With a forecast for light northerlies winds we expected blue skies
but a higher top of the lift than the previous 4,100'. The mentors got together
for a task meeting at 10 AM before the pilot meeting at 11 AM. There was quite a
bit of dissension as Larry called for a big task and I felt that the smaller box
of 46 kilometers was certainly long enough. We reached an agreement that allowed
for anyone who made it around the task twice to receive a 10% bonus. Larry was
sure that he would at least get around twice if not more times.

We launched as teams at 1:30 PM with my team of U2-type glider pilots second.
Larry's other team of U2-type pilots was first, Tom with the Sport 2 type glider
pilots after me, and Greg with the topless pilots last. There was a spare cu or
two every now and then near the launch area but it was essentially blue and
would stay that way all day.

The lift was over 200 fpm and my team and Larry's team worked our way up to
5,400' without drifting to the east outside the 3 KM start cylinder. I waited
until all or almost all of my team mates got over 5,000' then had everyone head
for the first turnpoint at Sawmill 8 KM to the southeast.

Most of the pilots went with us and a gaggle formed just to the west of the
turnpoint. I went and got the turnpoint and then headed further west to see if
there was lift other some wispies. While everyone else was slowly climbing back
east of me by the turnpoint, I found 250 fpm at 1,800' and worked that for a
while as all the kingposted glider pilots and their mentors behind me stayed in
their thermal as best that they could. Tom and Larry and Greg were back there.

Back at 3,800' I went back to join up with my team mates as no one apparently
wanted to join me up wind. I didn't find much lift back under them so went up
wind again to the west and climbed out at 150 fpm again back to 3,800' and
decided that I would just lead out and see if I could find some better lift for
the team.

Crossing west of highway 33 on my way to the turnpoint at Bay Lake at the edge
of the Green Swamp I found some nice lift at 230 fpm. The pilots behind noticed
this and a few higher mentors, probably Larry or Greg, so the gaggle moved west
from the first turnpoint and we all climbed up together as we are supposed to in
this Sport Class competition with mentors.

The wind was mostly out of the north at about 5 mph. Climbing to almost 5,000' I
again headed out to test the waters ahead and report back to the crew. Almost
everyone was doing well just behind me.

There was only light lift before the turnpoint so after a few turns I took the
turnpoint and headed north toward an open field area that looked bare and hot.
At 2,100' I found almost 200 fpm with a 3 mph west northwest drift. Numerous
pilots joined in, but strangely enough it was now all the topless gliders. Larry
had gone back to help out his team mates but was now getting up from well below
us.

Tom was behind us helping out the Sport 2 glider pilots. I was upset that only
the topless gliders were near me, but my guys were not that far behind. One had
landed.

When the lift weakened at 4,600' I headed out first to the north toward the next
turnpoint. I hadn't had any problem finding lift to that point so I wasn't too
concerned about being out front again. In the end I did not find a lick of lift
and landed in a big dry field.

I got on the radio with my pilots and talked with Rich Elder. He was just coming
to the Bay Lake turnpoint and I told him about the field to the north with the
good lift. He later was able to climb to 5,000' there.

I could watch the topless gliders circling to my west and after a very slow
climb, move over and four pilots climbed quickly very high. I saw a few others
low further toward the turnpoint but then they found lift and were getting up.
Then I saw Larry low near my field. He landed with me soon after I saw him.

Larry could see on the Airtribune web site that Tom was with Nikki and helping
her along toward the turnpoint. As we packed up and headed back to Quest we
could see that she was doing well and heading toward goal. We got back in plenty
of time to see her and Tom make goal. She won the day as the only king posted
glider to make goal.

https://airtribune.com/gssk2016/results

Topless results:

King posted: