Greifenburg wrap up

Hessenmeisterschaft is over. Yesterday they cancelled the task already on take off as it was clear that sky was just about to drop some water on us, either up the valley or other side.

Marcus from Germany won ahead of me and Suan Selenati on third place. I really enjoyed seeing that I was able to correct small mistakes and catch up people also from behind. Second task I was leading most of the way and it was fun to see how relaxed a task can be when you have people behind and you are just keeping up the tempo of flying. I am more and more satisfied with the Moyes Rs glider, having a chance to climb so good is great advantage when you can think your progress easier and more calm. Some heavy flying was on the last task with strong turbulence but I am very happy to see that I feel great on the glider also in really messed up air. Now back to work and then for Carlo Zanchettin competition in 14 days. Really looking forward for another race days :)

Photo by Jorg Bajewski

3rd task Greifenburg

92 km FAI triangle was called today with a forecast of dropping E wind. It did not happen so we had quite a ride most of the time. After the first turn point near Zeitenkopf we got back in to the lee side of the mountain which produced quite some crazy rides, however spoiled tail boy feels very good on Rs also in this conditions. You got to get some wire slaps to see what the glider is all about :) Since I did not made it over the ridge I pushed back in the valley while some made it high enough to cross the big mountain ridge. It took me quite some time to fly around Pirkeberg and get something decent enough to make turns in it. High enough to cross to the Hattelberg where strong valley wind and screaming thermals where waiting for us again. I got with the main gaggle here again so I felt quite good after flying alone for quite some time.

We took too much time waiting for the rain back over the Pirkeberg to end so I decided to give it a go by my self again. Got a thermal before Goldeck up to the cloudbase again so the goal was made. We had to cross Weeisensee for a turnpoint on a mountain and back. Rain up the valley and down the valley in Greifenburg, only the landing area was with out rain for some time. I rushed to get in to the goal and start search for some minus conditions as everything was going up.

I made it down with painful arms to get the news that task was stopped. I was quite sure this is about to happen but as I saw I can do it I flew it. Corinna was first today but after checking the rules of her 42 minute earlier start program gave her minimum distance. So Suan won the day, he also got in to the goal as I did and some rigids. Marcus is still in the lead ahead of me and Suan took the third place overall now. Looks like tomorrow is something the same waiting for us, with my guess more chance of over development as the ground is soaking wet again. On the other side of flying we have nice time here, looks like younger generation is here with Tim also in the rigids :) I sleep in my car and for now I am happy with my dry bed here in this Greifeburg weather. Organisation is relaxed and is working nice, me and Suan are driving up every day to retrieve the car. I have been here for the pre and Europeans in 2008, my first international competition and so it is interesting to see how can you forget some points that we where flying these days. Well I will have another rehearsal tomorrow ;)

2nd task Greifenburg

It is easy to write a blog when you are down already at 2 pm. Short task again due to the risk of T-storms up and down the valley with a finish to Weisensee bridge. Strong beginning with quite some rough thermals. Clouds where developing bellow us and in the end of the valley towards Lienz it was already quite dark. No one was not showing any signs of stopping so we started the race very early. I was in a good position and was leading back on the take off. The turn point out to the E was more tricky as there was a lot of sink flying out and back of it. I got lucky with a another strong one and took the position of observing the race from top. It is all so much easier from this prospect of view :D We had another TP out on Irschen where it felt like falling down when I turned back from the turn point. I had to find some weak lift while guys behind me found a strong one behind me and topped over me. I had to find something strong and got it back over take off. Few turns and we where almost together with Jorg a bit over my head and Marcus bellow me. We glided out to Weisensee with quite low passing over the bridge and back so there was no room for speeding up front, Jorg in first I was just seconds behind and Stephan Boller somewhere high behind on 3th place. We will see what leading points will have to say it may just happen :)

GPS worked out fine today so I dont know what was the cause to yesterdays fault, looks like organiser where not able to fix, our Kobala open scorer will have a look at it and maybe fix it, would be nice as I lost quite some points with out it... Today we have a pilot dinner in the evening and tomorrow, looks like all over again with the same situation as today.

1. task in Greifenburg

Finally the day looked like we will have a task so at 12:30 we where already cruising the busy Emberger Alm ridge. Quite bumpy waiting for the start gate at 13:30 but I got up with the highest group and started really good.

First we flew to the very W end of the valley before it gets narrow to Lienz. I went more out to the ridge while 3 pilots went inside the valley and got in to a nice thermal. I had to go back and thermal bellow them. I catched up with Suan who was leading back at take off and things where looking promising. However the cloud layer got thicker and there was no sun to burn the thermals up. I raced too much and nearly got grounded at Lengholz. I struggled there for 45 minutes to get back on the top of the ridge for a glide out for the turnpoint in the valley and another over to Weisensee with 2 km radius. However I looked at my GPS who was not finding any coordinates for nearly 10 minutes so I closed it and opened it again. He got him self together just seconds before the turnpoint so I continued my way back to the main ridge. Some went to the Weisensee part and slowly got up there, me however I had only a dead glide back to Greifenburg. All was covered and there was not one thermal on the way.

3 guys made it in from the Flex wings, Achim made a good decisions and got a bit lucky on the way but was happy to be first in goal, congrats. He was followed by Marcus and Suan me however should be the best of the non goalers :) but they are still trying to fix the track and it might not happen... I will have to think of back up, my old Compeo was always 100 % working but looks like it is also getting old... Now I woke up to a overcast sky with low cloud base. With the storm that came trough yesterday it all puts on a question for the task. Hope for the best.

Greifenburg

That was a long ride to Greifenburg:) I finished work at 6 in Nova Gorica and came to the camp site in Tolmin to pick up some stuff. So many people there as there is paragliding comp running. The bad forecast for Sunday was calling for a stay in Tolmin as there it was flyable. I did a evening flight with Regina the day after and then decided to leave for Greifenburg.

Today it looked like there is a slight chance of the task so I did not wanted to gamble again like I did for Bassano and lost it. I spent the night on the hard floor of the car as I seat on the camelback and got the pillow and sleeping bag all wet :) Hard life.... :) We went up in the morning, Corinna kindly offered me a place in the car to the take-off. Overcast sky did not look that we will get any of the flying but in the end the task was set to 50 km and also cancelled after an hour of cold waiting. We flew then and could make the task but with a decent shower in between so there was an safety issue to it. Tomorrow looks good for a start of the race. Looking forward to it. Here is a picture of Corinna new Litespeed Rx that is available for test flights here if any one would like to test fly it. Looks good!

Bassano is over, with out me

This was a tight gamble at home, looking at weather forecasts and web cams every morning.

Well, Thursday web cam was wrong and so they got a small task. I was driving down to work when I saw that Live tracking went on so my ride was quite dangerous after that.. Loosing one day meant that I lost the good result already but I could go down to have some fun flight but weather did not cooperated. Last day they flew the most usual task you can get in Bassano and got their race under the roof. My mistake, but in the end I am happy that I was not there in the caravan for 5 days in mud and cold loosing more then getting from this two days. A dry and decently warm place with 4 walls there would made me go there :) So as I had big scars from no flying I had to solve it somehow and so I went to Tolmin in search of snow mountain peaks (There is most of the snow there now in all winter). Nice flying, strong... But, north wind did not let me taste the peaks so I had to be satisfied with far view to the mountains. At least I flew in Tolmin after a long time.

Bassano ?

Just as I thought, whole winter we where flying all the time and now when it comes to Bassano it is turning around. Big question on what to do, I really don´t want to spend time just siting in the rain in Bassano while work is waiting for me at home. We will see.


Here is a picture from landing on Friday, thought it is one to share