Nordic Open 2004 – Day 1

About 35 pilots here in Vågå, including 5 Swedes. Today was forecasted rain and overdevelopment. We had a second briefing at 12:00, and decided to try to fly from Vole. The conditions gradually improved and the task committee made a 50km triangle task towards Otta, then Heidal and goal at Sørem.

I got off early, and after some searching got a good lift to 1500 meters above Vole. I glided with Nils Åge and Johnny to the edge of the 5 km circle, and we spent some time there in broken and weak lift. It was cloudy, and rain around us.

I saw Nils Åge glide out into Vågåruste, and later saw a glider going up, so I thought he had started and followed the same route. Later I learned he went back to Vole and took a much later start time. I got up at the end of ruste, but could not get higher than 1500 meters again. I took the safe route to the sunny side of the Otta valley but could not find any lift even if the area was sunny and nice. I slowly fell through and had to glide out towards Otta, being on the wrong side of the mountain to take the first TP. At Otta it rained, and I did not have a chance to get up. What a shitty start to the comp.

Olav was the only pilot in front of me, and he rained down at the second TP in Heidal. The later pilots got better lift, and avoided the rain. Around 8 pilots made it in.

Forecast for tomorrow is varying, it could turn out to be another unstable day like today.