By : Paul Crabb

The last two days before the contest started provided some excellent gliding conditions for the pilots practice period. Cloudbase at 10,000ASL and 4 metre thermals.

Of course the first contest day saw slightly poorer conditions with a surface inversion delaying launching until early afternoon.

When the inversion finally broke there were good climbs to 8,000ft locally and 10,000 in the Sierra de Toledo.. The task was a 250km triangle to Porzuna and Urda via Turleque on the way out and Tembleque on the way home.

The winner was Leigh Wells with a speed of 80.44kph, Stephen Crabb last years runner up in the competition was second and Martin Durham third with 78.24kph.

The second competition day promised similar soaring conditions and an Assigned area task was set, with 3 hour minimum which was changed to two hours thirty because of the suraface inversion.

The winner once again was Leigh Wells narrowly beating his father Martyn by 28 points.

The area distance flown was 210 km and the overall winner's speed was 86.1kph.

On the Wednesday we had a forecast of storms in the task area with little likelihood of flying, however it was sunny. It was possible to launch at 14,00 local time with small building cumulus at 500ft QNH. During the launching period a cu nim started to build to the south west, it became clear that the storm would affest the first leg. After holding the start line opening for 20mins it was considered unlikely that any one would be able to penetrate the storm overhang and the day was cancelled.

Storms were also forecast on Thursday but the latest information suggested a there was more stable and dryer air mass. A three hour AAT task was set and launching commenced at 12.30.

The base was 6000ft QNH for the first departures and good cumulus toward the mountains of Toledo on the first leg.

The convergence at Toledo was excellent allowing most pilots to make very fast runs into the first sector. Cloud bases in the convergence were around 800ft and thermal averages were 4 to 6 knots.

The second sector was scattered cumulus at 8000ft and good conditions. Most pilots experienced problems on the return except of course the days Schorchio pilots who never seem to have trouble.

Dave Innes was the last to arrive home an hour and a hlf after the others, but this is not so important on this type of task. He flew the greatest distance with 437 kilometers.

The majority of finishers were back between 5.30 and 6,00 with the Tasknav download and verification system and the Crabb scoring programme we had the day verified and scored by 6.30

Friday dawned beautiful clear and calm. No storms forecast even though the chart showed a low pressure over Spain. The pressure was forecast to drop over the next 24 hours by 4 millibars suggesting a risk of overdevelopement later.

A 387km task was set to the south then west along the Toledo mountains then 140 kms out East to Los Hinojosa Castle. Launching started at 12,30 with a few wisps of cu locally but good cumulus already forming over the Sierras to the south West. At one stage these cumulus took on the appearance of a Saturn 5 launch with beautiful vertical towers shooting skyward. However it settled down and the task area was covered in excellent cumulus at between 8,000 and 9,000 feet. The faster pilots came home before six but those not so quick were slowly grinding to a halt in the dying conditions resulting in several landouts late and near to home. However Kim Tipple managed to land out at Los Hinojososa 80kms from Ocana.

The result at the top was very close with Paul Crabb with 104.22kph just beating Martyn Wells by .03 of a kph and Ken Barker a close third just .06 of a kph behind. Justin Wills had the highest actual speed at 104.48 but was pushed into 6th place by his handicap, Leigh Wells did not have such a good day but has kept his overall first place.

Although the pressure dropped during the night by 4 millibars and the chart showed a low pressure over Spain, the ascent indicated another good days soaring would be likely.

The task was an AAT task of 3 hours 30 minutes, the first sector to the South west over the mountains and the second sector over the plain of Castilla La Mancha. Unlike the previous few days the conditions over the plain were much better than in the mountains, this caught out several pilots. Those who used the maximum in the first sector along the Sierra De Toledo found only 3 to 4 knot thermals and bases at 7 to 8,000. The pilots who recognized early that the plain looked better and turned early in the first sector for the south east found conditions better. The thermals were 6 and sometimes 7 knots and the bases came up to 10,000ft. Paul and Steve Crabb flew the furthest area distance with 401kms finishing exactly on time up and winning the day..

Most pilots managed 340 kms and had excellent flights.

The Sunday dawned cloudy and rainy as forecast, the day was scrubbed at 09.00 and by 10 it was pouring with rain from the depression coming up from North Africa. It rained all day allowing pilots and crews a welcome rest and time for the Grand prix in the afternoon.

Monday started sunny and clear but he rain from the previous day damped things down and the early morning mist turned into low cu and started to show signs of being soarable by 12. We launched at 14.00 but a storm built to the south west and became a threat to the task area, With the state of the fields form the day rain of the before we considered a mass out landing to be unacceptable and did not open the start line.

Tuesday starts again sunny and clear, this time the storm forecast did not seem so threatening and we started launching at 13.30 on an AAT task to the south. The conditions locally developed well but we could see high cloud way off to the south east, Most pilots had started by 15.50 and reports were already coming back of good conditions.

By the time the first gliders finished it was obvious that conditons had been good and soon we were listening to stories of ten knots to 10,500ft and excellent lines of energy. for the second time in a week pilots were saying these were some of the best conditions they had ever flown in. The last part of the run home was spoiled by upper cloud spreading out from the west causing several pilots to land short.

The furthest distance flown was by Leigh Wells at 311km's.and the fastest speed was Justin Wills with 119.7 kph. After handicaps were applied the winner was once again Paul Crabb with his brother Stephen coming a very close second and only one point behind.

Anther beautiful sunny morning, the satellite picture showed central Spain clear but the depression over North Africa affecting the south of Spain with an overhang of alto cumulus.

The task flown was the day B task a square to the south going south then NW then East returning via Lillo. The conditions on the first and second leg were 7000ft and 2 meters but after the third turn point there were no cumulus and only 1 to 2 meter thermals to 6000ft. The fastest pilots on the day made a remarkable detour from the third turn, retracing their steps to the North, back almost to the TMA boundary and then east under the good cumulus north of the blue area. Several pilots landed out in the blue area demonstrating the difficulties found there.

The winner was Stephen Crabb at 93 kph followed closely by Justin whose actual speed was 95 kph but reduced on handicap. There were several climbs recorded of 3.5 meter average but in the blue there was only 1 to 2 meter average.

The forecast for today was cumulus at 9000 with strong well developed thermals, it was of course was only partly true. The thermals started at Ocana at 12,00 but the cu was slow to develop locally. WE started launching on a 3hour 30 minute AAT and during launching good well formed cu started to appear.

The two main sectors covered the main mountain areas of the Sierra de Toledo and the Sierra Calderina, the run to the first sector was under good cu with good climbs but the area over the mountains had overdeveloped into strata cu and conditions were more difficult. The second sector was blue and could be this could be seen from the first sector. This gave all pilots the problem of whether to persevere under the strata cu for more distance or cut out early and head for the blue area. Most chose a middle route doing fairly similar distance in both sectors.

The best distance flown was 337km by Martyn Wells who also made the best area speed at 97kph.

All close at the top still with only 24 points between first and second place.

The cold front that lay across the North of Spain finally went through leaving us with a cooler clear airmass. The result was a later start with lower cloudbase but good thermals. The task was reduced to 240kms to accommodate the later start.

Steve Crabb started one minute behind Martyn Wells and the race was on for the first place.

Good conditions held until the second turn point where the combination of a blue area and the low cloudbase (6500ft) gave many pilots exciting moments amongst the Sierra de Toledo.

The first pilots to return were calling 3 to 4 meter climbs on the way home encouraging the others to round the last turn and get back.

The day winner was Justin Wills at 95.99kph and Martyn second with 91.5 beating Steve by 6 minutes, enough to take first place.