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The forecast for the day was good. In the morning we could actually see blue
sky. Lots of clouds of all varieties, of course, but still the promise of a
better day.

Mike wanted to get up the hill and get ready so after breakfast (fresh squeezed
orange juice and two eggs over easy, croissants on most mornings, but not this
one as we are in a hurry), we leave for the launch at 7:45 AM. We've been going
over to breakfast before 7. The bakery is a quarter block away.

We were on top driving all the way at 8:15. This meant that we got the nice
setup spots right next to the launch corridor as no one else was there.

The breezes were light sometimes up the south launch, sometimes up the north. I
setup close to the north launch but hoped for the south launch which allowed for
a long moderately sloped run.

There are a few cu's around below launch but soon there is a dome of cu's over
the launch area. It's dark and cool all around us. There are spots of sunshine
out to the east in the valley.

The task committee calls an eight two kilometer task with a nineteen kilometer
entry start circle. My job is to get off the launch safely, so in order to do
that and avoid anyone pushing me, I suit up right after the pilot meeting. It's
thirty five minutes before the start window opens at 11 AM.

The wind is coming up lightly on the north launch so I take a few steps and I'm
on launch and ready to go. I have to clear through pilots who are still standing
around at remnants of the pilot meeting. Everyone wants to watch me launch this
time to see what will happen.

I hoist the glider high up on my upper arms forming a wide base to the triangle
and allowing me to tilt the glider forward. A few deep breaths and I run down
the hill as fast and as long as I can. The glider feels good right from the
start and the observers later say that I had a perfect launch. We'll see if
there is a video to confirm it.

There is no lift around launch in the shaded areas. I just head straight east
toward the valley and the town. It rains lightly as I fly toward the town not
finding any lift. At the edge of town and the end of the hills, I find light
lift and a few Black Vultures. I've lost only 1,200' in the ten minutes it took
to fly out to the town, and I just circle with the birds, getting back to 500'
below launch.

The birds leave as the lift stops and I head out again further into the valley
and over the town. Over the entry roundabout on the main road from the east
coming into town I find light lift again and climb back up above launch
altitude. Mitch is the second to launch long after me and he comes in under me
flying straight from launch. After climbing up about half way to me, he heads
over the the burning sugar cane field by the goal field, which I had been
keeping my eye on the whole time. I join up with him and we climb to cloud base,
at 6,700', 500' over the launch.

I'm in a good position to go as the second start time comes around but Mitch has
gone out further into the valley and as I know that he likes to take the last
start clock I leave him behind.

The turnpoint is due south of me, but I head a little south west to get over the
lower hills. I can see cu's over them but they don't work. I turn out into the
valley to the south to head for some cu's there but keep getting little if
anything. I see Raul, Mike, David and Daniel head out high over me. They waited
until it was sunny on launch and got up there to cloud base.

I get down to 800' over the river and swamp land looking at one good field on
the closest side of the river. I find lift just before I get to it and I am able
to climb back out as I watch the four pilots to my east climbing under a nice cu
which I will get to later.

From there on it is a connect the dots scene as I watch the lead gaggle and head
for them each time I get high. There are plenty of cu's and I get to the first
turnpoint nineteen kilometers to the southeast just behind the lead guys. I
turn and head up the highway toward Obando, thirty kilometers to our next
turnpoint.

Out back to the west the valley is getting shaded from cu's over the western
range. The shade is growing and it covers the area from the next turnpoint back
to the goal. It doesn't look good. I work lift going north along the highway and
keep progressing without too much concern even as the shade begins to fill in
ahead.

Ten kilometers from the turnpoint it is shaded, but I find good lift and get to
7,400' seven kilometers before the turnpoint. As I top out and go on glide I see
David coming toward me at least 2,000' below me. He obviously sees the thermal
I'm in and is heading for it. He has made the turnpoint. I don't see Daniel.

It is shaded ahead with no cu's, but perhaps one right at the turnpoint. I glide
to it but don't find anything. I'm 2,000' over the ground at the turnpoint and
turn to go back to where I got to 7,400'. I can't quite make it that far, down
to 500' AGL two kilometers before it. Besides it looks all dark in that
direction. I opt for a safe landing in a big field next to the highway.

Daniel and David make it through the shaded area. David did get up in the
thermal I left to go to the turnpoint and got to goal with that thermal. He and
Daniel came into together so I guess that means that David is still in the lead.
Raul landed 11 kilometers short of goal. Mike landed behind me after getting to
the turnpoint low.