With the forecast predicting the wind to increase we were concerned when it reached 22mph at 11am. As more pilots arrived there was a reduction and Sean launched to test the conditions and gained good height. Very soon everyone was in the air and my aim was to climb and depart the hill ASAP. Watching the positions of everyone gave a mental picture of where the thermals formed. Ian H was over the quarry and climbing tight and quick. Tim P pushed out to join beneath. I had a weaker climb but decided to stick with it as everyone wanted a piece of the action.

It paid off. My thermal converged with Ian and Tim and we climbed together. Nobody made a move so I shot off for the next cloud with Tim and Steve N in hot pursuit. Ian altered course keeping further north than us with less Cu than the line we were flying. I had to slow down and wait for clouds to form ahead or head off into the blue. It was hard finding anything substantial to climb and then the voice of Sean burst through on the radio. He was near Fordingbridge with Andrea chasing with the car. I had to turn the radio off as the chatter was breaking my concentration. Tim and Steve were slightly south of me and found a good climb to pass me and head north into the blue. I waited, then chased after them when Steve found a climb and Tim joined him. They climbed out and continued north but I struggled to find anything solid and now had to concentrate on keeping out of the airspace. Ian had found the best line keeping further north so did not have to fight the airspace. Tim and Steve now latched onto Ian and followed him. Ian was determined to reach his goal but rather than push it, chose a safe landing which was a wise move with the wind picking up. Tim meanwhile, altered his course to land near a railway station after doing a good impersonation of father christmas over the rooftops of Farnham. My flight ended near Stockbridge and it was my lucky day to hitch a lift almost back to the hill. Thanks to Marcus for picking me up and driving back up the track to my car. When Ian arrived at Tisbury station, we celebrated his site record in the pub.