News 04.12.2006

And then 2india

and 2T

and finally EJ

Think Bruno Pieraerts abandoned as he has landed back on runway but with no finish.

Next PE Rich Hood

then GD - Phil Jeffery

then LG - Laurens Goudriaan

then EY - Sven Olivier

then DM - Dave Mortimer

1st - 133 - Mannie McLauchlan

2nd - PJ -

3rd - LEO

4th OG

5th AG

As I write we are able to watch the tracking here at Bloem, but don't think it is live for you. As we speak we seem to have lost some of the units, but it looks as if it is a race between Oscar Goudriaan and Heimo Demmerer.

Pieter Nouwens is also up there as well.

On the side lines the crews and others have taken bets as to what time the first glider will be home.

OK coms now going to move to the other side of the a/f to watch the finishes!! as they are getting to the 3rd tp and then it will be a downwind race along the final track to Peilkop.

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04.12.200614h18L

Approx 2 mins after 13.00 the first glider, Wolfgang Janowitsch - because he was the winner of the practice day, was the first launched glider for the start of the event today - Day 1.

The wind was still blowing quite strongly, but several gliders were sent up as sniffers and were soon calling good conditions, so the GP gliders were readied and launched.

They have all got airborne and the start line was opened at 14.00 p.m. so now we will wait and see.

Briefing is over and a task has been set. The weather shows a Low to the south. It is cloudy with moist conditions over the coastal areas, but cooler drier air in the Free State and it is expected to remain cloudless.

Max temps are expected to be 25 - 26 but the SW winds of 15 - 20 knots are probably going to give the problems. Weak thermals are expected to the south, with better conditions expected to the north of Bloemfontein.

Tropical moisture expected from Wednesday.

Launching today will be from runway 27 expected at 13.30.

Task will be a 229.5 km. polygon with 4 points - Andersfield - R3 - R4 - Peilkop - Finish Line

Well this morning the sky is clear and blue and the sun is shining which is the only good news!! The temperature is considerably colder than it has been - approx. 17, and the wind is blowing strongly. Trigger temperature is 26 and there seems to be little chance that this will be reached.

Pilots are going through the necessary motions of preparing the gliders but once again I somehow doubt that we will have a task today.

On a more positive note it looks as if Craig and Reb are making inroads on the tracking programme.

We will be briefing again at 11 a.m. so I'll provide you with an update thereafter.