Saturday 23 May - SW ICL 2015 - Keevil

After scratching around all week to try and muster a team, Henry managed to get one by Friday. That night, they assembled at NHL for prepare and to consume the required beverages before an early start to RAF Keevil. Showing the youngsters how to do it, the pundit demonstrated what preparation truly means by digging out a logger that Charles Babbage would have been proud of but which refused to talk and then the careful preparation of body with 4 pints and some red wine.

Team HOG, JD7 and H5 left NHL at 0700 for the most dangerous phase - following Henry! Hopefully his knowledge of network protocols is better than national speed limits...

After a swift rig for the LAK 12, only an hour!, it was off to brief. A 183 km hourglass shaped task was set, Keevil - Bishops Caundle - Salisbury cathedral - Shepton Mallet - Keevil. Pundits had to go around the turn points whilst the intermediate/novice classes had 5 km/15 km barrels shortening the task for them.
JP and Matt carry out a self-brief of the airfield before they launch and see it
The off-line grid
Coming back from the blue towards Salisbury
Final glide to Keevil

ICL  - a Pundit’s view (John Pursey)
“So a week of badgering from Henry and Matt and a glimmer of hope in the forecast with a cold front clearing, meant that previous domestic promises of attendance at events were forsaken and a last minute drive to NH made Friday evening

Dismal skies to start did not help but on we sped. Keevil for those that have not been is an amazing place with acres of tarmac to rig and fly from and winch launches at £6. The ICL briefing was great, good weather info and commendably pragmatic approach to site checks. The local team were spot on with their tasking, as the sky overhead started to shows perfect little Cu while to the East the Cu were already merging and the far west showed the back of earlier grot.

After a series of encouraging reports from the task setter flying as a sniffer, the grid launched. The retrieve winch set up really showed its advantages with an epic launch rate. Tarmac to roll forward gliders with even the most corpulent of pilots was another obvious plus.

The task was cunningly set with all classes flying the same but with ever larger barrels for the lower classes. Team DSGC once airborne switched channels and were off. The day proved locally very good though the lack of cloud at times held back those with smaller wings despite good climbs in the blue.

I stayed high and comfortable and enjoyed 4 new turning points, none of which I can actually say I saw. Oh for the days of cameras and sooty barographs. Climbs of 6 kt were not uncommon and one of 8+ prompted getting out the camera though it was 7+ by the time it was ready.
7.2 in the blue
Radio calls showed the communal good DSGC progress and randomly the LAK slid over Matt in Sophie near the Park as we did leg 3, the cunning task setting keeping the groups together. A completely unnecessary climb near the final TP cost me 15 minutes but what a view and a very comfortable final glide to land just behind Matt. Henry flopped in shortly after to make it a good day for team DSGC even if not the fastest round the course their speed at queuing and consuming BBQ will be of legend!

Well done to Henry for his captain's enthusiasm and Matt on only his fourth solo X-country.

Now to account for the broken domestic promises...”

After all flying had been completed the BBQ was fired up and the bar opened, as well as discussing the days flights we also had the opportunity to answer the lifelong conundrum: "What is faster along a 6000 ft tarmac runway, a HpH Shark jet or an Audi R8?"

Thanks to the team and all those at Keevil for the great day and a task which made the most of the weather. And in answer to the question; with the car from a standing start and the glider at cruise speed, the Audi can outrun it down the strip. But with a jet assisted RAF style beat up the ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ didn't stand a chance!

Team North Hill get ready to leave