We had a great first task yesterday. Well done to the winners: Team Gin 2, Jhojan Styven Marin Orozco and Summer Barham.

A 64km task got the competition off to a flying start. The task started with a fairly challenging start cylinder, giving the pilots the choice between staying reliably high on the terrain but far away from the start line, or trying to find thermals in the flats early in the day to wait close to the line. Once started, progress was easy to the northerly turnpoints, with booming thermals and easy climbs. The same applied on the southerly leg, and it was possible to push hard through the regular, strong thermals. At Zarzal, however, things changed and it was necessary to change gear and start grovelling in the weak, shady thermals. The smokestack of the sugar cane factory provided smelly relief, but got us high enough to take the southerly turnpoint and glide into goal. Well done to the 67 pilots who made goal, better luck today to those who didn’t.