First 50 km, last 45 minutes
Part 1 of 2
Both are critical to your overall speed! Why? Typically your first glide & climb will set the tone for the day, and your transition to final glide & pace to the line will finish it on a high! While everything in between is climb & glide, which we can all do about the same.
Remember the article judging your speed I recently wrote, this comes in particularly handy when it comes to lining up the start of your day. It gives you strength, power & confidence in the first place, to wait patiently, then charge when the opportune moment comes along.
What am I looking for in those crucial first 50km? Many things, of course, I'll try to explain below!
Down-Cycles
Down-cycles, what do I mean by this? Have you ever found yourself scratching at base, trying to stay up, looking for anything that will keep you at altitude, desperately trying to start because times ticking? Well, this is a down-cycle, delay your start, relax, let others head out on track with a smile, knowing for well, you'll be catching them very soon. They'll be out of sync for most of the day, scratching their heads, wondering what they did to deserve this! So avoid this, what you want is,
Up-Cycles
Up-cycles in the weather, these are the times that it seemingly seems that you can't do anything wrong, it's easy to stay up, you're using brakes to stay out of the cloud, life seems great. Well, what are you waiting for? Go!! It's important to time these up-cycles, but they typically nly last 15mins in AUS at least. What you'll find is that you & the glider will be able to stay in this cycle with a little bit of care
The first line out, get it very clear in your head your first track out & all the possibilities that are available. I like to make a false start before the gate opens, finding key ground features to use when up high & assessing the start. Then it's a game of patience, wait for the perfect cloud street to line up, go time, the speed will come easily!
My weakness is my selfishness, I really don't like to mark the first climb (or any climb for that matter) for anyone. So I focus on a really long, fast first glide, only stopping for a solid climb that I can center in one turn. Get this right & you'll feel just great, also because if you've got any followers, they're likely not to still be with you.
By the end of 50km, starting in an up-cycle & with your patient route planning, your speed will still be high & generally, it will stay high. Until you transition into the final glide...
Tune in next article for more!
Adam Woolley was born into the gliding world, being the 3rd generation in his family. Going solo at 15, his thirst for efficiency in soaring flight & quest for a world championship title to his name has never wavered. One big passion is sharing his experiences & joy with other glider pilots all around the world. Adam is an airline pilot in Japan on the B767 & spends his off time chasing summer around the globe. He has now won 7 national Championships & represented Australia at 5 WGC's & 1 EGC.
