Baildon Sod '13 Write Up
Melise's photos are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melise_har ... 257442848/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melise_harland/sets/72157634584718646/with/9257442848/
Kerim
Jaspersen takes the glory this year with a massive glide across the
fairway and then some. Richard Boyle took a close second as well when he
chose to fly a proper glider instead of the handkerchief / speed wing
he brought for entertainment purposes. Top lady was Sara and second was
Xena who'd actually disappeared in bracken at TO only to re-emerge and
fly down.
Special prizes (need to be invented) go to Marek and
Helen for what we think is the first attempt to tandem off Baildon for
the Sod. Predictably there was much face planting, mainly by Helen in
the passenger seat whilst it was Marek (what a gentleman) in the back
that managed to hobble away with an ankle injury. Also prizes to Tony
Pickering for eschewing the conventional way of winning the Sod by
flying to the bottom like the rest of us and choosing to stay at take
off for his flights and giving the bracken a damn good thrashing.
The
wind didn't start off playing ball. There was talk of mutiny at first
as gusts came steadily from the west but as it swung to the north and
lightened there was a brief opportunity for the long glides but at the
cost of skimming the bracken - literally 10cm made all the difference on
some of these attempts. As the easterly strengthened at 8ish then
launch became easier but at the cost of shorter glides but most reached
the fairway which isn't to be sniffed at.
The high pressure looks
like staying around a bit so I suggest waiting for a day with stronger
easterlies for a hangie only Sod where uprights can be preserved this
time.
See you next year, people with scythes and napalm are especially welcome.
BTW if you haven't seen some of Kerim's videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ1V9dQB-rw