PWC Japan task 2 Saturday 29th – First thermal up from Silvio Zugarini on Vimeo.

Today a 49km task was called with Goal in the city of Arumino with 2 previous waypoints. Conditions were tricky with low cloud base. As I write over 50 pilots are expected to be in goal. A very bad day for me, throwing away the possibility of a good task finish by making a mistake going to the second waypoint. I thought that the waypoint was near the second lake on the ridge, whereas it was on the right on the valley below our main flying ridge. With a not very good height I hesitated several times to go with the others, given the scarce landing options and in the ned decided to go to land given I was now on my own. An amateurish mistake and I gave away the possibility of a goal and since it was and elapsed time task, also the chance of a nice result. Today I realised that I need to study the map in detail and carefully before each task and also that if you hesitate and not follow the gaggle (and I was with the main one after the first waypoint) you´re going nowhere. Now I have to change my glider (put my beloved Trango 3 into retirement) and put a lot more flying hours under my belt this season (I have not really flown a lot so far in 2010 compared to other years). A real shame today (but with only myself to blame). The scenery was also today stunning.. Bring on the Spanish Nationals soon…