Looking North towards Dormillouse.

Here we are for the 11th Chabre Open.
The competition was full and fully paid in 7 minutes; and we thought 11 minutes last year was unreal. Sorry to all of those that didn't get in, its a bit like trying to get Rolling Stones tickets.

The pre-comp week was such fun. Some flying in Saint Vincent Les Forts and some off Chabre and Bergies. Personal bests, some strong and some weak climbs, some lightning and thunder, all mixed in to the happy pot.

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Chorges landing zone.

The usual Practice task is today. It is looking a bit too Westerly for Chabre so Buc May be the call..

We went to Buc and half the field got to launch before the big black sky started leaking. We ran away and cancelled the day.

The sun is out, the sky is blue, the trees are dancing a little too much. We don't know yet, but it isn't looking good for a task...

The day was cancelled and around half the competition went to St Vincent Les Forts. The day started quite inverted but developed nicely and I think everyone had a lovely day.

The sun is out, the sky is blue, the wind has gone. Some forecasts have storms predicted for later, some don't.

An elapsed time task was set to Aspres via Col St Ange and the East end of St Genis; avoiding any big development in case it happened, which today it didn't.

The task was cancelled fairly early on for an incident requiring a helicopter close to launch, everyone got out of the area very fast. A lot of pilots were in the air and went on to make goal.

In the evening we had an inspirational talk by Olivier Peyre. He told us about his zero carbon trip around the world: With sail boats, bicycle and paraglider. It took him 7 years and his book is coming out soon.

It is with great sadness that the incident involving the Swiss Pilot, Gordan Vosicki, proved fatal. All of us - the organisation, his Swiss team mates and all the competitors here - would like to express our sincerest sympathies to his wife, family and friends.

Today we are having a rest day. Some talks and an open question session with Jocky for those that want it. Those that want to are going to fly. We will be thinking of our lost friends.

The majority of the competition tried a 40km task from Bergies to Salignac under an ever whitening cirrus-filled sky. It started hard and got harder. 5 Pilots made it into goal but found it very slow and tricky. The day won't score for the competition.

The Pizza and Paella night in Ribiers never disappoints. Filling the town square with people and music, it was a good night.

Music in Ribiers.

Today is forecast windy from the North West. After much deliberation, the day was cancelled and St Vincent Les Forts was offered as a free flying option.

Around half of the competition pilots took the option and some were rewarded with fantastic flying and made it to St Andre.

Today the weather looks a lot better, with light winds forecast from the South and a cloudbase rising to something very decent in the afternoon, but blue. The current world champion Honorin Hamard has arrived with his Ozone hat on and will be flying with us for the rest of the week.

The sky was cloudless as we arrived on Chabre. A 66km elapsed time task was set to Chorges via Col St Ange, Beaumont and La Roche Des Arnauds. It was blue. Launch was delayed twice waiting for the inversion to break, and then it was game on.

Climbs were fairly good from the start and got better as the day progressed. The field was all off in around 45 minutes and two thirds got past Aspres. The run down to La Roche Des Arnauds saw pilots on the flanks of the giant Pic De Bure and then the run down to goal decked a few as the glide was long and some needed top-ups that were there but weak. It was the longest task ever in the Chabre Open and there were a lot of smiling faces for the downloads, even though it went on until late.

41 Pilots made goal with many goal virgins, well done. Winner of the day was Jens Cullmann (Advance Omega Xalps), second was Grant Oseland (Advance Omega Xalps) and third Antares Hazelton (Advance Sigma9).

It is raining. Will it stop?

It did stop. It looked grey and the whole field went to Buc at 12:00. As we arrived the sun was shining and the wind was good. We needed to wait for the cloud to clear on course but the day brightened up nicely.

An elapsed time 33km task to Camping via a turn point at La Platte was set. Launch, at 16:20, was busy. The climbs out took some searching and the congestion closed launch a couple of times. The climbs were good as the field dribbled off in an orderly fashion.

Glides were bouyant, climbs were smooth. Really the task was easy, for those that got the climbs, and hard for those that didn't. Not unusual really. But Fantastic for all those that flew.

The drag race into goal was exciting and pilots rained-in.

61 pilots made goal and celebrated in the sweaty hot conditions. Of those that didn't make goal, the field was very well spread all the way from launch. A fantastic day, for most.

All of the results are on the results page.

Task reports by Mark Graham