Red Bull Wings Over Aspen, Days one Through Four
Days one and two were rained on, blown out, ODed and generally not good for competition, although a few pilots found holes in the gust fronts and had flaps. Locals are commenting that this summer has been the worst on record; Aspen Mountain looks more like an English park than the usual late-summer brown zone. There are pilots from all over the US and Canada here (and many from Europe and elsewhere), and, with rare exceptions, the stories are the same no matter who is talking: this season has sucked. Blame it on La Nina, global warming, the Russians or whatever, thermals are scarce and rain frequent. It's almost enough to get depressed about.
Saturday brought more clouds and wind in the morning, but the day finally cleared out and we all headed up the mountain in the late afternoon. The task committee called a good task for the late-day conditions, starting at Ruthies launch, then across the valley to Aspen Highlands, over to Red Mountain, back to Highlands and the glide to goal for a total distance of about 25K. Conditions on launch were medium strong, which made for some interesting launches. Mark Horvath took a pounding right in front of launch and an ambulance ride down the hill, but showed up at the Red Bull Afterburner party to cheers. The flying on the course was superb; many pilots went to base over Aspen Highlands, and I couldn't help but laugh as my vario pegged. This was good! But you had to leave Aspen Highlands at base for the long glide to Red Mountain, as many pilots found out when the Red Mountain Antennas were suddenly above them instead of in sector...
In the end over 20 pilots made goal, led by the Europeans (see results below) on primarily comp gliders. However, Gary Brock (last year's Nationals winners) made goal in 11th on a serial glider, which is definitely respectable. It's tempting, given the number of non-North Americans in goal, to see this event as European-dominated. However, they are primarily flying comp gliders and there are a LOT of european pilots here. In the Serial glider class (see below), North American pilots are doing quite well (there also aren't that many Euros on serial gliders).
It's worthwhile to note that this is the first comp to offer prize money for those flying certified gliders; Rob Whittal, on a Proton, made goal in eighth place, which proves you don't have to fly an uncertified glider to kick ass. This competition is really two; those flying "comp" or DHV 3 gliders, and those flying anything DHV 1 or 2/3 gliders. In past years most of us have flown prototype or other DHV 3 twitchy gliders, but this year there are over 40 pilots on certified/serial wings. I'm flying a DHV 2/3 Rocket, which is my first non-prototype glider in three years, and I don't think it's hurting my performance at all. In fact, the comfort level is quite pleasant, especially when taking photos or pushing on the speed bar. I hope the trend toward serial class glider competitions continues. If we're all on serial (certified) gliders, then we're competing more or less equally, and with a larger safety margin.
Day Four brought crystal-clear skies, but a weak lapse rate. David Bridges, Meet Head, delayed the task until early afternoon when thermals might be stronger. The task was longer, about 45K, starting at Ruthies again, then down the Roaring Fork Valley to Snowmass, back to Ruthies, past Snowmass, into Highlands and then goal. It was apparent right off launch that conditions were weak; flying in the gaggle of 80 gliders was something like swimming in the middle of a school of fish. Everyone was supposed to thermal left off launch, but Bridges had to announce, "OTHER LEFT" over the radio a few times before the school got organized. the ensuing chaos left those still on launch in stitches.
No one got over 13,000 fee off the Ruthies launch, which is low for Aspen. About half the field dirted before the first turnpoint, and another quarter found themselves in various landing zones other than the LZ before the day was done. In the end patience and skill at reading the conditions were rewarded. Chris Santacroce went the distance in an epic four hours to make goal last but honorably as only ten pilots did so. He commented, "It was a hard day. If you got too low you couldn't get back up. Plus there was some turbulence; the funnest part was watching Josh's glider fold up." At one point he was way, way back in in the mountains, with lift he described as, "Like scrambled Tofu," but he escaped.
I'll post today's and cumulative results once they become available, but it appears that the Euros did win the open (non-serial) class, led by Kari Eisenhut, Steve Cox, and Hans Bolinger, who took first through third. John Pendry won the serial class, more results to follow as I get them.
The over-all vibe at this comp is really good; Red Bull threw a hella-good party Saturday night, and other social occasions are frequent. Red Bull has definitely come through in a major way for the pilots; most pilots are now strongly addicted to RB, RB and Vodka, etc. Every evening there's party in the LZ, while the hang gliding aerobatics comp entertains above. People stop us in the street to talk about flying, wondering about the masses of gliders filling in the sky, a nice change from, "Darn, that's a big backpack!"
Conditions are improving; Monday looks like it could be epic, and with two good tasks already flown, this meet is shaping up to be a good one. The organization, courtesy of Dave Bridges, Oathar Lawrence and Chris Davenpont, is excellent.
1999 Red Bull Wings Over Aspen
Overall Scores - Task 1 - Unofficial Results
Overall Scores Pilot #
Country
Place
1 Bollinger, Hans 7
Switzerland
2 Nef, Olivier
30 Switzerland
3 Berki, Tibor
82 Sweden
4 Eisenhut, Kari 9
Switzerland
5 Cox, Steve
10 Switzerland
6 Brinkeby, Peter 127
Sweden
7 Henny, Kaspar
14 Switzerland
8 Whittall, Rob
2 Great Britain
9 Genz, Bodo
271 Germany
10 Pendry, John
43 Great Britain
11 Brock, Gary
8 USA
12 Landsell, Carolyn
165 Switzerland
13 Tammeger, Christian
5 Austria
14 Cohn, Josh
159 USA
15 MacCullough, Keith
338 Canada
16 Bernier, Claire 69
France
17 Taggart, Matthew
34 Great Britain
18 Criss, Bo
40 USA
19 Belcourt, Bill 6
USA
20 Rosenkjer, Luis 115
Argentina
21 Pitocco, Hernan
141 Argentina
22 Gage, Charles 70
USA
22 Lee, Hyo Koo
41 Korea
24 Depallens, Manu 111
Switzerland
24 Stienbach, Michael
118 Switzerland
26 Schoyen, Rolf 56
USA
27 Muhlich, Hagen 16
USA
28 Davenport, Chris
23 USA
28 Marx, Arnold
153 South Africa
28 Stark, Patterson
64 NZ
28 Williams, Jeff 77
USA
32 Prinsloo, Johann
25 South Africa
33 Marion, Scotty 61
USA
34 Truax, Tom
88 USA
35 Maze, Jim
39 USA
36 Reed, Eric
24 USA
37 Hunt, Jon
67 USA
37 Kelley, Gregory 32
USA
37 Lawrence, Othar 1
USA
40 Pynaker, Robert
29 Canadia
41 Santacroce, Chris
3 Armenia
42 Gadd, Will
58 USA
43 Snowden, David 660
Great Britain
44 Casaudoumecq, Jose
33 Spain
44 Soffici, Alex
169 USA
46 Silvera, Cherie 4
USA
46 Banks, Granger 38
USA
46 Dario Del Rio, Marcos
22 Argentina
46 Webster, Tom
37 USA
50 Bellik, Mike
12 USA
50 Hill, Mark
44 USA
50 Robinson, Ross 49
USA
50 Snitselaar, Carl
55 USA
50 Sommerset, Paul 73
USA
50 Wolling, Mark 27
USA
50 Ferguson, Paul 13
USA
57 Ames, Jeff
52 USA
58 Band, Annie
62 USA
58 Hirst, Dawn
20 USA
58 Nephew, Jill
18 USA
58 Broers, Philippe
11 Belgium
58 Ellett, Wade
66 USA
58 Erban, Zdenek 51
Canada
58 Freudenthal, Donald
45 USA
58 Horvath, Mark 60
USA
58 Liebermeister, Benedikt
431 Germany
58 McCool, Adam
68 USA
58 McCutcheon, David
36 USA
58 Mcomber, Dan
17 USA
58 Michaelis, Neal 50
USA
58 Michelmore, Pete
47 USA
58 Monteiro de Costa, Rodrigo
57 USA
58 Notlin, Matti 35
Sweden
58 Onstad, Stephen 28
USA
58 Pienaar, Etienne
31 South Africa
58 Pliska, Chris 46
USA
58 Prairie, Steven 42
USA
58 Scholes, Kevin 59
Bali
58 Wood, Michael 48
USA
58 Young, George 54
USA
58 Bastian, Chad 26
USA
58 Ferguson, Mark 0
USA
58 Wada, Saturo
53 Japan
1999 Red Bull Wings Over Aspen
Task 1 Serial Class - Unofficial Results
Serial Class Scores Pilot #
Country
Place
1 Whittall, Rob
2 Great Britain
2 Pendry, John
43 Great Britain
3 Brock, Gary
8 USA
4 Taggart, Matthew
34 Great Britain
5 Criss, Bo
40 USA
6 Belcourt, Bill 6
USA
7 Rosenkjer, Luis 115
Argentina
8 Gage, Charles
70 USA
8 Lee, Hyo Koo
41 Korea
10 Schoyen, Rolf 56
USA
11 Muhlich, Hagen 16
USA
12 Davenport, Chris
23 USA
12 Marx, Arnold
153 South Africa
12 Stark, Patterson
64 NZ
15 Marion, Scotty 61
USA
16 Truax, Tom
88 USA
17 Maze, Jim
39 USA
18 Reed, Eric
24 USA
19 Hunt, Jon
67 USA
19 Kelley, Gregory 32
USA
19 Lawrence, Othar 1
USA
22 Pynaker, Robert
29 USA
23 Santacroce, Chris
3 Armenia
24 Gadd, Will
58 USA
25 Snowden, David 660
Great Britain
26 Casaudoumecq, Jose
33 Spain
26 Soffici, Alex
169 USA
28 Banks, Granger 38
USA
28 Dario Del Rio, Marcos
22 Argentina
28 Silvera, Cherie 4
USA
28 Webster, Tom
37 USA
32 Bellik, Mike
12 USA
32 Hill, Mark
44 USA
32 Robinson, Ross 49
USA
32 Snitselaar, Carl
55 USA
32 Sommerset, Paul 73
USA
32 Wolling, Mark 27
USA
38 Ames, Jeff
52 USA
39 Band, Annie
62 USA
39 Broers, Philippe
11 Belgium
39 Ellett, Wade
66 USA
39 Erban, Zdenek 51
Canada
39 Freudenthal, Donald
45 USA
39 Hirst, Dawn
20 USA
39 Horvath, Mark 60
USA
39 Liebermeister, Benedikt
431 ermany
39 McCool, Adam
68 USA
39 McCutcheon, David
36 USA
39 Mcomber, Dan
17 USA
39 Michaelis, Neal 50
USA
39 Michelmore, Pete
47 USA
39 Monteiro de Costa, Rodrigo
57 USA
39 Nephew, Jill
18 USA
39 Notlin, Matti 35
Sweden
39 Onstad, Stephen 28
USA
39 Pienaar, Etienne
31 South Africa
39 Pliska, Chris 46
USA
39 Prairie, Steven 42
USA
39 Scholes, Kevin 59
Bali
39 Wood, Michael 48
USA
39 Young, George 54
USA
1999 Red Bull Wings Over Aspen
Female - Task 1 - Unofficial Results
1 Landsell, Carolyn
165 Switzerland
2 Bernier, Claire 69 France
3 Silvera, Cherie 4 USA
4 Band, Annie 62
USA
5 Hirst, Dawn 20
USA
6 Nephew, Jill 18
USA