The
local forecast called for a 70% of rain and thunderstorms. But the break
down during the day called for 30% at noon and 30% at 6 PM, none earlier. The
wind was supposed to be out of the north. Later the weatherman said it was 15
knots but the forecast I was looking at said it was less.

The sky was clear at dawn but dark clouds formed over Montecucco later in the
morning (around 8 AM) and you could see the strong wind coming over the back
(NE).

The meet organizers sent us to the north east launch launch on the backside of
Montecucco. We had thought that we were going to be sent to Trepezzi which faces
more north, but that got changed apparently.

It was coming right in on launch or from the right and we set up right away. The
wind was strong, but not too strong. The cloud base was just above launch. There
were lots of cu's and lots of blue sky also.

There is a ridge going to the east just north of launch. Looking at the ridge
and the mountain side above it to the left we could see the clouds shadows
moving very quickly parallel to our ridge line and 90 degrees cross to launch.
But the flags on launch were showing straight in or from the right. So the
consensus was that we would be launching into a rotor.

The safety director said that it would be rough right off launch but to go to
the right to get into the smooth air and get up. One wind dummy launched and got
beat up pretty good, but did get over launch at first to the left. He then got
low to the right, but worked it back up over launch a little later. He was not
an inspiration.

Later another wind dummy launched from the left closest to the east ridge, went
further north over the ridge line and got up and stayed up. He didn't seem to be
in any rotor. Still the winds were pretty strong and the launch line flags were
in the oppose direction to the streaming cumulus clouds above us.

After two half hour delays, with the safety committee holding us back for better
launch conditions, the launch was opened and about half a dozen pilots launched
without a problem. Attila Bertok had been pushing hard for the launch to open
along with Mario Alonzi (member of the safety committee). Attila also launched.

The rest of us were watching the first pilots to launch in the competition to
see how it was going. Pilots who launched from the left or went left upwind
toward the east going ridge did fine, had fairly smooth flights and go up
quickly. Attila and another pilot went to the right and suddenly they were being
smashed down by the rotor. Pilots ran to see if they were going to be thrown
into the trees. Attila appeared to be trying to get his VG on to make a run out
of the falling air. Jonny said that he was all the way over to the left away
from the hill side on his control frame trying to keep from being turned into
the hill.

Pilots watching this called for the day to be cancelled. It was cancelled a few
minutes later. Launch was also closed to free flyers.

The opinion seems to be about equally divided about whether they should have
called the task or not. Locals said that it was a perfect day for Montecucco.
Others (including Dustin and Jochen) were not willing to launch.

We drove back over the hill and to the west back down to Sigillo and over to the
Alba Rosa where almost all the American team is staying. We found the ever
cynical Gordon Rigg
along side the road. He had landed out in the middle of the valley. He stated
that the area around launch was rough, but otherwise the flying was fine. The
wind was north right down the ridge line, but when he went to land it was east
from the hill side. His explanation for why we didn't go to Trepezzi was that
everyone thought that the day was doomed to be terrible, and that there was no
need to go to all the trouble to go to Trepezzi, just to drive down later in the
rain.

Attila Bertok got up, entered the start cylinder at the first clock and
completed the course in two hours and seven minutes.

The 2011 Worlds are over, with only two valid task days. Still a slightly
mitigated disaster.