Mike the Strike wrote:

I second everything Tim has said. I dropped in to Omarama for a
couple of days last week and couldn't have met a friendlier bunch. I
even got a flight in what might have been the only two-hour soarable
window in the last week. The site really is as spectacular as
everyone says it is and the soaring can be challenging.

It's looking particularly challenging at the moment. Second practise day
and the ground is wet and the cloud is barely above the trees.

The forecast is cheerful though. It's supposed to clear and turn
into a nice thermal day.

Tim is being modest and is one of the best qualified from the USA to
fly in these mountain conditions, but he does have some stiff
competition.

Yeah, Sebastian in the Diana looks like a good bet to win. He's flown
here before and done well. The Diana has a healthy performance advantage
over the other 15m gliders. Although the retrieve performance will
be interesting. They tried out a few trailers yesterday, and will
need two trailers if they have to get a road retrieve. I suspect
the Diana won't be getting any aerotow retrieves out of narrow
rough strips. Sebastian will just have to keep it aloft and fly it home.

He did a good job of that a couple of days ago when Ben Flewett went
towards the West Coast with Sebastion. Ben ended up on the main road
near Haast Pass and Sebastion flew home.

New Zealand weather is a new one for me, but it looks as if the
present bunch of moisture should clear to give them a few days
racing. I'll be checking the Internet as well as looking for any
local TV coverage and I encourage everyone else to follow along.

It'll be interesting to see what they manage to get on the Internet.
The Animation Research guys have been drilling holes in gliders and
putting in tracking systems. They should get their first full test
today.

--
Philip Plane _____
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Glider pilots have no visible means of support