DRAG: Wilderness Wizard Champs

More flying catch up from December.

Went to Wilderness for a few days for the Wilderness Wizard Champs, a fun HG competition, between Christmas and New Year.

The weather was a bit iffy, which led to a couple of days of much effort and little reward. However, at the end the weather cleared up and we got in a few good days of flying.

Paradise Ridge with Gericke's Point in the distance

The first was a classic 16km ridge run from Wilderness to Gerike’s Point along Paradise Ridge and then a 4km sea crossing to land at Majoli Beach. The only tricky section is just after launching you need to cross a low gap in the dunes. There is almost no ridge there and you have to just trust you will make it past there to the next section. If you don’t the flight is over and you have to carry your glider along the beach and up the dunes :(

Looking back to Wilderness from Paradise Ridge

We all made it over there easily and boated along the ridge until making the sea crossing to Majoli. Gliding across the sea is always great fun and focuses the mind even if you know you are going to make it comfortably.

Crossing to Majoli Beach. The goal was just to the right of the river mouth. Eric and I flew over to the next little ridge at the right end of the beach and soared there before gliding back into wind to land with the others.

Once across Majoli, Eric and I flew on to a little ridge beyond the beach and soared there for 20mins. Then, from 90m ASL it was a really fun 2km glide into wind back to the other gliders on the beach. It looked like we would never make it back and would have to walk along the beach, but getting little bits of lift off the low barrier dunes, we were able to squeeze back to the others. Really gratifying.

Airtime:1h40; 20kms

The second flight was a 3 hour marathon at the Map.

We were set a speed task with turn points and then were free to boat around ending with a spot landing on the beach.

The speed run was really fun, and then we spent hours trying to go on a little XC from the Map. This involved beating into wind to get around a ridge in front of us. I tried and repeatedly failed, but eventually found the right line and got around. Really fun.