1000 km. fever now also in OZ!!!!!!Happy 2009!!!

Alphen aan den Rijn

 The Christmas man was good for OZ. He had 11 presents on boxing day for 11 pilots flying from Corowa airport. After David Jansen flew a few weeks ago, the first 1000 km. [goal] from Benalla, now Corowa was the great place to be. 11 Pilots flew their 1000 km flight.
Lots of them flew the jo-jo up to the North East and back , via Temora and West Wyalong, but a few p.e my friends Harry and Pepe took the more difficult way out and flew an FAI  triangle. Harry just missed out on a 1000 but made his longest FAI triangle ever in a 15 m. version ventus. Great job. By the way he has several 1000 km flights already.Pepe added another 750 km. to his long list. Also he has already 1000 km flights in the pocket .
A few golden heights completed a real merry christmas in  Corowa!

 But the Christmas man had also a first 500 km for Mads flying from Tocumwal.Great effort!
I remember now too,a 1250 km. flight at Christmas with Gerrit Kurtjens flying on, not the best looking day, this distance from Tocumwal a few years ago! And a flight in an LS 4 from the gorgeous looking blond German lady. Se got lost landed somewhere far from Toc and too late to pick her up. Her husband was not amused but survived Christmas by himself, but of course WE were all there!
 The farmer who “found” the lady on the road, was excited: An angel had come from heaven!!She stayed overnight with him and his family.I still think it was his best christmas ever!
Christmas in Australia,why not!!!???

Mac [from Japan] nearly made another 1000 km flight from Narromine airport.He flew in a 15 m. ASG 29 version 957 km!Alan Barnes flew 890 km in an LS 1f. GREAT effort!!!

So the 26th of December can go into the “great-day-books”. If you look at the OLC 35 pilots flew over 800 km both in Australia and Africa. And…who knows how many do not care about OLC and fly their 1000 also! Congratulations to all of them!

So ” hammerweather ” finally in Australia too and I hope it continues. Normally they have cycles in Oz building up in one week from ok to superb!!!Of course we have had here the shortest day, over there the longest. But still till the end of january days are long enough to fly 1000 km flights , only of course , when you are interested in being part of the 1000 km fever.

It is lovely to see how all friends “spread over” the world to fly in the off-season. I heard Maurizio from Italy is in Gariep Dam now and Roy from the UK in New Zealand. Robert from Sweden announced a few days ago, his departure to Bloemfontein, to fly at our mutual friend Dick’s place;I wish them all enjoyable times. He straight away flew a nice 500 km.

We are in a “winter-period ” here now too. The next week will be between 0 during the day and up to minus 7 every night. This is pretty cold for Holland and for quite a long time we have not had freezing temperatures for more then a week. So….all skates are out of the “fat”/grease to be used on artificial skating rinks till the REAL ice is there! So “we” have practised before it starts!
And when there is natural-ice, they start dreaming straight away of the famous “11-steden-tocht ” in Friesland, visiting on skates 11 towns  over ice. That’s another sport-fever! And……The first meeting has been!!!!!!!
 And..the first “race” on natural ice has been hold today on saturday the 27th.

Happy people everywhere on skates on ice and in the air in gliders and…just at home at the fire with a nice glass of red , waiting till 2008 slowly moves on to 2009.I know this world looks small , but  I know there are lots of unhappy people too, sick or abused,lonely or very poor.

Time to wish you all a very happy, healthy and safe 2009.

Cheers Ritz

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