A 46km task was set with the following turnpoints
TO D01 Montmin
Start B02 Chalet de L’Aulps
B1 B53 2nd power line on Roc des Boeufs
B2 B01 Col de la Forclaz
B3 B60 St Jorioz Church
B4 B15 Alex
GOAL A02 Doussard
What seemed an easy an fast task proved to be, for most of the pack, a long and exhausting task. The task was an elapsed time with 4 start gates from 16h45 to 17h30. A strong inversion layer was expected between 1500m and 2000m, reason why we waited before opening the window.
The usual suspects took the first start forming a group of 10 to 15 pilots. I choose the 17h00 gate and let most of my group take the lead while I was topping a nice thermal on Lanfonet. I left it @ 2200m. At first is seems a wise move as I caught the group in front of me arriving 200m higher on the Roc but I soon realized why it was easy to catch them up, the Roc wasn’t working….. We stayed there for 1h30, around 80 pilots. From time to time some lucky lads got their tickets out, but most of the pack was struggling to stay airbone. Myself only found the way out when the lead gaggle was back for their second “tour du lac”. From 1500m it was easier with good +3m lift. At the end of the day, when I was only making TP2, the lead gaggle was at goal. I wasn’t too unhappy to finish in the 30th. The task only scored 300 odd points as only 40 pilots made the first TP…… Damn inversion
With pilots coming back until 21h00, scoring was not easy but the scoring team did a great job sorting out the problems with “FS” and the results were published around 22h, on time for the prize giving.
TASK 3 (22 june)
OPEN CLASS RESULTS
OVERALL RESULTS AFTER TASK 3
GENERAL OPEN CLASS RESULTS
GENERAL BELGIAN NATIONALS RESULTS
GENERAL WOMENS OPEN CLASS RESULTS
GENERAL BELGIAN SPORT CLASS RESULTS
TRACKS TASK 3
A 59km task was set with the following turnpoints
TO D01 Montmin
Start B03 Menthon Castle
B1 B03 Menthon Castle
B2 B02 Chalet de L’Aulps
B3 B60 St Jorioz Church
B4 B17 Parmelan House
B5 B02 Chalet de L’Aulps
B6 B30 (ESS) Lac Menthon
GOAL A01 Perroix
The organization was expecting thunderstorms development in the late afternoon, that’s why the start was set earlier, at 14h45.
Conditions were good despite a tricky start due to the fact that big clouds put the TO and Rocher du Roux in the shadow. Most of the field found good lift and the start was not a problem. The leaders pushed hard and a small group took the lead while most of the pack stayed grouped until TP3. After TP3 things became complicated as a big cloud over the Semnoz put the all region in the shadow. Arriving at the dent de Lanfont to make some height to go to the Parmelan, the main gaggle only found weak lift in the shadow. Rain was falling on the other side of the lake so, everybody went for a hopeless run to the Parmelan and everybody, except the top 3, was force to land on the way to TP4
The task scores, but the winner got a mere 300 something.
The good thing is that everybody was back early to attend to Tom de Dorlodot about his trip through Africa and participate to the picture contest
TASK 2 (21 june)
OPEN CLASS RESULTS
OVERALL RESULTS AFTER TASK 2
GENERAL OPEN CLASS RESULTS
GENERAL BELGIAN NATIONALS RESULTS
GENERAL WOMENS OPEN CLASS RESULTS
GENERAL BELGIAN SPORT CLASS RESULTS
TRACKS TASK 2
DAY 2 (18 june)
Despite stable condition at take off, a 60 km task has been set up.
TO D01 Montmin
Start B03 Menthon Castle
B1 B03 Menthon Castle
B2 B02 Chalet de L’Aulps
B3 B15 Alex Church
B4 B01 Forclaz Restaurant
B5 B61 Annecy le Vieux
B6 B02 (ESS) Chalet de L’Aulps
GOAL A01 Perroix
Today, again, stables conditions at the beginning of the day. But said to improve. The time window was small however, with thunderstorms coming from the Vercor range. That’s why the task set was “in the bocal”, to keep everyone safe.
Unfortunately, the task was cancelled 5 minutes before window’s opening because the gust front was reaching us. Pilots could “free fly” if they wish. 1/3 of the pilots decided to free fly down to Doussard, and we could witness some “nice takes off”. We should see some “interesting” movies coming in the next days
The decision proved to be a wise one, as some of the pilots reported that they landed flying backward at Doussard.
The good side of thing is that everybody will be full of energy for the evening drink at Doussard
Despite stable condition at take off, a 60 km task has been set up.
TO D01 Montmin
Start B04 DUINGT (3km)
B1 B15 Alex
B2 B33 Point over the lake
B3 B17 House Parmelan
B4 B60 St Jorioz
B5 D02 Planfait TO
B6 B30 (ESS) Lake Menthon
GOAL A01 Perroix
The window opened at 14h30 with a start at 15h30. The conditions were still quite stable between the TO and the Rocher du Roux. The leaders choose not to wait and pushed low to reach the Dent de Lanfont, in order to make some height to get the start. The second half of the pack was struggling low between Rocher du Roux and the Lanfonet. Conditions improved after 1 hour or so but the max altitude was around 1800m.
With a SO wind, the Parmelan was unusually smooth, which allowed most of the pilots to just soar the ridge to make the TP at the Parmelan House. Back from the Parmelan, most of the pilots found good lifty lines and getting back to the Dents de Lanfont was a non event.
While I was myself coming back from the Parmelan, the lead gaggle already made the St Jorioz TP. Unfortunately, a pilot (not a competitor) tree landed on the Roc des Boeufs, right on the task line. The PGHM helicopters was already starting the rescue and the meet director being informed that the helicopter would stay there for 1 hour or so, choose to stop the task in order to avoid sending the all pack toward the rescue area.
Such a pity, as we would have had without any doubt half of the pilots on goal without that.
Anyway, everyone was happy, especially because the organization authorized the pilots to continue to fly for fun as long as they didn’t go to the Roc des Boeufs. Most of us flew 3 to 4 hours in silky smooth conditions. A real pleasure.
Scoring the Stopped task gave the “GPS team” some headache but finally the results went out. The TOP10 pilots are within a couple of points.
TASK 1 (17 june)
OPEN CLASS RESULTS
OVERALL RESULTS AFTER TASK 1
GENERAL OPEN CLASS RESULTS
GENERAL BELGIAN NATIONALS RESULTS
GENERAL WOMENS OPEN CLASS RESULTS
GENERAL BELGIAN SPORT CLASS RESULTS
TRACKS TASK 1
