In memory of Jez
Webcam on Chabre: https://www.skaping.com/sisteron-buech/montagne-de-chabre
Wind meter on Chabre: https://www.balisemeteo.com/balise.php?idBalise=35
Tracking: Flymaster (lt.flymaster.net/bs.php?grp=7716)
Here we are for the 19th Chabre Open.
The week before the comp was hot, with some storms. We flew every day from Chabre with some nice distances and conditions thrown-in.
The forecast looks good for the next couple of days, and then... we'll see (just like last year).
Let's hope for some great flying.
Day 0, Practice Task, Saturday June 27
9:30 Safety briefing and ready for the practice day.
Weather forecast was largely for a light South wind day, no local over-development and generally blue skies. It was right.
A 44km task was set with the start at 14:00 around Col St Ange then heading to Col St Jean. Back towards launch, up to Beaumont them across the valley to 7km from Sigoyer.
The day seemed to have an inversion 300m - 500m below cloudbase making the climbs fairly sporty and broken. Getting above the inversion was the game, base was lovely and cool at 2800m rising through the day.
First in goal was Marijn van Rijsewijk on board his Recreation class Ozone Swift6. Second Gabriel Pierron on Ozone Photon and third Marco Maas again on recreation class Swing Stellar RS. First woman in goal was Chelsea Mckenzie on her Ozone Lyght. Congratulations, and also to the 64 in goal. Not an easy task on not an easy day.
Tomorrow we start for real
Nice to say, the forecast looks good. Light winds starting from the SE then around to the SW.
125 pilots were whisked up to launch with a huge inversion in the valley.
A 78km race to goal at Chorges was set via Col St Ange, Bonnet Rouge, Veynes, Roche de Arnoux and La Rochette.
It was a pretty blue day, with long periods between thermals on launch. People trickled off. The first pilots got to the start line pretty fast and high at 2800m. As time passed more and more arrived. A large portion of the competition were ready and high at the start. As the start opened a stream of pilots crossed mostly straight to Beaumont. A quick climb there and off to Bonnet Rouge which was relatively buoyant.
The glide to the sail plane ridge was a bit trashy and getting out from there needed some patience, the front gaggle got away. From there there was a choice of going off track to Aspres, or direct to Veynes (not many did that). Aspres was working but then on to Veynes got tricky. If you got out, you got high and floated nicely along to Charance where there were climbs but not always. A few just pushed on, making it more difficult for the price of going (maybe) faster.
If you got high, the glide was easy. A few got to goal in orbit, some fell short.
68 (Amazing) pilots made it to goal. First in again was Marijn van Rijsewijk (Ozone Swift6) followed by Henk Alberts (Ozone Delta4) and Solal Eglar (Niviuk Artik6). Seventh and first woman was Anna Hadders (Ozone Lyght). Well done everyone.
Day 2, Monday June29, Task2 stopped, no score
The forecast today is for East or West winds with some North. Possible storms. Not the best I've seen...
We went to Bergies, greeted by very light winds fron the NW and a little cirrus. A task was set; a 59km Race to Camping via 3 turnpoints in the Laragne valley.
With launch at 12:15 and start at 13:15, the first pilots off did not make it look very promising. None of those went down, and as conditions improved and more pilots launched everyone went up albeit slowly.
Just after the start opened the task was stopped due to encroaching storms. There is thunder and lightning as I write this in the office.
Tonight We'll get a talk from Cameron Dawes from Ozone about harnesses.
Day 3, Tuesday June30, Task3
The forecast today is iffy. Light North wind and likely to storm.
We went to Chabre launch, confident that the wind would come up from the South. It Did, but could have been stronger and more consistent.
A task was set; a 51km race to goal at Laragne camping via La Garde, Ventavon, La Garde and Sigoyer.
Tricky launch conditions slowed the launch down, with the keenest pilots knowing to get off was a good thing. The launch opened and closed and a few souls didn't get off.
The first pilots were 40 minutes ealy for the start... waiting, waiting. More and more joined, maybe half the field. The joy when the start opened, another stream of gliders flying straight to La Garde. Some stopped for a weak climb, some didn't. Most arrived at the volcano (St Genis) low, I don't know if anyone went direct to Ventavon: Brave if they did. Up the cliffs and reasonable climbs and the long glide to Ventavon. Coming back was headwind and trashy, needing to connect with the volcano again. Buoyant but not spectacular, gliders separated with different ideas. Small gaggles made it back to La Garde and climbed out in improving conditions. Towards the Sigoyer TP were better and better climbs until they weren't needed. 9 made it to goal as the task was stopped for over development. Many were en-route and were scored for their distance and altitude.
First in goal was Jay Zollinger (Ozone Proton), followed by David Gridley (Niviuk Artik R2) then Nick Giguere (Ozone Lyght). Ninth and First woman Anna Hadders (Ozone Lyght). It was a complete bonus to get a good task in. Well done everyone.
We enjoyed Pizza and Paella in the local village of Ribiers with Boba Swing, Jez's friends who have been playing and singing through the week. Audience participation made it all very jolly. And we dodged the rain.
Day 4, Wednesday July 1, cancelled The forecast for today was for stupidly strong winds.
The day was cancelled. After the briefing Jocky did a talk in SIV, which was very well attended.
The forecast was again for a mistral. There may be a chance of going to St Jean Montclar.
We went on the busses and up the chairlift. With the forecast North winds a short 25km task was set in front of the big mountains. Eventually the wind was good enough to launch and the window opened at 14:15 with an hour to get to the start the other side of the valley. Thermals were broken but it was possible to get above 2700m over launch. The first glide after the start into wind was quite punishing and needed as much height as possible. There were climbs en-route if you found them. The glide back was fast but height was needed for the next section: Two turnpoints pushing into an ever strong wind in to goal. This section consumed everyone else and no one made it to goal.
Furthest distance was Peter Bienek (Ozone Alpina 5), then David Gridley (Niviuk Artik R2) and Alexandre Hentz (Ozone Alpina 5).. Top woman in seventh was Eliana Wimmer (Niviuk Ikuma 3P).
Well done everyone, it was tough.
While we were on launch waiting, Jocky set a marmots photo competition. The winner was Courtney.
A super Q & A session with Ozone's Russell Ogden was the evening's entertainment. The questions were fun and varied.
Day 6, Friday July 3
The forecast was for stronger winds from the North West and a low chance of storms. Looks like Bergies.
We set a task to Camping, a race to goal starting at 14:15, via La Platte and Sigoyer. The thermals at launch were quite broken but plentiful. It took a while to climb out to the competition ceiling of 2200m. Probably half the field were at the start gate, spread out trying not to go any higher. From the start the journey was pretty buoyant along the ridge. The leaders were pushing fast. As clouds formed the climbs got better, but we were still limited to 2200m. Most pushed straight East but a few took the more direct line to the TP on La Platte, which was probably faster.
Height was your friend leaving La Platte into the valley with a cross wind glide to Sigoyer then into wind to goal, which caught out a few people.
40 pilots made it to goal with Henk Alberts (Ozone Delta 5) in first, David Gridley (Niviuk Artik R2) in second and Silvio Bucher (Zoom XC2 LTW) in third. Top woman today was Kim Paauw (Phi Maestro 2 light). Well done everybody.
Well, fabulous. Just one day we didn't fly and some very good tasks. Well done everyone.
All of the results are on the results page.
Task reports by Mark Graham