They had absolutely fabulous weather this year in Bitterwasser and now …...the season is over. It runs from November till nearly the end of January.
Also in Kiripotib and Pokweni the gliders will be packed and send home for European soaring again.
Namibia showed itself for glider pilots from its best site [AGAIN] .
The beginning of November was not as good as last year but after,  it went on and on and on. Even January had some great 1000 km. flights.
The last flights were on January 20 with even still a 1.236.47  from Reinhard Schramme.
It’s quiet now again till next season when, due to all great soaring maybe even more pilots visit this MECCA of soaring.

Looking at the statistics of Bitterwasser on the OLC on January 27 [yesterday], it is clear that they were the best with 105 pilots,  making 804 flights and flying 618.425, 02 km. Congratulations to the Bitterwasser-team.
Kiripotib had 84 guests ,making 553 flights and 402.191,30 km. Also in Kiripotib the last flights were on January 20 and WHAT FLIGHTS!!!! 1.214 and 1.246 km. by Bernd Dolba and Janusz Centka.
Pokweni  was good for 55 pilots , making 482 flights and 375.574,43 km. They finished their season on the 19th with a 734 km. flight in a Nimbus 3DM.
Look at South Africa next week, as they still fly a bit , they still had 3 x a 1000 km. flights on the 24th and Australia continues as well with still over 800 km. flights from Corowa,[ARCUS]  over 600 in Tocumwal [ASH 26 e] and over 400 from Benalla.[LS 6 /17.5 m.]

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Qualifying Sailplane Grand Prix in Santiago/Chile
24-1-2015 – 31-1-2015
Club de Planeadores de Vitacura

Day 2 briefing as shared by the organizers.

Day 2 was a 10 points-day . Set task; 287 km. and regatta start at 15.15. Better conditions up to 3100 m., but a lot of wind.
After day 1 with only 4 finishers , spectators at day 2, saw them finish ALL.
The 10 points , VERY welcome after the “out-landing/abortion” after 149 km. on day 1, were for Carlos Rocca Vidal and the 8 for Juergen Wenzel.
Juergen lost yesterday his first spot to some mistakes,[still got 3 points as runner up].This day he did not make ONE ; 8 points for him  and leading on Carlos with one point after 2 days.
Quite some difference in speed on that day;Carlos flew around with 118 km./h. Phil Sturley from the UK with 80 km./h.

Rocca landing after a good flight again. As shared on FB.

Day 3 even a bit better weather again and a 320.9 km. task was set for the men, though 5 from 11  [virtual]-landed.A 2d successive win for Carlos who leads now with 17 points on Alejandro Chanes, the winner from day 1, who has 13 and Juergen with 12. Only 1 point behind are Thomas and Rene.
Carlos won the day with the smallest margin on Rene;111.7 and 111.3 km./h. and that shows bigger in points;7 for 5.
Poor Phil, out-landed after 300 km. SO close, and only got zero points.

And Rene landing as well after completing the task.
As shared on FB by the QSGP organizers.

Day 4 was today.294.6 km. to fly. Rene got the 10 points today with Thomas Gostner as runner up with 8 points. Carlos was 3d with 7, all scores preliminary.

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2 Seat-National-Championships at Narromine in Australia
20-1-2015 – 28-1-2015

A tough day on the 26th of January….AUSTRALIA DAY…., with a 2 hour AAT. In both classes father and son Rowe were the winners.
A philosophical message from the editor of the blogs my friend Chris Stephens on the 25th;
“Under the GFA Nationals Rules one of the next three must be a rest day as five consecutive contest days have now been flown. The weather may change during that time. A compulsory rest day and a no-fly day means tomorrow could be the last contest day. With scores so close tomorrow may as well be Day 1 as these championships end on Wednesday, 28 January.” 

Day 7 was as expected scrubbed, due to thunderstorms but they needed the compulsory rest day as well.

But they squeezed out another day 7 with a 2.30 AAT , won by the I guess oldest team available there; Harry and Wendy Medlicott in their ARCUS M. Good on them!!!!!!
For Terry[Cubley]  and Brian [Rau] it was a less good day as they out-landed and the Georgesons finished, meaning they lost their 3d spot overall.
After 7 days of flying the total scores showed the next preliminary final scores;
Open 2 seat;
1. The Manders [Paul and Henry] with 5396 points in their ASH 25.
2. Pete Temple and Graham Rau in the DG 1000 S with 5308 points .
3. The  Rowes in the DUO DISCUS 5292. As you see all pretty close!

20 m. 2 seat;
1. Pete Temple and Graham  Rau in the DG 1000 S with 5408 points.
2. Mark and John Rowe in the DUO DISCUS with 5394 points
3. The Georgesons [Andrew and Danny] in the DUO DISCUS X with 5222 points.

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The Club Class Nationals at the airport of  Drury on New Zealand’ Nord Island
20-1-2015 – 31-1-2015

” No close up ridge soaring”
Was the message with this picture.It’s so good that pilots take the opportunity to make pictures when thy have time high up. Here is such a picture from an area you can’t fly low or land but interesting enough when you are high; the RAGLAN WIND FARM.
As shared by the organizers .

On the 27 th of January the club class pilots started on their day 7. Tim [Bromhead] in his LS 1f won for the 2d time this competition the daily prize.Task was a 2.30 AAT.
Same distance in the MSC contest where Pat Driessen had his 4th win over 4 days!!! 4000 points are his!!!! Tony is nearly 800 points behind.
They continue till the 31st. Unfortunately today had to be scrubbed.

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For those who interested in the results from the 14th  WORLD PARA GLIDING CHAMPIONSHIPS in Roldanillo in Columbia, here they are;
Overall
1st : Honorin Hamard    FRA
2nd : Michael Maurer    SUI
3rd : Torsten Siegel    GER

Women:
1st: Seiko Fukuoka Naville      FRA
2nd: Keiko Hiraki               JPN
3rd: Nicole Fedele              ITA

Nations:
1st: Germany
2nd: Slovenia
3rd: Spain

The full results can be found at the following address :
https://airtribune.com/worlds2015/blog__day_13

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Ever heard of the very FAMOUS X Games???  They were last week in Aspen Colorado and I know,.. because Belle, the daughter of one of my good Aussie soaring-friends Bruce, did remarkable well there, by being 4th, just off the podium, during her first visit to these GAMES, something she dreamed of when she was young.So one of her dreams already came true.
The other one, being an Olympic Champion ; in Sotchi she showed already, that she is on the way.
Being on spot 4 as a ROOKIE at these X Games, is a great result.
As the AUSTRALIAN from January 26 mentioned;
” Snowboard cross specialist Belle Brockhoff scored one of her best international results when fourth in her event.”

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Have a good week.
Cheers Ritz