Day 8 – Task 3 Heike’s Perspective

The task: a 57km race to Tamworth sportsground (we had special air clearance) via Manilla, Attunga and a turnpoint at the BiLo in Tamworth. Race start: 2.30pm

After launching from the west launch, most of the Aussie team seemed to be at base (around 2000m at that stage) with 40 minutes to go before the race started. It got pretty congested up there at times, made somewhat easier by having a 3km start radius. I think most of the Aussie team got a good start, with Craig C leading the way (I think).

There was a worrying lack of clouds on course, and sure enough, once we left the hill things got very slow. We seemed to break into two main gaggles after the turnpoint, one of about 100 pilots, the other of about 30. I was in the second of the gaggles, the rest of the team in the first, except for Craig C, who I’m guessing pushed out and sadly landed shortly after the first turnpoint .

Our gaggle climbed about 300m, and then started going down. With visions of us all hitting the deck together, I decided to risk it and glide back to the ridge north of town, and connected with a climb above the tip. Big mistake, because the gaggle I’d left climbed out so I was about 10km behind the field, and by myself.

I could hear the others moving down the course line, mostly slowly but at times calling up to 2.5m climbs. Eventually Brian and Andrew landed about 200m short of goal, with Viv and Craig D landing around 16km short of goal. I ended up about 21 km short, and James about 27km short.

I think about 15 people made goal, with Petra in second or third … which means she’ll be leading the whole field after today!!

The photo was taken yesterday – Kari was paying the Aussie team a visit up on the hill. Thanks to Brett for the photo. (Brian and I must have been writing today up at the same time - I decided my write-up was sufficiently different to post it anyway.)