It was by far the most patient testing task today. Being out on course was great but thermalling up with lift-seeking competitors was a serious test of patients. Lift was light and pilots were flying too close for comfort. There were a lot of wings touching other wings and harnesses today. I heard a lot of yelling too. This encouraged me to continue on to avoid any problems. It is also my style to do that and Josh does the same. Josh and I headed out creating a new lead gaggle at one point. It was working great until we encountered an area of green fields void of any possible lift. We shoud have gone into the hills, but we didn’t. All of us in that lead gaggle dirted at that point. It was sad to watch those who stayed behind to pimp off the leaders, only to continue on to goal, but that is part of race strategy too. Can’t blame them for doing it. Next time I may do it too. It was still a good day and one that makes for good challenging conditions. I certainly would not call it a race day though. It had nothing to do with speed. I enjoyed the conditions we had here during the xcopen and wish it was the same. Maybe it will change but with the record rain, I think we are in for more of the same.
Tom.