This morning we officially started our contest with a formal welcome from Anna Park of the Taupo District Council, followed by the compulsory safety briefing from Bill Kendall, CFI of the Taupo club, and the daily weather briefing from David Hirst. David had mixed news for us with decreasing winds and increasing temperatures on the positive side, but only weak thermals and convergences in the vicinity not sounding quite so good. However the task setters decided to make the most of the prevailing conditions and use the westerly winds on the Kaimais before they disappear later in the week (the winds, not the Kaimais!), so a task was set to the North and a launch began at about 1230. Due to a freak mishap to one of the tow planes while it was taxying back to the hangar last night we were down to only two towplanes for the day, but we coped – as you do!

Conditions were difficult and getting bluer all the time, so not many gliders got away at all, leading to quite a gaggle on Mt. Tauhara and several early land-backs.

Are we having fun yet?