Judith's blog

There were no storms last night, but the sky was overcast and when it cleared, it was full of cumulus. They assured us it was unlikely to storm and not too windy, so we set off up the hill. On the bus, we came up with a new variation on categories, and managed to name 48 out of 50 US states.

On arriving at the top, it was clagged in. We couldn’t see ahead at all, and one free flyer took off in cloud and had to spiral to get back down to land. So we all waited. Out of the sun it was really cold and we all got out our extra layers and got damp sitting around. At 12 o’clock they called a zig zag task with a landing field in another village where free food was laid on next to the goal. We could occasionally see pretty big clouds towering in most directions when the clagg temporarily lifted. The task was duly delayed while we waited for conditions to improve. We were told it would be at least an hour, so Cris took a group of us on a guided nature tour, with the first stop looking at bear prints. There was some discussion about whether they were deer, dog, teddy or baby bear prints, but further on we found the real thing. Then we went on to a dew hole and found sunbathing frogs and a grass snake. Finally, we searched under stones and found loads of scorpions.

Back up at launch Cris introduced us to his newly invented game of ‘How low will you go?’, a concept he is keen to pitch to Radio Four. The wind had been picking up and it was a little breezy on launch. Next to us on the ridge was a big black cloud, so at 3.30pm, they decided to call a revised task. The start was changed to a turnpoint further to the west and the window opened at 4pm.

I still wasn’t that convinced of the conditions. Cloud base was low, and people were popping in and out of the murk very shortly after taking off and it was windy and still some big clouds around. Watching some of the R10s launch in the wind was scary, they come up so fast and so twitchy, that at least some of the big boys were dragged or needed multiple attempts at launching. I waited until 10 minutes before the race start, by which time the wind had lulled and lots of people had cleared off, and launched easily. I got as high as cloudbase permitted and turned with the mob for the start.

What a glide! It was lifty all the way along. Mal Grace chose a great line in the valley and I followed him, we managed to cruise along while others were having to thermal on the way. We flew over and topped up in lift on the ridge and then went on a long lifty glide at the turn point 17km away.

Turning back, Malcolm Davies and I chose a good line again and got to Kobarid without problem. By this time there was sun in the Kobarid valley, but the valley behind, where the next turn point was, was completely shaded with black cloud. We struggled to find a good climb on the ridge where we were and people started to radio in about possible rain and cunimbs. David flew over to me and shouted that he thought that the task might be cancelled so we started racing to the next turn point. We got to the ridge above Kobarid which was in sun, but David and a bunch of others got the thermal out, but I couldn’t find it and was then seduced by another climb further out in the valley. I did a classic bit of dithering, until Matt Church came past me and I decided to follow him instead.

We glided into the valley of death (it’s 71% covered in trees), and I hit the ridge just a little lower than Matt. He soared up, while I started a long slide down the ridge. I hate flying without landing options, so had one eye firmly on the only really good landing area in the valley which I made after a nails-in-your-palms glide. The task never was cancelled.

It wasn’t a happy landing field (except Mal, Andy and me), with lots of good guys having landed there after missing turn point four and then a glide into goal. Turned out later that the lead gaggle had made a bad decision and landed significantly short. The not so racy racers have therefore managed to make up some ground.

We got a lift to Claudi’s hotel at the goal and were provided with some excellent goulash and beer. The pilot parties have started, so updating might be slightly more difficult. And an update on Ian, the injured pilot… he had a stable compression fracture, is in a brace and out of hospital today.

See photos of today (no. 1).
See photos of today (no. 2).

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As we got up we could see the sky was much cloudier. The task committee thought there was an improving forecast (it has been every afternoon so far!), so we set off to the Stol take-off for the next task. I was on the red bus again, which is the slowest, most uncomfortable vehicle in use in the comp. The backdoors keep popping open, so the back seats are not the safest on the bus. I got bored, so I persuaded Martin to play categories with me and before we knew it a third of the bus was playing.

When we got up, cloud was touching the top of the mountain and some of the surrounding hills were also clagged in. The task committee did devise a task for us, which was a ridge run task, with the usual first turn point and then to Tolmin, back along the ridge to the border and than back to Kobarid via two turn points. Fifteen minutes before the task started the cloud was getting lower, so the window was postponed. An alternative task was set, sending us just to Tolmin and back to Kobarid via two turn points. As we walked down to the second briefing, the clouds cleared and we could see a cunim in the distance. After some deliberation, they cancelled the task. It was still safe to fly down, an option pretty much everyone took to avoid another hour in the minibus, playing silly games.

I was a bit too enthusiastic with my big ears so landed short of Kobarid, but that was fine by me. I didn’t cherish the thought of coming in with 60 others. David landed with me and assured me that the walk back would only be marginally more than a kilometer and so we walked back to town. Turned out more like 3km…

We’re hoping it will storm tonight to clear out some of the humidity, it’s been so hot!

See photos of today.

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Task 2 was a shorter 56km task round six turn points. The weather was due to be windier today and there was a chance it would overdevelop. They got us off early when there was still a lot of stratus from an weak cold front, but it was hard to stay up on the ridge. The first turn point was the same as yesterday (out in the valley), but we were not all then going along the ridge into unlandable territory. So we flew along the ridge first and then had a slight tailwind to the turn point and a downwind dash back to the ridge. I got a little low once back, but managed to get up again and set off to Tolmin, along the ridge.

Once we were at the end of the ridge we could see people ahead of us in a thermal, so we tried to get there fast. As we got close one pilot in the thermal lost control of his glider and threw his parachute, landing in a small grassy area on top of the ridge. It was horrible to watch, but I carried on, not wanting to risk landing to assist in what looked like a very dodgy place. Ruth tried many times to land with the pilot, but it was so thermic, she would touch down and then get hoofed up again before she could pull the glider down.

As I was flying along, I got more and more upset about the incident and decided to land at turn point three. The task didn’t seem that interesting any more. I know accidents happen in comps, but I’ve realised that I am still very sensitive to seeing a glider losing control.

I saw lots of pilots in goal on returning to check in, so will update with preliminary results through the twitter feed.

See photos of today.

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We went up to the Stol take-off for our first task. I have no signal on top of the mountain, so no twitter updates before the task…

They set a multiple turnpoint task, with a start in the valley, then back to the ridge, Kobarid, Tolmin, across the river and then into the big mountains behind Stol and back to Kobarid. I got off mid-field and bimbled about waiting for the start of the race. Cloudbase was low and it was difficult to stay out of it. People everywhere were on big ears and speedbar. I got a bit too close and got sucked up, so immediately used these and flew away from the start gate, hoping that no one was close to me. I suddenly heard this whooshing noise and some idiot spiraled past me, missing me by 10m! I saw him do this three times before I reported him on the safety frequency.

I got a good start and headed to the first turn point. This was in cloud, so I didn’t want to arrive there with too many other people, so I held back, allowed people to pass me, got the turnpoint and turned round to find a good lift line under the cloud all the way back to launch. Once out of the cloud near Kobarid, I topped up with thermals and made the crossing onto the lower ridge. I got very low, but jumped into a thermal that Martin was marking, and got back up. I was really enjoying the flight and was pretty relaxed.

As I was heading for turn point four at Kabala, my GPS suddenly started saying that I was getting further away from the turn point and trying to get me to fly in the other direction to turn point five. I checked on the route and it had ticked the turn point off as done. I knew I hadn’t done it, but couldn’t get the GPS to fly the route again and I didn’t know exactly where the turn point cylinder was without the GPS. Apparently, it’s a common problem with Garmin 76 units. It will take you round your route in the quickest way, so if you are between two turn points it will send you to the one nearest your ultimate goal. Jo Eades showed me how to stop the GPS doing this for tomorrow, but I landed at Tolmin for 37km. There was no point in continuing since I couldn’t get the missing turn point.

As I landed, a young lady started walking across the field and it was Nicky, having just come from Austria!

Lots and lots of people in goal. First in amongst the Brits was Chris Harland, with Wagga, Neil and Jamie in hot pursuit. Unfortunately, there were three tree landings (all uninjured) and one forced landing.

See photos of today.

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I wasn’t that hung over but very, very tired. Packed up and went to say good bye to people and then Kai, Kelly and I made our way to the airport. Everyone from the Mynd, Derbyshire and the Pennines was on board, but nearly everyone nodded off the minute we had taken off. On arrival, the baggage handlers decided to work to rule, so Cris climbed through the hatch and passed gliders through manually. We eventually got our luggage once they resolved the dispute. Got home very late and I was shattered.

On reflection it was a great experience. I spent time with lots of really nice people and got a chance to meet up with lots of friends and make a few new ones too.

I liked Piedrahita and the flying around there. I didn’t see the results until I came home, so was pleased to see that I came 102nd overall against a lot of competition gliders and extremely experienced pilots from all over the world. In my class I came 26th and was 6th woman. I didn’t feel I disgraced myself and actually did ok for my first comp.

I learnt a huge amount. It was invaluable being able to talk through the tasks with Dave Thomson in advance and then to de-brief them afterwards too. I’m glad I put in the prep for the competition. I’ve spent the last nine months trying to prepare for going to Piedrahita and it certainly made me feel less intimidated and more confident, both in my attitude to the flying conditions and to the competition in general.

Will I do it again? Definitely. Just not in St Andre or thereabouts. If there’s a Spanish round next year, I’ll definitely be there!

One negative note… I lost all my photos from the first few days, and I am really gutted about it!

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Geoff writes: Last day of the Piedrahita comp and Judith got to goal, so she is ecstatic (and, by now, probably more than a little drunk). She’ll no doubt be writing a full report Sunday or Monday, depending on her hangover tomorrow. They all fly back tomorrow night. I have no idea of the final results, but I’m pretty sure the Mynd guys she flew out with  – Kai Coleman, Mark Leavesley and Neil Roberts – were all high up in the results.

And in the UK, a wasted trip to the Gyrn, which was flyable right up until the point we arrived, at which time the wind picked up and it started raining. Not quite wasted – a pint in the pub replaced the flying. Well done Ali on, I think, getting higher than anyone else on a training flight! (Apparently people did fly later on, after we’d left).

Judith writes: I got to goal!

Forecast was for more westerly winds but no over-development. I decided to take the second bus up. This means you have less time to get ready, but I needed some time on my own to chill out. I’ve chatted and socialised so much this week I felt I needed some downtime before the final flight.

I got up and ready fast. They called the same task as the previous day – a 56km race to Avila. I was pleased they let us do a short task, because psychologically it’s good to fly a task that seems achievable and it was within terrain that I had at least seen.

I launched mid field but conditions were scratchy and there were a lot of free flyers around, who made the thermalling interesting. One guy on an Omega 7 decided to soar the thermal in the middle of our gaggle, scattering us sporadically. I don’t usually shout at people in the air, but I used choice words in every language I speak.

I found it hard going and wasn’t thermalling very well at all. In each task we have been required to thermal left until the start gate and I struggle with this turn direction – my glider likes to go right. Lots of people were in racing mode today and as soon as the race started people dashed off to the pass, some very low. I decided to fly conservatively and not cross until I was high. I got low and struggled along with Ian Miskin and Julian Robinson. Whilst scrabbling around, I started to think how I would feel at the end of comp party if people asked me how I had done and I had to say that I bombed at the pass, and how disappointing that would be. On the other hand, if I could say I got to goal I would be unbelievably happy. This gave me the boost to really try harder.

We all got climbs in different places and I took the ‘Scottish route’, to the right over the high stuff. I was at about 2400m at that point and only got some rough stuff when I hit the inversion. I hung around high until I could see someone starting to circle on the other side of the pass, crossed and flew straight to them. We got up again in weak stuff and headed for the bend in the road, where we were joined by a guy on a Niviuk glider. The three of us worked weak lift and I was convinced that we should push on to the little dark bits of rising ground behind the village where I landed on the first day. I left them and it worked for me… I got a good solid climb and they joined me.

I promised myself that I wouldn’t go on daft glides low, and the wind strength was increasing, so I was quite happy to drift along the valley in weakish lift. It was just like flying a UK XC, except the view was more beige than green. Once I got to within sight of Avila, I was at 2700m and tried to decide when to start my glide into goal. I don’t have a fancy glide angle calculator on my GPS and was too worried about hitting sink/headwind, so I started my glide in at 3km. By comparison, Adrian Thomas started his at 25km. I got to the end of speed section at 2500m and then into goal about the same height. This isn’t smart competition flying, but all I wanted was to get into goal – time taken was of no importance to me. It showed… I was last in out of 89!

I was so happy and overwhelmed when I crossed the line I burst into tears, then laughed my head off and then remembered that I hadn’t taken a single photo on the flight. I snapped happily and then went to burn off my altitude. It took ages – there was a lot of lift about. It was windy too, so it was rough coming down, but I landed fine, kissed the ground and demanded goal hugs from Mark Trigg and Malcolm Davies. On getting on the retrieve bus, Martin was there, as was Ruth and Pat, Folkert from Holland and lots of other friends.

I also got my PB in terms of distance, so I was smiling so much my face hurt.

There was a prize giving in the evening, but not a party as such. I bumped into Nani and Xiliu, but didn’t get a chance to have drinks with them because they headed off to bed in readiness for their first task in the Spanish champs which started on Sunday. I boogied the night away at the Panera bar and got to bed at 5.30am. Great day.

See photos of today.

[All Judith’s task track logs now available on XC pages, see our XC flights].

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Judith writes: The forecast was for stronger winds today but this wasn’t evident on launch early on, so we went up the hill. By the time everyone was up the wind was picking up. A 55km task was set to Avila, but many pilots were disgruntled about having to go over the pass in strong winds. After some discussion the task was cancelled. Lots of people flew and got very high, but the valley wind was increasing, so people didn’t stay up long, apart from one group who headed off to Avila in orbit.

I’m chilling out today and intend to go to the swimming pool with my book. I have to pass the bar to get there, so we’ll see…

Geoff writes: forecast was for rain in the morning, then clearing, west, with some south. And so it turned out. For hang gliders, it was flyable most of the afternoon and evening, and for paragliders, an hour or two early evening. The HGs had a great time. I flew both, but was out late because I was concentrating on some work, and missed the best of the hang gliding, only getting a few hundred ATO, rather than the cloudbase people had been getting to earlier. Paragliders wanting to submit flights for the league missed nothing! Still, a pleasant evening.

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