Race Sequence

I was reading my last post and I thought it would be useful to describe the structure of gliding race flight for those unfamiliar with the sport.

I will split the flight into four main parts:

1. The start
2. The climb / Glide sequence
3. Turn points
4. The Final Glide

The Start - as in sailing the start phase is critical to get right. You want to start at the right weather window but also at the right racing window with the right people. The start can be nerve racking.

The Climb / Glide sequence - this is the main part of the flight. Gliders gain height by stopping to climb in thermals. These can be anything from 100 to 1000 feet per minute and typically we will climb around 1500 to 2000 feet in each climb.  If you climb 1000 feet at 100 feet per minute, that's 10 minute; if you climb the same height at 500 feet per minute, that's only 2 minute. Any minute that you climb is a minute you don't go forward. So you need to find and only stop in the very best climb and ignore the weak climb.

Once you climb you then in the glide phase. You glide forward at around 70-80 knots, that's about 80-90 miles per hour for club class glider. As you are climbing you lose height. The faster you go, the faster you lose height, so it's a game of constant trade off. Any height you lose in the glide you have to gain in the climb. You can improve the glide phase i.e. lose less height in the glide, by varying your route to pass in areas of air which are going up, that;s why the best route is never a straight line in gliding.

More tomorrow.