The year opens with a plan - remain in country for most of the summer and hit a trio of comps (Lumby Air Races, Canadian Nationals, and the Muller XC Classic), then book on over to Italy in the fall to hook up with Kelly @ Austrian Arena and try for the Dolomites.
Of course -> No plan survives contact with reality.
The Canadian Nationals were scheduled to be held in Pemberton the week of the Pemberton Music Festival. Pemberton is a small village of just over 2,000 people and the festival would likely send the headcount north of 40,000.
An epic logistical nightmare.
Needless to say the competition was suspended pending a new location. I am sure it will go ahead, just not entirely sure as to where. If Golden, it will impact attendance to the Muller. If Yamaska (in Quebec), attendance numbers will be low with the majority of the PG population on the West Coast. Lumby, maybe? Who knows...
I know one thing for certain, I do not envy the HPAC comp committee and the eventual organizers.
Nationals removed from the schedule and a replacement desired. Enter the Chabre Open near Laragne-Monteglin, France. Late June/early July. Flights into Marseille are relatively cheap and XC courses are being run both the week before (comp prep) and after (100k distance attempts). All that is needed is medical + 3rd party insurance, IPPI 4, and a willingness to learn. Promising.
The end result: scored a spot in the Chabre (the registration frenzy had the comp fill with 120 pilots in less than 12 hours and a waiting list nearly as long). Attempts to find a way to attend Chabre and do another course with Austrian Arena failed to pan out - travel by rail or air out of Laragne to Bassano would waste two flying days. Instead I ended up booking a spot in the Advanced XC course the week following Chabre with Jocky Sanderson's Escape XC.
So thus far it looks like the Lumby Air Races in June, Chabre Open + Advanced XC course in June/July and the Muller XC Classic in July/August. The Dolomites is likely a no go due to other commitments in the fall.
The 'best laid plan' - at least for now.
Update (2014/03/12):
The 2014 Canadian Nationals have been announced -> Yamaska, PQ. The 2013 Nationals were held there as well with the following stats: 40 pilots registered (~30 competed), 3 tasks held(1 pilot in goal, 11 pilots in goal, no pilots in goal). The site has a reputation of being blown out early amongst the locals that fly there during the summer, which I gather is the reason for the low task count and variability in pilots in goal.
I imagine it was a rock and a hard place decision for the comp committee (see earlier comment regarding a lack of envy). Sadly, with the stats from 2013, it is difficult to justify spending the time and money to go.
On the plus side, Pemberton has an extra year to prepare for the 2015 season.
In addition, it appears pilots are on their own for retrieval for the Muller Classic. The downside of having a month of dedicated rides to launch and retrieve last summer in Europe? -> Scratch the Muller.
Of course -> No plan survives contact with reality.
The Canadian Nationals were scheduled to be held in Pemberton the week of the Pemberton Music Festival. Pemberton is a small village of just over 2,000 people and the festival would likely send the headcount north of 40,000.
An epic logistical nightmare.
Needless to say the competition was suspended pending a new location. I am sure it will go ahead, just not entirely sure as to where. If Golden, it will impact attendance to the Muller. If Yamaska (in Quebec), attendance numbers will be low with the majority of the PG population on the West Coast. Lumby, maybe? Who knows...
I know one thing for certain, I do not envy the HPAC comp committee and the eventual organizers.
Nationals removed from the schedule and a replacement desired. Enter the Chabre Open near Laragne-Monteglin, France. Late June/early July. Flights into Marseille are relatively cheap and XC courses are being run both the week before (comp prep) and after (100k distance attempts). All that is needed is medical + 3rd party insurance, IPPI 4, and a willingness to learn. Promising.
The end result: scored a spot in the Chabre (the registration frenzy had the comp fill with 120 pilots in less than 12 hours and a waiting list nearly as long). Attempts to find a way to attend Chabre and do another course with Austrian Arena failed to pan out - travel by rail or air out of Laragne to Bassano would waste two flying days. Instead I ended up booking a spot in the Advanced XC course the week following Chabre with Jocky Sanderson's Escape XC.
So thus far it looks like the Lumby Air Races in June, Chabre Open + Advanced XC course in June/July and the Muller XC Classic in July/August. The Dolomites is likely a no go due to other commitments in the fall.
The 'best laid plan' - at least for now.
Update (2014/03/12):
The 2014 Canadian Nationals have been announced -> Yamaska, PQ. The 2013 Nationals were held there as well with the following stats: 40 pilots registered (~30 competed), 3 tasks held(1 pilot in goal, 11 pilots in goal, no pilots in goal). The site has a reputation of being blown out early amongst the locals that fly there during the summer, which I gather is the reason for the low task count and variability in pilots in goal.
I imagine it was a rock and a hard place decision for the comp committee (see earlier comment regarding a lack of envy). Sadly, with the stats from 2013, it is difficult to justify spending the time and money to go.
On the plus side, Pemberton has an extra year to prepare for the 2015 season.
In addition, it appears pilots are on their own for retrieval for the Muller Classic. The downside of having a month of dedicated rides to launch and retrieve last summer in Europe? -> Scratch the Muller.
