Paul flew this day. He was sent on a 3 turn point 215 km task via Newmarket, Rushden and Skeffington. He had a good run round Newmarket and past Grafham Water, but between Grafham Water and Rushden thermal strength decreased rapidly and the cumulus clouds which had marked the thermals up till then disappeared. By the time he reached the turning point at Rushden it was clear that the deterioration in conditions was due to sea air encroachment from the Wash. This killed all lift between there and Skeffington. The leg to Skeffington was a matter of tiptoeing from one weak thermal to the next, all the while slowly loosing height over a landscape dotted with gliders which had been forced to land on their way into or out of the turning point. In the end he landed out in a field with two other gliders just after rounding the Skeffington turn point. He covered 161 km. Only one Club class glider got back.
I went to fetch him with the trailer. This was a straight forward retrieve, so we got back in time for a late dinner and a beer. Paul came 18th: we were maintaining our position.