The LATEST NEWS on Lake Keepit…5. Updated!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!BONNE NOEL !!! FELICE ANNO NUOVO !!! FROHES NEUES JAHR !!! GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR !!!!szczęśliwego nowego roku !!! STASTNY NOVY ROK !!!!
明けましておめでとうございます

Those Aussies are so smart, they have a TV report on the famous fireworks at the bridge in Sydney early as at 10 PM for the young ones and the “oldies” like me and one at 12 midnight.

8.30 AM:
I could not make it till 12 ,though it was a very nice evening with lot’s of guests and also young ones from Italy, France, Australia etc sitting all on 1 BIG table!!!
If camaraderie is one of the goals in top soaring, this event showed it was there!!!

Singing their hearts out. Andy and Kerry[Klein] who is the manager here.

Eating their heart out!

Looking back at flying yesterday. The first training day was a success .
In 18 m. a nice speed of 132 km./h by the French girls Anne and Melanie in their JS 3.
All flying pilots in this class , except for one, had a warning, mainly for bad MOP or late delivery of FR log ,…so good they practice.
11 from 13 flew and 4 of them practiced an out-landing.
In standard class, Sarah did well from the USA in her Discus 2; 114.62 km./h.
The 2 Aude’s from France followed with 103 km./h.
11 From 16 flew and 5 out-landings, some close [85 km], some after 330 km.
In club class it was France and the USA on the top 4. With Celine on 1 in the LS 4b, with 96 km./h , followed by Kathryn in the LS 1 f , then Amelie and Sylvia.
12 from 17 flew and 6 out-landed some after 17 km.
ONLY PRACTICE NOW!!!!

Sarah’s canopy cover.

11.AM;
Mandy started training day 2 with the words :” We thought ,…why do we need 3 training day’s.”
But it was proved yesterday that they need them for the pilots and the staff.
There were a few issues,
—about the drop off…not in ” convenient” lift, but in the designated drop off zone…
—about loggers , some have more than 2 but you need to use the ones which are registered at the office before 8PM tomorrow.
—Trailers should be secured in the ground. They have had here more than once trailers on top of each other by gusting unexpected wind.
—very unexpected seabreeze can come in and create a wall of smoke! A preliminary warning now .They will advise how to deal with it.

One of the sponsors mentioned today was SkySight from Matthew Scutter. They applauded him.

TASKS:
18 m; Task A.. 3 hour AAT…Task B …215 AAT.
standard class;Task A…3.30 AAT…Task B…2.45 AAT.
Club class; Task A …2.30 AAT…Task B… 2 hour AAT.

The Weather;
About the same as yesterday. 40 dgr. C,..not abnormal for here.
Maybe cross wind again with the landing at 14 if a gusting wind appears they can land on 20, as well.
Clear day expected, no smoke.

The tasks are set to the NW this time and all classes have AAT’s to practice this as well. All pretty similar .
First launch expected at 12.30.
Standard is first at the grid, then 18 m. and club.

I heard there will be 6 tugs during the comps and today number 5 will be added.
Back later. Go to the field. Quite a lot of pilots are not flying today, I noticed! More later.

2 PM:
Just back from the field .HOT!!!!!
Most walk around with umbrella’s.
Noticed about 15 gliders at the tie-down-area, so they take the day off.
With 5 tuggies ,..no worries about towing,…it goes smooth and without problems.
The first launch was at 12.30 sharp.

Liz with her crew Charlie , we have the same friends; The Kurstjens.


Within 10 minutes the st. class was up in the air.Their line opened after 30 minutes after the last launch in this class at 13.10.
XM was the first 18 m. class glider up at 12.40 and the last was up at 13.50 ,…so at 13.20 their line opened.
Club with WH as the first left at 12.56 and JO was the last at 13.20,..their line will open at 13.50.

5 Tugs today,… was was towing.


So very quick action from the tuggies!
Specially with launching the 18 m, they had small delay due to gusting wind creating lot’s of dust over the field. They don’t take any risk!!!
The dust devils were MAGIC!!!!Look at the picture from TEAM UK
British Gliding Team@GBGlidingTeam
Must be another great day.

The flags show the strength of the wind.

For got to tell you this morning that the safety committee has been appointed and all agreed on the chosen ladies; Elena from Italy, Sarah from the USA and Anne from France.

You are up to date, I am going to have a little rest. CU later.

3 PM:
A lot of PR for this International competition which is good.On the last day of the year NBN NEWS was here and share a nice video with several from the guests flying here.
BREAKING NEWS again over new fires in NSW. They keep a good eye on it here as well. It looks scary orange and hot on TV!!!

In Holland, they blew the biggest amount spend on fireworks, in the air last night;7 Million!!! What a waste.
Read as well that the cost for Sydney were 4 million!!!
Hope to have a radio here as well to hear what’s happening and of course we look at the live-tracking at wwgc2019.com/live-tracking
BUT,…it is not always working. From one pilot we know the tracker is on but it does n’t show anything.



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