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432 km in 3 days on a freeX BLADE
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article + pics |  |
Finally a period of great weather after föhn wind and rain for so many weeks! Beginning Wednesday, May 16th, conditions became better from day to day. Competing in the new International Online XC Competition with my brand new freeX BLADE sports class glider, I started that day with a bumpy and slow ride along the Bavarian Alps into Tyrol. Not yet a great day, but good to be in the air for some hours and 90 km. The way back to my car at Wallberg/Tegernsee took even longer…
The next day looked better: dryer air mass and light winds from the southwest.
I decided to start from a better place than Wallberg, right into the best
thermals of my region: The Karwendelspitze at Mittenwald.
I doubted my forecast, as the day stayed blue and very calm at the south
facing take off. So I launched quite late at 12:30, but could immediately
climb and stay up above the peaks.
I crossed the Karwendel range from west to east, flew over Achensee, now
with pretty small cumulus topping good developed thermals at about 3700
m. After the long glide into Zillertal a very narrow lee side thermal
brought me up again to cloud base and I could follow the wonderful sky
over Gerlos into the famous Pinzgau.
I crossed the valley towards the Tauern at Wildkogel and followed this
range towards the east, hopping from ridge to ridge with the evening sun
in my back. The last glide ended behind Zell am See: 139 km today.
Looking back to take-off after the Karwendel crossing
Looking back from Zillertal to the Achensee.
Racing along Pinzgau.
Overdevelopment south of the High Tauern.
