HGFA Skysailor Magazine

10 SKY SAILOR May | June 2018 T here are a few reasons we pick Westonia. ➲➲ It’s a great little one pub town (population 73) which creates a very social atmosphere in the evenings. ➲➲ Being further east in the wheatbelt reduces the chance of an entire comp being blown out. ➲➲ Good infrastructure with a well maintained caravan park and recreation centre which we have exclusive access to. ➲➲ No airspace, we only have one CTAF around Southern Cross to be concerned about. ➲➲ The flying is good at this time of year, historically we’ve had a good proportion of flyable days during the comp. The People Last year’s second place-getter, Murray Wood (Muzz), offered to be our tug pilot, with Simon Shuttleworth, and John Middleweek (aka South Park) was our duty pilot. Rolf Schatzmann again volunteered his services as Competition Director. The Teams This year we had teams and pilots from all round the state, including a new team representing the newest hang gliding/paragliding club in WA, the South West Air Sports. The club turned up with a good mixture of Supervised, Sport and Open Class pilots and ended up winning the team trophy in their first year of competition. The Sponsors Let’s not leave these important companies and businesses till last. Moyes Gliders again offered a major prize of free entry into the Forbes Flatlands competition (as well as some handy merchandise). This is a much sought after prize and goes a long way to help a WA based pilot travel to Forbes, NSW. Airborne also helped us out, donating a helmet as well as some merchandise. The helmet was used as a pilot’s choice award and went to Sports Class winner Tony Smith. Tony flew the pants off on his Fun 2 and reminded us all that if you know how to thermal, you don’t need the latest rocket ship to fly good distances. The Westonia Tavern donated some meal/ drink vouchers which kept the winners suitably inebriated. The Westonia Gallery Café always donates a bunch of bacon and egg burger vouchers which is not only a great hangover cure, but keeps the pilots sustained for the whole day. The Comp We had a slow start with the first two days being blown out. To break the monotony, we hit the Bowls Club for a knockout competition with 200 team points up for the winner. I thought my team would be onto a winner when our driver announced she was a corporate bowls champion. Wrong again. Day 1 and we’re behaving like caged cats, we have to fly. The task committee send us 72km north to Bonny Rock. Michael Cassells is the only pilot to make goal with Gary coming second. WA State Hang Gliding Championships 2018 2018 was the 5th year in a row we have held the WA State Hang Gliding Championships in Westonia. by Richard Breyley Towing aloft Photo: Sally DeKoning Vic Hare launching Photo: Anna Wright