Saturday, May 8th
    There is still a fire smouldering on Stranik, after the yesterday's party; and a nearby small sausage might do a fine toasted breakfast for one of the hungry pilots, maybe for sleepy Karel, who is looking at it with a weather eye.




    It looks as if the weather is saying sorry to everyone, who stayed here on Stranik all week. It is a sunny day from a morning and what is important; the wind is west and mild. Even before ten a.m there are some eager persons testing the thermals - it does work - and there is a 34km long discipline announced on a briefing before the midday. The discipline is "Race to goal" with a turning point Lutis and with a usual landing zone behind Cadca.

    The attempt of Juraj Kleja for a quick launch right after the opening of a starting window at 12:00 unfortunately finishes in the bushes under the south launch, which vacates a space for prepared Karel Vrbensky, who has apparently come this year to Stranik to get a trophy. And because is the starting point opening at 12:10, the starts of the other follow quickly and there si not a one competitor on a Stranik at 12:30.

    The basis of cumulus are today in the high altitude of 2000 metres and the progress to the first turning point is quite fast. But after that is the heaven getting cloudy again, first showers are appearing and most of the late comers are forced to land on the second branch of the skyway. Karel Vrbensky flies to the biggest distance from the leading group, and he needs only four kilometres to get to goal behind Cadca. As a second lands on a 25.th kilometre Jaroslav Janduch and 500m further is landing as a third Peter Vrabec. At 14:30 it is raining on Stranik as well and the results are being processed.

    The placing in today's discipline is therefore also the total placing of this year's competition and the announcing of the winners will supposedly take a place tomorrow on the first briefing of the second race of the Czech league. First place was thus lured away from Slovaks by Karel Vrbensky and Hanka Matyaskova in a women's category and Canadians in hockey.



    Finally there is nothing else left than to thank the team of "Haliganda Pub" for a good food and drinks in the hangar in the first days of the competition and of course, thanks to the Gradient company for the sponsorship of this reportage.