Weather:
After a scrub on Saturday, things still didn't look too hopeful for Sunday. Although a cold-front had gone through in the night, the air behind it was unusually damp. It was forecast to clear about mid-day with winds around 25 kts at flying height and the chance of plenty of showers.
If it turned out to be soarable, it might be a case of dodging the showers in the strong winds. All would depend on how it actually looked in the afternoon.
Preparation:
Briefing was delayed until noon, at which time each class was briefed on a main task, with a shorter fall-back, each task making use of "Showery" turnpoints. In the event, the clearance came and, by two o'clock it looked better than we had expected and a decision was made to launch on Task A, starting with the Pundits. The wind was as strong as forecast, but there was pronounced streeting with a good high cloudbase and useable thermals. No sign of rain at this stage.
No sooner had we launched most of the grid than all three Pundits arrived back on the ground within five minutes of each other. Oh dear, had we made a terrible mistake? No-one else came back, though, and after a couple of Pundit relights, we started getting start calls.
NB all achieved distances quoted below are handicapped distances
Pundits: 188km to Stroud East and Towcester.
Pete Stratten (Windrushers, ASW20W) won his class by making good use of the showery turnpoint to avoid the rain at the first TP and using cloud streets to get back to Banbury. Too much time lost in a grovel over Cheltenham on the first leg meant he had no day left to get to Towcester, so he landed back having completed 132km. Al Cook and Tony Taylor (Shenington, Duo Discus) made a similar flight to Pete, but turned just one km short of the 1st TP and so failed to gain any points for the return trip being "landed out" at 57km. Laurie Clarke (Banbury, Astir CS) got shot down before starting and elected not to relight.
Intermediates: 135km to Stroud East and Charlbury.
Philippa Roberts (Windrushers, ASW15) narrowly escaped being downed by the rain near the first TP. She also narrowly escaped missing the TP zone completely by having the good sense to find a thermal low down just inside the TP zone's penalty area, before the 20 kt wind whisked her away onto the second leg. She finally succumbed to the attractions of a farm strip near Andoversford after a very respectable 94km, far enough ahead of her rivals for the 50 point penalty at the TP not to matter, and to win the day.
Carole Shepherd (Banbury, DG101) did her best to avoid the rain at the TP and actually managed to get round it, into the zone and out again. However, the dead air behind the shower put paid to her hopes of getting back to height for the return trip and she took second place with 71km. . Paul Noonan (Shenington, DG202) got low over the Cotswold edge near Birdlip and, after a ten-minute scrape trying to avoid being drifted back over unlandable country, lobbed into a field for 54km and third place.
Novices: 101km to Elkstone and back.
Tony Cleworth (Windrushers, ASW19) had a great day, winning his first ever gliding competition flight. 27km to near Stow-in-the-Wold got him past Y and assured a contest day. Eric Lown (Shenington,Ka6e) only flew 340 metres less than Tony and would have won on handicap if only he had taken two more turns in his first climb and hence started from inside the start sector instead of the start penalty area. Banbury did not have a Novice on this occasion.
Congratulations to Windrushers for a fine performance, winning all three classes in difficult conditions., and thanks to everyone who took part.
Post Scripts:
I'm told the rain at the first TP was the only shower anyone saw all afternoon. I guess you have to have some bad luck now and again!
Talking of bad luck: After a safe landing in an "empty" field, a herd of cows came in through an open gate and set about Carole's glider, causing some damage to the rudder. Hope you get it fixed soon Carole.
When Tony Cleworth got back to Shenington, he told me his face was aching from smiling. It was his first Competition flight and he enjoyed it that much. That's what Interclub is all about. Thanks for making my day Tony.
The actual scores were: Windrushers 9 points, Shenington 5 Points, Banbury 3 points. (scores provisional until confirmed by the other capatins) Oxford did not compete
Alan Langlands
