Hi again!!!!

Alphen aan den Rijn                                     sunday 18-05-2008

 Sorry…. I have been TOO busy!!! But…the fair is over and we did quite well, though both of us are exhausted now!!!!!Due to the fact that it was a 2 week school holiday, it was Whitzun, 28dgr. outside AND MOTHERDAY, it was less busy during this European Art Fair in Amsterdam. But….the good thing is that the turnover was better then last year for this fair and we had our fair share too.Nothing to complain about!

I had the worst cold ever during the whole period [and still ], with bad coughing and sniffling and it felt like my whole body was full of slime, not a nice story but ..it is as it is!As you already expected ,I just went on , but there was no time for writing. Sorry about that!My days started at 10 and finished around midnight!!!!!

The Dutch Nationals are in full swing and started on Mai 13 going till Mai 22[included].As I told you before, they are flown in Stendal in Germany. The week after the fair the weather changed here, but also in Germany, so till now they have only 2 days out of 5, but…a task is set for today!
From the 8 competitors in clubclass a junior member, Renee de  Dreu, is at this stage number 1 on the list. Good on him!!!
From the 17 15-m. pilots former European champion Steven Raimond is number one. In this class some pilots practise for the worlds, so is Steve Crabb from Ireland. They know how strong the Dutch competition is and compare their flying to see where they stand.
From the 27 pilots in open class Dutch top pilot Hadriaan van Nes is ahead of Mac Ichikawa [Japan] and Wolfgang Janowitsch [Austria], former world champion, all within 70 points, so a lot can still happen and the weather for next week will improve!!At least..that is what I heard!

Tasks for today: 201 km for club class, 270 for 15 m and 288 for open class.

The very wellknown Hahnweide competition has finished last week with a Dutch winner in 18 m class.
Ronald Termaat , current European champion won this event, with former world champion Werner Meuser as runner up.
This was already the 42d edition of this competition with a very strong field of compititors and also here …a lot of pilots were practising for the worlds in Luesse.

What more!? The weekend from 8-9-10 Mai was specially good in Austria and Switserland, with nice long cross country flights even a few over 1000 km flights were flown.
One day earlier on the 9th 4 over-1000-km-flights were flown from Wiener Neustadt, former WGC town. One in an ASW 20 AMAZING!!!
Trimmel Hermann, as they call him ,was one of those pilots too. He presented the [very good] meteo during the world comps in WN.
Another ASW 20 flight from over 1000km was flown from Innsbruck. This day more then 50 flights were over 700 km. THAT IS GOOD GLIDING WEATHER!!!!!!OR NOT!??And…yes I know they are flown in the mountains with the advantages of the mountains.
But Holland is as flat as flat can be. Here in Holland they flew on Mai 12 800 km in a Ventus CT 17 m. In Belgium a nice flight was flown by Stan in his PIK 20, 636 km!!!!Worthwhile to mention also; a flight in the ST Libelle from Bert , a former field runner at “our” Sportavia Soaring Center;469 km. Goed gedaan Bert!!!

So …no worries …about soaring in Europe in this spring period. Hope it will continue so Europe has a great season of good gliding.

Well good luck to all flying in the several comps and may the best win. All other pilots enjoy your soaring to the fullest, as it remains a great sport! A first 50 km is as important as the first 300, 500 or 750 and the 1000 remains the icing on the cake!
All pilots preparing for the 30thiest world comps in Rieti and Luesse good luck and….I will be 2 or 3 days in Luesse. The weekend from the 10th of August, so…see you there too!

Ritz

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