Alphen aan den Rijn September 30 2009
Last day of the month. Happy birthday to my friend Jo in Australia , who celebrates her 60thiest on October 1.
The closing party from the 2009 season here in Holland was a very good one. Lot’s of young pilots attended , most of the pilots flying the EGC in both Nitra and Pociunai and of course the “young ones” flying the JWGC in Finland. Everybody agreed that this competition in Rayskala, was a ” high light ” even without Dutch winners. The atmosphere , the soaring , the weather, the organization over there and within the team, it all fitted like a glove!
Of course all crew members were invited as well, as they form such an important part of the team. I guess around 60 people attended.But no worries behind the house was a huge shed , in which we all fitted without a problem and…the weather still co-operated!
I have nice interviews with the EGC winner in club class Rene de Dreu and the runner up Tim Kuijpers. You can read them on Sunday and they will be specially edited for Gliding International.
Very special to have for the third time a European champion for Holland. 4 Years ago it was Steven Raimond in 15 m class, 2 years ago Ronald Termaat in 18 m and this year Rene in club class.
Both Tim and Rene received , from all of us , a nice etching with gliders on it.
It was my first visit to the N[oord ]O[ost] P [older]. This is land won by “drying out the sea.” Lots of farmers in this area and lot’s of space, a real polder with an unbelievable lot of wind mills for “green ” energy.
I never knew how much work it is to grow chicory, but now I heard the story from Rene’s dad , he grows it and I will look at it with different eyes, when I eat it from my plate.
The way back was a bit disturbed by a traffic jam, so we stood still and drove slow for over an hour, but after the very nice afternoon Patrick and I had enough to talk about!! It is always nice to catch up after a great season with so many people and even in the car we discussed more. Patrick has been a very dedicated manager for the juniors for a few years but gave last Sunday the “job” to Martin, who was the TC in Rayskala. For sure it will be granted by the officials!
They predicted that today autumn would really start. But to be honest it is not too bad. A bit of rain ,[great for my garden ] and in fact not yet stormy weather as autumn should be. Now the “bad” weather with lots’s of rain and wind 7 Bft. is predicted for Saturday.
Only 14 days to go before I leave for OZ , so I am busy to organize everything necessary and more or less happy to leave the real autumn-storms. When I am back in the end of November it will be nearly winter, hopefully a nice , cold, dry one!
And then this;A Malev plane had to make an emergency landing, reason ; the fighting between a Czech couple departing from Budapest on their way to have a holiday in Cyprus. First it was only words, but then it became physic and even the stewardesses got their share and warned the captain who decided , for safety reasons to make an emergency landing. The couple will be NEVER EVER allowed again in a Malev plane.
CU next Sunday with the interviews.
Cheers Ritz