SAFA Skysailor Magazine

55 AUTUMN 2025 | March-April-May SKY SAILOR The next day, Brian self-towed on his winch and I was pulled up on a pay-out winch behind Ronnie‘s ute. We flew for 150km, no more than 500m apart, working the lift together. I got low and headed downwind to maximise my glide well inside the irrigation area at Griffith. I caught a thermal low, off a set of trees, but by the time I got to the back of the field with vineyards and flooded rice patties behind, I was not high enough to get over, so came back and landed going backwards in the wind. Brian had expected a 300km day, but unfortunately, the wind didn’t get the memo and it didn’t look good. So, Brian came to land by me, landing in nil wind only 10 minutes after me. With the forecast no good for the flat- lands and a better forecast for Bright, we left the flatlands for the mountains. Two days later, with better forecast, we were aiming for a 200km FAI triangle. Unfortunately, again the weather didn’t get the memo and I only made 118km, Brian got to 140km. James on day 2 of flatland towing, Winch set up 1.2km from our lunch area, Waiting for Brian, in a hot and windy paddock, but with the retrieve car behind me Photos: James Thompson