2014 World Cup – Argentina: Conclusion

After, again, a 30h trip, I am back home in Paris. I will disclose a little secret: I prepare the frame of my blog entries before I leave for an event. So that on top of my list of articles right now is this one: « Argentina, conclusion ». I have not much of a conclusion to share because I draw almost none. My flying is there, my motivation is there, my equipment is there, my energy is there, almost everything was in place to look for a brilliant outcome. But, for the second time this year, a dramatic event touched me at the heart and the mind just before taking off for the first task.

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2014 World Cup – Argentina: Friday 7, 62km Race to Goal

We had a rather strange day today. At first conditions where good on take-off but no-one was willing to wait 1h30 in the air. Then the conditions started to worsen, and kept on worsening. Obviously stability was a key word for the air mass. I managed to reach the flying group, less than half of the total pilots, right on time for the start. Then it changed to full bar along the ridge and under the cloud cap. Then brakes on to quit the ridge and go for the first turn-point in the flats.

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2014 World Cup – Argentina: Thursday 6, No Task

We woke up with the sound of rain drops hitting the ground. A cold front has arrived above our heads with the intention to spend the day with us. The other day the farmer that gave me a lift in his pick-up told me the surroundings are usually much drier at this time of the year, with less wind. Talk to me about climatic change… or PWCA weather effect?

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2014 World Cup – Argentina: Wednesday 5, 68km Clock Start

Today is a better day. We had sun, we received reassuring news from the hospital in Cordoba, we had a nice and fun task, we flew over beautiful country, we saw the goal line, we had a short retrieve, we went shopping, we had a swim and a shower, we are set for starters and appetizers.

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2014 World Cup – Argentina: Tuesday 4, 76km Race to Goal

I am somewhat tired tonight. Waited 4 hours and 20 minutes before seeing the shape and the markings of an official retrieve bus, sitting on a road only 30 minutes away from Mina Clavero city center (by car, I mean). Now about the task: we had again a start a bit late in the afternoon that could have turned the tricky part of the day for the late pilots to arrive to the goal field. But nobody reached goal today.

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