Isolated thunder showers were predicted so the task committee set a task offering maximum route options. This was a task that represented the first real challenge with only thirty pilots battling their way to goal in under three hours with many more who made the end of speed section but not goal.
The scoring system permits task discards by deducting 25% of your worst task(s) everyday. This explains why some pilots have jumped the rankings by fifty places or more both up and down (in case you were wondering). In effect we will drop one task in four, so expect wild variation on the leader board until we have flown at least six tasks.
Team South Africa had a mixed day with Anton continuing in fine style and Francois midway with Andre mopping up the tail. I caught up with Russel Ogden (Interview here) from UK and quizzed him on glider testing protocols. Imagine my astonishment when he explained the '25% brake on full speed bar test' for EN-D. The test requires that the glider should not collapse if 25% brake is applied at full speed! I ask you with tears in my eyes: Unless I'm missing something, which imbecile on what planet would apply 25% brake on a two line racing snake while flying at full speed!!!?? The mind boggles at the absurdity of the idea.
There may have been a time when this was appropriate (like a million years before the Cambrian explosion), but anyone with a buckled brain knows you hang onto the balls on the B's when you push the speed bar on a modern 2 liner. Like Doh!
The point of this outburst is to (further) highlight how the bureaucracy of paragliding administration affects us. I think you all know how I feel about this topic so I'll move on to say that the positive outcomes of the last three years of serial class design has led to a safer wing with the same performance as the R11 at the same speed according to Russel. The R11 is still faster, but everything else is converging apparently.
Adrian Thomas points out that the biggest difference in the proposals for 2015 will be the speed limit @ 65km/h.
The test pilots attending this comp are all a little coy about the manufacturer's plans, but I think good things are coming to town!!
It is rumored that Torsten has the next Boomerang proto here in GV with him...
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