Hang gliding and zero g gets published

Since there is a lot of media attention due to the Zero G experience with Nokia, we should not forget why it all happened. Because of hang gliding :)
The story went to the cover of free magazine that gets to more then 40000 homes and so we got a really nice cover of a magazine with a hang glider over Soca river.
For Slovenia, I can say that hang gliding sport is growing fast in last 1 year. 3 schools have produced more then 15 new pilots in last season and people are still asking for it (You need to know that there is 2.000.000 people in Slovenia) :) We won`t catch up with paraglider numbers but for those who see the elegance in that sport now they have a chance to do it. With new school gliders it is all much easier and under the right instructors also really safe.
Is it the media that caught the attention to more people? I would say so, but also the ability to ask people and find contacts trough the internet makes it easy for someone who is enthusiastic enough to find someone and start hang gliding.

This weekend we are off to TROFEO CARLO ZANCHETTIN. I will be blogging from there so you can get some news from this two day competition. I haven`t flown since Bassano due to my loss of batten on the last day there. I still feel good about it because I know that glider is prepared for the race and so is the pilot :)

Tomorrow I have a visit to a radio. More people will get to hear about what hang gliding is all about:)


Here is copy of the article published in Goriska magazine.

Video of Combat 13.5 GT

My computer needed a long health care to be able to produce movies again. I have been filming a lot while I had my first flights with new Combat 13.5 but was not able to publish them. Now I just tested the computer for video rendering and put together a small movie with flying in Nova Gorica in February. While most of Europe was still in snow we where already thermaling the spring air :)
Enjoy!

My wicked WoNdeRLaNd

I have a fortune to live in a place where camera can take so many beautiful shots of nature that is covering big part of Soca valley. I started this album some time a go on facebook and got good feedback from them so I thought I could share them with you all as well. Come on a journey to a wonderland with me :)

Bassano task 5, around 90 km

Sorry for late report about the last task, but it was a short struggle back home and to work after the Bassano comp.
On the last day we got to the take off that was in the clouds. Picture normal in Bassano. Organizers made the task again over plateau but this time pilots protested a bit about the height flying over this plato with low cloud base. They cut it down to 90 km more to the flats. Clod base eventually went up to 1400 m which was enough to fly on the flats and on the ridge to Marostica, Asolo and more waypoints that we got to fly previous days.
The last turn point at Marostica was the heaviest one as many landed short of goal. So did I...
About 30 pilots made it to the goal field, I saw it from 4 km and did not dare to glide over Borso del Grappa to get in to the goal field. Sky looked great from Marostica to the goal field with nice clouds, but they just did not work as they looked like.
I landed, packed the caravan and went straight for the price giving ceremony as where our team got second place overall. We did quite a good job flying as a team as we all got good points almost every day. Looking forward for Cucco.
Christian Chiech won the comp in front of Alex Ploner and Robert Reisenger.

Team Slovenia me, Joze Frim, Alan Sattler, missing: Franc Peternel, Primoz Gricar

As soon as we got packed for a way back I noticed there are no lights on the back of the caravan :) It is not safe to drive trough the night with out the lights in the back, also police wouldn`t be happy about it. So we did a bit of witchcraft with the wires to get it work properly. Hour and a half of cable connecting and fuse search :) Uh uh.

I finished the comp at 26th pace, not good not bad... Could be better if.... But we always have an if when we look at the overall results. All in all, good flying, I did almost 20 hours in 5 days. The glider works much better, or we could say, pilot is getting better :)
Laveno in 14 days? Who knows...

Bassano task 4, 85 km

They where predicting some thunderstorms for today, but organizers told that perception for thunderstorms should be low today.

They set up a task of around 85 km to the west and then back far out to the flats to Caerano. Soon after the start clouds overcast the are to the west so our flying was really slow. When we came back to the Bassano area I choose to go out to the flats already on antena as others followed the ridge and jumped to the flats further to the east.

Cloud street showed good signs of lift but the flats where totally in dark. I flew the cloud street with two nice thermals in between so I caught up with the guys in front at the last turn point. This part was in the sun but very hard to get a proper thermal to attack the point outside in the flats.
The overcast sky was moving also in to this area and got us higher. From here on there was only a 10 km glide to the goal field in Bassano.
About 20 pilots made goal with Ploner winning the task.

Two of three 13.5 GTs in Bassano

I wont say anything for tomorrow as Bassano always surprise us with something new. Let us see.

Bassano task 3, around 65 km

We already woke up to a overcast sky but we knew that in Bassano you fly until it doesn`t rain. Well maybe even if it rains or snow or...
We waited on the take off for some thermal show ups with the jellies who where rubbing the ridge in front of take off. First there was a task set to 100 km, but it was soon clear that we wont make it in time with such a bad lift.

They shortened it to 65 km with flying in the flats. The sky cleared just enough to pump up the pilots for give it a go.
Day was showing its phase already from the beginning. Light thermals, very light thermals if some...
We where charging up just above Bassano. With one hour to spend we cleaned a huge area where we searched for a decent lift that would take us to the height that would put us in a position to attack the first turn point at Marostica.
Some guys went to on the ridge of plato, where cumulus clouds started to evolve and they got the place to start the race at the best position.
We, others struggled from the low heights and where charging up back with 0,2 m/s lifts but in the end I somehow managed to get to the second turn point at Asolo. Flying back was easier with a proper height but the day was ending really fast. I charged the last height above Bassano and went on to Marostica with hope for a last thermal that would get me in to the goal. Well, on this 15 km journey there was none.
I think 9 pilots made it to the goal with Christian Ciech winning the day in front of Primoz and Elio on third place.
Many pilots have landed short so the results have changed a bit. You can find them HERE

Seems like tomorrow we have abig chance of thunderstorms, on Monday even bigger so let us see where will they take us next days.

Landing just before Bassano

Bassano task 2, 126 km

Second day, shorter tast but quite more interesting. They sent us to the back of the Bassano ridge where we got to get a small touch of Dolomites flying.

We flew of on the ridge where 48 km entry start cilinder was waiting for us. Much easier air then yesterday until we got the Dolomites ridge. Flying over the huge valley was the first challenge as we did not get too much high on the last mountains that are followed by the Bassano ridge. I found a nice solution with one guy where we thermaled up in a nice thermal already in the flats before we got to the bombing ridge. Really strong and turbulent thermals. One guy broke an upright in the air and went down with the chute. He is ok.

From here on we only hold our selves to the base bar and flew over the mountain ridge to Levico landing. Compeo was a smart guy today telling me that I have a goal in my pocket 20 km before but I saw many people still thermaling in the same height as I was but 10 km in front. I took it easily and yes in the end Compeo was right.. Well you got to do one goal in the beginning of the season to regain the confidence in electronics. Next time, tommorow :)

Manfred made a nice move when he just raced the ridge low, while most of us stayed and thermaled up after the valley crossing. He got way in front and also won the day.

Looking at the weather forecast it seems we got our two days, now on it is more questionable as some showers are predicted. We will see.

Panoramio with Nokia N8