Volume 1, Number 4
7PM, Tuesday, January 8th, 2002
On retrieve from Goolgowie to Hay, NSW
"Gordo, I have a feeling we're not in Wylie anymore."

Catching up - Deni, Day 3

It's been a few days and we're now in Hay. I've got a few days to catch up on. Day 3 at Deni saw a 145k task - 90k North then 55k east to the same goal as yesterday, at Waddi. I had a bad day, couldn't get high on tow, then couldn't get a decent climb, and with ensuing dummy spit I bombed about 10k from the paddock.

But the lads had a good day. The task was meant to be crosswind on both legs. But the first leg was the most severe with about 75deg cross tail, leaving the run home significantly less crossed. We lost contact with Phil early on, turned out he got roolly roolly low for a roolly roolly long time, but eventually got up. Slow going but they all hung in their and all rounded the turnpoint within 5 minutes of each other.

But the first leg had taken it's toll, and Phil, then Gordo succumbed to the dying lift, only Bomber making it in at about 8pm. He took 100fpm in the last climb to get home. Pretty impressive, he's certainly flying well. Gordo was an agonising 12k short, and Phil about 20-25k. Couldn't wipe the grin of Gordo's face though. In the end I spent a pleasant afternoon with Paul, though continuously beating myself up.

Light and scariable, and I forgot to take my long pants to the paddock!! If there's a chance of scabbing a knee then I'm usually there. My landings have fallen away (no pun intended) over winter, but fortunately my knees were saved today.

Day 4 was the final day for this comp. Task set was a 125km triangle returning to the Conargo pub - about 3km south of the tow paddock.

Gordo towed first and got away well. Then Bomber and myself, but Poor Phil got stuck (again) blowing an upright on a launch. Paul and Steve (Rohan's driver) did an F1 pit stop on his glider though and got him going again.

I hung out on top waiting for the start. There appeared to be a couple of guns in the vicinity so I was keen to make a good start and play caravan off them for as long as possible.

Start gate gone and we were away from about 5500'. Managed to stay with them OK on the first glide and they went straight into 700up. Topping out just as they left I thought - "I'm going to walk this in." The next climb was similar, and they were gradually pulling away from me. The third climb and we're now in glide of the turnpoint, 50km in about 50 minutes! Awesome. I lost them at the top of this one as they glided in to take the turnpoint. I saw them on the next leg climbing but lost them as I rounded.

Back now in the relm of mortals, I got stuck with a gaggle just past turnpoint in broken 100-300up and heard Bomber call in at 8 grand at the turnpoint. I'd past him somewhere on the first leg. Now he leap frogged me onto the second leg. I tried to reach him, but he wasn't talking back. Our crappy thermal eventually got moving and on glide from about 7 grand I came in under Bomber's next thermal at about 1800', I was on the bottom but there was a nice tree-line facing the breeze and kicking off the bubbles.

By now Gordo had landed, 3/4 into the second leg. Phil, however, was closing in fast behind. Feeling much more at home now that there were no other gliders in his way.

This thermal soon turned on to 800-900 up and as I climbed up next to Bomber I heard - "Hey Daz, I'm just off to your left" - he's quick. In all fairness this was probably the first glimpse he'd had of my under surface - the large "2" is a give away but not from above.

On glide I copped a bit of a hammering and lost about 1000 feet on my mate. Looking into about 10k of boonies to TP2 I decided to head back to an Atos that was circling about 2k behind me. This got me back up again in a good climb, but by now Bomber was a good half-a-climb ahead.

Got a slow climb near TP2 and Bomber called in a better one right at the TP which I took. I lost a good 10 minutes in the previous climb though and soon he was 10 k in front of me pushing into the breeze on the last leg. The wind was about 2-5mph at altitude, just enough to slow progress a little. I eventually got lower as the lift died and landed at about 7:40pm, 15k short. While listening to Bomber realise he had the glide to goal - bugger. Another late finish for my mate as he landed at goal at about 7:50pm. 5 hrs for me and probably 5.5 for him.

In the meantime Phil had screamed up behind us, only losing his run at the second TP. From memory he landed just into the last leg.

The closing ceremony was a little long winded, but good fun as there were heaps of people to chat with - and good food. Oleg (The sultan of swath) Bonderchuk won the open class - the moustache hardly jiggled when his name was read. Though he was obviously surprised, and appeared to ask Tove "Are you sure?". It was funny watching the guns pouring over the results from the last day.

The RSL eventually kicked us out at about 1:30pm.

The RSL clubs in NSW are pretty impressive - we spent a bit of time there on the lay days. I've come to the conclusion that they are a front for an organised crime syndicate, run largely by older men with T-shirts tucked into brown pants, and assisted by women with blue hair. Money laundering for pensions.

As we packed up for the trip to Hay we did a last drive by around town with the water cannon. Oleg was a sitting duck leaning from the window of his car. Gordo's shot ran across the back window like a tracer, and Oleg had just enough time to open his mouth to say "Wot is this" when he copped it in the face. He keeled over laughing and gave a little chase as we made our departure. He's certainly the people's favourite.