Rat Race 2008 Final Task

A tough start for this 33km task that ended at Donato's. The conditions were weak, but Burnt was working really well, especially later on, which was what fooled a lot of people into thinking it was a stronger day.

Patience was key - 49 out of about 90 pilots sunk out, most trying to get to Rabies or because they followed the lead gaggle to Burnt without enough altitude. I tried but couldn't make the first turnpoint at Rabies, I had to fall back to the spine on Burnt just behind HQ and was able to save myself. That spine was the best place to get up on this day.

After tagging the last turnpoint at Cemetary, I flew in under the lead gaggle as they went on final glide, Dean and Phillip Russman were with me and we climbed in the left overs of their thermal. We left the lift with a 10:1 glide and a nice tail wind. Dean and Philip made it in, I took a different line and even though I had a 10:1 all the way until the last ridge before Donato's, I didn't hit one bug fart along the way and landed 3k short.

This happened on one other task, and I think I am getting "tunnel vision" on my final glides - I am watching my instruments too much and not using the same "power of observation" that got me that far around the course. I am going on final without enough height to slide straight into goal - I am typically thinking that there has to be at least one climb between me and goal, and if there isn't, I'm stuffed...

Tragically, Dean Stratton got only 5.8km worth of tracklog even though he made goal, if his tracklog would have worked, he would have won the comp. Marty Devietti took top honor - nice flying Marty!

Results are here.

Stay tuned for the Chelan XC Open and Canadian Nationals which starts on July 28th.

ciao!