WGC Hosin Contest day 3: Blue with some cu on course and racing tasks for all. 11:30 am launch time announced at briefing has been pushed back to 11:45. #ussoaringteams

Day 3 WGC Hosin: Launch started at 11:45 and took about 1hr. 20 min. Tho not expected a few cu popped up during 18M launch. Meteo folks at the contest say this perhaps the hottest day of the year! Pete took this photo. All US pilots are started. #ussoaringteams

Captain Pete Alexander ‘s view from the Team base camp mid afternoon.

Tough day for Team ARC. Towed off into wrong sector, then tried to figure out what caused the jet like roaring sound….
By time teammate 70 confirmed our gear door was hanging down 45 degree, we had few choices; land and fix it and loose contact with our class ( this is a big grid & not a quick land/fix/relaunch situation), or suck it up and fly with our barn doors open.
No excuses – ‘just’ a big distraction on a 450k flight.
(What?… can’t hear after 5:29hrs of roar roar roar).
Shake it off.

PWR back seat.

We didn’t feel like we had a great run, however we made the first turn with EB and WB. Really good company. Then the second leg the pack decided to run at around 100knts. This is where we notice the older generation glider. However we made the second turn only about 800ft below. We stopped to reconnect and DT and the fast pack took off. We worked on catching up. The pack split on the third leg with DT with the slower one. We joined him as we both stepped into a huge hole. This probably cost us 30 min. As the day wore on our final glide got softer as we were behind the lift for the day, costing us another 20min.

From 5E:
Lots of dew on the covers and grass this morning, so despite the models calling for blue around Hosin, not such a surprise that we had cu in the local area as the launch began at 11:45. We had a 513km racing task taking us northeast, then east, then southwest into Austria. From there, the course brought us WNW along the higher terrain defining the CZ-German border, and finally back east to Hosin.

The start opened at 1255, and despite good climbs around the line there was a prolonged and enthusiastic game of roulette that pushed departure later than optimum. 70 and I got well positioned and had a fine start and a good run along the remaining clouds until a largeish blue hole short of the first turn. The gaggle coalesced along the second leg, which helped maintain the pace as we got back into the clouds at the eastern turnpoint. Good company down the third leg into Austria, but I was slowly being overhauled by the later starters. The clouds stopped again at the third turn in Austria, and the higher gliders turned directly NW along the course line. I’d been holding out for a stronger climb, and tried running a little past the turn hoping one of the last clouds would pay off. It didn’t, and I had to deviate west, working wisps in the blue along with the PL, D3, and 2X. This kept us moving, but the terrain was rising and we had to stop for a couple of weaker thermals to be able to reach the clouds.

It was beautiful scenery there at the confluence of Czech, Germany, and Austria, with some higher peaks, ski areas, and a large reservoir. There was not much wind, so the sunny slopes were honest. We were able to climb off the hilltops and back up to cloudbase, and life was good again.

Unfortunately, there was a rain shower with a very large area of shadow blanketing the last turn. Deviating to the east side of the hills, we found a nice climb being marked from above by ARC, and I took this to about 9200’ msl (max altitude for the contest is FL95). It was a looooong, smooth glide from there into the last turn and back to the clouds. Luckily, the rain remained west of us and we were able to reconnect with the sunshine for 3 knots, then 4, then 6. I rolled out of that last one a little too early, keen to stick with a fast group but just enough below them that I wasn’t quite on glide 60km out. With a couple of clouds along the way, I wasn’t too worried, but the last one at 30km didn’t produce. The gliders ahead were able to bump it and continue, but I was about 300m below glide and ended up deviating east of course, dumping the water, and working a weak thermal down low to make it up. And that’s all it takes to ruin a pretty good flight, as the pack goes whizzing by. Thought I’d already learned that lesson…

So, a disappointing result but in all a thoroughly enjoyable, challenging day in the airplane. More superb weather, another great task call, and these amazing machines that just go and go and go…

From Bob Fletcher: Today the US Team thanked Vladas Motuza for all his help at the last 2 World Gliding competitions held in Lithuania. In reality, the thanks started early in the spring with a practical joke email in Russian requesting him to meet the US team glider 70.

From
A mm < vitabrevis26@mail.ru >
To
vladas@empeca.lt
Subject
Important!
Date
Sun, 15 Apr 2018 23:27:09 +0300

Dear Comrade Motuza!

Congratulations on the inclusion of the lithuanian national team! Asg-32 IV will surely be a very strong rival. Your stable competitiveness and true dedication to sport combined with the victories over the Russians are very impressive. However, we are somewhat concerned about your enthusiasm in supporting the enemy American teams, who have been doing better and better lately and can make a serious competition to our east European pilots. We don’t encourage your behavior. We offer to meet in the summer and discuss further action. You will be waiting at glider № 70.

Sincerely hope for your consciousness and cooperation.

See you!

Group group
and translated:

Dear comrade Motuza!

Congratulations on getting included in the Lithuanian team! ASG-32 IV, undoubtedly, will be a very strong opponent. Your stable competitiveness and true devotion to the sport, coupled with victories over the Russians, are quite impressive. However, we are somewhat concerned about your enthusiasm in supporting the enemy American teams which have been performing better and better lately and can seriously compete with our Eastern European pilots. We do not encourage your behavior. We propose to meet in the summer and discuss the further course of action. You will be expected appear by glider # 70.

Sincerely counting on your consciousness and cooperation.

See you!

A group of well-wishers

Which resulted in:

Hello Bob,
I hope to meet you very soon.
The last email from your friend was very successful joke!!! I was going to contact Lithuanian authorities !!! But later I have double checked the WGC entries list and …  Very well done.

(Vlad Motuza)

Today we presented Vladas with a US Flag and a US team signed copy of the translated joke letter. He was impressed by the translation job and elected not to shoot the translator.

Cheers,
Bob Fletcher