The comps in South Australia from Waikirie do have weird weather and not as good as hoped for. It can be really fantastic over there, but now it was more than windy!!!!
They suffer, as I heard from Robert, from the after- effects from cyclone Christine. Bloody cyclones!!!!
Weather in Waikirie , as seen and shared by Adam.
Just as gliders were finishing on day 3, a front passed by with wind- gusts from 40 to 45 kt./h.only for a few minutes, then going back to 35 kts. for about half an hour.
Pretty strong certainly for landings and stronger as fore-casted.
For that reason some gliders opted to to land short of the field, but some low and marginal had to continue their landing which was even more difficult, as severe wind shear played up as well. Result one PIK 20 damaged, some called it a ” write-off” and a 29 making a ground loop after a low energy landing.
” The safety officer urged everyone to be open and honest in incident reporting to improve safety in the future.”
Can only agree on that!!! When you have read my latest blog in SOARINGCAFE you know why!!
But also, good news as via the GFA site, [www.facebook.com/theGlidingFederationofAustralia ] specially for those who are not on FB I read;
” Yesterday’s Club Class winner Don followed the sun with long glides in the murk, found a few 9 kt thermals to the East. He tried not to go too far downwind on task. He climbed in wave in the blue and had to dive to get below cloud base. Matt who won Sports Class said starting early was the key.”
And by Adam Woolley;
” Flew well, got beaten by the wind.
A fair contest day yesterday, I don’t know?”
The rest of his story you can read at; www.facebook.com/W3Racing
Matthew Scutter won day 3 in sports class [557 points] and in Club Don Woodward won the difficult day.
Day 4 , last Monday, was cancelled due to ” due to lower than forecast temperatures. ” A pilots meeting was set for noon. Enough to talk about as I know from the several I attended in the past.
The rest from the week was supposed to be better weather wise.
AND YES the ” new” day 4 was a good one with 595 km. but also still 20 kt wind .The day in sports class was won by Matthew with Allan 3 km./h slower and 48 points less. Both are real kilometer eaters.
In club class Don won again over 356 km.,[1000 points] as he did the day before, whilst Tobias [983]and Adam [938] followed.
As Robert mentioned;
” 355 km task today with hard points. Took me over 5 hrs but at least I finished back at Waikerie.”
The briefing might be earlier at 9 to allow for longer days…..the great Waikirie weather is there! Specially for tomorrow and Friday they expect top weather with a trough over Waikirie, so it is not over yet!!!
Who will be the National Champion in each class?????
Some pictures from Robert, who as I guessed already, turns out to be Dutch and a former member at the club in Woensdrecht [how small is this world!!??] from Waikirie airport and the day- off.
Gliders on the strip and travelling up to the Coober Pedy area [town of the OPALS] and looking at ” BREAK AWAYS”.
As shared by Robert Smits.
Tasks today; AAT 3.30 for sportsclass and club had to go for a 4 hour AAT. No results yet.
And the West Australian State comps started yesterday, with the practice days. They welcomed their guests in Beverley, under hot conditions; 41 dgr. and still 32 at 11 PM according to John[Welsh] .
” It was a rats practice day one for the WA State Comps at Beverley only went to 4000 (3200 agl) only four launches.”
The Multi class Nationals in New Zealand are busy with their last today and tonight a dinner will be attended by 60 guests and the trophies are ready to be presented. Scores are not in full yet, so when you look at www.soaringspot you can see later the final scores and see who are the National Champions.
They struggled with the weather as well.
Last Monday open class had 449 km. the longest distance till then and the 4th soarable day.
On day 3 the 18 m. pilots only saw 1 finisher the Duo from the Piako Gliding Club flying their 2.30 hour AAT in 2.58 with 286 km. and rewarded with 71 points!!!
That ‘ s pretty good, not the points but the kilometers looking at the other distances from 161 and then 26, 23 and less.
On day 4 the open class pilots flew 445 km and Brett Turner won in the JS 1, whilst in 18 m. another DUO DISCUS won the 1000 points over the same distance, this time the TAUPO boys and they were on spot 1 overall after that day.
In 15 m. Lindsay Stephens [ASW 27] was on top after 4 days, with Steve Wallace [ Mosquito] as runner up and Tony van Dyk [ LS 8] going strong on spot 4.
On day 5 only 2 open class pilots finished over 260.3 km., the Tauranga Duo discus and Brett, the rest was ” aux vaches” .In 15 m. Steve finished gaining 324 points. He passed in the overall scores Lindsay with just over 100 points.
Day 6 today had 2 hour AAT’s .
Their news and pictures are on;
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gliding-New-Zealand-NZ-/106056376128462?fref=ts
For the Dutch and Belgian readers I add the link to the new Dutch Junior Website with nice stories from Annemiek, who first ” drove” as a pilot the Delft- solar- car- to victory, then flew the Aussie Nationals and after catching up with Arne over there in Kingaroy, she decided to book for South Africa as well. Her story is on the from now on more active new site from the JUNIORS.
Another great flight by Jean Marc Perrin who is back at Chile Chico and flew 1.711,80 km. with 142 km./h in the 15 m. DG 808 last Sunday.I noticed his HUGE speed on a flight from Alto Palena[Argentina] on December 29 with 184 km./h. only now. Good on him with only 15 m. wingspan!
AND a Danish pilot tried his luck on long distance wave flying as well and flew in Argentina from Nahuel Huapi in the Nimbus 4DM a flight from 1.564 km with Jean Marie Clement.
Ole, wanted to set a new Danish National record for a 500 k out and return and that was done quickly with with 210 km./h. The rest of the story, you can read in their comment on the OLC on January 6.
My UK friends arrived in Bitterwasser and Andy and Roy started their holiday on Saturday in the EB 28 with a 1000 k! Not their declared task, but an alternative 1000km.
One day later Roy flew the Antares 20m. and tried out the engine as well.A less good day in Bitterwasser but still nice to practice for the rest of the holiday.
Over the last days the first from 2014 every day a palm was planted , great season there in Bitterwasser and lovely to see on their site how they introduce their staff in the beginning of this year 2014!!!
And last but certainly not least,….the GLIDING INTERNATIONAL arrived here in Holland and the magazine is BIGGER and heavier with a great picture on the cover from the JS 1, taken in America, by the new photographer for GI, Antonio More.
The in depth evaluation of the JS 1 by Aldo Cernezzi and Christophe Cousseau , ” SHEER POETRY” … about the Jonkers Sailplanes Manufacturers and well known pilots Attie and Uys and their Dutch aerodynamicist ,Johann Bosman, it ‘ s all there with pictures and the technical data !
Even with all the info from the Sales Representatives for Central Europe [Ronald Termaat], for Western Europe [ Andy Davis] for Scandinavia [Arne Boye-Muller] the USA [Leo Benetti-Longhini] and New Zealand [Brett Hunter].
Also news about;
—-The Worcester Magic….. South Africa where the qualifying Grand Prix will be in January 2015
—-A minute or 2 with Karl Striedeck
—-Glider pilots make better airline pilots by Joseph King, about Sarah Kelman’s address on a conference in Londen
—-lot’s of World Aviation News for glider pilots
—-head up display for glider pilots and more MUCH more, 64 pages of top reading.
Should mention the double spread picture from the DUODISCUS near the Omarama Saddle from Marty Taylor and Gavin Wills [GlideOmarama.com] as well.
See you on Sunday,quickly off to Amsterdam now
cheers Ritz
On Wednesday January 8 2014.