Day One Report

This first day was more complicated than expected. For the whole week, we had a nice West wind blowing with average of 10-12m/s. The forecast was the same for this saturday and sunday, so we all had great expectations for today. Meeting at 9 with the traditionnal croissants, registration of competitors until the wind went fine around 11AM, already a little later than expected…. Briefing, everyone got ready and we waited for the steady conditions. Round one started at 12:10. We managed to get a good half of the pilots flying in variable conditions (still 4-5m/s wind) and then the wind stopped, Matthieu Mervelet was in the air and finished down the slope at the top of a big tree. He will have to get his FS4 tomorrow with a big ladder… After a 30minute break, this first round got cancelled. We waited a bit more and then decided to move to the south (main) slope as the orientation seemed to have changed, against the forecast. Wind was good for a few minutes, then none, then north!!!??? We clearly had to wait a bit before launching any round… And finally the West wind came! Move back to the initial slope, nice 8-10m/s wind correctly oriented. We managed to do a first round with constant conditions starting at 4PM, then a second with very light wind at the end for the last pilotsand some showers in the middle. As decision was made from the begining not to launch any more round after 7PM, the Course Director took the decision at 6:30 to start and try a third one. It actually happened to be a great decision, steady conditions and we ended up the day at almost 8PM with three valid rounds. Tomorrow breifing at 10 with the croissants at the “Schmidt” (large telescope).