Geoff writes: Judith is having trouble with her internet connection in Piedrahita, but will try and update the blog later from someone else’s computer. There was a 100k task today, the first of the comp, she did 30-odd km, but chose to land (as did others) because of the cloud development.

And in the UK, more hot humid weather, with occasional rain, and some strong winds. Work and archery was the agenda for today, though I did drive out early evening to Corndon just on the off-chance. But there was no-one else there I could see, and it started spitting again anyway as I arrived, and looked like it might start to rain harder. I gave up and went home.

There was also a task at the hang gliding comp in Laragne, but it was stopped part way through because of overdevelopment. Seems like everywhere is having the same weather pattern.

Launch at PiedrahitaJudith writes: The first task today! Very exciting. I got the first bus up and got ready in a fairly relaxed fashion, which masked some of my nerves. With all the stories of ballistic thermals and rough conditions, I was very apprehensive. The task was a 100km race to goal via a turn point near Avila. Start was 7km from the take off with a start time of 1.30pm. I had promised myself that I wouldn’t be last off, and get in with an early gaggle. Despite the clouds, people were launching but struggling, so it seemed daft to go. We did some dancing on launch and then I decided it was about time I got ready. By the time I was ready to get off, I was the only one left. Ooops.

I lobbed off, got straight into a thermal, got to cloudbase at 3000m and then glided off to the start gate, arriving there with two minutes to spare. Although it would be nice to be able to claim this was a stroke of pure genius, it was complete beginner’s luck. I got to the pass and caught up with John Stevenson, Adrian Thomas and Ruud. They got into a better climb and I searched around trying to find lift. The tree covered ridge wasn’t working for me and the others glided off. I was determined to be patient and not to get gaggle drag, so I stuck to my searching and didn’t follow them low over the pass. Having exhausted the north side of the pass and found nothing, I tried the quarry. I hit a really good thermal and climbed back to cloudbase before crossing. Once over the pass, I then had to decided which route to take – the flatter, more chance of convergence south side (which was in sun), the valley or the northerly side which has the higher ridges. I went with the sun and headed along the south side. Typically, as everyone had told me it was very sinky over the pass. I got to nearly 300 feet above the gound and was thinking that it was all very nice to get over the pass, but that was obviously it for me for the day. My last chance of lift was over some rising scrubby ground in sunshine, and I hit a horrible rough thermal which made my wing collapse all over the place. I stuck with it and got up again, being joined by a few others. Half way through the thermal I decided that I needed to shift a little and got into a better climb, back high. A cloud on my left was getting really big, and I radioed in to say that the sky was over developing. As I glided in the direction of Avila a street of cumulus was forming in front of us blocking our path. They were getting bigger and bigger and I was debating what to do. People were radioing from positions ahead on the course saying that they were being sucked into cloud and in strong climbs and having to spiral.

John Stevenson and I tried  to fly along the line to try to fly around the development, but it wasn’t possible. I chose to land rather than carrying on into a sky which I knew wasn’t nice to be under. I burned off a load of altitude and got down fine. One Dutch guy got sucked into the cloud and spent ages getting out.

On the retrieve bus, everyone’s first question was ‘Did you land by choice?’ just because we all wanted to confirm that our decision was correct. Further ahead in the course it was ok, although a cell developed near goal and one did develop near us too. It was raining when we drove back to Piedrahita.

Good decision to land, I think.

What did I learn today?

1) Don’t get gaggle drag – don’t follow people if you don’t understand their decision.

2) Learn to glide more efficiently.

3) Don’t suppose everyone knows more than you. Especially if you are at the back of the field.

4) Don’t expect to always launch and thermal straight up and get the perfect start!