Hang Gliding World Championship: The Americans are coming!
Jeff O Brien (US) stormed the first task of the Hang Gliding World Championships yesterday, setting a blistering pace around the 162 km course. He took three hours 27 minutes, beating Italy’s Alex Ploner by almost eight minutes. Austria’s Thomas Weissenberger was third.
There was disappointment for some, including Spanish champion and protégé ‘El Nino’ Blay Olmos. He dropped metres short of the goal line to place 52. Some 51 pilots made goal. Curt Warren (AU) and GB team captain Carl Wallbank were also caught out by the headwind low down and landed metres short.
Favourites for the team trophy, Austrian team mates Manfred Rhumer and Gerolf Heinrichs came in seconds apart in 14 and 16. Current World Champion Attila Bertok crossed the line in just under four hours to come joint eleventh with Andreas Olsson (SE).
The task comes after two days of fine but blown out weather in Laragne, the scene of this year’s World Championships.
Follow the action online at www.chabre2009.blogspot.com. Results at www.chabre2009.com
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