In the Air: We RACED!!!!

I am stoked today, the task and the weather conspired to make for a day of racing and not just surviving. I took an early tow as it was so windy and dusty at launch that all I wanted was to get away from the grit and the heat. The tow went well and Russel dropped me of in a great climb right over the field. I topped it out to 2000 m which in itself was a welcome change as we haven't gotten that high yet this week in the start circle. I punched up wind as I still had 40 minutes to the first clock. I found nothing and had to run back to the field thinking I would have to relight. I got VERY motivated to stay in the air a I watched the long launch line get dustblown from only a couple hundred feet over. I worked a very light climb that was drifting me away fast, well past the point of no return but 2 km later it turned on and I took it to 2600m. Then I was at the edge of the start circle but 90 to the course line so I started to punch up wind to climbing gliders working my way into position. Eventually I got there and had a great start at the second clock @ close to 3000m. From that high you can glide a long way and I did. I was with Jonny for most of the first leg and it is always reassuring to be able to climb and glide with the best in the world. We were always punching cross wind towards the first tp then drifting towards course line as we spun up in some nice strong climbs. I skipped a climb over Picacho peak and headed for the TP getting drilled by sink all the way. I got to within 2 km of the TP and headed directly up into the wind getting lower and lower but found a climb 150m off the deck over a construction site and took that all the way up to 3000m again. I was joined by everyone that I left over the mountain and when we topped out we turned south and headed for goal 40 km away. I had a really sinky glide and missed a climb that the rest had stopped for after the 747 graveyard but I eventually found a good climb after searching around for a while that got me up and into goal. I stayed in that climb a little too long as I ended up with a 5-1 glide in but I wanted to make sure I made it. There were 14 gliders on the ground when I landed but I was really happy with how I flew. It felt GREAT to race across the desert over mountains and wilderness. And then land exactly where I had planned.