Southern Fun Paragliding Comp

Southern Fun 27th - 30th December 2020 By Tim Brown Paragliding Competition

it’s been just a few days since the end of the “Southern Fun nZ 2020” paragliding competition on the South island and i’m gearing up now to go on holiday with my wife for a road trip around the far north. i take these few moments to write of another successful ‘Southern Fun’ competition.

Preparation was started much earlier this year and it made for a less stressful lead up. Of note was that a formal ATC NOTAM was issued some months ago and we received questions from the Wanaka Airport User Group and the Wanaka Airport Management team as to how we would best notify other airspace users. This year a simple procedure was created and paraglider pilots were encouraged to use airband radios. I’ve not yet received any feedback but it was good to develop a better relationship with fellow air users as this has been a big issue in the past. Treble Cone management has recently changed and the new

4 A irborn

Above; Jesse Dhue launches into his first season of competition flying

Photo; Melanie Heather

team appears to a little more accommodating of our paragliding operations, but once again, land-owner issues, particularly along the Matukituki Road, proved to be difficult as we were told “do not land” on those properties.

Tasking was therefore adjusted so as to keep pilots away from any possibility of violating those property

Above; Crossing to Mt Roy

on task 2 Photo; Sanae Noguchi

owners’ concerns. Assisting me in the event preparation again was Louis Tapper, who does a lot of the IT side of things and had also been doing a lot of ‘reconnaissance’ flights to new sites over the last few months. This year we thought we’d try a newly investigated, in fact an old site that hadn’t been used in many years, site above the Waikerkeri Valley Road just north of Clyde which would allow us to fly well

Left; Overall winners l-r; Aaron Chesterman (3rd, Richard Castro (1st), Louis

Photo; Melanie Heather

north towards St Bathans and out over the vast Central Otago plains north of Alexandra. Darren Hassett and Paula Race did some great work in co-ordinating permission and access for that site at the towers near “Leaning Rock”.

Nick Aubrey, at KaiPapa’s restaurant in Wanaka kindly allowed us to use his upstairs rooms as a pre-competition briefing which was a little ‘squeezy’ for the 60 pilots that registered on the first day but a fine venue all the same. A big thank- you to Nick for accommodating us. Kai’s has been a stalwart for a ‘gettogether’ and de-facto HQ for many, many competitions in the past. I understand that Nick has requested a tandem flight and I’m sure one of our local pilots can oblige.

As is usual with New Zealand competitions, everyone watches the weather closely in the lead up to the event. This year the ‘Southern Fun’ was preceded the weekend before by an Auckland League competition so many pilots noted the fine weather forecast for the South and made their way down to join us “Southern Softies’. It had rained, in fact snowed, in the mountains in the days prior to the competition but the 27th -30th December was indicating fine, in fact, almost perfect flying conditions.

The first day dawned, registration was completed and the task committee of Louis Tapper, Aaron Chesterman and Mal Haskins was chosen. It was decided to go to the new site at ‘Leaning Rock’ as a very light easterly was forecast with good lapse rates. There was some delay as the numerous keys and access protocols were sorted but then we all set off to meet just outside Clyde to rendezvous for car-pooling, especially as gates had to be locked once we had passed.

The competitors set off and were rewarded with a stunning new huge grassy site at the towers but the wind was indicating a little on the top end. An 80km triangle task was set to take us north towards St Bathans then out into the ‘flats,’ where a forecast convergence line was expected to set up, and then back towards launch.

The top pilots launched first and it soon became evident that the conditions weren’t quite as ‘supreme’ as were expected. It was now quite windy. In fact, some pilots

Richard Castro and Louis Tapper reach goal at Glendhu Bay and place 1st and 2nd respectively

elected not to launch, then, when you did get airborne it was quite turbulent and the thermals were poorly formed and leaning well back. It was really difficult to get any reasonable height but many pilots pushed off none-theless but to no avail as there were a lot of bomb-outs or short flights of just a few kilometers.

A daring few kept to the high ground and set off towards the north, where conditions became easier, but only Richard Castro, on an Enzo3, was able to make it all the way around back to goal. Louis Tapper and Jan Necas made some fine efforts but landed well short also. It was not a high-scoring task but great fun to go to a new site and get to fly in some funky air!

Day 2 turned out to be a ‘cracker’. It was hot and light winds were forecast. Treble Cone was chosen as the launch. Normal protocols were followed and the 55km task set for a 1300 start. To keep the pilots well away from the northern parts of the Matukituki Road, a small ‘cats-cradle’ was first set near launch and then a long leg east out towards Roys Peak, across to the Criffels (Mt Barker) and on to Tarras.

Left; Womens category winners l-r; Nina Harrat (2nd), Jessica Green (1st), Eva Keim (3rd)

Left lower; Sports Class winners l-r; Mal Haskins (2nd), Jan Necas (1st), Aaron Ford (3rd)

Below; Aaron Chesterman & Rebecca Rae dining in Wanaka

Photos; Louis Tapper

Right; Arriving at Glendhu Bay goal

Photo; Melanie Heather

What a great flight! Blue skies, lots of lift (not too strong), some challenging crossings, then some tricky saves on the Criffels and a long final glide and race to Tarras.

Twenty-seven pilots made goal. Richard Castro won the day followed closely by Louis Tapper, both on Enzos, then Mark Hardman and Aaron Chesterman. Of note, however, was Nina Harrap, on a Gin Carrera, in her first competition, who made goal exactly one hour after the winner to also claim her personal best distance flight. Well done Nina!

A BBQ at Ealy Point had been planned and a good crowd turned up in fine weather for fine fare. It’s always nice to have a social event other than flying to promote competition camaraderie. The 29th December, and final day, was blue and fine but with increasing northerlies forecast as a cold front approached. The pilots congregated at Treble Cone once again and a 37 km ‘cats-cradle’ task was set with a landing at Glendhu Bay.

My flight instrument looked a bit busy and confusing at launch with all the turnpoints but it sorted itself out as the flight progressed. Some pilots managed to get high prior to start and others ended up low and scratching along the lower slopes. As usual, the ‘elevator’ on End Peak proved a blessing but there was some lifty and rough-ish air around, so much so, that some pilots elected to give the task away and land in spite of reports from up the valley and, as we could see, out on the lake, that the wind was fine.

Rob Boyle took a ‘hell-of-acollapse’ close to the ground at End Peak, elected to give it away and landed safely at bombout. Many pilots continued however and were rewarded by a great flight and well earned drinks at the new “Glendhu Bike” bar on the Motutapu Road near goal. I think this will prove to be a regular goal and venue for future competitions.

How great it is to be able to, in turn, support the local businesses that support our sport. Tracks were hastily up-loaded and scored to ‘Highcloud’, then a brief closing ceremony and prize giving was held at Glendhu Bike. A special thanks also to ‘Kawarau Bridge’ and ‘The Ledge’ Bungy for their kind donation of $800 of vouchers.

As usual, results can be viewed on the ‘Highcloud’ scoring platform. Richard Castro won the competition from Louis Tapper and Aaron Chesterman. For the girls, it was Jessica Green who took top honours, then Rebecca Rae and Nina Harrap who once again made goal on that third task. Jessica also appears to be a new up-and-coming star as she has only been flying for about three years. When the final results were tallied and submitted to the NZPRS this ‘Southern Fun’ competition generated more points than both the last two National competitions. It is certainly becoming the ‘must do’ competition on the New Zealand calender. I think we can thank the fine southern weather and great southern flying environment for that! Are we really the ‘Southern Softies’?!!! As at January 1st, Southern pilots account for five of the top ten places on the NZPRS. It is truly a very special place to fly. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all that competed and assisted. In a way you all did!

Right; Loads of turnpoints in the cats cradle task at Treble Cone

Photo; Louis Tapper