First task of the Worlds

After 2 days of bad weather we had very little hope of a task day due to the very cloudy sky & threatening rain, but ever the optimist Godfrey summoned us all to a hill briefing at midday.
I sat under a shady tree while everyone got their gliders ready on the north launch. It felt to me that we would move launches & i didn't want to have to repack or lug my glider around more than necessary.
After the window opened the wind switched & team UK moved to the west launch in a very civilised manner unlike those who had to drag their entire kit to the opposite side of the hill. Cloudbase was pretty low & i climbed out to 1600m & the wipsy bits within minutes. No-one wanted to go on course so we minced about at base for an hour before I got completely bored & thought 'stuff it' 140 gliders then sat at base for the next hour while I went for a very pleasant fly!
It was a risk heading off completely alone across the valley but in my head I forgot the comp & just went flying xc. Fortunately the places that should work did work & I was the first across on the 'town-ridge' for a very low climb out from the dump. As I cleared the hill crest the next gaggle came to join me & we climbed to base together for the glide to Halls Creek Church turnpoint. The climbs were pretty weak but it was a typical Manilla day for patient flying..I took everything that was going up but got very low at the tp. The designer of my glider 'Franta' joined me in a low save at the turnpoint & we screamed to base together in the only strong climb of the day. He said he had seen my glider from 5km away & was really happy that i found a climb for him - we were going round wingtip to wingtip laughing like kids!
Anyway to cut a long story short, I started the final glide to goal to see all the top pilots just coming out to turnpoint from launch. It was a VERY happy me landing in goal just after Mark Watts & before Steve Ham :-))))
It was a day when pushing out early paid off & all the top-guns from Germany & Switzerland got caught out & didn't make goal by the land-by time. I guess that the German & Swiss pilots will all have been beaten with the 'naughty stick' by their team leaders last night! I would like to have been a fly on the wall in those team houses!!