Day 1 Part 6 Race Day

Yesterday we went racing for the first time in the competition. I say race but actually it turned into a survival exercise. We launched just after midday into a poor and deteriorating sky. It was important to get going quickly as the day was forecast to end early with a front approaching from the North but really tough to get above 2000 and into the start zone.

I was pretty much the first to start (and glad to), I dipped into the zone at 2,200ft and went at 12:54. First turn was NOS and I found good energy lines going over the Cotswolds but never high. I trickled along thinking that I would be soon over taken but also surprised how well I was running. Looking at the trace I never got high operating between about 1,800ft and 2,700ft but achieved many long glides and good L/D: 15 to 25K at up to 114:1.

Having dodged Hinton which was right in the middle of a street, I turned NOS OK but the weather was in at Rugby and we had to fly in and out of RNE in the clag. Later starters were not able to do this and landed out here.

Back to BUC and BIC where I got mobbed by the Standard class that was flying around their task as one! Now it looked really awful down track and I even considered flying to Oxford and round the S of Brize to get home.

Sneeking along low under 8/8 spreadout, but managing a couple of weak climbs, I found myself going NW. My plan was to try to get over the ridge into an area of sun.

There was nothing wrong with the plan and I did get there but just too low. I tried to use a short ridge at Honeybourne but got really scared. With no obvious places to go and now down to 600ft I decided to land. I was looking up at a great sky 50k from the finish and convinced I would be last.

As it happens only 2 pilots finished and I came 7th. Satisfactory result but I was disappointed I didn't get that last thermal to cloud base which would have got me home for third place.

Showers today.