How Blue Were You
There are days in your life that you look back and marvel how lucky you have been. It could be a wonderful wife, or a job that gave you great satisfaction. I count my friends as the current thing in my life that gives me the most joy. Of course, my family is number one, but I’m on the road with these folks for 6 months out of the year. My good friend and flying partner Pete Alexander have been the US Team Captain for a long time. He has gone to many WGC events as both a competitor and the team captain. The numbers of hours he has dedicated to the sport and the support of the US Team is astounding. I feel lucky to consider him a close friend.
Kerry Huffstutler is another close friend that I met during glider contests. It was in Hobbs a couple of years ago that I asked her to help me run the Senior Soaring Championship in Florida so I could fly in it. Of course, I asked her after several margaritas, how could she refuse. She has run the contest the last two years, and everyone of course loves her dearly. Kerry must leave the contest early to attend to those items in life that come up unexpectedly. We will miss her, but in her place is Chris Carter. Chris and Gary Carter are another of my close friends that do so much for our sport. They owned Chilhowee Gliderport in Tennessee for a time to keep the business as a glider operation.
Keith and Jeanette Baugh are another couple that I count my lucky stars I ran into them. They showed up at Seminole Lake Gliderport for the Seniors with a broken RV and a 21-meter ship and we had to find a place for it to park. Over the last couple of years, I have gotten very close to them. (Jeanette makes the best margaritas). Pete and Keith have known each over since they were new glider pilots over 40 years ago. Gary Ittner hardly ever talked to me when I first met him. He is a very quiet person but a wealth of knowledge when it comes to brewing beer. I have gone with Gary to many craft breweries and learned so much about the production of a good beer. I’ve also found out over 90% of all head brewers have a beard.
Erik Nelson is another rich find. He and his family are fantastic, and I enjoyed hosting him at my house for a few days flying the Arcus. Although the weather was not great, the friendship we have is valued. Jae Walker is another part of this team, (they both fly Ventus 3’s) and I have thoroughly enjoyed being around him at every contest. He is a cyclist and takes way too good care of himself, wish I could do the same. Dave Springford and Virgina Thompson are a couple that I count as some of my closest friends. I met Dave at my first contest in Cordele and he was one of my racing mentors. Virgina and I ran the Seniors for 8 years together and everyone thought we were married. Now that Dave is retired, we will see him more on the race circuit. My favorite saying to him is “Is Fox One Corp Open?”. He is a literal fountain of knowledge about glider electronics.
Sam and Leigh Zimmerman are gems when it comes to southern hospitality. They are co-owners of Perry West, a hangar at Perry International Airport in South Carolina. They put Pete and I up during the Region 5 North contest and it is really a great time. The first time I was asked to be a guest, Doug Jacobs was the other pilot who was asked to join them. I remember Doug and I talking about how lucky we were to be in a hangar during a contest and why us. I led him to the bathroom where there was a poster from the WGC contest Doug won. I told him that is why he was there. I then picked up the toilet brush and said that is why I was there. Doug is also a great friend, fellow sailor and Jack Russell owner.
This contest I was pleasantly surprised when Eric Mozer showed up to root us on. He is the other owner of Perry West and happens to be a podium finisher in two WGC contests. Today he helped me put ZO away while we discussed the day that I finished out of the top ten.
The richness and camaraderie have made the last 15 years fantastic. There are many more folks that can be included in this list. Mihaela at Seminole Lake who does so much to make the operation a success. Billy Kerns and his wife Karen who spend countless hours making the gliderport and it’s aircraft better. Frank Spital who convinced me to buy an 18-meter ship to stretch my competition desires and shares a love for good Scotch. Bif Huss, a fellow Naval Aviator and fighter pilot who always keeps me on my toes when I hear “Fights On” over the radio. Finally, Shawn Knickerbocker who loves rum as much as I do and is an encyclopedia of knowledge about aviation.
All these stories have a common thread. My life would be so much more boring if it wasn’t for these wonderful people who have entered my life through the sport of soaring. We are all very lucky to be able to enjoy this sport and I hope that no matter how you did today, you thank those who are close to you. You never know when the good times will end.
Sorry for the soft opening, it was a slow news day at the contest. Now for the flying portion of our news. The CD decided to give everyone the same racing task. Now Club Class started first, so we gave them a head start. The 15-Meter Class also got a head start before the long wingers. The task for the 18-Meter task opened at 2:30 and most left early. The task was 376km long, for you Americans that’s 234 miles. We started out of the typical start circles and headed northeast to Littlefield, northwest to Muleshoe, southwest to Crossroads, south to Lovington and then southeast to Finish. The day was going to be blue except for some clouds around Littlefield to Muleshoe. The day started out rough for Team 98 boys. Both Pete and I got really low off tow. Rick Indrebo was also caught by a cycling of the day. It took some patience, but we all got back up before the start.
The first leg was good and bad depending on the time. Many pilots got low and almost landed out. Everyone had a part of their day that was tough. Thermals were not round, smooth and constant. It took patience and a smooth hand to get a good climb. Terry Stroud told me the 15-Meter folks had a good run with 3 gaggles that formed after the start. They ran together with some of the Club class boys and girl. It seems they had some issues with soft conditions at Crossroads just like every other class.
Tony Condon in Club Class, volunteered to write a piece about their flight
The Club Class was excited for a racing task today especially considering the blue forecast. It’s fun to have markers and a gaggle. I wanted an early start since I'm flying the second lowest performance glider in the contest and didn't want to get caught out late. We found many good climbs prestart to about 10,400 ft so we could start right at max height. Andy made a fake start then dragged a bunch of people back to the line with him. I just kept going. I thought a few others had already started. Neiman came with me in the Libelle.
I had a vision of picking up the Club Class gaggle and running with them as best I could and then having the 15m gaggle catch us as we came back into the blue after Muleshoe. After my first good climb i got a little low and Andy caught up to me. We ran together to Littlefield and into the Cu field. Andy would outrun me in the glide and I'd gain some of it back on the climb. It was a lot of work! The only other glider that was gradually gaining on us was Walt.
I enjoyed seeing Littlefield again. I flew my Gold Altitude there in 2009. The run in the cu to Muleshoe was easy and fun. After Muleshoe we had about 4 or 5 clouds towards Crossroads then it was back to the Blue. Walt had caught us but no 15m gliders were to be found. As we came under them all those cu evaporated, and I felt bad for those behind us.
Walt and Andy found a lot of climbs in the blue. None of us were really excited about the combination of altitude and terrain heading towards Crossroads. At one point I found a 4 kt climb behind them that I was happy to take back to 11k as it gave me at least a marginal glide to Tatum. A few more Club Class gliders were starting to catch us and 5Z from 15m. We still were finding at least 4 kt and sometimes 6-8 in the blue.
The last climb was 5Z, 99, ND, UN and myself right over Lovington airport at 6 knots. I got final glide and a little more but was still 20:1 to the finish. Not exactly comforting in the Cirrus with a headwind. There were still thermals that I was able to bump though, and I finished just above minimum height, completely exhausted.
Shoutout to my Grandma, Marian Gardner, who I know is reading this at home.
Thanks to Tony Condon and Terry Stroud for providing the color commentary for the 15-Meter and Club Class flights.
In the end, we had one landout and one engine start but everyone made it back safely before a great pizza dinner cooked by Wood Fire Pizza. Thank you, Alexa, for coming to the airport with your mobile kitchen.
In Club Class, we had two pilots tied for second place. Tony Condon and Walt Rogers shared the second spot with Christopher Gough winning the day at 67mph over the 234mi task.
In 15-Meter Class, third place went to Mike Sorenson with Jared Granzow in second. Winning the day was Noah Reitter with a speed of 77mph over the same 234mi task.
For the 18-Meter Class, Nelson Howe finished in third (and left me in the dust on one of the climbs, nice job Nelson!) with Rick Indrebo in second. Winning the day was Erik Nelson with a speed of 74mph over the same 234mi task.
We should note that Noah was the fastest of all the pilots on this task. Nice challenge John, a mark of a great CD.
The fun is over, and it is time to get to bed and get some rest for tomorrow. There is more great racing coming and we will give you an overall race outlook tomorrow.
Until tomorrow, stay safe and fly fast.
Rich Owen
ZO