Task Report 2009              The Laragne Chabre Hang gliding Worlds 2009                                              

Wednesday 24 June. Day 3, Task 1 Finally a good looking forecast. Light winds, south westerly low down and north easterly higher up. A 159km race was set, with 3 start gates and the window opening at 12:40pm. Launching from D02 (Chabre south), with the start 18km from B47 (about 20km North of launch) then B47 (Bonnet Rouge), B84 (Batie Neuve), 103 (Seynes les Alpes), B77 (Digne-les-Bains) and goal at A10 (Camping Montéglin).

50 pilots in goal. A very good day.

Thursday 25 June. Day 4, Task 2 Not such a good forecast as yesterday with winds expected from the west. The competition was to launch from Aspres, giving us the option to launch to the south or west. A 125km task was set with 3 start gates. Launching from D05 (Aspres west), then to B25 on the east end of St Genis, (17km radius for start gate), B92 (Estoublon, south of Digne) and goal in Laragne Camping.

60 in goal today, it turned out nice again.

Friday 26 June. Day 5, Cancelled due to big clouds After a superb day yesterday, storms were forecast for this afternoon. The organisers were hopeful that they could launch the field from Chabre north before the storms developed, with a course to the south. But it was not to be. Pilots rigged under fast developing clouds, but the task was cancelled before the window opened. A race to camping to beat the first rain showers provided local interest!

Saturday 27 June. Day 6, Cancelled due to strong wind

Sunday 28 June. Day 7, Task 3; Looking good

Light winds today, it might be a good one.

The launch is Chabre south, flying west to col de la Trappe (B51) near Sederon, then way north to Oubiou (B94), tracking south east to Mont Colombis (B80), returning to Laragne Camping (A10). Task is around 165km .Launch opens 12:15 First start gate 14.00.

44 Pilots made goal today.

Monday 29 June. Day 8, Task 4; Cancelled.

The task has been announced. A 114km tour from Aspres (D05), travelling first north west to Luc-en-Diois (B810) then due south to B41 col de Perty, just off the end of the Chabre ridge, then east over the Buech valley to the hilltop village of Ventavon (B30), south again to Bevons La Fontaine, east of Sisteron, overlooking the Jabron valley, and then to the official landing field at Ribiers (A11). The launch is now open, with starts at 15.15 and 15.35.

We expect to see pilots over Ribiers around 17:00 BUT....

The wind on launch never played ball and around 16:00 the task was cancelled. The wind needs to be consistant for it to be safe and it was considered not safe enough to launch the competition fairly.

Tomorrow's forecast is for light to moderate winds from the NW and less cloud development. It may well be taskable.

Tuesday 30 June. Day 9, Task 5, Looking promising

Light winds today, it may be a good one.

The launch is Chabre south... more later

The task is set 127km, out west to TP 114 Villeperdrix, then back to Beaumont B29, then North to Valdrome B56, east to B44 Tete Boursier and the back into Camping. Light switching winds but a great looking sky.

Fickle wind on launch slowed things down and the sky was filling with big ugly clouds.

Eventually the clouds won the day and the task was stopped with pilots just past Beaumont.

The day has been scored and the competition has a new leader.

Wednesday 1 July. Day 10, Task 6 Stopped due to storms

Another stormy day. A task was set but the weather won the day. All the pilots had launched but the task was stopped before the start gate opened.

Thursday 2 July. Day 11, Task 7

Light Winds, storms maybe at the end of the day. Take off is Aspres.

A task is set from Aspres with a 11km exit cylinder around Col de Cabre, South to Sisteron, then NE up to La Motte du Caire then NW to Dent Longue on the end of the Aujour Ridge then back SE to B36 Sigoyer then Mison and into the goal field at Ribiers.

The skies to the North East of the task were darkening and the clouds all around were growing. By 16:31 the skies were threatening pilot safety too much and the task was stopped. Around 30 pilots were in goal but he time used for the scoring was 16:16 so in the end onlt 19 pilots made goal. The west wind was quite gusty and the final stages of the task were quite choppy.

Friday 3 July. Day 12, Task 8

North westerly winds , the comp goes the the Chabre low north take off but has to switch to the high take off. Where the winds are light and switchy.

A 151km take is called North to B47 Bonnet Rouge the NE to the Batie Neuf B87 take off then a long leg down south to Volonne B63 and then back north to goal at the Laragne camping

Four start gates set with the first at 14:30 .

A very exciting day as early reports of Manfred's landing were circulated. Even more exciting when Jon Durand (Australia) came in to goal second though more than 13 minutes after Nene Rotor (Brasil). Then would the other players come in fast enough?

45 Pilots in goal with Alessandro Ploner coming in fast enough to take the title and the Italians are the team champions. Well done to everyone.