The second August Course started bright and sunny and full of optimism, but after the course introductions a patch of moist air came through producing orographic cloud and drizzle, but it soon cleared to an overcast 2000ft cloudbase, enabling flying to get going.
After lunch, the sky changed yet again the top cover broke and there was a couple of hours of 6 knot thermals up to 3000ft. All the course members made a good start towards their personal objectives.
Junior Nationals - Lasham
Once again lots of rain, 175km tasked. Conditions were hard but I was feeling confident, I followed a gaggle of some of the better pilots for the first 30km up to the edge of the showers, but at this point I was about 60 degrees off course. We all went through a tiny gap in the showers and just got through to the other side - sort of climbing - but then my wings got wet.
I was really hoping that the rain would have cleared the air behind it and thermals would have been popping but I got the timing a bit wrong, I had lost everyone by the time I went through the shower, so had noone to follow, so I headed off to Newbury that had the sun shining on it, but was unable to get any lift so into another field I went, slowly getting further from home and came 22nd out of the 46ish entered. - Liam
Junior Nationals - Lasham
Once again lots of rain, 175km tasked. Conditions were hard but I was feeling confident, I followed a gaggle of some of the better pilots for the first 30km up to the edge of the showers, but at this point I was about 60 degrees off course. We all went through a tiny gap in the showers and just got through to the other side - sort of climbing - but then my wings got wet.
I was really hoping that the rain would have cleared the air behind it and thermals would have been popping but I got the timing a bit wrong, I had lost everyone by the time I went through the shower, so had noone to follow, so I headed off to Newbury that had the sun shining on it, but was unable to get any lift so into another field I went, slowly getting further from home and came 22nd out of the 46ish entered. - Liam
