BBQ task.

The forecast for the final day of the Canadian nationals was looking pretty good. Lightning strikes over the last couple days have started a few forest fires around Sun Peaks. Their was some concern about flying over the fires today. We file a notam every day and Ralph even called the Kamloops air port where the planes were flying out of to let them know too. They weren't impressed but didn't say we couldn't fly. They have that power and we have been shut down in the past. If they weren't going to tell us not to fly I felt we should be fine. Ralph also told every one at the pilots meeting not to pass over the fire low.

With a strong south wind we felt it would be better to just call a down wind task rather than have pilots fight back against the wind crossing the fires a second time. We decided on little fort at 62km. This would turn out to be a little short but we wanted to get every one back in a reasonable time to do the scoring and get ready for dinner. It turned out to be the best day so far and some pilots were disappointed we didn't call a longer task. Ten ended up making goal with Jeff the fastest of the day in just under an hour.

My strategy every day has been to launch later and take the last start so I would be on course during the strongest part of the day. Also I had plenty of thermal marks in front of me making it easier to go faster. Launching later you run the risk of not getting off the hill which never happened to me but some people did get stuck on launch. I had Tanya use the leading bonus because I believe the pilots that go out front take the most risk and should be rewarded. Taking the last start punished me on the leading points. You need to make goal and you need to be a lot faster than every one else.

The last day my plan was to take it easy and make sure I get to goal. Jeff was too far in front of me to catch but Ross was right behind me. I had nothing to gain and every thing to lose so I felt as long as I made goal in a reasonable amount of time I would hold onto my position.

I launched in the back half of the pack and climbed out over launch with Dave Bacon in good lift. Once up high I could see the large forest fire to the north. I saw a helicopter just north of launch dipping his bucket in a nearby lake. Then he was off to dump the water on a smaller fire. Not wanting to get in the way I left before getting to cloud base and flew into a strong west wind to get back out in front of the range. Once I was back out front I headed down the range and found I had a quartering tail wind. My first thermal on course was strong. It moved around a lot but stuck with it right to cloud base over 10,000'. Just make sure you get to goal. My next climb was not as strong but I stayed with it any way. I got a climb just before Barriere and my numbers went positive. I stopped for some strong lift before I left the range just to be sure. I hit some big sink in the valley and was happy I had lots of height. I chased Tyler to the Fennel peak goal which is a turn point over the mountains before heading over to Little fort to land. I spotted two pilots on the ground and several other below me circling down to land. Mike Swift had chosen a field right next to the gas station and cold beer. Dave Bacon arrived a little while later and Gary came in long after the rest of us had packed up. It was a fun day and we had a lot of spectators watching the glider rain into the field next to the gas station. It was a fun day of flying and nice to have so many in goal.

The weather tuned out to be very good this week and Ralph and Ian did a great job of organizing. It was great to fly some where different this year. I'd love to come back here again next year. Jeff Remple finish first over all with me second and Ross Hunter third.