Bright 321, Day Five

Hats off to the task committee, the task was spot on today. Like a pinball, we bounced around the valley so the safety committee could keep an eye on the thunderstorms building over the ranges.

The course went from Mystic, to Smoko, to Lil' Mystic, to Freeburg Spur, to Porepunkah Bridge, and then to Mystic LZ, 55 km altogether. I heard a few made goal before the task was stopped due to OD potential.

The gaggle over Mystic was grand, several times two gaggles merged like two galaxies on a collision course - someone called it the egg beater gaggle. Someone stuck their boot into the leading edge of my wing - luckily they were turning the in right direction, whoever you are, you owe me a beer!

But the best "There I was story" goes to Gavin Zahner - after taking a large collapse and big surge, he fell through the lines, wrapping several around his head and other stuff. The lines were tangled in such a way that his head was pulled down to his thigh, making it difficult to try to get the large cravat out of his wing, never mind the fact he is spiraling out of the sky. The lines popped his helmet off and he became untangled. After attempting to use the stabilo to sort out the cravat with no result, he full-stalls the wing. The cravat comes out, he finds a thermal low over the trees, and flies the rest of the course, helmetless. They don't call him "extreme dude" for nothing...

There was was one reserve toss ending in no injuries, and it OD'd a little after the task was stopped.

We have three more days left in the comp. When the scoring is finished, results will be here.

Stay Tuned