Tourist, tourist, tourist..............task 2

A break from wind and rain and we sqeeze in a 110km race. Scary death gaggle at Gubbio followed by 60 pilots arrriving in goal in 5 minutes. (No exageration http://www.cucco2011.org/) 94 total. Nobody hit anyone but it was interesting. Alex Ploner takes the lead after getting into goal 5 minutes before the peleton. I hung onto 17th overall as everyone was so close. The team drops a few spots but there are only a few points in it. The weather does not look good for the rest of the week but there may be windows to get a task in.

Incoming

Steve, Bill and Trent celebrating surviving the death gaggle.

I am running out of tourist stuff to do but did see some awesome caves yesterday.

Frasassi Grotto

Some great bike shops here in Italy and everyone is happy to talk about Cadel when they find out you are Australian. Loking at buying some Sidi's.

Task 1................finally

Finally got a task in. We flew Sabbasio right above Assisi. Jonny and

I made goal for the Aussies, 22 out of 145 got in on a very demanding

day with strong wind at altitude.

http://www.cucco2011.org/

It was wierd landing at goal and spectators knowing exactly where you

got low and how you went as they were following the live trackers. If

we fly they are turned on about 12:30 local time if you are

interested.

http://www.livetrack24.com/

Off to get some rest, maybe another 5 hours tommorow.

Blown out day 1 - Never seen so many topless laid flat.

Update.

Back to thunderstorms the next day and no flying. 5 pilots got a zero for hitting Perugia airspace, two had made goal. Hurts.

Castelluccio

The first flying day was blown out so we went on a tourist drive to Castelluccio. Stupidly we did not take our gliders. The German team did, found it quite flyable and got to 13,000ft in wave. The Castellucio valley is like nothing else I have seen. The floor of the valley, at 4000ft, is dead flat and encircled by beautiful flyable hills.It seems to have its own weather. Wildflowers give the valley patches of vivid colour.

In the evening free food and wine was put on by a recently renovated wedding reception location. Stunning.

Brown Tent enjoying the spread.

Greg Kain waiting on the team

Russian spy reporting the Aus Team members (Bill Moyes in disguise)

Cucco practice and opening ceremony

The weather has turned crap but we got in an awesome practice day when it was possible to fly anywhere.

Sprog measurers, Denis Pagen and Thomas

Gubbio

 Note Aus team shirt with built in Stubby holder as worn by Brown Tent

Opening Ceremony

Bassano

Goodbye Switzerland hello much more affordable Italy.
Drove with Trent and Roberto over the Nurfenen pass and across northern Italy to Swiss Nic'c other house near Bassano. Absolutely beautiful spot. Huge clubhouse and restaurant in the landing area. This vid gives an idea of the convenience of the ramp launch and the beautiful flying. Naturally a restaurant at launch.

Now off to Cucco for the main event.

Swiss Open - last day

Agood last day back on my RS3.5 and in my own harness.

http://www.shv-fsvl.ch/sport/resultate/delta/

No flying - a day walking to the Aletsch glacier

Possibly could have flown but after it was cancelled a crowd of pilots walked to, under and over the Aletsch glacier we had flown over yesterday.

 Amazing how blue the ice was.

 The edge of the glacier was covered in grit and pebbles making walking on the ice not too bad.

 A 1km tunnel through the mountain on the track to the glacier.

 Contented.

Contented