One day during the NSW State Titles I watched Blay and Jonny launch the west side at Mt. Borah near Manilla. They put their bodies so far through the control frame that their backs were essentially horizontal. Their gliders maintained their same angle through out their runs, and they were pumping with their feet way back (but obviously not behind them, as their feet were still attached).

When they thrust themselves over to go almost horizontal the control bar stayed at about the same position with respect to their legs and they pulled down on their hang straps which kept them from falling on their faces. Without the glider this would have been a most unnatural position.

Now I don't have pictures of them launching from Mt. Borah. Perhaps someone else does and they will send them, to me. Or pictures illustrating what I'm talking about here. I do realize that without these pictures my argument lacks the punch that I feel from having witnessed these events.

 I do have a couple of shots of Blay launching from Mystic Hill:

And here.

Blay is not nearly as horizontal above as he was at Mt. Borah. The glider is high here (due to the wind coming up the hill) and the hang strap is tight.

I have also watched Lukas Bader and Scott Barrett launch. They also lean forward through the control frame but not nearly as much (at least on the launches I have witnessed). Lukas and Scott take long steps into their run with a lean of about 45 degrees.

Scott's launch at Mt. Buffalo:

All the photos by Claudia Ammann

Check out the launch sequence here, here, and here, or superimposed.

Notice how far through the control frame that Scott is leaning. Notice his long stride.  Notice the angle of the control frame and glider (seen better in the higher resolution shots linked to). There is a very nice breeze on launch although no wind overall. You can see the streamers. The glider is actually flying when Scott is standing at the top of the ramp.

Lukas launching at Mt. Buffalo:

Click on any of the pictures above to see the higher resolution version.

Lukas is even further through the control frame.

I launch much more vertically, barely going through the control frame. I take short quick steps and don't power through. I'll be practicing these power launches in the coming months (although that might be difficult on flat ground).

Here I am at the start of my run off Mt. Buffalo:

The thermal breeze is coming right up the launch and my wing is flying before I take one step. I let the wing rise to tighten the hang strap and am not as far forward as Scott or Lukas after a few steps as seen here.

Here is Jonny launching that day, but not like he did at Mt. Borah:

Notice that he has one hand on the down tube and one on the base tube. The wing has already lifted and his hang strap is tight. He is not that far through the control frame. He has a long stride.