Wrap up

Friday was a scrub but the final day, Saturday was flyable and we were set a 270kms task up to Savines, down to Mezel (near Digne) and home via Orpierre. The issue for the day was when to start as a band of cirrus was due to pass through late afternoon...

One of the start gaggles

The start gaggle held on and on as it looked like the therms were slowly working their way up, but we eventually set off around 1430. It was, for once, fairly straightforward getting into the mountains and onto Coupe. The way up to Savines was along the Parcour and went well, as did the return trip which involved arriving on Dormillouse at 7000' and flying along, gaining height to arrive at Trois Eveches at around 9500'. Then the fun started. The cirrus had arrived and for those laggards amongst us who are slow, speed was further degraded as the therms were dying. A glide round Mezel led to Vaumuse and a crawl up to Authon, onto Gache and a slow glide across the valley to Chabre. The winners of the day were instead able to glide round Mezel, straight across the valley to the Lure, take a therm and nip up round Orpierre and be on glide for home. I instead scratched away behind Chabre then dropped into the West facing cliff-faces at the end of the Lure and scraped up to the ridge line, drop off the back and creep away 300metres below glide. A weak therm, and then a line of weak wave on the East of the Durance valley let me get back though, with a princely 90 metres in hand on arrival.  

Nipping up Coupe on the way to the first turn

So - that was that. I had a fabulous experience and learnt shed loads. I also wound up rather liking Vinon and will go back there for a comp again.