The day started early with gridding starting at 8am. Fortunately, Team Hender had traveled up Friday and rigged JDP ready for the week ahead. At the 10am briefing a 264km task was set, with 5 turn points. Launching would start not before 11:30am. Dan was placed in the fourteenth row (of fifteen) of the grid, which he was more than happy about, meaning he wouldn’t have to wait behind the start line for the rest of the grid to launch.
Near the back of the grid (Rob Hender)
Launching started at 12pm in the end, with Dan launching at 12:32pm. The start line then opened and the race was on.
264kms polygon
Dan: "First two turn points were great fun, then I got further into the flight and thought… I just want to get home!
I messed up on the long leg and got really low and then went slow when I didn’t need to, which affected my speed.
So even after all the Junior Development training I still went early and was second back!
At one point I even saw OEL (Arcus based at Denbigh Gliding Club) in the sky, and did a double take!"
Dan made it back at 4:10pm, after a great flight, the scores then came in and he was placed 12th overall out of a grid of 32. He is still disappointed with his flight, but that’s his competitive side coming out!! Well done Dan, same again tomorrow? - Sally Hender
(ed: watch the action on glideandseek and Junior Nationals )
