Halftime and…. back!
What is your mindset Rocky, and what can do Mickey to make the best of it? Does he need to push you in the corner? To calm you down? To make you focus back on one detail?… The Art of Coaching.
After 3 races and 3 wins for Sean Fidler, it was time for a very convenient halftime break with a cancelled day due to poor weather conditions (stormy). A proper Halftime many sports get in their rules. Usually, in other FAI IGC competition running for almost 2 weeks long (yes, 2 weeks!!) there is mandatory day off in the middle, a pause to make all teams rest. In a Sailplane Grand Prix, as it is a short one week length, with fast 2,5 hours tasks, no such pause is programmed.
But for USA, this convenient halftime is the right time for the top pilots to think, to think hard.
What are the cards you have in hand? What would say the coach to each of them?
Let’s start with Fidler.
“Sean, watch me Sean! Sean, You are 3 days win, 30pts, +12pts compare to the 2 next best pilots, Zube and Silva. What do you think? Quite a comfy cushion, no? It is time to start the process of managing the race Sean, instead of trying to win each days with a more risky approach! So, what tactics to apply to try to manage a race in a continuously evolving situation sailplane racing is and means ? Sean! You need to apply the basic of that philosophy : check the 2 guys you are directly competing with, try to not lose them in flight Sean! With this, it means a maximum of -2pts (-3pts if they are in the top3 of the day) lost per day for you Sean, worst case! Minus 6 to -9pts cumulated in the last 3 races. Perhaps -10pts if there is a bonus for the winner on last day. But still +2pts for you Sean, at the end of the comp, you are the winner Sean!”
And what about Silva and Zube (18pts each)?
“Well, hey guys, sorry but perhaps the ticket of the winner is gone already, but you still have a 2nd place to reach and it could be enough, isn’t it? Ok? So let’s try to play this! Well, I think Fidler is a good horse, what do you think?… He knows the place, and you proved that you can keep the pace with him, so why not playing with him? Perhaps he will start to manage the race but you are also with a +7pts compared to Robin Clarke who is 4th in overall ranking, quite some comfort no? Yeah ok, so let’s do this and we will figure out who is best between you 2 in the last 2 days, not the right time for that today. Build up your strong chance for 2nd place today, don’t lose it, and we will figure out later.”
And what about the chasing group (between 9 and 11pts overall) Clark, Frantz, Lee, Nelson, Morozov and Howe ?
“Hey guys, are you here??… It is time now! You are in not so bad position, but today is the day to push or it will be too late! So, take the pole as soon as possible after start line, and then push push push, nothing to lose! You have to put pressure on Silva and Zube, NOW!”
Pop corn bowl was full when the race started! Special thanks to Dave Nadler for playing the Rabbit in flight! I still don’t get it why you flew back after this TP??? Check the race 4 here (courtesy of Richard Owen who is both in organization and competing, don’t forget to sleep Rich!).
Congratulations Jim Lee (now 19pts total) for this clear win in front of Nelson (now 18pts total) and Clark (now 18pts total) who finished 2 seconds from each others!!!! Congratulations to Fidler (now 34pts total) for confirming his leading rank. Congratulations to Silva (now 23pts total) and Zube (now 21pts total) for still having some big chances to get the 2nd place. For Morozov and Howe, today will be probably the last chance to take, bell is ringing guys!
For us following the race? It is the perfect scenario, thank you pilots!!!!
There will be some heat in the cockpits and not only in the sky. The sport drama will come eventually, with winners and losers, with respect and doubts, with many “what if I had done that?” after the race is over. This is proper racing sport.
Have fun in Florida!
All results are here.
Next race in few hours. Weather forecast is promising.
Benjamin Néglais, SGP Core Team
