Day 7 in the South African Nationals. Task for 18m/Open is 664 km. Weather will be good (it should be with this length). It is hot and cumulus is forecast. Lift up to 4 m/s and cloud base 2800 m agl. First start 11:30.
This is todays message on Jonkers’ FaceBook site. At Welkom 10 of 18 pilots fly JS1’s in 18 m class.

It has been pretty tough soaring there in Welkom, but the last couple of days might have real racing weather, though the expectation at this stage is for rain in the evening tomorrow. The good weather started already yesterday when Danish pilot Arne Boye Möller flew a 524 km distance at a speed of 150 km/h.

Bruce Taylor from Australia had a few less good days but this speedy weather looks and feels for him like that at home, so he raced home with 147 km/h on the clock, coming in second for the day behind Arne.
—“I sneaked home in second place today, and that feels good. I was beginning to wonder… There’s nothing like a good fast cu day. You know, when you pull into consistent 9 or 10 knot climbs and watch the altimeter wind up. I lost some time in a couple of places, but tonight I’m smiling again.—“ Bruce Taylor after his flight yesterday.

For all the other news and more about Welkom , you can visit  www.soaring.eu when you like it.

 Bruce Taylor in JS 1 (courtesy of Iain Baker)