Took some scalps today but nearly landed out again. Started later than I wanted just behind the peloton (DW et al) and flew my own flight down to the first turn. I have never had such good glides - 30k + at 100:1 or better. Round DEV lower than I wanted as I could not get a satisfactory climb before and then a bit twitchy into CHV. At CHV I was concentrating hard on climbing having got onto Tim's tail; too much as I missed the turn by a few yards and when I realised I was 4k down track!
I decided to go back rather than take a 50 point penalty. This cost me 400ft and about 5 minutes. This would have been the right decision if the sky had not gone completely blue later. Tim got back in 3:20 it took me much longer 3:50 costing much more than the 50 points.
Around WSL the sky went completely blue and I switched into survival mode. A climb around STS gave me enough height to make NOW so I threw the dice and glid at best ld in that direction finally picking up a weak climb from about 1000ft over the services / roundabout at NOW. This gave me 800ft or so, enough to press on over the town. I headed NE but the town did not provide but I happened into a good climb off the golf course between NOW and PIT that got me onto a glide of 500 over on Mc3.
I was easily into HUS so I set off at a modest speed in slightly sinking air between the safety of HUS and the control point LUT. As I got nearer I was more certain of being able to complete the task and committed to LUT to finish with reasonable energy flying the last leg at 90kts.
Ended up 13th on the day with 822 points which was OK. There were much better pilots than I that fell out yesterday.
Today they are sending us to Ledbury in similar conditions. I think I will get going early!
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