With the best weather so far, blues skies and puffy clouds, a 76.3 km, three turn point task was set. The route was a zigzag task northeast with the optimal route combining flats and mountains.
Today was all about whether you chose the route over the flats or the foothills. The foothills were stronger with better clouds. The pilots who chose this route weren’t pushing into wind with every single glide, instead it was a bit cross wind. It was further, but faster and allowed the pilots who took this route to get higher.
There were strong climbs at times, 3-4m/s. It was really tricky low down which was probably why the mountains worked better because the pilots could connect to climbs more easily there.
The last leg to goal dropped a few people. It was downwind making a fast leg into goal, with pilots registering 70km/h at times. It was a nice glide to goal - once you knew you were going to get in.
A lot of the famous faces who were predicted to win this competition were not amongst the 37 pilots who made goal.
It’s becoming a tradition that Nico Dinh wins the first task at World Cups in Romania!
It was a good fun day. Great task setting which spread the pilots out as we have rarely seen before. It was fantastic to get such a good task after the previous rainy days.
More of the same tomorrow please!
The first 37 pilots made goal, and thus all flew the same distance, and gained the same distance points. Today’s winner is therefore the one with a combination of the best speed points and lead out points.
Top 3 speed point winners – the fastest pilots round the course 02:12:45: Helmut EICHHOLZER flying at an average speed of 31.9 km/h 02:12:50: Nicolas DINH 02:12:57: Darko STANKOVSKI
Top 3 leading point baggers – those who were in the lead the most 125.2: Nicolas DINH 123.8: Cristian DEACU 120.6: Wally ARCIDIACONO
Top 3 in the task 1: Nicolas DINH 2: Cristian DEACU 3: Helmut EICHHOLZER
Best newcomer: Marcin WIRSKI (16)
Top 3 ladies in the task 1: Tomoko YOSHIKAWA 2: Capucine DELIOT 3: Jinhee BAEK
Top 3 teams in the task 1: Ozone 2: Parapente Mag 3: Nearbirds
In the team competition the top two pilots in each team are scored and the second one gives the ranking. The highest placed second team pilot was Helmut EICHHOLZER flying for team Ozone.
Tomorrow the armbands will be:
Yellow armband (overall race leader): Nicolas DINH
Rose armband (leading lady): Tomoko YOSHIKAWA
Green armband (leadout point leader): Nicolas DINH
