Final Report

Sorry about the delay the gremlins that have plagued my attempts to keep you all up to date continued in Rome, where having written the final report I fired it off or so I thought, until a message from Ian at cngroup told me it had got lost in eworld.

So here we go as I had said in my last report the final day looked doubtful but we woke to blue skies and light wind and headed up the hill, to be presented with a 57km task along the mountains to Retie then across the valley and back to the Goal field, unfortunately the poor organisation that has been the main feature of this event continued and instead of an early start to get ahead of the forecast rain we messed about until the start gate opened at 1-30 pm, after the first two Tps I was in my best position of the event just behind Russell who was once again leading the whole field with Adrian, Jamie and me right on his tail ,with it looking like a podium place for the Brits if we could hold on to our excellent start we headed towards darker skies, unfortunately at 2-30pm the rain arrived and the task was cancelled.
The gods where not kind again and cost Russ the overall championship with a number of unfair twists and turns of fate.
Anyway it was Charles Cazzau from France who took the title even though Russ had beaten him in three of the four scouring tasks, with the Italian pilot Luca Donnini in third.
The prize giving was one of the few things that ran on time and after two weeks with eight flyable days but only four tasks the Super final was over. Russ took his trophy and check for 400euros (which just covered his entry fee) and a new chapter in paragliding had started, it is the use of Simi ridged spars in the wings the Ozone Gliders of Charles and Russ where clearly Superior to anything else but there will be long hard discussions on what a paraglider is and I will look on with interest.
I would like to thank Claire my lovely wife for her support over the last few years as I have indulged myself in the PWCA and followed this crazy event all over the world, and also a big thanks to Niviuk UK and Andy Talbot for there support and help over the last two years.
Next year it’s the European championships in Austria and the Fai World championships in central Spain in 2011.at the moment I think I have had enough but as Claire will tell you all she has heard that before.

the final day

After my bold statement last night that I thought the competition was over, Saturday dawned bright and clear with light winds. The first buses have gone up the hill and we are hoping for good conditions on launch.
I will know soon enough. Ciao for now.

A quick update

I will try to get up to date,Wednesday was a 79km task with 11 people landing in goal the rest of the field, including me landed either side of the 40 km mark. The winnner was our own Russel Ogden,with his team mate Charles Cazzau in hot pursuit, it was an awsome display by the Ozone boys, as Stephan Wyss led out with about 1km lead, with about 7 to 8 kms to go looking like he had the win in the bag.The new Ozone wings proved their claimed superiority, and destroyed the rest of the field; with a better glide ratio and more speed than any of the pursuing gliders.
Thursday we went to the launch at Poggio. It always looked like a forlorn hope to me, and although we started out on the task,having looked at the aproaching bad weather I was already on my way to a cold beer in the landing field when the "task cancelled" message came over our radios.
Friday is much easier to report on - we drove up the hill then did a U turn and drove back down. I think anyone but the most optomistic pilots know that that was our last chance to fly.
The prize giving will be tomorrow and I will get a certificate to say I finished 49th in the world.
As it stands Charles Cazzau will be the winner with Russel Ogden in 2nd place.
All in all, not a super final but an enjoyable event never the less.
Lets hope I am wrong about the weather. If not I will fill in all the details and provide some pictures on my return home.

blown out!

after a tough day yesterday,we went to the take off full of treppidation,my expectation that it was too windy proved correct as gliders launched and glided backwards in unpleasent looking way some landing in bushes others in trees,it took the italian organisation longer than it should to can the task but they got there eventually.
so now its the long drive back to poggio.

norma

today we traveled 150 to a flying site to the se of rome,the plan to escape the strong north wind blowing down from the alps worked.
we flew an amazing task of 79km,I think the winners time will be under 1-40mins,which on a floppy bit of string and nylon is amazing.
I managed to come in about 9 mins behind the winner which I am quite happy with as its really not my sort of flying,which today was climb fast then stamp on the speed bar which for those who haven't flown means the wing becomes much more likely to collapse.
anyway another bonus is we are staying here in norma in a very nice hotel and will fly here tomorrow.

sunday no task

it looks like we are in for a spell of bad weather,its very windy and we are hoping for an improvement in a couple of days time,fingers crossed.

An overdue update

Hallo everyone,sorry for the delayed report, internet has struggled to reach this part of Italy,anyway the first day was a 70 ish km race won by stephan mortnagler with our own Russ Ogden in 2nd place and the rest of the brits spread down the leader board.
I finished in 80th position which I am happy with,I was only 20mins behind the winner and scored 750 pts.
The secound day involved a trip to L'Quila, the idea was to show support for the local people as this was the site of the huge earthquake earlier this year where hundreds of people lost thier lives,although we could not have a task some pilots managed to fly to the landing field where the locals had laid on a fine spread of local produce, beer and wine for us to sample and the idea was to try and show life coming back to normal by stagging a task in slowley recovering City.
Day three back up the hill at Poggio for a 75km task around 7 turnpoints finishing at the Poggio landing field,unfortunatly the task was stopped at 46.7km the good news is I finished in secound place,my best finish so far in a PWC.

I do have loads of great pictures but no way to upload them at the moment,watch this space,I will keep trying.

Again, sorry for typos and spelling,I am a bit lost without spellcheck.

Tomorrow looks like ther will be north winds and we will go to the other side of the mountains,but I am not quite sure where.B4N Steve

Rome and beyound

After saying goodbye at the airport to Claire, Katy, and my mum ,The flight into rome on Easyjet was EARLY!!! and gave me a good shot at getting across the city for the 10-45pm bus to Reiti.
So with 40kg of luggage split between 3 bags I headed out into the 35 deg evening air,and turned into one huge sweat glang,I swear water was sqwirting out of me like a shower.
After a pleasent air conditioned bus ride into the city center I plundged into the even hotter underground system, found the correct line and headed for the Turbutina Coach station on the other side of the city, jumped on the Coach for Reiti and hey presto at midnight I was getting onto my carry mat in a city center car park for my first night away.
I woke at 6am for the 6-40am bus to Poggio Bustoni and the base for the first Paragliding World Cup super final ,but after being sent by the bus inspector from one end of town to the other with 40kgs of luggage,then back by the coach driver,then back by the inspector I phoned for a Taxi(mistake)who was delighted, in a very missarable way yo relive me of 42euros for a 12km taxi ride,but I had arrived I put up my tent and fell asleep.
That afternoon I met up with some of the Brits had a pleasent afternoon and now after two showers a lovely evening meal and a good nights sleep I am ready for the Practice day with the event actually starting on wednesday.
Next update coming soon B4N


Ps I cannot spell check on the hotels pc so please excuse.