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This is the Wills Wing Team Pilots competition blog. Here you can keep up with the various members of our team as they progress through the competition season.
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task 2 (Aspres)

Jun 25

Written by: Jeff Shapiro
6/25/2009 12:46 PM 

Today the forecast was for a west/ northwest wind that was to turn to southwest late in the day. The winds were supposed to be stronger on the ground than up high and there was to be the applicable valley flow which would turn out to be true and would make things quite difficult on the final glide. Because Chabre doesn't have a launch that works in a predominantly west wind, we went to the beautiful set up area of Aspres (about 10ks north of us). The launch is a stress free affair with green grass and wild flowers which was a welcome change from the rocky ground on top of Chabre. We set up and went through the task briefing and learned that we were to fly a long, slight dog leg with the first turn point on a feature we all refer to as the volcano located just to the north of the camping area and would continue on to a turn point in a gorge south, south east of Sisterone. After getting that turn point we would try to come back pretty much the same course line back to Laragne. It would be a long day and with the winds forecast to be strong on the ground, I wasn't sure if it would be easy with the Southwest that was supposed to roll in or if we would struggle in the 10-15 knot North west that was blowing while on launch.
No one on launch was extra keen to get off as the few guys who did launch early weren't making it look too easy to get high. Soaring was not an issue but the prospect of 130 guys fighting for position 1-200 feet over the ridge didn't seem too appealing. In the end we all piled off and the climbs were actually very good. Soon we had jumped across the valley and the gaggle began driving around cloud base waiting for the start times to turn over, all fighting for a good position. I thought about the weather briefing and the talk of potential over development and was keen for the first start. I was in good position and felt like I was in good company so went 2 or 3 seconds after the first gate rolled over. Jonny was off to my right, Atilla was with us and Blay was right next to me with Zippy just behind. We made a couple of fast glides to the first turn point and the gaggle went left toward the mountains and the clouds. Blay, Zippy and I went off into the blue and across the valley just to the east of the camp ground. It was a risk but if we found a good climb or two in the flats, we stood a chance to beat the gaggle to the second turn point. Zippy went off for a cloud that started to pop but didn't end up finding much. Blay and I had a good climb and made really good time across the flats although by the time we got to the mountains the gaggle was a little behind but higher so it wasn't long before they caught us. We worked well together across the mountains to and past Sisterone until our decisions divided and we split up. I ended up making a significant mistake at this point, passing up a climb just before the turn point with hopes that I could glide the 3 ks to tag it and turn around to get the climb on the way back. Several faster pilots had already snagged the turn point and passed me going the other way so I thought I would have company. As I dove in to get the turn point, I encountered a lot of sink and lost significant altitude which forced me to climb out from low on the ridge that I passed up costing me a lot of time. I went on glide feeling a bit discouraged but hooked back up with Thomas from Austria and we found a strong 5-6 mps climb to base. I was stoked to hear OB on the radio saying that he was under the same cloud just off to my left. We left together with him gliding into the mountains while telling me on the radio that it was the fastest line the previous day and that he thought the climbs would be stronger. For some reason, I slowly drifted away from him (at first only with the intention of spreading out) and felt like I was getting a better line although in hind site, it would have been much smarter to stay with him. He is flying exceptionally well and we would have been stronger as a team of two but after a certain point, I was committed to my decision. This was the second and MOST costly mistake I made today. I got really low in front of the ridge to the east of Sisterone and had to literally claw my way in ridge lift and thermals back to peak height to where I could properly climb out. It took almost an hour, I think (at least it felt like it was that long;-( but I managed to climb to a 9.6-1 into goal. I left with 16ks to go at slightly faster than best glide. My numbers were good and got better while I was high but as I descended into the valley flow and the west turned to a dreaded north west (headwind) my glide angle quickly became 4-1 or less. It felt like I was flying a standard as opposed to my race wing. I HAD to stop for a few turns in weak lift with less than 3 ks to go because I was not going to make it by 500 m. I ended up crossing the goal line with 10 feet and landed 30 feet past it. I wasn't the last into goal but there weren't too many after me. Ha ha. Once again, tomorrow is another day and another opportunity to learn and do better. Zippy, OB and Dustin all made it in as well and Davis landed 16 ks short on the west side of the river in Sisterone (as I think many did).
My impression of this place is that although it is by far the most beautiful place I have ever raced in, it is absolutely unforgiving of bad decisions and will make you pay for them like no place I have ever flown. The valleys orient in every direction and the mountains are random in a way that it's sometimes hard to keep track of the side that is wind ward because the valley flow is often a different direction than the predominant wind direction. This keeps you making decisions not only based on the sky and terrain but also in regards to your altitude. It's extremely technical and challenging. I really like it but still have a lot to learn about this beautiful place.

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Re: task 2 (Aspres)

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