What a mess it was on the starting mountain, the Kobala. First of all there was the inversion. This made us wait for a very long time to get some thermals. Furthermore there was a diaria of parapenters hanging around and disturbing the competetion. It allmost came to a fight next to where I was. But our competetion leader, Harm, raised his voice as loud as the horn of a 300 foot containership and then everybody was calm again.
We had a 52km task into the valley to the Stol and back. Everybody was starting really late and in the end I launched at 15:40. I got a good thermal at the start, but it took me a while to get it. Later on the route I was in a thermal with a big bird (not Pino). I had my GoPro on to film it and I was forgetting to find the core of the thermal. Back up again I was heading for the turnpoint again. Near the city of Kobarit I had two options, head for the two-bumbed-hills where about 8 gliders where thermalling or head a bit to the North to gain height at the same place at the day before. I choose for the first option. But by the time I was there they were thermalling in nothing and they all followed the rest of their course. I had to follow my course, but I couldn’t find any thermals so I had to land with a perfect 10- landing (allways room for improvement). I landed in the same field as Coen, so I had the relaxed retrieve of Cornelia and ofcourse an icecold beer. Beer by the way tasts the best after a good hanggliding flight. We ended the day at the local restaurant, which was big fun.
I keep having second thoughts about a flight. Although I am happy with a flight, there were always possibilties to make better (or other) judgement. This could have extended my flights. But it is all for the learning process I am in. It will probably take me another flying season to improve this substantily.
It is good to see a young guy like Arne, with not that much experience do this judgement more naturally, it’s a gift of mother nature.

De toestellen worden op de bus geladen Waar ging de taak van gisteren nu ook al weer naartoe? De eerste stappen van mijn start