02 Oktober 2013

Task 4: 74km around 2 turnpoints, goal Boonah

After I was 25th in the ranking today, I decided to go open window, as the sea breeze might come in early on Tambo. Nils Vesk gave me a really nice motivational speech, trying to get me think positive and break the unlucky first days of the comp. I tried not to look too disappointed, but of course my friends see it anyway. Well, he succeeded with talking me back to a positive mind set!
I went 3rd off and had to wait an hour for the launch window to open. It wasn´t getting any higher than 800m msl at first, I could just stay above take off. At least I had most other gliders underneath, so I could watch carefully for the best climbs.
I left with Glen McLeod for the first start gate, and we weren´t too fast. The leading gaggle got us at Rathdowney turnpoint, 40km into the course. After that, it was just very enjoyable soaring under beautiful clouds.
There were about 10 gliders in goal at Boonah airstrip already when I got there, and I concentrated hard after almost four hours in the air to pull off an elegant landing. I was lucky and had a light breeze and a nice, soft flare.
Jonny won the day, but with Adam Parer in 2nd and leading overall, it will stay a close race between these two!
A few of the top ten didn´t make it to goal today, so there will be a fair bit of shuffeling! Watch the results here in a few hours! When we got back to HQ, my team mate Ai from Japan told me that she had three flights today from Mt Tamborine!!! She is very dedicated and will be a very good pilot. And she teaches me some Japanese every day when we go up the mountain!
Now we will go to the highlight of the whole comp- the red faces night, where teams are putting on something embarrassing and funny. Kind of a family and friends night, with a meal together.

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