On Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 3:13:25 AM UTC+12, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 11:52:32 PM UTC+12, Dave Leonard wrote:
On Monday, July 25, 2016 at 11:15:28 PM UTC-6, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 3:42:39 PM UTC+12, Sean wrote:
FAI Sailplane Grand Prix USA Race One Report
July 25, 2016
By: Sean Fidler, 7T

Results: http://www.sgp.aero/usa2016/results-...ontestID=15947
SGP USA Website: www.sgp.aero/usa2016
SGP USA Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FAISailplaneGrandPrixUSA

The forecast for FAI Sailplane Grand Prix USA’s official race day one was somewhat difficult after the mornings cold front passage. Generally, the forecasts called for 2-3 knots climbs (occasional 4) and top of lift to 5000 ft. AGL. There was some question as to the best quadrants, etc. Some called for north, others south. SGP USA CD, John Godfrey and task advisors Eric Mozer and Sean Fidler set a fairly conservative 200 km task due to the uncertain forecast. This turned out to be wise. The task headed E to @20 St. Johns and the NW (hoping for streeting) to #26 Lakeview then back S to the west steering turn followed by the short 8km run back to the finish line.

Cumulus development began much earlier than expected at 10:45am (most models called for blue) and winds were slightly lighter than expected. It seemed the day might just develop into a something special. Launch went smoothly and all pilots were able to climb up to 4k and above without any real difficulty. Cloudbase was reported at 4700 MSL and CD John Godfrey chose to lower the maximum start altitude from 5000 ft. MSL to 4000. Cu were ample in the start area and on course to the first turnpoint. No cirrus was visible.

The Sailplane Grand Prix regatta start was again amazingly simple and fun. Two loosely formed gaggles formed after the starting line. To the left line of clouds was Jerzy Szemplinski and Garret Willet. This packed pushed fairly hard and got a bit low fairly early. The right group (slightly more downwind) was larger but quickly split off into 3 or 4 smaller packs as the numerous cu on course allowed for many lines. The leading group on the right line (7T, 98 and 2W) appeared to jump of the left group and lead into the first turnpoint. Overall the first leg strong with speeds in the 70 mph range. Soon after, a gaggle of 6-7 re-formed as the long upwind leg to the Lakeview turnpoint began. This gaggle again scattered and stretched as many “lines” were available.

A strong cloudstreet was on course line and many were able to run 18-25km without turning and nearly maintaining altitude. The problems began after the end of this cloud street. The cloud field dried out abruptly and a large blue hole formed. Some pilots think this was a seabreeze front. Winds were also stronger at 18-24 mph, directly on the course line. A few weaker clouds well right of course line were the last clouds possible and several made this deviation and found slow climbs. Others went direct and managed to find a way. This was a very difficult leg. Many struggled significantly several landouts resulted near the town of Stanton and near Lakeview.

At turnpoint 2 (Lakeview), most surviving pilots arrived fairly low after a difficult upwind leg. Climbs were still challenging to find but at least this leg was downwind. For the first 40 km of the leg it remained blue and oddly weak until reaching a new cloud field. Here there was some improved convection. This allowed for a relatively easy final climb to final glide. However, once on final glide, several notable pilots suffered significant sink and had some nervous moments about not making the minimum finish altitude of 500 ft. AGL.

In the end, todays race was won by top North American pilot Jerzy Szemplinski (Canada). Second place was fellow Canadian Sergei Morozov (3:34 behind) followed by “up and coming” young Canadian Krzysztof Wiercioch (6:35 behind). Krzysztof has only flown the ASW-27 a few times and is borrowing a friends glider. That said, this is an extremely impressive result for him considering the level of competition. All three of today’s podium finishers are from Southern Ontario Soaring Association Club (SOSA) near Toronto.

SGP USA was covered LIVE ON YouTube (huge, huge thank you John Harte and Tiffany Fidler!!!!!) and the REPLAY of that video can by found he https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cA0CBS9wR8

WINNING PILOT INTERVIEWS he
1st Place - XG - Jerzy Szemplinski : https://youtu.be/qKx9_Jb_5xo
2nd Place - MS- Sergei Morozov (CAN): https://youtu.be/Z19KGStGDwk
3rd Place - 2W -Krzysztof Wiercioch (CAN): https://youtu.be/H390sc2lnDQ
4th Place - QT - Garret Willet (USA): https://youtu.be/EeWRAFb7TrA

Glideport.aero replay: http://glideport.aero/map?p=Contest:220

Full Results: http://www.sgp.aero/usa2016/results-...ontestID=15947
SGP USA Website: www.sgp.aero/usa2016
SGP USA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FAISailplaneGrandPrixUSA

Sincerely,

Sean Fidler
7T
2016 FAI Sailplane Grand Prix Event Organizer

Thanks for your report and sorry about your landout on leg 2. But it was a pleasure to listen to Tiffany's commentary. I just realized halfway through that you guys made the cool "Winching at KS's strip" video.

Is there a way to load the web page with the positions at home? I copied the URL showing in the video http://glideport.aero/map?p=Contest:220 but couldn't find how to show the task or active gliders.

That link will take you to "today's" tracking info. You can use the little arrow in the far bottom left corner of the screen to go back one day or the calendar icon right next to it to pick any days data.

The little "play arrow" in the bottom left corner of the map will start playback of the tracks.

There's a couple videos demonstrating capabilities at the bottom of the info|blog page.

I was watching the live coverage of the Grand Prix on youtube, and loading the same web page as they were showing. But I didn't see either the task description or the gliders that were shown on the broadcast.

Oh! Now I think I understand why.

If I go now and explicitly select the 25th from the calendar at the bottom left then I see everything.

It was already well after midnight (in fact Tuesday morning already) in my computer's timezone (New Zealand time) while I was watching the race, and so it was showing the data for the 26th, which did not exist yet in the USA.

Whoever maintains that site should get the UTC date/time from the user's web browser (and convert to local date at the site being viewed), not the user's local date/time.