Chelan

I’m in Chelan for the next week or so, for the Chelan XC Open/Pre-PWC/Canadian Nationals. Got here yesterday, mid-day, in time to see a gaggle of pilots finally get high on the Butte (apparently they had been scratching since it had been overcast until now) and make the crossing to the flats. After getting up on the flats they flew NE, aided by the SW winds. Pilots were scattered all the way from Mansfield to Grand Coulee.

As the afternoon went on it got windier and windier, so no more flying except for that early gaggle. The forecast was for it to remain windy into Sunday, and get light on Monday (the first day of the comp).

Sunday was indeed windy, much more so than Saturday, and only 3 brave souls dared launch into it, all of them landing in the Chelan Falls LZ. It didn’t look very fun. The rest of the day was spent lounging in the LZ or the beach.

Vital Statistics for the comp:

Minimum distance: 5 km
Nominal distance: 40 km
Nominal time: 1.5 hours
Nominal in goal: 30%

Task Committee:
Bell Belcourt
Josh Cohn
Keith McCullough
Brian Webb

Safety Committee:
Jack Brown
Tom Moock
Will Gadd
Brad Gunnuscio

Protest Committee:
Doug Stroop
Bernard Winkelmann
Matt Beechinor