Gauntlet Day 4 - Soarable but not really a go-er!
Day 4 of the Gauntlet turned out to be a little bit challenging for the record field of 10 pilots!
The forecast was for good thermals to 7000ft in a moderate WSW. Well, after a massive overnight deluge that left FAWC looking like a prosperous mirror farm (puddles) there simply was not enough heating in the day to give the thermals sufficient umpff (anybody care to offer an etymology of this word?) to send the Gauntleer heavyweights heavenwards. But the WSW provided local respite at Vic Peak.
After Sven 'proved' that Audensberg was not working we retasked for a launch to Vic Peak and a Rawsonville start, but without wave at Rawsonville, most competitors screamed (in both senses of the word) back to Vic Peak. For a time it seemed that there must be bonus points for joining Vic Peak the lowest, as progressively the pilots rejoined lower and lower down (and we understand Adriaan 'won' this sub-comp with a low rejoin at 2000ft) and it became apparent that the field was stuck in the FISH BOWL (Frustrated Intermediates Soaring Hills, But Otherwise Worcester Local) - except this time it was the international pilots too!
The FLARMs proved there worth (and working) because 10 gliders waiting for a start on Vic Peak can be quite entertaining - the more so the less observant you are.
Notable flights from ID (104km) and 84 (87km) for grit and determination. X32 probably had the dubious honour of being the only glider out of glide range with a low join on Keeronberg foothills at 2200ft. Still on a day when many would not have attempted cross country, 9 pilots did attempt it, and, er, stayed local. Full marks for common sense!
Unfortunately though, with less than 25% of the field making 80km this was not a scoring day.
But that doesn't mean we didn't get a result!
Once all the chicks were back in the nest (no landouts) the Daily Inspection Competition was prepared and run by Jerry Betbeder and Ian Forbes (thanks team). With many pilots participating only to find that they would probably not have launched safely in their 'inspected' K7 after Ian and Jerry revealed the full list of faults.
See the results and CFI comment by clicking on the title to this post. Sobering stuff that no participant spotted more than half the points!
The forecast was for good thermals to 7000ft in a moderate WSW. Well, after a massive overnight deluge that left FAWC looking like a prosperous mirror farm (puddles) there simply was not enough heating in the day to give the thermals sufficient umpff (anybody care to offer an etymology of this word?) to send the Gauntleer heavyweights heavenwards. But the WSW provided local respite at Vic Peak.
After Sven 'proved' that Audensberg was not working we retasked for a launch to Vic Peak and a Rawsonville start, but without wave at Rawsonville, most competitors screamed (in both senses of the word) back to Vic Peak. For a time it seemed that there must be bonus points for joining Vic Peak the lowest, as progressively the pilots rejoined lower and lower down (and we understand Adriaan 'won' this sub-comp with a low rejoin at 2000ft) and it became apparent that the field was stuck in the FISH BOWL (Frustrated Intermediates Soaring Hills, But Otherwise Worcester Local) - except this time it was the international pilots too!
The FLARMs proved there worth (and working) because 10 gliders waiting for a start on Vic Peak can be quite entertaining - the more so the less observant you are.
Notable flights from ID (104km) and 84 (87km) for grit and determination. X32 probably had the dubious honour of being the only glider out of glide range with a low join on Keeronberg foothills at 2200ft. Still on a day when many would not have attempted cross country, 9 pilots did attempt it, and, er, stayed local. Full marks for common sense!
Unfortunately though, with less than 25% of the field making 80km this was not a scoring day.
But that doesn't mean we didn't get a result!
Once all the chicks were back in the nest (no landouts) the Daily Inspection Competition was prepared and run by Jerry Betbeder and Ian Forbes (thanks team). With many pilots participating only to find that they would probably not have launched safely in their 'inspected' K7 after Ian and Jerry revealed the full list of faults.
See the results and CFI comment by clicking on the title to this post. Sobering stuff that no participant spotted more than half the points!
posted by CGC Reporter at 12:05 PM
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