2025-11-27 - Tenerife XPO - Task One - Gravity Attack

Tenerife XPO - Task 1 - Bombed Out
It’s hard to start a competition on the wrong foot. Yes, it was not an easy day in Tenerife but everyone got the same and some made it to glory while I did not find the way.
It was a good flight, that is sure: very nice takeoff, among the first to take to the air.
Gliders were climbing easily despite the shade everywhere.
In the beginning the gaggle climbed over 1200m and things looked nice but, as the start was coming closer we got lower and lower. Anyway it was good start, tagged the first turn points and back to the mountain. Once the gaggle got back into climbing, I found my place again and was feeling confident for the transition back towards the start. I am only talking of few km but in Tenerife, with so much shade, was looking like an achievement.
From here the things got a bit bad… I did not arrive as high as the highest on the other side, what we found down low was not too good and too pretty, I used some time there but then I pushed forward to get a bit on the wind side of the terrain.
That worked at some point, me and a Boom found something over a canyon and we worked it up. Soon others joined and there we were, with a good group that was climbing successfully… but we were drifting backwards with the westerly wind and in front in seemed that some other gliders found lift. When I pushed out of lift towards the next group I knew that was could be the mistake that could end my flight.
Some low crossings over some houses and cables spiced up the glide and eventually I had to accept fate and gracefully settle on a nice field.
Well… it’s a long story for a short flight. Overall it was a nice day in a holiday paradise that contained flying as well so all is good.
An evening run/hike to takeoff and sunset here on top completed the menu for today!
2025-11-27