Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 8

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Rigid at goal - Photo: Stephane Malbos/CIVL)

May the 27th… For the final day of the championship, as clouds were still threatening, pilots were sent early on smaller triangular tasks with goal where they took off, at Quest Airfield. Class I, II and V had respectively 69.9 km, 123.1 km and 102.7 km to fly.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Andrea Hetzel, the only woman in Class V championship, presently in 23rd position among 49 pilots - Photo: Stephane Malbos/CIVL)

May the 26th… All Classes were sent north again: and again they met overdevelopment and rain. Class II had time to make it to goal, after a turnpoint at Greystone 73,5 km away. Class I and V tasks were cancelled, but as pilots had spent at least one hour in the air, they were scored according to the distance they had flown.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Swift in flight - Photo: Tim Meaney)

May the 25th… All Classes were sent north again but all met overdevelopment and rain. The task was cancelled as pilots were in flight or landing here and there. Nobody got scored and the results remain the same as yesterday.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 5

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Class V at goal - Photo: Stephane Malbos/CIVL)

May the 24th… The day starts with very light rain and a not so good prognosis for cross-country flights. Tasks are set anyway, pilots' briefing delayed and finally launches open under marginal but better conditions. Everyone is sent north: Class I at 71,6 km; Class V at 87,4 km; Class II at 67,9 km and return. A over-developed cunimb is in the way and make the task trickier. A lot of pilots are at goal in Class II and V. The women again suffer: only Corinna ("I am lucky", she says) makes it to goal.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Rest Day 2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Quest airfield with set up gliders - Photo: Malbos/CIVL)

May the 23th… Again the weather was uncooperative and the day had to be called off. Time for rest, friendship… and a few explanations.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Rest Day 1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Morning briefing for the volunteers - Photo: Malbos/CIVL)

May the 22rd… All pilots and volunteers met at the morning briefing. Tasks were called and cancelled around 2pm because of a persistent inversion layer making cross country flights from Quest improbable.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 4

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Atos in flight - Photo: Tim Meaney)

May the 21th… A blue day. All pilots take off in a cloudless sky for, again, some challenging tasks. Women in Class I get a out and return leg to Dallas (FL, not TX!), 52,7 km away. Class V rigids have to fly a 158,7 km triangle. Class II has 221,8 km and 4 turnpoints to check. 5 out of 6 Swift make goal, and 80 % of the Class V pilots too. Class I again has a hard time, as the blue sky is followed by a veiled one.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 3

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(Impact in flight - Photo : Tim Meaney)

May the 20th… A perfect hot Florida spring day. The best conditions of the year, so far, announced at the pilots' briefing. Hardly any wind, so all pilots can land at Quest after a more or less square circuit. 127,6 km for Class I; 176,6 for Class II; 150,7 for Class V. The best of the year ended up being the best of the meet and the women, again, had a hard time completing the task. The rigids and Swift did better, with 60 and 100% at goal.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(David Chauvet's Impact prototype taking off - Photo : Malbos/CIVL)

May the 19th… With stronger winds and elusive lift, Class I pilots delayed their take off time. It didn't help, and no women got to the goal set at 109 km. Class V was set for a 205,1 km crosswind leg to Florida Ridge, a record distance for some of the pilots. 33 got to goal. Class II flew again a back and forth task from and to Quest Air airfield. 174,9 km this time. Not an easy one, reported Manfred Ruhmer, the only pilot to complete the task.

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Class I (women), II, V World Championship, Task 1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

(photo : Malbos/CIVL)

May the 18th… With strong winds, the same task was set for Class I and V: 110,4 km downwind to River Ranch. Class II had to fly a 123,1 km out and return task from and to Quest Air airfield.

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