8.10 AM;
When I left you yesterday I was AGAIN amazed to see how quickly the weather can change here.
Still enjoying the beautiful and disciplined finishes, ….I looked up ,…. felt wind , ….saw red dust and ….smelled smoke. This all happened around 6.45 PM.
We raced in though some had to stay!!
Still some club class gliders out then , but they showed their skills by landing safely here,… even in turbulent circumstances. Well done !!!
One of the Aussie girls, Jenny, was out in 18 class [ after 234 km] and Sylvia [USA] could not make it back in club after flying 347 km.

It turned out to be a “French” day, winning in each class.
1 and 2 in 18 m. Anne and Melanie and Margot from Italy on 3….the 2 Audes on 1 and 3 with Cornelia from Germany in between ….Celine in club class, with Aussies Jo and Jenny on 2 and 3.

Last night the wind/storm was terrible till about 1 AM. Then it was more or less quiet again.The whole building here is red from dust, the toilets, the kitchen etc but Wendy is here to clean it all!!! Thanks!!!
This extreme dusty weather is created by the drought, so bad it is normally NOT here, I heard.

This is how the UK saw this seabreeze yesterday;
” Interesting conditions at #LakeKeepit in the #WWGC2019. #TeamGB‘s Claudia Hill having to land long to avoid kangaroos on the runway. All three British pilots are now home, but any late finishers and crews are now having to deal with the sea breeze bringing in a wall of dust “

Day 3 starts soon as the first launch is expected at 11.30 AM.
They grid at 32 and 18 m is up front with club and standard behind.
Briefing at 9.30 AM.

Here is the report from USA TC John Good with his permission, from yesterday task 2;
“A more difficult day today, especially for Club Class.  The forecast said very hot, very blue (except well to the southwest) and a possibility of lift shutting down around 5:30 near Lake Keepit, due to an easterly wind that could bring both marine air and smoke.

In the face of this and some decently long tasks, the right decision looked to be an early start, avoiding the chance of being caught short of home when the good conditions ended.  This is just what Sarah did in Standard class: started early and joined the three Australian pilots (repositories of local knowledge) in a group of four that made good progress around the 460-km task, found good lift to over 14,000’ well southwest of home, and were able to finish about 10 minutes before the 5:30 witching hour.  This smart and sensible scheme didn’t look quite so good when the troubled weather held off until around 6:45, allowing the late launchers to romp home in good conditions.  Yet their scores were still decent; sometimes the smart bet doesn’t produce the best results.

Only a couple of Club Class gliders decided to go with the “start early / play it safe” scheme.  All the rest delayed their starts, then discovered soaring conditions on the long task that would rarely allow good speeds.  All the class struggled on the leg home from the west; most finally got home, many with disappointing speeds.  Kathy put up a desperate fight, finally got the altitude she needed, and finished around 7pm, just as the easterly wind and smoke arrived.  Sylvia also fought hard, but couldn’t connect with the final climb she needed and landed about 30 km from home.  This is an area with good fields, but unfortunately not the best or most direct roads. She and husband Hugh are expected back around 10pm.”
For more you can go to
https://ussoaringteams.org/john-goods-report-for-jan-4-2020/

9.15 AM
Just spilled a full cup of tea over my laptop. NOT GOOD.
Hope I can continue, for now it looks fine.

10 AM;
Briefing is over. EVERYBODY talks about the red dust. People woke up in closed sleeping rooms with red dust on their faces.
White clean gliders were IN the hangars….this morning red instead of white.
But NO complaints as the fires and the devastation around Sydney and in the S of Victoria ,….are MUCH WORSE.
Perspective!!!!

Tasks for today are LONG
18 m;A task …5 hour AAT..B task..4 hour AAT.
standard ;A task …4.15 AAT…B task..3.15 AAT.
Club; A task…4.30 AAT. B task…3.30 AAT.

What was more up at the briefing?
Today’s sponsor is Jonker Sailplanes.

The prize winners from task 2.

About safety; a copy of steward Frouwke’s safety presentation has been posted to all for “your own self briefing.”
Further on;
—-after release turn RIGHT!!!
—-after a relight bring 2 traces!!!
—-2 tugs had a problem, during the last 2 day’s ,…react straight away on the wave-off-sign, ask later.
One had oil on the wind screen, a case of cleaning and checking the oil , the other a cracked cylinder which will be repaired today. Will take all day.
—-Australia night is free for all and sponsored by the GFA, the NSWGA and Jonker. Starts tonight at 7.30. Music by the 2 B’s…Bill and Brad.
—-Hardworking friends/volunteers Lynley in the office and David at the field are travelling back to Waikirie tomorrow, another 15 hour drive.Lovely people, as is their daughter Alannah, a real artist.
They showed both cartoons this morning at the briefing, still struggle to download them.
Lynley got a huge applause for all her efforts in the office.

Weather; sponsored every day by SkySight.
With the HIGH over the Tasman Sea , we have a continuous NW airflow.
Today will be only 39 dgr. C.
We have an early start as the trigger temperature only needs to reach 32 instead of 36 yesterday.
Due to smoke haze to the NE they had to change their task plans.
Day starts early and “stops” around 5.30 and might end around 6 again with incoming seabreeze.
Have seen that now, being back then ,….is the best one can do.

Tasks; are set in a rather small area but they are LONG. Some classes will cross each other.

It’s nearly 11 AM now, just half an hour before the first launch.
11.15 AM ;Tuggies are starting their engines on the radio “Launching will commence in 15 minutes.” All cars should be removed from the grid.
5 Tugs today!!!
Back soon.

11.30 AM:
And we started flying day 3!!
XM , Alena, from 18 m. was the first to be launched.
Followed by ZF with Eva and ZE , Jana, all 3 from Czech Rep.
57 With Margot from Italy and MM with Diana from Luxembourg.
Then after 5 launches there is a small delay and P was launched with Joanna from Poland. FM with Anne from France and 51 with Liz from the UK.
FQ with Melanie from France, J7 follows with Aussie Jenny after a “cable-problem” gave some delay.
Several gliders are below drop height at the drop zone, is what’s mentioned.
Good on them!!! Safety first!!!
HS is launched with Lisa Turner and OG with Ailsa, PT with German Stefanie is the last to go at 11.55 so line should open after 30 minutes at 12.25 .
Miss[-ed] one!!!!

11.55 AM; Club class follows at 11.55 with JO [Petra] in it.16 To go.
12.10 PM; They are not yet very high , between 1400 and 1800 m [MSL] and it looks pretty grey out side… BUT, strong thermals at the ground pass by with dust and speed. So there must be lift.
Just one, a big one, in front of the club house, making the visibility tempera-rely low.

12.20 PM:
Last glider in club class has started, line opens in 30 minutes at 12.50.
12.25 18 M line is open. “Welcome in this monster gaggle” was what one of the 18 m. pilot’s said.
They launch standard class now.

12.34 PM; several pilots ask agitated for MORE speed behind the tug, one wants less speed . Looking at the OGN the French and the German girls in 18 m. have left on track.
5 hour AAT seems a lot under the circumstances we can see now. For sure not the best visibility.
Good luck to all.

12.50 PM; Last of standard class has been launched now. Their line opens at 1.20 ! Line from Club should be open now!

1 PM; Some more positive news about the weather too, as some are really racing now!! Visibility remains POOR!!!!! BUT,….when on track it should be better is advised. Still not very high though, some at 5000 ft.!!
1.20 PM; Standard class is open now too.
CU later!!Good luck girls!!!

2.30 PM:
Visibility is still poor. On the tracking system is written” reduced visibility due to smoke.”
Standard has the worst visibility at this moment ,but it should improve and it should be still within the norms. It seems not all pilots do agree with this.
Club is busy with their longest leg from 191.8 km.
Standard as well but they have 3 long legs from 101, 122 and 158 km.
18 m. has 2 long legs as well from 260 and 142 km.
This means of course to the middle of the circle.
Now the 18 m. has flown 187 km with about 110 km./h. So still a long day AND we might have the incoming sea breeze at 6. Hope it’s delayed!!!
Bruce has gone up in a 2 seater to monitor the weather/ visibility from above.

3.15 PM:
The weather finally “cracked” and pilots have now more height to fly , even up to 10.000 ft. over Mount Kaputar.
I had a look at Wikipedia;
” a mountain with an elevation of 1,489 metres (4,885 ft)  above sea level located near Narrabri in northern New South Wales. It is part of the Nandewar Range and has been preserved within the Mount Kaputar National Park. The mountain is a prominent landmark for travellers on the Newell Highway as it rises abruptly from the plains .”
It is “the remnants of an extinct volcano that was active about 18 million years ago. “!!!!!!
At this stage it gives welcome-lift to the flying pilots there in 18 m.
The club class pilots have “used” the mountain already. They can be using it again on the way from TP 4 to 5,… they pass it then again.
Standard has the Kaputar to the SW in their circle. Most are on their way from the 2d to the 3 point/circle.
On the way back from TP 4 to TP 5 they pass the Kaputar again.

3.45 PM;
It’s clearing here. I can see blue skies and clouds popping up. Good!!!

But I hear that the task is cancelled for all classes!!!!”
It says on G-Track
“ Task cancelled due to smoke“

A pity from the smoke here!!! What can you do.
We are not the only ones,…..Also Benalla and Tocumwal have very poor visibility. Look at their web cam.
Narromine has about the same dust/sand storm yesterday as we had.

The weather forecast for today has changed as well . They will for sure explain later. It might be what I expected,.. that due to the slow speed the gliders coming back, might be hit by the seabreeze.
Will tell you later or tomorrow. Gliders return safely at the field now which is GOOD.
Safety FIRST!!!!

5 PM;
A big bunch of gliders arrived already home at 20 or 14 long and it was rather “congested” at the end of 14, as you can see at the picture shared by
British Gliding Team@GBGlidingTeam

4/5 kts wind….210 dgr.

5.45 PM;
The last 2 pilots are on their way back home. The nasty weather should come from the N. this time, and it is difficult already to see the mountains there.
One of the reasons and the bad visibility,…. to cancel this day.

One tug was sent out but had to return .
Tomorrow there is another day.

CU then.
Glad the laptop survived ” having a cup of tea.”