Alphen aan den Rijn        14-12-2008

Last week the junior National comps for Australia were flown in Benalla. Unfortunately they did not have the very best weather, but they had good winners.Out of the 7 days they flew 4 days.
Nathan Johnson from NSW , winning 2 of the days flying an LS 4 was in the end the winner with a 350 points lead over runner up Andrew Maddocks from Queensland in a Discus 2.
14 Competitors in total with 4 overseas pilots.[Canada, the UK and 2 from NZ]
As the youth has the future, we look ahead at the junior worlds in Finland , flown in the last 2 weeks of June and the first week of July 2009 in Rayskala.

The weather-gods have been very good to Gariep Dam last week. Nearly every day was a good one. Look at these best results of lastweeks days;
Monday         924 km in DG 808C/18m.
Tuesday        1000 km plus by 8 pilots
Wednesday   restday
Thursday      restday but………. great day in OZ good flights from Corowa
Friday           985 in ASG 29/18m.
Saturday       1000 km. plus by 14 pilots 

Beautiful FAI triangle by Hans Wiesenthal from 1.126 km. in his DG 808B/18m. I lost track of how many 1000 km. he has flown!!!!! 

Another great result last week was from a pilot who flew his 750 km badge from Western Australia airfield Southern Cross. Great achievement as you see he flew it in a Standard CIRRUS!!!!!!!        

Cold here in Holland. Yesterday we had minus 7 but that was including the windchill factor! I really had to scratch ice from the windows of my car. Today is better with 7 dgr.+  

First invitation for a Christmas reception this year was from the KNVvL , the Dutch gliding association. It is on a saturday January 10 but I normally work on that day. We’ ll see. It is always nice to catch up with the top pilots , the coaches , TC’s and the “blue blazers”.

Off to Amsterdam now as my grand daughter Indya , who just turned 5 will swim for her first diploma A. A big day for her , her parents and…for oma.

CU next week, have a good one!
Ritz