Canungra task 4 & 5 & party!

The last two days had been long and exhausting. I had my first bomb-out at Beechmont, and I was lucky that Dave is a really fast and smart driver- he got to the paddock just when I finished packing up! He and Bruce helped me to set up the glider again, and with a late 2.30 pm launch, I found the last thermal and went around two turnpoints!
I couldnt quite make it to goal, as the sunset turned my light (and thermals) off and the Jinbroken range was in my way. Tony and Dave helped me to pack up my glider at dusk, I was really exhausted, but happy that I got out of there at least with the second try, flying course all on my own.
Yesterday I went alternate and launched at 11.15 am, floating on top of the gliders at Tambo take off. Steve Moyes and Kim visited us, so I did my best to stay up high, waiting for the start gate.

I left with a good group, but we got split up pretty soon at Misery. When I met them again at the first turnpoint in Hillview, I was surprised and happy - and I wouldn´t let the gun pilots escape again! We flew along the ridge together, towards the 2nd turnpoint southwest of Beaudesert, but the day turned off at 2.30 pm and we all just glided as far as we could. Only Adam Stevens made goal, Jonny landed 9 km short and I had 13 km to go.
I landed in a polo field, just a perfectly flat, huge area of very short cut soft grass! A perfect ground skimming approach and fun landing was the final highlight of this comp. When I read in the final scores, I smiled - 3rd of the day after Adam and Jonny is quite something in this group of high class pilots!
Jonny won overall with Jonas Lobitz in 2nd and Adam Parer in 3rd.
The party was legendary as usual in Canungra, many friends came over who hadn´t been in the comp or were not flying for a while.
Nils Vesk got the award for most improved pilot, Billy Miller-MacLeod won floater class (and will soon flog his dad!), I was top ranked female pilot, finishing 20th overall.

Big thanks to the organizers Garbs and Morgan, to Tony and Sue, to Tim, Gordo and Dave, to Bruce Crerar on launch, also to Moyes for a glider that is fun to fly and even without ballast and head wind I can keep up with the "big guys", if my decisions were smart enough!