sun valley nats

[andy]

Word from SV, We start the comp today, yesterday was a stellar day,the best so far, Deano flew 50 and I went 30 yesterday into the Sawtoothe range we were only the second and third people to take that route. I bombed on a long crossing over Alturas lake, Dean landed at Stanley. There was one reserve toss, but other than that it was a good day and many went up the valley, dean took the day, but we'll see what he has in the reserves for the comp.
The previous day I was the talk of the town after I launched into into a dragons tail that was taking me to base at 1600+ going backward or parked on bar then a 83km/hr ride to town only to find I was parked over the LZ on bar. But I spoiled everybodies bet by landing nicely and controlling the wing. I also started a contest on top after I launched-Dean and the others raced to see who could pack up the fastest.
Anyway more later, off to races!
Andy

[andy]

Dean says: sorry your not here suckers. We had a 79k task today and it was epic, good lift, good scenery, and Dean and I made goal, Dean was top 5 and I was close to 30 I think, anyway more later.
andy

[andy]

Well we had a 124 k task today and I made it about three. I launched kind of late and it wasn't working well and didn't relaunch. About half of the pilots rode the chair down.
Anyway last report was that Dean was out on course with the leaders, that boy may take this thing. Yesterday I finished 18th and Dean was 4th. Team SB and UP are doing well, Bo made task yesterday and SA and Ben flew pretty far.
Its cold at night up here and warm in the day time. Andy

[andy]

Quick update, Dean Stratton is probably leading the Nats, he was second to goal today on the longest task ever in US nationals and it is going to be close but he is more than likely the leader.
andy

[Tom Pipkin]

Thanks for the updates Andy, sounds like the Topa crew's making their mark. A big high five to you, Deano and Bo for making goal on the first day!
PS; Get well soon Jim Macklow!!

[andy]

Dean is in second overall behind Abe Laguna by 11 points. Today we are not flying due to wind so its off to ride our bikes, wish you guys were here it is so nice. Anyway I'll try and get some pics up this pm and maybe a little more about flight direction etc.
andy

[irene]

Thanks for the update Andy. It is great to hear from all these great flights and performances...
irene

[andy]

The first task was a 79k out and part way back from baldy-(sun Valley) to obsidian which is close to stanley and then back to smiley airport. There were basically 2 ways to go one was closer to the main road an easy retreive or deep in the boulder mountain path which has better sun and higher climbs. I went the route of easy retrieve and so did all the top finishers. I had a late start and was playing catch up until crossing galena summit and entering the thermal that Dean and the lead gaggle had going they were topping out and I was getting the dregs and finally had to move and get another while they were off. I did make a couple of good moves leaving early and dusting a boom3 and boom sport then I got to the turn and came back to where I just left and caught my best thermal of the day and climbed to 16000 and was able to make goal on glide-love that trango- I passed about 8 pilots on glide and made goal with only 50 feet to spare. It was a great day and there were clouds everywhere and tops were usually13.5-14 but were getting higher as the day went on.

The second task was from baldy to Ellis which is north of Challis it was kind of stong wind and weak lift at launch when I launched and never made it up. I surfed the bowl for 25 mins and finally threw in the towel. About 30-40 people didn't launch, I got to go finish later

[andy]

Thursday my B-day, we thought it was going to be too windy to fly, but no we had a 74k task from baldy to Mackay reservoir over the pass in the Pioneer mnts.. It was nice at launch and a bunch of people launched early and went up above launch and then migrated east to sun peak which was still in the start cyl. I found myself there just as start gate opened and was climbing up the ridge to the top of the pass just behind the lead gaggle. They left with about 13k over the crest heading to the east facing side of the range toward goal. I wasn't far behind leaving with 12.9 and thinking I had it easy to get across the valley to the peaks on the other side I hid the down cycle and watched my altitude vanish in a mixture of sink and rotor with a couple periods of depressurized anxious moments. By the time I reached the terrain on the other side I was below the top and on the unheated cliffs so it was a long glide down the valley trying to hang with little bug farts to no avail, and I threw in the towel at about 300ft agl and landed next to the retrieve road. Next thing I know chad is landing about 300 ft further than me then Dale Covington, and a few others a little short of where we landed.

I lost Dean when I was scratching but I think he was still on course and the guy that was ahead of him in the standings was close to me so I think he may have made it, but was behind Dean. It looks like we are in for two more good days of flying, then back to so-cal for some OV flying in Sept.
By the way it is cold as shit here at night and up high, so we are all hoarding hand warmers and warm clothes. It doesn't help that I am trying to stay dehydrated before I fly, but so far no bathroom emergencies en-route.
Andy

[andy]

Well task 4 today and it looks like light wind but and inversion at 12k. Oh first a note on yesterday-Dean landed about 15k short of goal after leading most of the way, but he still had a good score and is high in the standings. The flight of the day yesterday goes to Rob Sporrer. Flying a summit 3 he made goal in 20th place in part due to the strongest lift and best stall ball recovery of the comp. We downloaded his track on google earth and found that in 2200fpm lift he climbed 4000 feet in 11 turns then was spit out at 15k and all balled up acording to a pilot report from above with an incredible recovery from there he almost had goal on glide. I'll try to get the track on line later you'll love it.
Today we had a long task with a low ceiling, I wish I could report that I did well but I flushed early and went and relaunched, but there was nothing working well enough to get back on course. I think a lot of people flushed early because at the second point the lift had totally shut down and working the ridge down to the valley just prolonged the agony.

I just heard from Riss that two people made goal with the rest spread all over the valleys. Riss has been kicking butt, and is in 5th in the serial class, and for this place with the long glides and wind, flying a serial class is very challenging.
Hey Greg your O2 system is the bomb.
Andy

[andy]

Well I'm half way home in Bishop dropping of some stuff for Kari Castle, but I thought I would post the final day happenings. We had a 82k task to galena and back to Otto peak then the main LZ at River run. It was predicted l&v up high with the usual south valley flow and high pressure but tops in the high teens. Start was 2pm, so we all launched around 1pm as it had been working for an hour for the dummies they were pecked and heading out.
I launched and shortly realized I had a stick in the upper cacade between the c and d line in the middle of the wing, bummer. I tried everything I could think of to get it out, but no worky. Dean had the same problem but his was more to the tip of the wing and after some vigorous stabilo yanking he got his out.
The stick didn't really affect my climbs but glide sucked and so I had to tank up often thankfully there was plenty of lift.
About 3/4 of the way to the turn here comes Dean leading the pack heading back, he ended up WINNING the day!
Anyway I made the turn and was headed back when I hit something at about 4k aglthat took the wing away and I started the jumprope action whip stalling it every time it surged until I got tired of almost getting twisted when it surged so on about the third swing though I dynamic stalled it (my first dynamic full stall) then when I came back under still kind of asymmetric I let it out and it inflated most of the way then I let the slow side all the way out and it surged pretty much even but I was still of to the side so I stopped the twisting with super wieght shift and rode out the dive into a steep turn. That cost me about 1200 ft. And I went back to the beast that got me and entered smoothly and cranked it up to 17.2k. woo hoo. And the stick was now out!
I headed to Ottos but by now it was getting about 5:00 and it was breaking up from the south flow, I tagged Otto's but could not get high enough to escape the strong valley flow and ended up 3k short of goal. What a cool flight highest, first dynamic FS, and almost a second goal.
Besides Dean winning the day, Rob, and Bo made goal, I think only 23 made goal. Dave Prentice landed on a building in town because he couldn't penetrate the valley wind. He was unhurt and climbed down the fire escape and snuck away before the official arrived.

Overall Dean was 5th!!, I was 42 and Rob was 43, not sure where Bo, Ben, and Riss finished.
What a great place to fly, I would love to go back next summer for some long distance attempts.
Andy

[irene]

Waoh, seems like intense flying !
Congratulations to all of you, it is very impressive.