At 8:00 we had pilot-breakfast, which was well organized. After that, the sponsors and all the other people and companies making this competition possible where thanked.
After breakfast I went to the workshop to solder a backup battery for my vario. I used a cycling-lamp, which gave the option to insert 3 AAA batteries of 1.2V, to make it work. After a small hour I had it fixed and that was a small relieve. The only problem was that when I came up, I had to build up my glider at the end of the row.
On the mountain there was a briefing at 10:30, where all the safety instructions were given, including a live tracking device (livexc.dhv.de Me is nr. 31, Gijs is nr. 29), which was new for me. Because of rain forecasts in the afternoon or late afternoon, there would be a smaller task.
At 12:00 we were given a 65 km task (T1, 44, 50, 43, L1). At 12:40 I started (1700 meter) and immediately got into a thermal which brought me at 2600meter by 13:00. This was also the official starting time and it was a pity I couldn’t start earlier so I could make another 200 meter and also fly for about 4km to the start circle which was on 5km.
I went on glide with in front of me about 5 gliders. Two of them turning a bit to the left to the high mountains and three of them to the ridge. I decided to go to the high mountains, which gave me more options. After a glide of about 5km I arrived at 1800 meters and soon I found a thermal to 2200 meters. I went on glide again to the next ridge on these big mountains. I went three times from 2200 to 1800 and backup up, but the last one was not possible. Later on I heard more about the ideas and what others did and here I made a mistake.
While I was at 2200 I should have go higher to 2600, but I decided to go for a small glide. Gijs was in the same thermal, only 300 meters below, but he used it to go as high as possible and go for a glide to turnpoint 1. Gijs made 48km of the task and I did 13km. Because the sun was more and more less shining on the surface, there were no good thermals at that moment where I was. I had to land in a small village called Röfleuten, which is 4km before turnpoint 1.
The other things a have to learn from is:
– start more early (pretty difficult at Tegelberg) to be in a better place and also to fly in the first gaggle.
– The way the wind is blowing, I should have go back 1km from the point I as was before landing to go the high mountains and find there a thermal.
– Joerg explained me why a lot of pilots took the ridge. Because of the wind this was a better option. But pretty hard for me since I was not in the first gaggle.

After the landing, which was not 100% fine, I text HQ to let them know I was landed. I also informed Anne-Marie to pick me up by car, which was soon done. In the scoring I was the first from the end of the list who got behind the startcircle. I am 6th from the end of the list.
It was a very beautifull day, with 2 hours of flying and I learned a lot. I am really happy with the first task at the German Open.