CC08 Day 8 - Task 5

Geoff climbing out from Beechmont, pic by Hamish

I had planned on not doing the comp task today and launching as early as possible with anyone else who was willing to try and do some long cross country. We decided to hang around and do the task when Enda said it would be a good XC day but not one where you could get away from Beechmont super early.

One of the big items on the the 'the things to do free-flying around Caunungra' checklist is to cross the Great Dividing Range. Today the task committee called exactly that with an 88Km race to a goal paddock Just over Cunninghams Gap and a turn point around Lake Moogerah. It was an almost perfect cross country flying day with all the right ingredients - nice cloud, light wind towards goal and a bunch of friends. Conditions were great all the way out to the lake where things got a bit slower and sinkier except for those who stayed well north of the course line. 35 people made goal including a couple pilots on 1/2 gliders and they don't go over the range very often from what I'm told.

Final scores are here Our team ('Election Fraud' - Geoff, Antje, Hamish, Dave Snowden and me) came second overall, woo hoo! Geoff was 5th overall/1st Serial, Dave was 9th and Hamish 2nd in the sports class after a hard battle with Lindsay Wooten on the last day and Antje was 2nd woman after Michelle. Electing to land on the rainy tasks didn't do me any favours on the scoring front but comp or not, flying in the rain is just playing with fire, well, and water, neither or which is good for paragliders. The next exciting episode will be seeing how the team selection ladder has been shaken after this comp is included. Stay tuned.

Thanks to Matt Rosser in particular for putting in a ton of effort to organise the comp. Looking forward to Killarney already!