SRS Piedrahita: Challenging Conditions Couldn’t Stop Carlos Lopes From Taking the Win

Despite difficult weather conditions, the SRS BGD edition in Piedrahita, Spain, managed to complete three tasks last week, with Portuguese pilot Carlos Lopes ultimately taking the overall victory. Deonir Spancerski (BRA) finished second and Tomas Hallenberg (SWE) came third. In the women’s category, Martina Centa (ITA) claimed the top spot, followed by Adel Honti (HUN) and Magdalena Janaway (GBR). The strongest teams were Gin 2, Airtribune, and BGD.

The opening task, after three non-flyable days, was a gruelling 59km course. A 20km leg into a westerly wind made for extremely tough going, with weak thermals at lower altitudes turning strong and turbulent above. Cloud cover disrupted the rhythm of many pilots, and as conditions worsened, several flyers were forced to land less than 10km from goal.

Rain then brought two non-racing days, but organisers turned the setback into a valuable opportunity. BGD’s Bruce Goldsmith and Brett Janaway delivered a series of trimming workshops that kept spirits high. “The atmosphere in the hall was fantastic,” said Ruth Jessop. “Nobody noticed it was pouring with rain.” Bus trips to Salamanca were arranged, and the two remaining tasks became a live testing ground for newly trimmed gliders — flying the full length of the Pena Negra ridge.

Those final two tasks measured 77km and 109km respectively, and pilots faced constant strategic choices: stick with the reliable ridge thermals and tackle the Villatoro pass, or venture out onto the flats with its longer glides and booming thermals? Most chose the mountains, but the fastest lines turned out to be straight down the middle of the plain. The final day’s penultimate leg delivered one last sting, as a headwind and fading evening thermals caught several leaders off guard.

Carlos Lopes held his lead throughout the competition, and even though he arrived at goal behind the leaders in task three, his consistent earlier results secured the overall win. He capped off a memorable week by winning a BGD Cure 3 in the prize draw. Martina Centa, meanwhile, dominated the women’s standings, winning two tasks on her way to the trophy.

For those working on their flying technique — whether trimming gliders for better performance or building confidence in dynamic conditions — the Harness Simulator is a powerful training tool that lets you practise harness control at home, so you’re better prepared when you get back to the ridge.

Full results are available at Airtribune. Stay up to date with all the latest competition coverage at yowfly.com.