Thank you. Hannes, Christoph, Nick, Harry and Team, Claudia and team for a

fantastic and well run race .

To all the other teams well done to you all and thanks for the company and

the jol!!

Cheers pierre and james

And so it is with a sad but content heart that I bid you all fare well, we

gave it our best, but the tides were against us. Recovery from the bug/

virus came to slowly and the catabatic winds this morning are to strong to

launch, so we wait at a closed gate. Till next time.

Salue pierre and james

After feeling a bit upbeat yesturday morning we tool a rout that should have

taken me 5 H and ended up taking double due to my body relapsing back to its

origional state when the Doc saw me, this bug/ virus. Does not wont to

leave.

As u can see we have dropped to the back as I have to rest before I can

carry on, We pray Chrigel makes Mt blanc before the next elimination, as

then they stop and the heads don't roll, Wind to strong to fly and hope to

get over the next Mt. Infront of me....

Whilst mist enshrouds Pierre at the top of Monte del Pascolo,he sits and

drinks tee in the hut on top,waiting for flyable conditions.

Hi to all, feeling a bit brighter after a good nights rest but only about 70

per there, concidering I felt like Death its a great improvment, So after

struggling up a mountain yesturday for a long glide with deep ravines and

plenty high wires to look out for and a short walk we booked our selves into

a b and b to try feel human again. The Doc poped in at12 pm and adminsyeted

some more intravenus drugs, aparently I have picked up some virus that wont

leave, so although feeling better. I...

So as I was saying I landed and felt realy weard called James and asked him

to get the Doc as in a true SA way" Iets was now Lekker" and so after

shivering mu way down to J. And the Doc he anownsed I had dehydrated,

heatexsaustion and something ells to me it felt like the worst hangover with

a high fever througn in, he promptly. Slung up a drip and proceeded to put

some other chemicals in I was very happy as this looked like the stuff "to

keep the motor. Tuning" u know that song.

He the...

We're at the end of the Brunico valley, this photo looks back east towards

Sillian. The plan now is to hike to the top, another 300m in height, then

fly down to Luson over the west sunny faces. From there, we'll play by ear.

So as I wad saying whilst walking through a small town in Italy. I had

landed feeling realy funny, so called J. And asked him to get the Doc. On

reaching them a couple of ks down the road I was feeling a lot worse some

thing like a Bad hangover and the worst feaver mixed intogether with it all

conning out both ends, The doc said dehydration, exsaustion, and something

in German, He promtly but up a drip wich made me smile as things can only

get better now, put some other stuff in the...

Yesterday was great and realy beutiful mountains and then the slow punture

started when flying I fell asleep Five times maybe more, once being rudly

slaped awake by my wing tip. It was during one of these episodes that my

misty mind came to the conclution all was not well. When trapped between

thunderstorms in front and to the sides a ns not feeling at all well I

dcided t land

Over development and a strong valley wind puts the wise on the ground. The

wiser drive the vans...

Finally one of our tactics worked! After a cold night high up at the

mountain hut and a difficult launch this morning, Pierre glided over the

heads of 5 leaders! We got to the hut early so had a few extra hours of

sleep. Pierre has fresh legs this morning and his hunting down the two

exhausted guys ahead of him.

Honza managed to glide into an adjacent valley this morning so is a few km

ahead of Pierre. Pierres route takes him up and over a peak,into a large

valley north of Sillian. From here, we should be in italy late tonight or

early tmrrw morning.

The wind is howling, only one nut case brave enough (dumb enough) to fly.

The frenchman launched, had many asymetric collapses and was glad to be back

on the ground.

So, Honza and Pierre had to make a tough decision this morning: walk up the

steep valley side and try launch, or continue up the path on foot. In this

case, the wind was too strong to fly and the time cost them an extra 3

hours, not to mention the extra fatigue. Nonetheless, they plod on towards

TP3.

High in the Alps

WE HAVE OPTED NOT TO FLY STRONGWINDS COMMING IN SO WERE GOING FOR A HIKE IN

THE MOUNTAINS

Early morning starting. To look. Like a good day

Hope you can see the cloud definition. :-)

With the athletes gone, the supporters do things like drying shoes. For us,

we can't drive any further, despite being within 10km of the TP. Its a 100

odd km drive round, via Zell am See, to the Grossglockner valley.

Or catch me if you can...

Maurer in front, FRA, USA and RSA together planning a route to the

Grossglockner.

TP3 is in the parallel valley, west of us. The pilots have decided to try

find a launch high up and either fly to the end of this valley, or bomb into

the next.

LETS FLY

Pierre, followed by Honza shortly after, glide down to St Johann. The valley

wind below is in their favour. Many pilots negotiating the convoluted

streets on foot, doing it this way should prove to be a big advantage.

ALL WELL FEAT TIRED

The lower Dachstein cable station this morning. The 10 odd pilots who slept

on top now have to descend the 1000m using the via ferrata, instead of

flying off.

Well the 11pm cut-off now impacts stratergy. For those walking on the roads

behind us, its not really a problem. For those moving onto the Dachstein, it

is. Pierre has just departed for the homers hut halfway up. He has two hours

of light left and 3.5 hours until the cut off. He should make the 8 km hike

in time. Two or three other tea.s have done the same move, including Maurer,

so they should all be having a jolly good time together there.

Pierre has good flying, despite being seriously...

After a good days flying, the wind suddenly picked up and the temperature

has plumetted. Pierre doing well, at base of the NW side of the Dachstein.

We need to decide where to sleep, either at the end of road, or up at

climbers cabin halfway up. Snow forecasted for the top during the night.