Post 1.420 on Mai 17-2023

48th POLISH OPEN CLASS NATIONALS/LESZNO CUP!

With 30 pilots battling for the CUP and 25 for the Open class, they started on Mai 11 with NO TASK, but the next day they flew;

racing TASK 1; 301 for 15 m and 306 km. for Standard class B and 423.96 for OPEN.
So pretty good tasks to start with.
15 m;
Task 1…..301 km.… 7 starters and 5 finishers [straight after start they were penalized] and the daily best flew in a LAK 19T ;Maciej Adamski. GOOD speed; 132.79 km. a whopping 25 km/h faster than the runner up.
TASK 2, had racing tasks as well now with 311.26 km. weird day, it looks they had to wait for passing showers or better lift. One pilot started at 2, another one at 3 PM. Anyhow,…nobody finished, but Pawel Frackowiak in Lak 17B fes. flew 277 km and 2 others reached 270 km, the rest “only” between 13 and 62 km. Maciej flew 62 km.
This time 6 starters as 1 did not fly.
Task 3 had a 2 hour AAT and 7 started and ONLY ONE PILOT , MACIEJ, finished after 255 km with a slow speed BUT he was BACK: 66 km./h.
NO flying on Mai 15 and 16, but it looks they will fly today.
After 3 tasks Maciej leads the overall scores with 1.118 points.

Standard B; On task 1, 306 km..…Artur Łończuk flew around in his BRAWO, with 116 km./h.
22 started and 18 were in. Lot’s got a warning.
Task 2 ;311.26 km….had only 7 finishers and less punished pilots. Over 311 km Grzegorz Głąb was the best ; 115 km./h.
That was 17 km./h faster than the runner up.
Task 3; with a 2.15 AAT had 3 finishers from 21 . Best performance by Grzegorz Głąb; 277 km in time 2.47. Speed 99.50 km./h. The runner up had 77.77 km./h.
NO TASK 4 or 5..
Niestety już drugi dzień z…….no task today
After 3 flying days Kinga Tchorz in the BRAWO leads overall; 2.276 points.

In open class also 3 flying days till now;
Task 1 with 424 km ….was won by Karol Staryszak in ASG 29 E; 132 km./h.
Task 2; 413 km …..was won by another well known pilot Lukasz Wojcik; 121 km./h. Karol was 5th now and from 25 ONLY 6 were in.
Task 3; 2.15 AAT.….Tomasz Dul won the day in a JS3;294 km. speed 110 km./h. Only 3 flew over 100 km./h, meaning a tough day and from 25, 9 pilots were out.
Task 4 on day 6; today they have a grid order so it looks they will fly after 2 non flying days.
After 3 flying days the best overall score is for Karol Staryszak with 2.640 points.

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HAHNWEIDE 2023……. 55th International Competition
Mai 13-20 2023

This well-known competition at the FAMOUS HAHNWEIDE is visited by pilots from 16 countries, so a REAL INTERNATIONAL event.
99 In total; 21 in Standard class, 17 in 15 m, 32 in 18 m, 13 in open and 16 teams in the double seater class “dosies” in German. All ARCUS M or T and 2 Duo Discus types XL and XLT.
With the worst rain in the last 10 year in spring, not only here but also in the us surrounding countries it is WET, real wet.
Reason for the organizers to cancel the practice days as they could not mow the wet grass. It will be pretty marshy!
“the intense rainfalls of the last weeks are causing us big problems. Currently we cannot mow the area where the trailers are to be parked. In the deep, wet ground of the runway we are currently unable to perform aerotows. Therefore we have to cancel the training days.“

NO flying the days after, as the field remained wet and they still had more rain.
On Sunday morning the news was;
“After it has rained until the morning hours, I would like to spare you the sad sight of the current weather situation.”
“Due to weather situation, today has been cancelled for all classes. Sport director Rainer Rauch sees no chance for a fair competition day.”
BUT, a few bit’s of sun gave vintage planes a chance to shine. The spectators could marvel two real old-timer rarities in the sky. 

The vintage planes “belong” to the museum AT the airfield.
For more  “Fliegenden Museeum Hahnweide“

On Saturday the weather in Spain was good. Dutch pilot Walter Frijters flew a 1000 in a QUINTUS M from Beas De Segura ;117 km./h. 1 Day later he flew 875 km.
So no bad weather everywhere in Europe. Though Italy is TOUGH, with flooding’s in the Nord.
Sweden was good as well; 829 in a Discus 2 by Jan-Ola Nordh.
On Sunday the weather here in comparison with Hahnweide ,was pretty good , with 500 km flights, so hopefully that weather would move to Kirchheim Teck.
It did!!!!!

Monday Mai 15 the pilots got there TASK 1.
2.30 AAT’s to start with. Launches started at 12 AM.
“2-seaters and Open class will have another rest day today.”
It turned out a task between rain showers.

All pilots were airborne just before 3.
BUT,…..NOBODY finished, yes some flew further than others .
In St. class ,20 started among them the top from the French ladies but ,…. UK pilot Tom [Arscott] was the best in his LS 8 with 138 km. for 86 points. Runner up his UK mate Howard [Jones], in a Discus 2A, they are used to this ” typical English weather.”[79 points]
Adam is flying in this class as well [spot 9] and a long update on this day is on;
Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures
In 15 m. class ,15 started, and the best daily result was 152 km for another UK pilot Tim Scott [ASG 29] for 96 points. And a total of 86 points for Dutch pilot Lars [Groot] with 136 km.[ASG 29]
In 18 m. class 30 pilots started among them a few “toppers” but, there was another Dutch winner ….like the UK pilots “we”,…..our Dutch pilots….. are used to rain; Tim [Millenaar] in his JS 3 with 186 km. for 52 points. Quite a bit further than Tilo [Holighaus] ;155 km. for 43 points flying his own Ventus 3 T.

And after 1 day of soaring the organizers mentioned on Tuesday;
‘Due to a very slow moving cold front overhead, which is responsible for the humid and unstable air mass in our competition area, meteorologist Jupp does not see sufficient conditions for a flyable day.”
But they had a nice Schempp-Hirth- evening with the ANNUAL home-cooked Chili Concarne at 7. Tilo, his family and the Schempp-Hirth- employees gave a hand,[ “served”] , to make it a SUPER event.
A vegetarian Chili was available as well.

It’s Wednesday now, the better weather is definitely on it’s way, I hope for them in time.
No tasks yet, briefing is at 10.
“A wonderful sunny good morning to you!”
“Currently, three classes are lined up on runway 31. The two-seater class will be added after the briefing. Only the pilots of the open class can continue to have a quiet breakfast.“
Still 3 days to go!
More next week.
LATEST; 4.30 AAT’s for standard, 15 and 18 m [first to be launched] AND a 4 hour AAT for the 13 open class pilots [they have a task!!!!]and the 12 teams in a 2-seaters.
That looks more like it!!!!!!!!!!!

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RAYSKALA OPEN 2023
13 May 2023 – 19 May 2023

Luckily the Finish organization had better weather and could start straight away.
The mixed class started with task 1 a 335 km race won by Kim Toppari in an LS 7; speed 119 km./h. Another LS 7 [Mikko Ylihärsilä] was runner up; 118 km./h.
8 In this class and 7 finished!
Task 2 a 3 hour AAT….and both Kim and Mikko were on spot 1 for the day. They started together but Tim flew 286 km in 3.03 [94 km./h. ]and Mikko 297 km in time 3.11 [93 km./h]
Both were “rewarded” with 1000 points.
Task 3 another 3 hour AAT and 6 starters went on track. The best were ,,yes,..Kim [373 km speed 120 km./h] for 1000 points and Mikko [329 km , speed 104 km./h.

Open has 6 pilots.
task 1 on May 13 ;422.85 km.…showed HUGE speed by Hannu Halonen in the VENTUS 3T; 143 km./h!!!!All pilots were in and the “slowest” speed was 118.85 km./h for Marty Sucksdorff in the DUO DISCUS XL. His son Petri was in the AS 33es/18 m 3d.
Task 2; 3 hour AAT, this time Martti Koivula [JS1C] was the best with 388 km in time 3.05; speed 125 km./h. All 7 started and finished.
Task 3; 3 hour AAT…417.88 km for young Petri Sucksdorff in his AS 33es; 136.56 km./h!!!AND, 955 points. Day-winner Martti was winner again after a late start and a penalty for ground speed; 443 km speed 144.38 km./h.

NO FLYING YESTERDAY!
For today; nothing right now.

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Tomorrow the DUTCH NATIONALS start at TERLET with 45 participants in 3 classes; Mai 16-27. The weather seems to improve which is what they need. It looks they can fly straight away.
Will keep you informed.
I even try to go there.

CU next week.
Cheers Ritz