Day 2 - Standard Class Report-by Thomas Greenhill

Day 2 called for good but overall relativley blue conditions with a large task area, which first sent contestants down the marble mountains, then out to medicine lake to the south-east.

Despite several contestants requiring re-lights, most pilots started the task around the same time, resulting in a relatively large gathering of gliders along the first and second legs. Conditions on the first leg north of the Quartz valley looked fantastic with a solid line of clouds, but proved somewhat tricky and required some patience to get up into the working band. The leg down the marbles was blue but with a solid convergence line. As we followed the high ground to the east of Craggy South, we all knew that the jump out over Weed and onto the Whaleback would likely be quite tough. Some managed to get above cloudbase in a blue convergence over China Peak, vastly facilitating the jump to the east. Most pilots found their next climb near Deer Mountain, which was a nail-biting experience given the intensely dense forest in that area, and the flat glide required to make it back to weed or the fields north-west of Deer Mountain.

The convergence line to Medicine was working well thereafter, and several pilots took the opportunity to boost their average speed. Yet, the convergence dissipated somewhat later in the day; some jumped back to China before heading to Duzel whereas others worked weak climbs in the valley near Weed to get back onto the ridges and pick up final glide.

Overall a very interesting and satisfying contest day!

Thomas 'XD'