The last one...

Competition day 7 turned out to be the last one. But it was a good one! Very fast speeds and I won the day!

To be honest I didn’t expect to win the day. We had a 333 km speed task which was a bit short for the day. So I waited before starting. Not for the others, as there were very much cumulus, but for the best weather period. I saw some gliders on the first leg, which I could leave behind me. Thereafter I was on my own. I felt if I was back in Uvalde. Fly fast and try to stay at altitude. That didn’t work so I had to take some 2,5 meters which I thought was not good enough. I was just hoping the others had the same problem. On the third leg life was great. I could keep my altitude and as soon is a needed thermal I saw a glider high and climbing fast. It turned out to be a 5 m/s. Just what I needed! On the way home I started to get low. I wasn’t alone. This was the critical part. I searched everything under one of the last good cumulus. That took me some time. As dolphin flying was working out great so far I decided to go on final glide anyway. Things worked out great and I was going red line again in the last part. I think my final glide comp was a bit too conservative as well…

The next and last day we had to wait on the airfield untill it was cancelled (as I know it from all championships).

And then the farewell party: It starts around 23:00 with… meat! I forgot to check the times, but the price giving started around mid night and was ready somewhere in the middle of the night. Lots of people from the village and everybody got dressed up for it: This is Argentina! I finally got the opportunity to taste some Argentinean night live too... Got back from the village early in the morning and after a hour of sleep I could drive with Enrique and Luciena to Buenos Aires. They invited me to stay at their place and I’m writing this message from their table. Thanks to both of them for staying here!

They are not the only one I have to thank for an unforgettable time and a great memory. I’m not going to bother all of you with lots of names, so I do it like this: THANKS EVERYBODY!!! Ok, one name I do have to mention: a special THANKS for the Toselli’s!!!

One more thing: As I finally have some time to waste I googled my last name in Tres Arroyos. It seems that some far family members were the founders of the Dutch community there! What a coincidence: there not a lot of Dutch with my last name.

I hope you will follow us the next year: the World Championships 2012! I’ll let you know the team website when it’s up in the air…

I’m going to enjoy Buenos Aires for some days and after that a two week kiting vacation on Barbados with my girlfriend. Life is good...

Till next year!!!

PS: Has nothing to do with gliding or this story, but I just wanted to share one of the things you can find different here: