Lazy, tired or lack of time?

Well, I was not writing much on the last 3 days of the competition, it was just too busy to get back home and get your brain to work on memories trough the day. While we had to drive back it was perfect time to sit down and have a chance to write about the task via Nokia 900 that Nokia conversations kindly offered to me for the Worlds.
So task n8, was a 190 triangle where I finally pulled of a nice result by starting on the top of the stack but things where changing so fast that in the middle of the race I found my self a bit behind but catch on on the last part of the race. I was on glide with Manfred Rhumer in nice third position but got in to a sink area and had to climb back up 1 km before the goal from the top of the tree so main gaggle went over me, but got me in to 15th place for the day.
Next day, they called a massive 210 km triangle with really hard day, covering with high clouds from time to time but in the end 17 pilots made it to goal with nearly 7 hours spent in the air, I landed just 12 km short as day died at the time. Main gaggle found themselves higher and where able to scratch the flat to the goal.
Last day was with big air. I had set up my glider wrong as a dust devil came trough just at the time I was putting in wing tip. I had a nice turn, which was perfect for worn out muscles, but I managed to go wit the group and got in to 8 m/s lift with Jonny, which put us in to the lead. Manfred and Alex battled out their game and found themselves low. Just before goal, we had blue sky waiting for us where I got really low but got a screamer to 3700m which made me come to the goal as 6th for the day.
Manfred won the championship for 4th time now ahead of Alex and Filipo. Too bad for our Primoz with a cancelled task as if there would be day with out points, he would have had a silver medal now.

Epic flying, I could say, 46 hours in the air, 1700 km made in the days while down under, what can you call for more :) I loved flying there, love my new Litespeed Rx really looking forward for the season to begin here in two months.

Thanks to all the people that made this competition as it was, epic! Also thanks to many people that have made me go so far to taste such great event as this World championship was.

After the competition me and Polona went with Dave to Kathryn that kindly offered us a place to sleep and next day a touch of flying at Stanwell. That was such a laid back flying there, I loved it. Just a thing you want do before long flight back to winter Slovenia. Alex, Wolfi and the rest of the Curt Warren Windsports team have made a nice party at their place where we went after flying at Stanwell. I had my time to pack everything there, say goodbye to people that I got a chance to meet here and old friends.

I made a nice video to remember the day we flew at Stanwell

Task n7

A little less wind today and ongoing story again :) Wake up, team leader briefing, laidback half an hour at Mezzanine and to the field.
Drink water, sun cream, glider check and back to the air. 260 km task was called with 33 km start cylinder.
tow went, air around airfield did not punched right away so I had some low saves and some reflights from pilots have been made.
I got in to a good position for first sstart gate, first time since I am here so I went for it.
Rocketing thermals on first 20 km where we took too much enjoying them so second group caught us. We where able to rum away from them but on last 80 km shade came and things changed. I had quite a low safe there in the middle of nowhere, while leaders of second group went high over me. I managed to get to goal but little bit late.
150 km/h towards the field in the end. Felt good I must say :D
Now a long way back home, 300 km in the car. Rest day? Naaah :)

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Task number 5

I talked with our meet director yesterday if we will get a day off for 4 days of flying. Not that I am not able to fly, but I guess heat is a safety issue here and by having forecast for strong winds in the afternoon and good days ahead it would make sense.
Well, in the morning was surprise surprise with 240 km dogleg up NE.
It started with high clouds coming in so with second start gate we where in group with Primoz and many others.
Looking at flat in shade and nearly no sun it all looked like a glide till the ground but we where slowly making progress to the first turnpoint.
100 km/h over the flat, ok, normal, after the turnpoint tiger land was waiting and rare lift.
We where working on small bumps and been drifted away with every turn. I noticed I am flying backwards while turned in to the wind. Pilots had does not feel good with movement like that, like a really bad rolercoaster :D
I landed soon and the task was stopped, must have been blowing 60 km/h +. I spent nearly an hour to derig the glider. Makes me sad looking at it full of dust, it will need a hell of cleaning before he gets to see our skies at home.
Looks like good days ahead of us, no rest day, but better temperatures, sweet 35 ;)

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Task 4, 203 km

As we have too many pilots in goal every day, they are pushing us with harder tasks :)
Today we had a 203 km task with quite a long way to the big start cilinder going E od Forbes. Well atvleast for those who don't take time to look at the map more precisely.
Tow was ok, got straight in to the thermal and went folowing furst gus ahead. Somehow I could not get to them as lift was much more broken bellow.
They took a second start gate while I was still low.
For the next start gate I found a nice group of pilots to start this long voyage to the goal.
Flying down south was easy, thermal to thermal after turnpoint I pushed on again and had a chance to see ground from up close again.
I catched up with the group for last 40 km where lift was getting very weak and we had to tank up in every 0.2m
I hardly believed we will makeit but in the end we found something decent enough to get to goal at nice airstrip next to the lake.
Manfred the machine has won the day and is on a good way to make its third tittle, but... Lets wait :)
Primoz was in as well. We will see what results will tell today, as not many  has taken the third start gate.
Tomorrow, another long day :)

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Task n3

Photo by Zhenshi Van

As the winds went down yesterday, we got a triangle task to make. 127 km task down south to Grenfell and back.
I towed up and got in to a nice thermal for a change. I had quite an adventure previous day, walking in over huge fields as I landed next to a really bad road, which looked ok from the air. Because I forgot my gps in saving car of Brazilian team, I was with out points in the morning and had to start very late as we have an ordered launch.
I managed to get to the main gaggle with second start gate. Race was on, I was going good, next to Italian robot Christian and many others. Somehow we detoured from the path to the turnpoint so my head pushed me to go straight for it in search of good thermal. No guts no glory, but yes... I was left behind with a slow thermal and got to a group with which I stick after mostly till the goal.
Finally I was not racing ahead and waited for them so we put the puzzle together till the goal, but yes, slow.
It is odd flying from time to time, you get out of the thermal 50 m apart and suddenly you are 200 m above the guy next to you or opposite way. Bad memories from Turkey where it was all the same on blue days.

Third day in the roll today, muscles are already in the right mode now, yesterday I woke up just like the truck would go over me during the night. I am grateful for all training I did at home to be prepared for the extreme heat conditions here. 44 °c tomorrow again.

Task n2, day 3

After weather briefing in the morning it was clear we will have another hard day with inversion layer low and lots of wind. They called a 163 km task up to the north of Forbes.
As I did really bad on the first day I had to wait long time in line for the start, but I did not bother as with this winds, it was hard to stay in the Forbes area for the start time.
Sfrong wind on the ground, but towing was running nearly smoothly.
I took off and found myself down the ground in few minutes. Gliders where raining down. i calculated gliders and went for a landing in the other lane, which cost me a long walk back over the field under the glider. Second chance seemed to be another bombed out flight so I was there in the dolly for the third time.
I was hoping to be finally towed far to front so I could have time and drift back in search of lift.
I made it amd with taking third time I was by myself but in the first thermal I got with together with a small group of pilots that started late.
We progresses on quite nicely untill some 30 km before the turnpoint where high cirrus clouds came over. Shade was building up a question wetter to run trough or stay behind.
I went trough and got up on the other side where sun was still shining on to the black fields, but soon it all came dark and a long glide waited for me. I landed in the middle of nowhere.
I guess the group in fornt made it to the goal, us who have stayed behind I guess not. We need to wait for results.

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World Championship task 1

First day we started it with a pilot briefing in Forbes sport center, me Europe boy came there with out GPS as I am used t have briefings at the take-off. Well, here we would be melted in 15 minutes of talk. 

Anyway I got some help from Gijs from Netherlands to rewrite this two points and times. Down south 100km and than more to the SE 50 km to goal. Sorry I don`t remember the names, but official page will have it on.

I had to battle the air for 1.5 h before the stat gate opened, 10 km exit cilinder was getting smaller and smaller as we drifted down with the wind and had to come back for a retake of the thermals. I had a two nice hard wire slaps bit the glider just seem like nothing happened and I still consider that the day was with really nice air.

I was able to get a nice start gate and follow the group and be in the first gaggle with Primoz and Rhumer, aftr few km my Timezone team member had shown a nice thermal that got us way above everyone else where we continued wit a group of a few more than 5 pilots in front. A pusher as I am, I prepared myself this time to take it easier and when I saw that 3 gliders where just scratching the thermal below in front I waited. Mistake!

I followed and found no lift bellow them, had to fly back to the group that has rised from the ash from bellow. No nice air in front, when I should turn I waited for a next better thermal and with wind here, there is nearly no going back. 

Soon I found myself on the ground after 80 km, clearing the flies out from my ears, eyes and nose :) Yes, exotic summer is here ;) Should have been a group of 30 pilots or so that went on and these will be in front of us behind.

No matter what, I enjoyed flying, I was out thermaling many pilots and it all seems that Rx is a perfect choice for me. 

Tomorrow looks kind of windy. We will see.

Opening ceremony

Few pictures from today

Acclimatization

Past days are all about getting ready for the competition to start on Monday. I had few nice flights, yesterday up to 3000 m with really nice thermals all around. The air feels super smooth for now, for now ;)
I ve been able to pull out more out of the glider yesterday on a longer flight to see what it is capable off. It is first glider I ever flew with out VG in the thermal, sits nicely in the corner, feels like an S to some point of the turn and start to behave like an Rs when you get to a smaller circles. Gliding seems fun and safe, really safe.

Yesterday we had our sprog measuring thing, I went there just to look at my glider up closely in no wind area. Did a bit of eye trimming on the glider so I am confident now on how my glider is set up for random measuring in the goal fields.

Today there was a registration on going as there was too much wind in the field to have a spot landing contest. Red Bull is here as an organizer of the event so if wind gets down a bit we should give it a try. Tomorrow I will be taking a day off just to prepare all the stuff and have it all set it up right for the first day of the competition on Monday.

Our mystery machine van is running nicely, Tyler got his friend Lief to help us out with driving and it looks like he is the man for the job as he is helping out all the time everyone. Good to have a member like that on the team.











All in all seems like preparation are going all the time in the right way so I am looking forward for the thing to begin.

Loosing the virginity

Today I got the chance to test the skies of Australia and test one more great machine I was looking forward to clip myself in.
Litespeed Rx for the first time for an Alp boy who is used to run the steepest hills. Been pulled up and soon after release I felt that the glider is slightly different but in a good way. Last tow I made to climb up in thermals and taste how this wing handles in turns and I really loved it.
Looking forward for the real thing to begin.

Forbes, Australia

It has been a long journey over Dubai to Sydney, but with out any problems. Emirates have been a great host in the sky and transit in Dubai airport was easy.
After landing in Sydney I had to take the train to get out of city center to Black town, with out a phone that would be working and a wrong number of my friend Tyler was a bit of a gamble, but we managed to find each other at the right time.
We jumped in to our small van, did a quick set of the route to Forbes and started our voyage. Lots of wind on the road felt like driving in home Vipava valley where you need to look at the gusts that want to get you of the road :)

After reaching our goal on GPS we found out we made a 200 km detour from Forbes down south :) What is 200 km in the wrong way after traveling half way around the globe? :D
Vicki from Moyes arranged a place for me to sleep at Roylance family here in Forbes, wonderful family that is treating us here like kings. Really really thankful for that.
Today I should be ready to get in to the Australia skies. Looking forward to that!