Swiss Pilot Fabrice Thiébaud wins the first Task in Switzerland

The day commenced on an unpromising note, with rain and dense cloud cover greeting the pilots on their ascent to the takeoff near Amisbühl. Assessing the challenging conditions, the task committee—comprising Martin Scheel, Christian Maurer, and Baptiste Lambert—deliberated extensively before outlining a 35.9km zigzag task, later revised to 33.9km.

Following a 1.5-hour wait at the takeoff site, the first pilot launched at 13:30 amidst persistently weak conditions. However, just 30 minutes before the scheduled 14:30 start time, a significant improvement in conditions elevated later departing pilots above takeoff height.

Navigating the intricate zigzag course proved demanding for the pilots, particularly given the subdued thermal activity.

Fabrice Thiébaud clinched victory, crossing the finish line at 15:57 with a five-minute lead over the runner-up. A total of 44 pilots successfully completed the task.

Reflecting on the day’s events, Thiébaud remarked, „It was Better than expected! The Beginning was very difficult and the thermals really weak, which made it impossible to get some good hight, but shortly before the Task began, everything improved!“

Event page
https://pwca.events/world-cup-grindelwald-interlaken-switzerland-2024/

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https://pwca.events/world-cup-grindelwald-interlaken-switzerland-2024/#results

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