by Marty DeVietti » Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:16 pm
What an amazing comp for me. I was elected to the task committee and though it could have been viewed as somewhat distracting from getting ready to launch each day, it forced me to step it up a bit, get things done sooner and focus more. It was a welcome challenge, A hearty thanks to the others that helped to make it all come together: Brad, Dean, Jeff Wishne, Hayden, and occasional help from Josh Cohn was super helpful too.
The first task went well, but I thought I had blown it when I got low at the last turnpoint. Somehow I got out of there, caught up to the lead gaggle, and charged out front, low over the trees in the high country, and at the same time so did Greg Babush on a different line, the eventual winner of the meet. He took over the lead as I turned in light lift by myself, then he found a boomer and started to climb. I quickly joined him in what was felt like the best climb of the day, taking a few more turns as he left for goal thinking I would speed bar ahead at the end. I tried to convert my extra altitude into speed, but knew there was some turbulence ahead on Rabies ridge, and chose to go a little easy on the bar. Greg was on 3/4 bar on the final glide and was able to keep ahead just slightly all the way to goal...I figured it would work out in the end, and my lead points for the day put me one point ahead of him in the scores the following day, even though he was the first in.
In the days to come, it was clear that Babush was the guy to beat, as Dean and Josh and even Brad were not being rewarded for charging and truly leading out. They all deserve special mention, because it is when we all share the lead that we grow as USA pilots. Playing it safe and using everyone else can get you into goal but you may never make it higher than the top 20. I know this from my own experience. This time around, I chose to try and charge with the big dogs, and it helped me fly faster, and lead out more than I am used to when it made sense. It came with risks, (not the obvious reserve toss into goal) and that is what got me on the last day of the meet.
On the last task I was about 20 points behind Greg. I made a move at the start of the race and tried to get to the first turn point before the rest, trying to build up a reserve in lead points so that even if I landed side by side with Greg at goal, I could still overtake him in points. All was going well until the transition to the second turn point, Burnt ridge, where I got behind the leaders and would remain so the entire task. I was a glide and a climb behind them through each of the turn points and it was going into goal that I would try to make up for the difference.
The risk of leading for me on that last day cost me my position and put me into catch up mode. As I rounded the 2nd to last turn point at Rabies, I saw the buoyant glide across to Squires ridge like before going towards Purcell. There was only some broken and turbulent lee side scraps of lift SE of Woodrat Mtn., and two pilots were mapping it out with me and one other pilot. I could see the leaders dive into the valley towards goal, and they were sinking and arriving low along the ridges near the valley floor. I wasn't high enough yet to make my charge but I watched for an opening, and Babush was it, or so I thought. He was seemingly the only one to find a good climb among the others going to goal, and I charged on bar and trim out to catch the leftovers of his climb....no dice, nada. I was too late. I arrived as he climbed out to be able to easily glide to the last turn point and then turn back around into the wind and glide safely over the trees to the goal field in the middle of the windy valley below. I realized I would not win the meet this point, but I could still get a spot on the podium if I just make goal. So, I pushed out to the valley to make a few turns with someone else in some light lift, still lower than I wanted to be. After just a few turns the lift stopped. If I stayed here I might lose all the altitude I just gained so I left for the last TP with the altitude I had, and kept my eyes open for any help along the way. I made the TP lower than I wanted and knew I didn't have the glide to goal, but I pressed on. The sparse trees on the ridge in front of me provided no safe landing options but I thought I could still nick the cylinder and then turn back to a landing area close to the base of the ridge below the last TP, or peel out to the valley short of goal and land in fields there. I was at .6 km to goal and the 6030 was counting down...I just need to get to .4 and then run and land...
I was at .46 km the last time I snuck a peek at the GPS and returned my focus to survey my surroundings. Something had to give. I was too low, and was wanting to turn back and land, but I was sooo close to the cylinder. Then the glider started to sink a bit and accelerate into the headwind in what felt like the sink before a boomer, and I could feel the heat from the ground on my face. Maybe I will get a bump that will get me into the cylinder after all?
Then the glider went away...it looked like a frontal but ended up being a 70% right asymetric fold when the glider dove hard to the right. The blur of trees made my decision easy as I looked instinctively for my reserve handle, around 200 feet agl. I saw the reserve travel to full line stretch and then it was behind me. I returned my focus to where I was going and after another revolution or two I was descending below tree level. Two trees were in front of me and I was thinking about how nice a reassuring pull would feel right now...
I just missed one tree but heard wood snapping and fabric tearing behind me as the reserve caught on it, I noticed only a slight deceleration at this point and hopped I could avoid hitting anything solid until I slowed down more. There was a tree in front of me that my glider was draping around, the inflated left wing tip still diving me in a hard right turn. I saw the trunk of the tree in front was in my trajectory and was thinking I might be able to throw my weight to the right to miss it when I finally started to decelerate. I was still fully inside my pod and was unable to do anything but put my feet out and tuck in my chin for impact on the bark as I slowed down more, but would I stop in time?
To my relief, I was almost coming to a stop but still bumped my head on the tree in front of me, but only hard enough to realize that I had bumped it but not enough to bruise or cause discomfort. I reeled back from the head-butt and found myself supported enough from the reserve behind me and my glider in front of me, (both stuck in trees) so that I could not fall down. I was thethered between the two tees and balanced on my left foot, still inside the pod, and my right knee was pressing on the ground trying to get my balance to stand up. At that point I noticed my music still pumping in my ipod at a low volume level and then over that I heard my 6030 celebrating with an arrival melody...I made goal!

I was both relieved and disappointed. I was relieved to be alive and well (without a scratch) after a low level deployment in sparse trees. I was relieved that I would be returning home to my lovely wife and kids. I was relieved that I would be on the podium for the first time at a full length meet. But I was more bummed that I had to throw my reserve for the first time ever in over 17 years of flying. Bummed that I pushed it and didn't have a better margin of safety like I usually have, and that good fortune stepped in to make everything okay, instead of better planning, better judgement and more discipline on my part.
A bittersweet finish for me, but my wife Carmen and kids took it all in stride and were excited to hear all the details, as did my sister and parents....The lesson is there, and I hope this will serve as a wake up call for me and others who push it in this thing we call paragliding. As the saying goes: "You don't get cute girls or rich or famous for winning a paragliding meet", but for me, my wife never looked so good as when I drove home to her and my three cute daughters (and son), and my life seems richer and more precious than ever now, not to mention the fame of being on the SCPA...
Last edited by
Marty DeVietti on Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:37 am, edited 5 times in total.