Trofeo Guarnieri

Weekend in Feltre is over. Another good organisation, of course if you know a little bit of Italian as yet again everything was in Italian, even papers for liability release. They could just write in that they can shot me and I had to sign it every day :)

I would write the blog already before but getting internet in "west" world is total luxury. I found locked WiFi in hotel where the organisers put up a dinner for the pilots. I asked the boss for the key and she refused to give it to me with scared eyes. She thought I will smuggle in to their computer and stole their prices of the beer or what?
So to the flying. Feltre has one massive ridge behind the Bassano area. I remember the flight here last year where we had some pretty strong thermals and turbulence here. But in the end, massive mountains are beautiful here. First day we had a 100 km task. It was hard to get up already on the take off. I pulled my trousers in to the zip and by not being patient in this bad conditions I pulled it too much. Well, ok lets fly on with an open one. I found my self really low before the start gate and the struggle to get up was slow for all of us. In the end I started quite low and behind the last start gate. After that air was better so it was easier to get to the end to Belluno and get back. On my way back the switch for the sun turned already behind the mountains and it stopped there.
After three hours, I was happy to stand on my legs, quite some training. Christian was first in before Elio and Seppi. Seppi looks very satisfied on his Rx so I guess there must be some reserves also there. Next year :)
Next day they where promised better weather but it was even worse. 120 km task with a huge leg out in the flats that where working far much worse then previous day.
I had a problem with an WillsWing batten that day so I was late again trying to push 10 km far to get to the start cylinder. A bit pissed off, of course and not gentle enough to wait in the broken thermals I landed. This was my end to this comp and I went back home for a dive in the sea to clear up a bit.
Don`t know who won the day, I heard Alan was close to make it furthest as no one made in to the goal.
Busy week ahead, I hope I smuggle some free time for some air.

Small things can surprise sometimes

I have been flying this ridge at Lijak all winter all spring and it gets a bit boring after a while. But still, it is the best place to have a flight before going to work. Close take off makes it ideal to me for some flights on the days when I have to go to work. Bad weather finally ended so me and Davide took a chance to get in to the sky that had small sheep shape clouds all over the place. 

He made his first flight after changing his sail on his Litespeed S. I got up to cruse the cloudbase, day looked amazing but clock was calling for a landing. Anyway, it makes you go to work with a smile on your face.

Today I am going to Feltre for another competition with Italian guys. Finally weather looks promising for next two days and we might get a valid comp after all :D  

Austria open 2012

It ended up with only one task. On Friday we went up the Emberger Alm, where there was quite some wind in upper layers. Small task was set but after some complains of the pilots it was soon cancelled. Some would say we could fly but looking trough the eyes of organisers, when you have all the responsibility on your shoulders things look a bit different. Remembering 2008 European champs in Greifenburg it was a decision in the way of safety even if we just "might" make the task, all of us.
I was looking for a another task to fight second place from first day but it did not happened and the weather forecast was just worse for next two days.
On Saturday they decided to have the price giving before last day on Sunday as the weather was not cooperating.
3rd podium in last 4 weeks, things are looking good with my new glider, it just feels that the best pilots are in the reach now.

Austria open task 1

I am in Austria right now at Austria open competition. First strong competition after Aeros Winter race. Today they set up the task of something like 120 km up and down the valley with the jump over Weeisensee and back.

Not really good looking day with quite low cloudbase, or is it just me spoiled with 3000m cloudbase every day Heessenmeisterchaft here in Greifenburg.

Any way, the day went of with quite a good start where I was with the leading gaggle for the first 20 km where they pushed to the shade and in the end climbed out. I was always on the tail of them, but lost them when we had to cross over Weeisensee. I meet up there with Tom Weisenberger with whom we flew rest of the race together mostly racing the ridge.

In the end I jump straight back to Weeisensee ridge and after I climbed 100m over the ridge I flew to Greifenburg valley. Mistake mistake. On very this ridge Oleg and I think also Cari Castle where they where victim of rotors. I found my self in the lee side of the ridge with roller coaster ride punching from all sides while suddenly it was all quite, the sail was loose, wires where down…

All the way to the goal was very turbulent, I watched Tom landing with about 5 gliders in goal. Ollie who is here with his XC group told me that in the end I was second. Phiuuu :D Good one :)

So first in was Tom then me and then Gerolf. Primoz made a fast run with later start gate.
Results are out HERE
Organisers a doing big job here, having a bus to the take off, retrieval, Livetracking, you name it. For 100 €. Maybe Bassano organisers could learn something out of that…

Tomorrow looks like “fen” wind is coming, lets hope for a quick task before it comes.

Hang gliding on rightthisminute.com

This was sooooo funny to see. I got a message from one of the people working at www.rightthisminute.com tv station, that they want to air my video.
Now they actually made it online. I was surprised by the way they described the overall video with out the usual danger part, but by some facts and funny comments about us being like bugs :D

You can look at the video HERE

Alpe Adria race

It went from spring race to almost a summer race. Re-scheduling the race all the time because of the bad weather but in the end we got small but very challenging task with only 60 km but with all the spices of a big race.

Alpe Adria race is organised by my friend Davide and is a one day unofficial race that brings together pilots from the region. Well, this time we had exclusive guests from Australia. Dave and Kathryn came to visit us on their road trip searching for a flying weather.

The task was set on only 60 km just in the Gorica region as we had some N wind on top. Clouds where making a lot of shade but as me and Alan took of as first ones we got up to 2400m. This was enough to glide over 3 turnpoints :D Alan started 300 m above me which made him fly over the most important part where I already put my landing gear out. I said I need to try it over the trees near landing where we normally see seagulls thermaling up and yes, I did :D I think this was lowest save in Slovenia I ever had. Kathryn, Arturo and two others joined me after few minutes and I thought all the lead is lost but as we went on I saw they had to peak last turnpoint where I was already going on with the course. All in all, 60 km with everything you need to have an interesting task. Alan won the day ahead of me with Dave from Australia coming in third and last from people who made goal.



Now, I am waiting for some weather change for Austria open. Lets hope for the best.