1st task PWC Chelan,WA

And so it was, my first PWC task. The task was over 90 km with launch at the butte, start was just over the rim with Farmers being the first turn point, then to Coulee city, and goal being at Almira. I had been this way before and made goal, so I was hoping for a repeat. Crazy as it was, I got off launch safely, and there was great excitement, as we did not have to stand in line for 30 to 40 minutes. Since there is no priorityon the first day, there was a great free-for-all. While in the gaggle, with over an hour to start and a weak climb to get above the butte, pilots were at times flying pretty close. Next to me one pilot touched his harness pod to the trailing edge of another glider. It was ok overall, but I always tried to position myself in the thermal or the gaggle so I would have an out if I needed it.
Once above the butte, several of us left to get to the flats. It wasn't the best height to make the crossing, and arrived on the flats fairly low. There was still plenty of time for the start, but weak climbs and struggling I was worried. I saw a couple of pilots dirt just over the rim. The start had an entry cylinder and we could get some height above the flats before going for the first turn point. Just before the start I found myself inside the start cylinder and had to fly out of it, and back into the cylinder to get my start. I lost a little time, but not much. As the day was setting up, I was experiencing difficulty, either it was me or the thermals I was finding, because I wasn't getting as high as would have liked. It was a little turbulent, but I saw some pilots quite high, and somehow I was flying with a group that was stuggling. The thermals were broken, climbing at times at 800 fpm then sinking in 200 fpm down. So it was up and down. It was hard to make a symmetric circle to get a decent climb.
So, made the first turn point at Farmers, and found a climb right around the turnpoint with a few other pilots. Getting to about 8,300 msl glides were filled with a lot of sink. It was difficult to go on long transitions with so much sink. Just before a big crossing over a large canyon, a few of us got a climb to 10,000 msl. On glide I lost 6,000 feet in about 6 minutes. Low and in wind, short of the second turnpoint, I was getting drilled. Now what was difficult was to try to stay on course and find a climb without drifting with the wind too much. I was finding weak climbs and trying to drift a little and then fly upwind, find another climb and step up. Eventually I got back up to 6,000 feet msl. But I was off course line that I did not want to cross Banks lake without a little more height. I ended up landing about 10 km from the second turnpoint.
Well, made a little more then 59 km. Unfortunately, another reserve deployment. Pilot seems ok, but has a few broken ribs. Still Chelan is showing it's true colors and game on flying. No complacency here. Tomorrow looks a little better with a good lapse rate and less wind. Stay tuned.