WAC Day5-6

Day 5 we  had a few raindrops and we stopped flying for it to clear.   That afternoon we got one flight in and then it stormed, shutting everything down.   Everyone pitched in to secure aircraft and tents and no damage was done, but no more flying took place.   At this point we were only halfway through the third group of pilots.  Yesterday briefing was slid until 1030 due forecast unsuitable weather early, but of course it was fine!   Then we flew the two warm-up pilots, one competition flight, and then the judges video camera broke.   So it seemed like the wheels were starting to fall off and the good lead on the schedule we had built up was slipping away.    After the obligatory 2-hour lunch, we started flying (with a warm-up pilot! - the by now Known Unknown).   The we got down to business and flew the remaining Group III and all of Group II.   Results are now up on the civa-results page.
The temperature yesterday after the change was appreciably cooler and aircraft performance was noticeably increased.  Mike Vaknin, the USA pilot in the hired Extra, flew a very neat Unknown.   Vittorio also got the knife around without a break, but did not do as well.   The scores tally with what we saw, but the 'cheats' on the b-axis from our view point are quite apparent.   These are the tricks we need to learn - cross-box positioning figures are a luxury in many cases.   Using all your opportunities to correct for wind or position figures for the best viewing by the judges is the key to success.   Oftentimes the highest K figure on the sheet is positioning.   Another feature of the top scores is energy.   Flying with panache and speed, without sacrificing accuracy.
All the Free's and Unknowns sequences are available from the WAC website at 
http://www.wac2011.it/wac2011eng/?page_id=24After flying last night the Czech's hosted beer and nibblies, after flying today the Spanish not-the-Spanish-Team is hosting.
Today it is cool and clear, light northerlies forecast, so the direction of flight is opposite what it has been.    The plan is to fly all Group I today, then stop and have tomorrow off before the 2nd Free Unknown.   Also, it has been briefed that only one warm-up pilot will fly - the Russian - and the French are not happy!
The 25% cut after Programmes 1 and 2 looks like being enforced, so 11 pilots will be dropped.   Paul has 7 behind him, Richard only two, so it is unlikely we will go through unless there are is some absolute carnage today, which seems unlikely.