Manilla XC Open, Final Day

I am not in the comp, but they allow you to free fly with the competitors, which is really nice. We got a ride up with Gin (of Gin Gliders) and his test pilot. The back of the van was full of Boomerang 5's, the new Gin comp glider, they are making their debut here for the worlds which start Sunday. I took some pics of one in the air.

Getting up from Mt Borah was pretty easy today, it was a matter of minutes before the gaggle I was in was at base and going on glide towards Wee Waa, which is the direction that XC Open pilots were racing. Today was the final day of the event, and I bet someone went over 100 miles (160km).

Thankfully, I was on a radio channel with some Aussies that knew where they were going - it made me feel like it was ok to fly over lots of places where it would have taken a day to walk out....

When you fly west, there is a ring of low mountains that blocks the way, so you fly through either the Gunnedah or Boggabri gap. But not today. The stream of pilots took the straight line and crossed the forested hills, more pilots the better I guess. I got there and there were tons of pilots grovelling low and in massive shade. To the right was sun, but no wings, I made a decision and ran for the sun. It paid off and I saved myself a days worth of walking.

After the crossing we were on the flats again but the wind shifted and was blowing from the south, and the lift was shitty weak. It took about 25 minutes of Frisbee flying and drifting off course to get through these doldrums, but then it got good again and the clouds started pumping. I took some photos at base. I got to Narrabri (90km) in 4.5 hours.

Thanks to Rod Harris for the ride home, I made it back before dark.

The pic is of a Boomerang 5.

Results for the XC Open are here!

Mt Borah is on...

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