SAFA Skysailor Magazine

8 SKY SAILOR May | June 2023 in the tricky crosswind conditions on the Mt Borah West launch before it blew out with gusts around 40-50km/h. Best flights of the ‘unofficial’ day were SE towards Bendemeer and Walcha. The 3400m cloudbase and strong winds made for a quick flight. Harry Davies clocked up 168km with three TPs and played with the sea-breeze front near Yarrowitch. Belgian pilot Bertrand Fontaine was next best with a straight line of 144km. Later in the evening, dozens flew at sunset for a classic ridge soar in silky smooth con- ditions. An impromptu photo competition was held for the best pictures over the HQ LZ smiley face (it’s 100m in diameter!). Day 5 The wind started as a NE early, but was due to switch to NW-SW by midday, increasing in strength as the thermals got stronger. The pilots all had an opportunity to take off from the West launch before it became too strong. Initially, the wind aloft was not a consistent direction at various altitudes, which lead to many searching for the right direction to fly to gain maximum distance. Day 4 – LZ photo bombs Sunset soar (below) Manilla XC Camp 2023