Alphen aan den Rijn April 27 2008
As I wrote last week, the weather is OK!!!! So it’s ALL happening !! First competitions are on and first great flights , [over 1200 last friday on the OLC] , mean that soaring conditions are just great!
In Klix [ NE of Dresden -Germany ] a competition started on the 25th with a very nice first day on the 26th. A few WGC pilots take the opportunity to practise already in Germany for their WGC in August in Luesse. Mac [Ichikawa] won the first day in open class in his ASG29. They had a task of 374 km..and 30 pilots participate in this class
2 More classes; a mixed class with 41 participants , they flew 343 km and a big clubclass [42 pilots] with 267 km.
All over Europe the weather seems perfect. With 1236 pilots using the OLC to publish their flights on saturday the 26th ,you can say “a good day”. Luesse as said the WGC town for the big ships, had a flight from 852 km. flown by Carsten Lindeman in an ASW 25.
Another great flight that day was flown from Reinsburg NW from Klix.;732 km in a standard cirrus!!!! ” Kilometer-eater” Uwe Tiele flew 771 km in his DG 800-18m.
From Bolzano in Italy pilots flew a few nice flights as well , with 700 km in an ASW 20.
But 576 km from Trento Mattarell [Italy] in a standard libelle, is worthwhile mentioning too!!!
On thursday the 24th, Tomas [Suchanek] practised too for his WGC . He participates in Rieti in july and flew in his home country [CZ] a 663 km flight , while pilots practising in Klix flew 868 km in a Ventus 2 ct. that same day.
So you see I do not exaggerate- IT IS GREAT SOARING WEATHER in Europe!!!!!
But….I still have to say that , in OZ they had an amazing long season this year. They still flew 558 km TODAY and it is nearly winter in Australia. Good old mate Gerrit flew it from his homefield Jondaryan in the E. of OZ [Queensland] .Alan Barnes flew 521 km triangle in an LS 1 from the same field. Great flight!
Time to go outside and enjoy a bit of sun. Yes it is nice weather in Holland too. We are spoiled with 23 dgr. today, but ……tomorrow is an other story. Back to 16 and rain, so I better leave you now.
Good luck to all pilots participating in all different comps, no or not too much retrieves for their crews and let the summer be as it was the last couple of days. ENJOY!
Ritz