Jonny Durand - Morning Glory

Read all about it and see the pictures on Jonny's blog HERE

A cool hang gliding movie

Great movie of the Laragne Worlds 2009

British Open Series - Round 3

The last round of the BOS takes place 28 Aug - 2 September 2009.
This is a FAI Category 2 competition for both Class 1 (flexwing) and Class 5 (rigids).

Location: Lydbury North, Shropshire, England

Dates: Friday 28 August to Tuesday 1 September 2009

HQ: Powis Arms Pub

View Larger Map

GSP upload competition waypoints: from Thursday evening 27 August

Accommodation: Camping at the Powis Arms Pub - £5 per night. Tel: Gerry McLaren on 01588 680254 to book.

MORE INFORMATION HERE

Laragne Storms

An unbelievable but v exciting and humbling day as the storm came from nowhere very very quickly. We all agree that we’ve never experienced a storm like it – In the orchard there were tents under 4inches of water and abandoned.

The storm started around 2pm and wasn’t over by 7pm. At some points there was a little flash of lightening and a bang immediately after which felt like someone shooting you in the head and some people screamed either in fear or delight?

The Party was ruined

 

 

 

 

Dutch Open - And the winner is....

 

The last day of the Dutch Open took the pilots to the North side of the Charbe. The forecast was for storms and over development early afternoon and it was not wrong. There was a task called but as the wind was in the south and coupled with the towering cu the day was canned and Malcolm Brown became the Dutch Open Champion for the second year in a row. Top Dutch pilot was Koos, top women pilot was Koos's girl friend Daphne, top team was The Shaggers :-)

I had a very pleasant morning at the very silty brown watered gorge due to the storms yesterday and got back just in time for the rain/storm.

 

Team Shaggers

 

Top Bird - Daphne

 

 

You wouldn't want to walk under this?

 

............
.............
..............


Unless you were very small :-)

 

Dutch Open - Day 6 - Task 4 Stopped

 

Aspre again today-

92km task to go south west then east then south then north into camping. There seemed to be a rush to get off as there was a potential cu nim above us :-O one near the first turn point and one toward Sisteron. Lots of lift I guess, so yea, lets av some?

 

I hate cloud flying and I hate flying when there are big nasties around and today I was very uncomfortable. Strange how your instincts are telling you you shouldn't take off and when you have, your senses seem to be in overdrive and all you want to do is go land somewhere nice.

The task was stopped when the big black one over Laragne started leaking and then seemed to short out a few times with a bit of wind around the edges. It has been going now for maybe 3-4 hours and its wet!

 

Malcom Brown it seems has taken the lead with Koos in second. Well done Malc if we don't fly tomorrow (its not looking good) .... it'll be 2 years in a row, nice one:-)

Safe n Sound

 

Dutch Open - Day 5 - Task 3

118Km around 4 turnpoints with goal at the camping

 

 

The task saw us go back to Aspre as the wind was west again and from what Jeff, the local 'masseuse' reported from the Chabre take off it was the right call.

Most it seems had a good start with climbs to 8500 feet at the start then a nice glide with only 1 climb to the Charbe t/o.

Then onto Col St Ange and a quick squirt over to Charbre t/o and along the ridge 5km then back to a little lump called the Pic de Burre. Then back south via a small village near Beaumont and in. Easy for some eh? Seems Mr Brown is on fire again this year. Some were getting climbs upto 12000feet! Not bad for an iffy day.

I had not 1 smooth glide all day. My arms were killing me.

 

Malc and Koos - the race is on

 

 

Dutch Open - Task 2 Results

You will find them HERE - top right under 'Newsflash' heading.

Cheers

Dutch Open - Day 4 - Task 2

 

The task today saw us on the very pretty and easy launch of Aspre. Most of the wild flowers have gone now but the butterflies are in abundance and the wild raspberries are nearly ready for a foraging.

 

The task was set at the 77km mark around 4 turn points. From Aspre to the volcano then to Beaumont. From there to the big gap then a jump across onto that other big ridge heading west then into the camping. I'm great at remembering the names of ridges, hills and mountains – not!!

It was a fun day but I did have a poo poo start and a poo poo middle but otherwise a good end as I did make goal albeit a little slow:-[

The campsite is cool tonight with lots of live music from various tents. There is a happy vibe and the moon is full. Time to turn hairy.

 

Other bloggers:
Daphne
Zhenya
Hadewych
The results might (?)appear here?

Dutch Open - Task 1 - from the air & Results

Ok - finding the results was not easy! .... but......

Here are Task 1 results which I found at the bottom of this page

 

 

Dutch Open - Day 3 - Task 1

 

 

The wind eased off and today we had a 70k task:-

TP1 - 5k west of takeoff along the ridge
TP2 - across the valley to the SE at Gache
TP3 - a small village w of Sisteron along the Sisteron ridge
TP4 - Hongrie
Goal – a glide into goal at Laragne camping

It seems 3 people were in Goal. Koos I think was the first and Malcolm and myself (came 3rd and 4th but I don’t know who was 3rd and who was 4th!) landed 3k short of goal in the same field which is handy as Nicola is our faithful driver this week – thank you Nicola.

The forecast was for a very stable day with weak climbs and a lot smoother than yesterday with lighter northerly winds.

In all a very pleasant punt around the valley was had by some.

 

 

Dutch Open - Day 3 - The wind is still here:-(

Even though there is little wind in the landing field there is on take off. Its still blowing North at 46kph according to the automated radio. I guess it just hasn't got the mixing going yet.

Home sweet home

 

My neighbours.

 

If you need a massage then Jeff is your man and if you need an xc bag or waterproof bag then Phil is your man. www.gliderbags.com These guys come out and live in their caravans all summer!! What a life eh? If only?mmmmmmmmm