The Langer Report

Saturday 20th - The caravan was rocking hard last night... but that was purely due to the Mistral wind that was howling all night! It's still blowing hard this morning and it looks like there won't be any flying today... and possibly for the next few days. This means that there won't be any practice day to sort out GPS and other issues before the first task, so fingers crossed on that score. Shaun has been getting in some good flights here recently and Geoff has managed to bag three flights on his new LightSpeed RS in the last few days, during which he found himself out climbing other pilots even though he was paying no attention to the thermal while he sorted out a harness issue! After making a few adjustments to the wing he's pretty happy with the feel of it and is ready for action.

Geoff tries to break his neck before the comp even starts!

18:00 - The Mistral's still strong enough to blow a tinker off his missus. Spent the day doing pilot registration and getting GPSs updated, shopping, admiring all the fit young girls around town and later swimming at Plan d'Eau with Cornelia. Life is hard on the international competition circuit!

Wave bars everywhere

Mistral, Mistral, Mistral...

Reality intruded when at around six I had to return to HQ for the Team Leader's meeting. Spent the next two hours writing copious notes - dos and don'ts - that I later have to bring the team up to speed on. Felt a little like being back at school, hanging on the every word of Comp Director Heather Mull and scribbling furiously for the test at the end! Predictably the meeting was extended to accommodate the Brits endless questions on cloud flying and flying in proximity to airspace. Although closed to non Team Leaders, Gordon Rigg had managed to wangle his way in and was clearly acting as puppet master to their front man, muttering endless questions and hypotheticals to his harassed Team Leader who then had to repeat everything officially. Thankfully he had been gagged at the beginning of the meeting or we would still be there! By the end I don't think there was much doubt in the room that the cloud flying limits were going to be tested to the limit during this comp by a certain pilot. Heather fielded the endless stream of questions with remarkable calm and professionalism under the circumstances and managed to keep smiling despite grinding her teeth towards the end! Interestingly, perhaps Heather's most expressive features were her nipples which, while invisible for most of the meeting, became pertly erect every time Gordon prompted yet another question sending up her blood pressure! It was difficult to concentrate on the rest of the meeting after that! I hope I didn't miss anything too important.

Pleasingly, all pilots are being encouraged to report any incidences of cloud flying during the comp.

20:00 Team Leader's meeting over, Camping Monteglin hosted an informal welcome, drinks and buffet dinner for all, and a band played on into the night. Still no sign of Abi Hudson who's staying at Allez-Up near Ribiers. We reckon the Brits have her bound and gagged, and locked up in a dark room somewhere!