7 years ago (2016-10-04 12:52:28) :
     The top 3 positions for today were: 1st Ludovic Robert, 2nd Michael Sigel, 3rd Michael Kuffer. %D%A%D

7 years ago (2016-10-04 12:42:38) :
     We now have tracks for all the pilots so the final scores with the leadout points adjusted will be out shortly. %D%A%D%ALead out points depend on how many pilots get to goal (up to a maximum of about 120 pts). The more pilots there are in goal the more points there are available. Pilots who leadout out at the beginning get more points.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 12:17:48) :
     Sadly Yoshiaki Hirokawa from Japan landed 4.6 km short of the end of speed section and didn't get to further practice his thermaling skills on the volcanic plug at Mon Vert.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 12:08:38) :
     On our Fast Retrieve Leaderboard pilots who made the end of speed section but did NOT make goal, have a bar through their time indicating that they will get full distance points but will NOT get time points. %D%A%D%AUp until a pilot reaches the end of speed section, the figure shown, is the distance in kilometres from launch towards goal. AFTER the end of speed section, their time is shown with a bar through it. Once they get to goal, their time points are validated and the bar is removed.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 11:54:23) :
     French champion Jonathan Marin was very close to the end of speed section but like Michael Sigel didn't have enough height and had to go hunting and didn't succeed.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 11:44:47) :
     Michael Kuffer got the end of speed section before Michael Sigel but wasn't able to make the goal field.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 11:11:54) :
     After a long struggle to get the end of speed section Michael Sigel has now made goal.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 11:09:55) :
     Michael Sigel is 2.4 km from goal so should get there comfortably. There is still no sign of Yoshiaki Hirokawa, Ondrej Krupa and Simon Pellissier.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 11:04:23) :
     Michael Sigel has just taken the end of speed section at a height of 670m and should be able to make goal 4km away on the beach, maybe the flute music was the problem afterall.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 11:01:09) :
     Oh dear, the flute music didn't help, local pilot Emmanuel Nicolas has just landed.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:59:28) :
     Michael Sigel is still hanging in there, hopefully some soothing flute music from the Pied Piper Emmanuel Nicolas who is also trying to get the end of speed section, will help.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:51:15) :
     Michael Sigel has managed to climb up to 533m now, the Swiss Gin test pilot is not for giving up.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:49:52) :
     All is quiet in the goalfield at the moment, there isn't even the sound of a distant flute playing.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:47:27) :
     Michael Sigel is now down to 470m, the end of speed section is a vocanic plug so he needs to climb higher, up to about 600 m. All around is flat making the going pretty tough, I bet he will be speaking to the task setters about that tomorrow.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:39:55) :
     All eyes in the goal field are on the skies eagerly awaiting the arrival of Michael Sigel (who is still struggling to get the end of speed section), Jonathin Marin, Yoshiaki Hirokawa, Michael Kuffer, Emmanuel Nicolas, Leo Hamard and Ondrej Krupa.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:38:35) :
     Ludovic Robert has just landed first in goal and has won the day.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:33:07) :
     Ludovic has now got 2.8 km to fly to get to goal to validate the speed points for the distance part (56 km) of the course.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:30:25) :
     Michael Sigel is pushing forward again but is now lower (he's lost 100 m) than he was when he took the climb 5 minutes ago.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:28:54) :
     Ludovic Robert has got the end of speed section whilst Mickael Sigel stopped to climb and has drifted away from the end of speed.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:26:26) :
     Michael Sigel on a Boomerang 10 has stopped to climb so Ludovic Robert on an Enzo 2 might yet catch him up, there is quite a head wind, this is a battle of both manufacturers and local versus international competition experience.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:22:22) :
     Michael Sigel is approaching the end of speed section, as is Ludovic Robert who is higher but further back.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:20:12) :
     The end of speed section is near the south of the island in an area where the locals don't fly much. In fact, Emmanuel Nicolas (the Pied Piper of Reunion) is the only pilot to have flown across the south of the island, across the lava fields which once flowed out of Piton de la Fournaise 2512 m, the only remaining active volcano on the isand which last went off on the 18th of September 2016!

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:10:33) :
     Michael Sigel is at 1000m on an into wind leg to the end of speed section but he should make it.%D%A

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:08:52) :
     The leaders are Michael Sigel, French champion Jonathan Marin, Yoshiaki Hirokawa, Michale Kuffer, Emmanuel Nicolas (who may yet end up having to keep his word and give a flute recital in goal), Reunion champion Ludovic Robert, Czech pilot Ondrej Krupa and swiss Christoph Trutmann.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 10:04:02) :
     The leaders have taken the final turn point after Le Tampon and are now on their way to the end of speed section.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:36:03) :
     At least 10 pilots are maintaining and managing to stay high but they still have a long way to go.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:30:20) :
     The local pilots don t normally fly this far south on the Island so today s task may have taken away their advantage to some extent.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:18:39) :
     The lead gaggle of 4 are low. The 2nd gaggle behind them of 8 are much higher. A 3rd group of 3 have also now just crossed the Cilaos River. ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:18:03) :
     The first pilots have just got to Let Tampon. ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:06:05) :
     The lead gaggle are trying to gain more height on the slopes behind La Rivi re before crossing the Cilaos River. ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:04:45) :
     There are 6 pilots in the 1st gaggle they are about to start trying to cross the big river coming out of the Cirque de Cilaos ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 09:03:50) :
     The lead gaggle ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:53:40) :
     The 2nd gaggle lead by Yoshiki Kuremoto are hot on their heels. ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:53:13) :
     The 2 lead gaggles are high up behind St Louis.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:43:06) :
     The leaders are now 18km down the course. ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:41:10) :
     20 pilots have now past l Etang Sale Les p ERROR

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:15:24) :
     Michael Sigel is half way down the 1st leg 12 km from launch

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:10:14) :
     A lot of those who took off late missed the thermals triggered by the convergence and are now shaking the sand out of their gliders on the beech. .

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:08:14) :
     Today has definitely worked best for those who took off early and had enough time to get high early.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 08:03:54) :
     Most pilots have now got past St Leu and are well on their way to the 1st turn pt after Le Tampon.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:33:26) :
     Ahead it is shady but the clouds look quite active.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:32:43) :
     The rest of the field are hot on their heels.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:32:15) :
     The rest of the field are hot on their heels.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:31:20) :
     About half the field are at base ready to take the start which has just opened having used the convergence to get high.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:24:40) :
     The race is now on for the start. 400 m above launch they have all just dramatically turned in unison. Today is beginning to look a lot more promising.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:21:10) :
     The gaggle to the north are gradually drifting south they are now pretty much above launch with 5kms to go south to the start gate.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:19:09) :
     2 distinct gaggles have formed a big 1 north of take off above Saline and a much smaller one with 5 pilots in it up behind launch en route to the start.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:14:00) :
     French woman B n dicte Saury Jourdain has also just taken off.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:12:04) :
     The pilots are taking off thick and fast now skimming the sugar cane fields below launch as they go.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:08:56) :
     Everyone is going up nicely in the convergence to the north of launch unfortunately at some point very soon they ll need to fly south.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:07:05) :
     Manu has promised us a full length flute recital in goal this afternoon if he gets there. Being a canny local pilot I think he knows 56km is ambitious!

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:03:42) :
     Local pilot Manu the Flute Emmanuel Nicolas has just taken off to loud cheers from the crowd.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 07:00:02) :
     Once again it looks as if there is a lot of humidity making it very tough to get high.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:58:47) :
     Klaudia is maintaining nicely.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:58:28) :
     The pilots who have taken off are all going north to the big canyon to try and pick up the convergence which is wrapping around the island.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:55:46) :
     Klaudia Bulgakow has also just launched.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:54:44) :
     Everyone is standing on the edge of launch watching the progress of Mattieu Vermeil the 1st pilot to launch.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:48:35) :
     For the moment it already looks better than the zero thermals we had yesterday.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:47:36) :
     There is a big risk again today that the cloud cover which is already spreading out towards the sea will close every thing off.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:39:53) :
     The wind dummies are taking off to AC-DCs inimitable words - High Way to Hell in the background.

7 years ago (2016-10-04 06:32:20) :
     The window will open at 10.45 and start will open at 11.30.