky, stronger wind, looked like we can make a longer task. 45 km south, with a bit of zig-zaging at Mala flats.
The air was a bit more lively today. Felt like it is going to be easier but as soon as we left Mala area the sky turned blue and there was no good signs to get a decent lift. I landed on half way with many others, I think 7 made it in. I tell you, it is not nice to fly behind a plant of wind turbines :D

A lot of Spanish guys made it in, Manfred Trimell made it in fast again, after yesterdays second place. We will see what the scores will be tomorrow. You can see the scores at their web page.

Marcelo from Brasil made a way back from 5 meters above the ground, it is amazing what you can do if you are able to soar the vulcanic hills, yesterday I stretched my flight with them for many km. Quite a lot landing fields in this area, all do it is good to look for dark spots where they use the ground for some plants and with that they have to remove some rocks. Otherwise it is like a knife land, rocks like blades, cactuses... Sometimes it is not good to look down :)

For next days they say stable, more stable, so my guess is we will be doing same home work every day. Well at least I know what is behind the hill now :D First day I had no clue where am I going, I saw the Famara ridge which I knew from videos otherwise it was just a play with coordinates on my GPS.

Tomorrow is another day.

Mala

This morning was overcasted with strong winds. I woke up a bit late so I rushed to

get the glider together, find Juaki for transport e.t.c. Breakfast had to wait for today as it was a rush over since I opened my eyes.
We went to the bar where the first briefing was made. We went up to the Mala take off, where it was forecasted for wind to to drop down during the day. Well the wind was in the end too light. Mixture of wind and rain did not made anyone rush to the sky, those 3 that did payed it with a bomb out landing just 130 m lower from the take off.
The sky started to clear up slowly and suddenly we where up in strong thermal attacking the second start gate. Funny to fly between turnpoints for only few minutes as they where spread across the flat in front of take off. It all looked really easy until the time came to get the real height and fly back to San Bartolome. I had a hard time finding the decent lift which I got after coming back to the take off area. It looked like it will be a glide to the goal but I, yet again, went out of the thermal in hope that cloud street will work. Nope...
I was jumping then from vulcanic hill to hill, scraping one and another, until I finally landed 2 km short of goal. Looks like 9 made it in. Just when will I get my lesson learned about this very end patience things :)

Tomorrow looks like the same day as today.

Robbed

I could say like that :/
I really hate it when you come to a place where you need to pay for the WiFi spot. And here they took even a step further, 25 € I had to pay to have 1 week of the line to tell about their place how cool it is e.t.c...!
All of this to have this page running and make my boos happy about the work I can do via on-line. But.. Lets go to the bright side of the news :)

Yesterday I drove to Reginas place to sleep over for the flight today. I ate two plates of salad and pasta that Primoz and Regina prepared, amazing what the flavours can do to your memory :) I felt like back in the summer again.
Primoz took me to the airfield and I was straight in before the gate wit Dietmar,

Austrian pilot drinking an easy coffee and chatting about our first experience with flight to Lanzarote.
My stiff box flew trough the door of the baggage place which made me think why it is much better to have the glider in the box then just rolled in to the foam.
They took me from the airfield to the Sands beach hotel where we are staying for the rest of the stay here.
I got a retractable bed for two :) But however only with the sheets with out a blanket so we will see how the night is going to look like.

The woman promised it is going to be prepared but... :)
After the waypoints upload we got a barbecue at the sea sight with great food. Never ever had a meal like that in the comp and we payed 60 € for the 7 day comp. Makes u think about the high prices we are paying for at every comp and not getting back much from it....

Juaki, the European champs organiser is here running things again and he said we fly tomorrow. Not Famara but the other part of the island.. Does not look for the great Famara in next days but we hope for the best.

Famara, Lanzarote

I am counting down the hours to the start of my trip to Canary island Lanzarote.

The idea was growing for already two years now yet it never came to the point of realization.
Magic videos that where coming from the Famara ridge where just calling for an adventure with camera on board. Nokia came here with help, so now I am here, after months of preparation and lots of help by friends on organizing the trip, packed for the trip down there. I will be filming there the event and flying with N8 and hopefully produce enough great footage for a decent Lanzarote hang gliding movie.

I did my first short packing few days ago, Rs seems to be really easy glider to handle this

things. Few tips from my English friend Carl and so the glider was packed in a box that fits just to the size of the Rs. Stiff box cooled down my nerves a bit about aeroplane travelling, but with that box I am very much on the edge of weight allowance.

Why right now? There is a competition in that period 15th open de Canarias de Ala Delta . Combining the trip with a competition in the middle of winter here feels like a best choice. I had a lot of flying past two months and am really looking forward to do my first comp on Litespeed Rs.

Tomorrow I am on my way to Munich and on Saturday I should be repacking my glider at Sandsbeach restort hotel. Spring here we come! :D

Here is a video from Robert that shows the kind of flying we should get there