Hay, NSW, Australia
Yesterday was canned as a front rapidly approached, with very strong winds. It was supposed to pass quicky, but our cabin was shaking from the gusts all night, and it’s still blown out as I’m writing this at 14:00. The forecast in the newspaper is not good for the next days, with several low pressure areas on the way in.

It’s been unusually windy here for a long time, when we get to fly it’s good conditions and good tasks, but blown out days seem to be the norm. Last year only the last day here was canned because of the wind.

Hay, NSW, Australia
Yesterday had a little better conditions, we got to 2000 meters for the fist time, and the wind died down enough for an out and return task of 116 km. My glider was better after taping the leading edge. I got low about 35 km from goal, and did not wait for the guys underneath to climb up, but glided on alone – big mistake. I landed 27 km from goal. French pilot won the day, Gordon and Ron in goal.

We had to change towing lanes from the east to the north when the wind was more than 90 degress off where we set up. It’s an interesting sight when 100 hangliders have to be moved 1,5 km across the towing field. A temperature of nearly 40 degrees does not make it easier. Most people seen to carry their gliders, or roll them in the dolly. Ron and I decided to strap the basebar to the front roof rack, and stand on the back of the car holding the keel, it worked fine and we were ready to tow soon after.

Today looks good, the weather man promises more unstable conditions, and higher climbs. We’ll see, he’s done that every day.

Hay, NSW, Australia
We got a 150 km task, NE from Hay, mostly downwind. Our towing operation went really well, and everyone was picked up by 20:00, our driver Matt is really good. The conditions were blue, with an inversion at 1200 meters. I got to 1500 at the most, some reported 1800 meters, those conditions give short glides and turbulent lift.

My glider was not flying very good after the repairs, it had a left turn, and stalled in the thermals because of the leading edge repairs sticking out in the airflow. We did not have enough time to replace the whole leading edge, I’ll have it done when the comps are over, some tape will do for now.

I landed after 130 km, 20 km short of goal, should be around 40. place. Lots of guys made goal, Oleg won the day. Miles and Ron in goal, Gordon 25 km short. Today looks good, lighter winds, and maybe a little more unstable.

Hay, NSW, Australia
The drive up from Sydney went well, I arrived at 04:30 and got a few hours slep before the briefing. Yesterday was cancelled because of high winds, it was 90 degrees of the towing strips as well. Today looks better with lighter winds. It’s still quite cool, and blue conditions.

Sydney, NSW, Australia
This comp has been a disaster, everything have gone wrong for our team. Car problems, gliders blowing off the roof in 100 km/h, towing problems making us too late to get to goal, one guy seriously hurt in a lock-out (In intensive care, he’s gonna be OK). I got a virus affecting my balance making me unable to fly the last day, I left my glider in the paddock, and out driver run over it with the car. Lots of damage… On the way down to Sydney to have it fixed my car broke down, I had to go back and get Mike’s car, which also broke down halfway. Finally arriving at Moyes it seems like we can get the glider fixed and a new sail on it.

My radio is malfunctioning, my watch broke, and someone sat on my sunglasses… It’s blown out in Hay.

Argh.

Deniliquin, NSW, Australia
Another day cancelled because of high winds, a low pressure over Tasmania gives us very strong winds. On the charts it’s moving east until tomorrow, that should give a good day tomorrow.

It’s strange weather for this place, very unusual. Usually when we get bad weather at a comp the locals say “you should have been here last week, it was great”, this time it’s been bad conditions all season here. The comp is finished on Saturday, and then we head off to Hay.

It’s really cold as well, just above 20 degrees today, I had to by a pair of trousers as I only had shorts with me.

Deniliquin, NSW, Australia
Today was cancelled as was yesterday, high winds, and today it was quite gray as well. Might be better tomorrow.

We have had one day of comp flying, blue conditions, windy, inversion at 1500 meters (Almost like Algodonales, but no hills). We got a 92km task dogleg downwind, and then cross. Very difficult after the TP, and hard to stay on the courseline. I did good for a while and kept up with the lead gaggle, but made a mistake about 45 km from goal while gliding into the wind to reach another gaggle that was climbing. I got too low and found nothing before I was very low, I drifted in 0 lift 6-7 km crosswind just 100 meters off the ground, and had to land when the thermal died.

Gordon Rigg won the day, 9 pilots in goal. About 95 pilots participation in the open class. Out towing operation went quite well, with only one rope break on the first day.

Deniliquin, NSW, Australia
I saw the first bushfires while driving down from Manilla to Sydney, huge amounts of smoke covering the sky like fog. I spent Chrismas in Sydney, picking up Gordon and some of the Swiss at the airport. After a few relaxing days at the beach we drove to Deniliquin, we did get through the fires that were spreading around Sydney without any closed roads. It was raining ashes at Bill and Molly’s place at the beach when we had a barbeque the last night, and the air smelled of smoke.

We have spent a few days getting the towing gear sorted, it went quite well once everything is in place. We are 9 people towing in our team, 1 Australian, 2 swiss, 1 American, 4 Brits, and me. Yesterday I did 2 tows and just flew around over the paddock for about 4 hours. Good conditions, with blue thermals to 2300 at the end of the day, glass-off just before I landed with smooth big thermals all over, hard to get down. The glider feels good, and now that I had other to fly with it seems to perform pretty well.

Today was the first comp day, it got cancelled bacause of high winds. We have a front moving through the area, It does not look good for tomorrow, but the day after should be good.

There’s only one computer available for internet use at a gas station in this town, so I won’t be updating everyday, there’s a long line of people waiting to use it…

Manilla, NSW, Australia
Today was supposed to be a really good day, with southerly wind and high cloudbase, everyone was getting ready for long flights. The day turned out to be crap, with NW winds, lots of cirrus blocking the sun, and a strong inversion at 1600 meters to make it a blue day. I met Shane from Ireland, and we tried to get in some distance crosswind to the north. Got some good lift, but a sinkhole sent me down from 1600 meters to the grund with 8 m/s sink all the way. I did not even reach the landing field I was planning to use, landed vertically in very strong winds, quite pissed off. Shane was behind me last time I saw him. Yesterday was the same, but stronger winds. I never went up the hill, one of the Swiss pilots chrashed his Litespeed at takeoff, hurt his ankle and knee. Tomorrow is forecasted the same as today, I’ll be heading down to Sydney again sometime tomorrow.

Merry Chrismas to everyone!

Sydney, NSW, Australia
Strong northerly winds and stable conditions made it a rest day today. I spent the day driving down to Sydney to pick up some of the towing gear, and get the the Swedish pilot’s rental car. Tomorrow is the Chrismas party at Moyes, I’ll drop by there before I drive back up to Manilla to get a few more days of XC flying in before we leave for the comps.

Weather in Sydney is wet and warm, feels like a sauna after the dry heat inland.