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Monday, August 23, 2010

Col de Menée / Fond d’Urles

The French league calendar includes about 10 contests during the season. This one is considered by the pilots as the most extreme contest of the year !
2010 is no exception. As novelty, we had the chance to try on Saturday a new spot found by the organizer during spring. This new slope (facing north) is a jewel that deserves the 45mn walk to reach it. The edge is straight, the “hole” is deep, and the landscape is beautiful. With only 6 to 7m/s of wind we were able to fly in the low forthies. I did the slope record with a 40.08s with my Alliaj HM. With 35 pilots, we have been able to do 4 rounds.



On Sunday, the wind changed of direction to go south. The south slope is the most impressive slope we have in France. Imagine a 900 m high cliff facing the sun. Even without any wind, a huge thermal appears around 11am and grow until the evening producing a vertical lift with time to time huge thermals. Problem for me, I have the vertigo, and I couldn’t participate to the contest for 3 years, just watching other flying.
This year, I was 1st after the Saturday, so I could let the points to go without trying to fly this scaring slope. I choose the best launcher, stand 5 to 7 m far from the edge, didn’t thing about this vertical wall, and tried to fly. Not an easy task. But I managed to do the 4 rounds of the day, and flew a blistering 32.67s which is my new personnal best, and the new slope record !!! Overall, I finished second behind Alexis Marechal, but I’m still happy with the week-end and the fear that I overcame … until next year :( !!!

Just to give you an idea, watch this video of the launch. This is a normal launch !!!!! some went worse than this one …

Fond D'urles from Pierre Rondel on Vimeo.



More pictures on my picasa album here: Picasa

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