Hang Gliding and Paragliding Volume 44 / Issue 3: March 2014 | Page 38

mountain passes combine to create complex weather patterns
with many convergence lines. The north wind has a tendency
to wash through the passes and create regions of sink and
turbulence in the local area. This flow, along with others in
the valley, also serves to create convergence lines in a variety
of places in the valley. Overall, these conditions make for a
complex and, at times, unpredictable flying site.
The unique meteorology and topology of the site led to
some interesting flying and some memorable tasks. Twice,
the start of the race saw us flying low and fast over beautiful
terrain to the east of launch. Green hills and stunning peaks
to the north made for a spectacular race setting, although the
shallow slope and high speeds focused the mind on the task
at hand and allowed for only brief moments to soak in the
surroundings. The final glide during Task 4 also provided a
unique experience. A convergence line set up along the course

between the last turnpoint and goal. The last 15 km of the
race consisted of full-bar racing, along a line of lift and turbulence. After 15 minutes of white-knuckle hanging on to the B
risers while trying to keep the wing open, I was happy to be
over goal and able to relax.
Sopot delivered another interesting and challenging day
for Task 5, a 129-km flat triangle whose first leg took us to
the west. The crux of the day turned out to be the decision
of whether to follow the mountains on the north side of the
valley or take the more direct route to the turnpoint. The
direct route looked to be the fast and safe option, especially
since we had been burned on previous days by sink near the
mountains, created by the north wind. As it turned out, by
staying high in the mountains the effects of the north wind
could be minimized, making this the fastest line by 20 minutes or more. We didn’t predict this result while analyzing the

ABOVE Dennis Pagen opening the competition for the FAI. OPPOSITE Task meeting | photo by Nick Greece.

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HANG GLIDING & PARAGLIDING MAGAZINE