SAFA Skysailor Magazine

30 SKY SAILOR June-July-August | WINTER 2026 State of Origin 2026 However, we’re getting ahead of our- selves. Let’s start from the beginning! Day 1: Windy ol’ Friday Friday kicked off early (painfully early for those who got in late the night before). With forecasts showing strong winds building from midday, briefings were pushed earlier and pilots were encouraged to get off the hill sooner rather than later. For newer pilots still getting familiar with crews, radios, instruments, tracking, retrieves, and other moving parts of the event, it made for a fairly nerve-wracking first morning! West launch had a tinge of chaos as rows of pilots pulled up and got into the air. The wind was coming in cross from the south- west and drifted gaggles down the ridge. Strong winds made it difficult for gaggles to stick together, and the climbs felt broken and scattered with noticeable wind shear at different levels. Many pilots found themselves less focused on choosing a line and more focused on simply being one with the drift and reconnecting some- where further downwind. But if you managed to stay high, the speed was exhilarating!