Newcastle Hang Gliding Club

Yes, it was another glorious day in central Italy. The soaring forecast was a
bit unsettled so that task and safety committee took an extra hour to decide to
go up to the north (east) launch at Montecucco. The clouds had been at launch
level in the morning and pouring over the hill side down toward Sigillo on the
southwest side.

The conditions improved as we went up the hill and got set up for a 1 PM launch
window opening. There was over development far to the south, but small cu's
forming around us and getting more numerous and thicker. Some pilots wondered if
it would get too good.

Cloud base was low, 5000', but there was plenty of light lift. The task was
complicated with five or six waypoints. First south down the valley on the east
side of Montecucco, then back to the north launch, then out into the valley for a
clockwise route over points on the east side of that valley and then back to a
designated LZ in the middle of the valley.

I got off early and we pilots worked our way south toward the five kilometer
entry circle ten kilometers from launch. We went out into the valley getting
east of the start point under the plentiful cu's that were not just stuck on the
hillsides. I found a nice thermal at seven minutes before the first start time,
but one kilometer inside the start circle. I climbed up but almost got into the
cloud. I headed north to get away from the lift and the start circle but just
blew the calculation and came back 1,000' lower three minutes before the start
time. I took the first start anyway, starting low but looking to find better
lift down the ridge line to the south.

I did find good lift especially out in the valley and made good time to the
turnpoint only a few kilometers behind the first guys. Coming back against the
nine mph wind was more difficult and I had to just hug the tree line not losing
much altitude until I found a side into the wind which had good lift. Again I
went out into the valley and found better lift getting up again to 5,000' before
headed north again.

But that was to be it. No lift found on the next glide and I had to land on a
steep hillside behind a north facing ridge. No fun there.

Those who got higher earlier proceeded to the north, got the north point at the
north Montecucco launch and a number of them made it around the course. Zac
Majors won the day with Manfred second. Alex third with Trent Brown fourth.