From 6 to 10 July 2009 I
engaged in an amiable paragliding competition with bivouac, called the
Crossfly. The aim of this competition is to fly every day from a bivouac
to a certain goal. If the defined goal can't be reached by flying, the competitors
can also hike to the finish. 92 paragliders - mostly French - signed in
for the Crossfly. Besides the French pilots, there were also some Swiss
and Austrian pilots and even a Belgian delegation of 8 motivated paragliders,
ready to discover the beautiful Haute Savoie.
On Saturday 4 July we were
expected at Passy for pilot registration and first briefing. On Sunday we
were transfered with a chartered bus to Gresse-en-Vercors where our first
bivouac would be installed. A first prologue flight in the afternoon was
cancelled because of bad meteorological conditions, a summer
thunderstorm. Prior to the dinner the mayor of Gresse offered us the
aperitif.
On Monday 6th we were told
on the briefing that weather conditions were better but that we had to walk to
a certain goal. Too much wind was grounding us and only giving us the
possibility of hiking up the mountain and go down on the other side
again. From there we were brought to Saint Hilaire. Here a second attempt to fly was again cancelled because of bad weather conditions. Our camping place was installed in Lumbin near the landing place of Saint Hilaire.
On Tuesday we could finally fly for the first time in this competition, we took the Funiculaire to the starting place of Saint Hilaire and the goal of this day was Barraux, about 15km further north. I didn't managed to reach the goal and was forced to land in La Frette. After packing my stuff in the bag I reached the goal on foot some 10km further. Before going to this competition, Steven had helped me out by lending me a reversible harness/backpack and light-reserve. Compared with my own harness this was about 6kg less to carry on my back. Very thankfull for that, but I still had 15kg to carry anyway, I was glad I reached this goal. A transfer to the second part of this stage brought me to the foot of a hill with 800m height difference. It started raining and I decided to abandon for today, I had only a rain jacket but nothing to protect my backpack. As there were some more stages the following days it was also a tactical decision, save energy for the next days to come. Our bivouac was situated in Aillon-le-jeune. Many competitors arrived totally wet, exhausted and only some happy few managed to reach the goal flying.
On Wednesday we were transfered to the village of La Féclaz. Goal to reach today is Talloires at the lake of Annecy. From La Féclaz we had to walk 7km up to the start of Le Revard, together with Bart and Laurent I hiked the climb at hight speed, after an hour the 3 Belgians reached the top as first. Leaving the rest far behind, on the little start we had time to prepare our wings for take off. Conditions were good and Bart, Laurent and I took off. Bart landed in a field and I would finally join him in the same field, just before the famous Semnoz in Les Mièges. Bart and I didn't wanted going up hiking the mountain again for another flight, we started walking in the direction of our goal, not sure if we would reach it. The stage ended that day at 18:30 and we didn't reached the goal, finally Bart was walking a bit faster than me and I just kept my own walking rythm. I just reached Annecy after a walk of 21km. That evening I needed my first massage, my shoulders and feet were hurting. Just as the two other bivouacs before, we received also in Talloires a warm welcome. Local paragliding clubs, schools and shops organised a great evening meal and provided cosy camping place.
On Thursday we got the choice to start at the 300m higher start of Planfait or at the 1000m higher start of Col des Fretes. The last one was my destination for the flight of today. The hike was very steep and physically hard, my shoulders were still hurting from the stage the day before. I reached the Col, the view is one the most beautiful I saw at the lake of Annecy. The flight was nice, I reached cloudbase, was ready to transfer but a wrong decision forced me to land somewhere in the dry part of a river bed. Lost some time to take the glider out of some little bushes. After folding I had to cross the wet part of the river... Again lost of some precious time. I walked some 8km until the stage ended at 18:30. The goal was only 4km further. Our bivouac is in La Clusaz, we are camping at 1400m, it is humid, cold, there are no showers in the surroundings, neither toilets, we need to walk down to the village to find them. Lights go out very soon today, everybody is glad to find his tent and warm theirselves in their sleeping bags.
Friday, already the last day, last hike of the week I hope, the climb is about 800m up, starting at 2200 on the Col du Merle. Wind is weak but good to start, we fly around the mountain and arriving at the leeside most of the pilots are flying down. The expected thermals at this side are as weak as the wind on the other side of the mountain. I try to catch a weak thermal that already attracted some other pilots, but it's turbulent and the heightgain is not interesting. I choose to land in Le Plan. I still have time. End of the stage is foreseen at 16:30. It is 14:00 and I start another hike up the mountain, again 800m going up, today I am decided to reach the goal flying, even if I don't make it in time. I arrive at the Petit Croise Baulet at 16:10. My second flight of the day will bring me at the goal at the lake of Passy. I am very satisfied I reached it, only 15min after closing time.
The blameless organisation of this second edition of the Cross Fly makes me already decide to participate again next year. Special thanks to Arnaud, Caro and all the volunteers, the catering and the pilots for making this a never forgetting and wonderful adventure.
Again lost of some precious time. I walked some 8km until the stage ended at 18:30. The goal was only 4km further. Our bivouac is in La Clusaz, we are camping at 1400m, it is humid, cold, there are no showers in the surroundings, neither toilets, we need to walk down to the village to find them. Lights go out very soon today, everybody is glad to find his tent and warm theirselves in their sleeping bags.
