This weekend we arrange the annual Milslukern XC competition in Vågå. First competition day is Friday, registration from Thursday night at the national centre.

More info; http://jetta.ellefsen.net

The weather have been very unstable most of the time since I came home, we will have another low pressure system passing in the coming days, and then it looks good for the weekend.

We did the obligatory drive up to the takeoff at Brunas, but it was quite clear there would be no task today. Pilots just wanted to go home, and it was more wind than yesterday at the takoff.

Manfred is the winner again, Alex Ploner in second with Mario Alonzi in third. Our team did not live up to our ambitions. We made 12. place in the team contest, and Olav in place 45 as the best individual.

We will stay until tomorrow, and then drive to Nice to catch the plane home on Sunday morning.

The weather forecast was the usual bullshit, between 20 and 30 km/h from the north west and good blue thermals. The wind have been stronger than forecasted every day, and still the organization chose to believe it. We went to the Brunas takeoff, and got a 96 km task zigzaging back and forth over Millau, and then over the platau back to Sarah’s farm goal that we had once during British leauge.

The window was opened after it was confirmed that it was not too strong winds near goal (yeah right), and first statgate was 15:40. The wind had been picking up all day, and I needed wiremen to be able to take off. I got a good 4-5 m/s climb on the rigde, and took the first start time with almost everyone else. Taking the first and second TP went quickly and quite easily. The third was out in the valley north of Millau, and I got loads of sink ending up at 1000 meters, 300 meter above the ground at the TP. I went downwind back to the ridge, but it was not soarable. I got a low save, and thermalled up back over the ridge.

TP 4 was the Brunas takeoff, where the organizers would lay out a white cross if the task was stopped. I was quite suprised that the task was still on, as the wind was now very strong. I took the TP going sideways in the wind, and took a broken thermal up to 1300 meters, 300 over the terrain. A few other gliders glided ahead of me, and I took chase hoping they would mark better lift. I arrived at the back edge of the plateu, where the last TP was down in a valley. With the strong winds there was no way I would take the chance to go over that valley. I had a few thermals coming off the edge, but they blew to pieces. I landed next to the airport as there was no point drifting past the last TP. Coming down was quite bad, I had 150 km/h groundspeed going downwind, and the mechanical and thermal turbulence was wild, but I got the glider down OK.
I was in for a really good time, If I only had been able to take the last TP, but it does not help I you do not reach goal.

Olav made goal, Arnt and Johnny in the same area as me. Nils Åge crashed and went upside down in the sail about 3 km from goal in turbulence and strong winds. He’s beaten up and got some scratches in the leg, but otherwise OK. He got some damage to the glider as well. There were some other pilots injured too, no details.

In my opinion the task should have been stopped, and quite a few of the pilots we talk to are just happy to be alive.

According to the meet director at the briefing now it is the fault of the bad pilots who do not know how to land in strong wind…

On day 8 it was still blue conditions and difficult conditions, we went to Brunas takeoff, to fly a 112km task. We took off late, and got easily up and to the start circle. We all took the second start time, and I met Olav around the first TP.

Crossing back over Millau we met the headwind, and the conditions became difficult. I was watching ahead for glider, and was not concentrating on the gaggle around me. The other pilots found a core, and were suddenly 200 meters above me. I could not floolw them onto the plateu and had to land about 8 km from the second TP. Olav landed after the third TP, Nils Åge just before it. Arnt and Jonny in the same area as me. Only around 10 pilots made goal. Robert Reisinger bombed out and crashed downwind in the bombout.

Yesterday we had blue day with stronger winds than forecasted. We had to move takeoff from the west to the south takeoff, not fun in 35 degrees heat. I did not check the VG system before I took off, and of course it got stuck. There is no way to fly a 100 km task without VG, so I landed at the camping and packed up. Olav, Nils Åge and Johnny landed around the first TP, Arnt just after takeoff. Shitty day for us. One English pilot crashed on landing and broke a few bones, otherwise OK. This comp have had many more injuries than normal, the combination of wind and rugged terrain makes landings interesting some times.

Today is overcast and the winds seems on the strong side.