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Windy One

It looked good earlier on, lovely cloud street from the Waitakeres north over Moirs.

Unfortunately by the time I got to launch the street had gone and the wind had crept up.

Dave Austin (HG) made an appearance after I had muffed a couple of launches in what was top of my range conditions.

He had launched earlier and flew for about half an hour before it died and forced him to bottom land, during which he twisted his ankle. Still he climbed back up the hill to show me his swollen ankle, watch me try and get blown over the back, and fetch his car.

Luckily I managed to kill my wing before disappearing in to the valley behind, unfortunately it took a little while to untangle it from the bushes.

While contemplating my next step, Jeff Ripley turned up, he reckoned it was a goer, yeah right.

Here's the NZ Champ., I'm sure if he can fly I can :)

The wind is now steady at somewhere between 15 and 20 knots probably gusting higher.

He launches, has a collapse a few metres out, corrects, and pushes hard. He's still pushing until eventually climbing out and disappearing downwind toward Warkworth.

Not for me, packing up I head back up the track to the car.

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