US NATS - Task 7

I just got home after a 10 hour drive. Yesterday was the last day of the Nats and we tasked. We had a late start because a fire broke out right on our course line - no one had launched yet, so a new tasked was called...

Conditions were weird, it was going to be a slow starting day due to high cirrus clouds. The race started a 4pm and was a 50k task south, then north, then to the LZ below our launch.

The start was wicked hard - I was ridge soaring for 15 minutes not gaining anything, way low and to the south of launch. Finally a bubble came through and I climbed out. Running the course was straight forward. I was behind but caught a lot of people, and I felt like racing a little harder - on the 3 days I made goal I was coming in way to high.

I left the last big thermal over the top of whatever the mountain to the south of launch is, and ran out into the valley to tag the Stouff TP. From there I had goal on a 10:1, the 6030 said I had 2000 ft over goal, so I left. I will never believe the "alt over goal" field again!

The glide started good, then went to shit, so I tucked into the terrain, where I saw Hayden just in front. That line was even worse, so I went out to the valley and tried to maximize my glide. I wasn't going to make it, then as I got down low, my glide improved, I was getting 12:1 and looking at goal but it was to close to continue as there was no where to land between me and goal, and then I crossed the end of speed section and landed in the only big field around.

The final glide was weird, many pilots landed short - it was the one day where extra altitude was needed if you had a chance to get in.

The comp is over, what amazing weather. Good organization, great tasks, and a lot of fun.

Final results are here.

Ciao