Contest Day 3

With a warm front approaching from the West, we were looking at afternoon thunderstorms and a short window in which to get in a task. CD John Seymour called a 1.5 hr TAT to Blue Swan and Cowanesque with the circles as big as the rules allowed.

The first of the numerous rain storms came through the area just as the launch was finishing. No surprise, there were lots of course deviations today. We could see a large area of gloom to the south of the Hill and pilots had to work around those storms to get to the second turn and home. 18m winner Tim Welles [W3] chose to deviate as far south as Mt Pisgah. He endured a glide of 20+ miles in completely dead air to make it home. Sports winner Gregg Leslie [AC] took a northern path around the bad weather following a lift line along route 17 to get to the Cowanesque circle and back.

With their day wins today, W3 and Team AC move into first place overall in their respective class. Almost all of the landouts were engine starts and pilots landing back at Harris Hill without completing the task.

Everyone was back in time for drinks and appetizers hosted by Roy McMaster at his Round House off the south end of the field. Great food and comradery and, for the most part, the rain held off.

J9