Rat Race - Task 4 - Day 5

Weather
Actual
Blue, inverted
2500m, 2-5 ms

Woodrat – Task 4
Rabies peak, Burnt, Wellington, Cemata, Donado

Comments
Thermal working much better today. Easy climb from launch then across to Burnt to wait on the Start.
Climbs immediately to 2300m, 10-15 kmh from the west
100m off start gate for the go, 5 or 6 gliders 100m above and 200m behind
An acceptable start.
Glide across to Rabies Peak was turbulent and lift lines were varied, Convergences were trying to set up. Used very little bar for the transition, lost no height but some glide to gaggle.
Took Rabies Peak and glided back to Burnt, ignored lift until Burnt which recycled quickly.
Took a similar glide line towards Rabies Peak to work towards the Wellington TP.
Ignored evident convergence some 4-5 km ahead and a little east of the course line to focus on high ground terrain at Rabies Peak.
A deteriorating glide into stronger wind left me below Rabies Peak and in the leeside. Turned downwind into the rabies bowl (Chinamans gulch) and took a northerly line down the bowl. 3 other gliders took a more southerly line in the same leeside. Despite extensive searching I found nothing to work and landed, the 3 gliders to the south successfully picked up a climb from low and worked their way out.

Flight , Results

Lessons
This is a known convergent area with the colliding airflows from the many valleys.
A convergence line was clearly setting up on the course line (off the terrain) being marked by several gliders. With 3 tasks gone and 3 days to go it was time to begin to push through with some individual decisioning.