Tuesday 2000-8-15
    Because meteorologists once again predicted a possibility of afternoon thunderstorms, the entire racing field headed out to Karlova Hola without delay immediately following the morning briefing. No hanging around in the village of Sumiac or eating ice-cream bars, to the evident sorrow of local girls.




    Two surprises at once awaited us atop Kralova Hola. A strong inversion up to approximately 1600 m above sea level and thus a gorgeous view northward onto the entire panorama of the High Tatra Mountains and, unfortunately, a northwesterly wind. The southern runway thus was out of the wind. Fortunately the wind was relatively weak, and it could be predicted that the waking thermics would allow taking off on the South side of the crest.



    In any case it was immediately clear that the forecast storms aren't that realistic, and the hurry eased off. Distinct signs of thermic activity began to appear above the crest and everything indicated that today it would really be there.




    The announced event took this into account. The turning point at the 75 km distant peaks of Pansky Diel above Banska Bystrica and back to the goal at the village of Predujna. So an overall distance of 95 km.




    "But it's blowing from behind!" the surprised voice of Petr Tucka was heard, who'd just noticed that the smoke from his favorite pipe is being carried off in an unusual direction. But this was already half an hour after no one had been moving too far from their jittering wings and some had even turned down the cross bars and weighed down the carrying surface with big backpacks and lunches.

    "Slovak girls were again thrilled at the presence of Czech pilots atop Kralova Hola and the constant admirers of Honza Matejovsky and his wing with the odd big fin at the end of the rudder even promised to cross their thumbs for him all afternoon that he make it to the goal. As was later seen they meant it seriously.

    Thanks to the weak wind at our backs we had to take off into the thermic breezes, of which, fortunately, after 13:00 there were enough. The forming cloudiness was continuously pushed toward the front of the runway by the weak northwesterly wind, and so perfectly prevented a successful catching. So for the first riser it was necessary to fly onto the course.



    Thermic conditions on the route were already excellent and the bases at 2600 m above sea level rose markedly during the afternoon. Avoe Dumbier, racers even turned bases at an altitude of 3100 m above sea level. From the high altitude the entire Tatra Mountains could be seen beautifully, as well as the Litovka Mara reservoir and of course deep down across the entire crest of the Low Tatra Mountains.

    Dan Vyhnalik appeared at the goal first with a precisely calibrated down glide and his lead in the first position went over 1000 points. 44 minutes later Ivan Vlk with Vlada Koretz flew in. "Clap Clap I'm here!" announced, in his usual manner, Mira Cap at 17:39 above the goal line, who today, for yesterday's bad experience, flew in with a sufficient height reserve, just to be sure.



    Honza Krofta unfortunately melted off his final glide in and fell short of the goal by a mere 800 meters. Exactly the same misfortune befell Per "Pedro" Nedoma and he had to walk to the goal. But again today Honza Matejovsky made it all the way over the line and his lead in the 10th position in front of the 11th place Ivan Satra rose to 279 points. The long-awaited by Lucka Knoblochova Radek Dykast also appeared after all above the goal after 3 hours and 43 minutes, and so third place in the overall placing was thereby still his. Altogether 10 racers made the goal today.



    An incredible warrior proves to be Honza Sokol in the newcomer's category that made it through the 85 km of the route and landed at the roadside at 19:00 in the evening. His point gain immediately took him to 13th position in the overall placing.

    From tomorrow begins simultaneously along with the 2nd Czech Republic Championship, the International Podbrezova Cup 2000 and all the Czech racers of course signed up. That very evening Dan Vyhnalik was looking over with delight the large trophy cup prepared for the winner of that race by the organizers, and judging by the current looks of things in the Czech Republic Championship, it is not impossible that the Champion of the Czech Republic 2000 will take home the trophy of Podbrezova as well.