Golden August 5
A beautiful day, foggy and cold in the morning, but as soon as the sun came up enough over the mountains it warmed right up. Task for the Race Willi competitors was a race to Spillimacheen (60 km); we wanted the first day to be “easy” with lots of people in goal to start the meet off positively. When launch came it was hard to stay up, very scratchy and difficult to get above launch height. While thermalling in front of launch, I watched Dave Underwood have a nice episode, asymmetric to cravatte to spiral dive, to another asymmetric etc. He eventually fixed it but not before losing a bunch of height, and likely scaring a bunch of people about to launch.
I eventually made my way to the start gate and hung out, never getting above 2200m ASL. When the race started we weren’t high enough to make the crossing at the “normal height” (usually you don’t want to cross until you’re about 2800m ASL, to make the gap comfortably), so we crossed really low! On the other side it was working fortunately, so we were able to scunge along for the next 20km, never getting much above launch height. At this point we heard on the radio of a pilot who had gone down by Pagliaro cliffs, hurt enough that the heli was dispatched to gather him up and take him to the Golden hospital (CA pilot). Possible broken wrist, ribs, back, gashed head, etc. We'll find out more in the morning.
Finally, after about 20km of scratching, it got good enough that we were able to get above the peaks, to 2900m ASL, and start flying. From then on, it was an easy flight to Spilli and the goal field.
We had set up the goal with a large enough radius that you could tag goal, and then get back to the mountain range and continue flying in the Willi XC. None of the racing pilots chose to do this, as we were pretty tired after battling the first part of the XC, so we all opted to land at the actual goal field. Our retrieve was already waiting, so no hitchhiking needed (what a treat!). About 12 people in goal, so it’ll be very close to a 1000 point day!
Some of the non-racers flew farther; Robin flew to just beyond Spur Valley about 75-80 km (his furthest XC so far!), Alan flew to Invermere airport (102 km). Not many Hgers flew, I heard of only 1 flying beyond Spilli.
