Dartmoor Gliding News-Saturday 6th March 2021 - Condor

 The Large Blue Hole

This week's condor event went ahead with the usual social distancing rules, the task set by Rick was take off (Winch) from Shennington.

Turning Points:

1 Olney 

2 Market Harborough 

3 Husbands Bosworth

4 Husbands Bosworth West

5 Stratford

6 Shipston-on-Stour

Finish Shennington.

Thermals were set strong and variable with 10 knots of wind from the east. Aircraft and pilots were Simon - Antares (18m and flaps.) Matt - standard Cirrus Myself, Hugh and Ed in the K6cr And Rick in a Blanik. (17m and flaps).

Ed had refinished his glider to the colours and decals we are familiar with at Brentor, so the flying cherry was in the air again.

Unlike Rick in the Blanik, which had adopted a colour scheme that looked closer to the Black Knight.

After a little trouble for some (Hugh!) selecting the start gate, we were away heading east into the wind and the performance difference soon showed the advantages of fibre glass with Matt and Simon leading the way, this leg seemed never ending.

Poorer thermals and cross winds after the first turn point kept giving us problems albeit at different times.

But eventually we turned at Olney with the wind on our backs so we made time and distance, with the exception of a strange 180% switch back to Husbands Bosworth West testing our preparation and navigation and more missed turn points for some. Now downwind to Stratford, the plan was to stay high and turn into wind with final glide.

But as they say if you want to make god laugh tell him your plans and laugh at me he did as a large blue hole and two failed clouds later I was low in a poor thermal drifting downwind past Stratford and out of the race.

By now Simon and Matt were finished but the team k6 waited to support Rick and his rusting rocking chair and shepherded him safely back home.

As you may have gathered Rick has had the habit of setting and wining the tasks frustrating but true, at least till Matt and Dan from North Hill came and joined us. Winning could also be the people like Simon that can achieve the task without penalty points, or the sense of belonging and camaraderie of ‘Team K6’.

Enjoying the company and banter is the reason we have friends and make us long for a return to the real thing. And in the meantime, we would love to have more of you join us as even virtual gliding is full of highs and lows.

Phil Hardwick