To not make my blogs TOO long, I will publish a bit more than normal.
This is an extra blog about the preparations and latest on the important comps. There are so many, so lot’s of news and pictures. Keep looking and you will find……
18th. EGC for club, standard and 15 m. class
in Rieti.
The first practice day , last Wednesday, showed real practice for all, briefing, good tasks and though they change over the years, pretty experienced organizers.Very nice presentation of the teams at FB ,compliments!!!!!
290 for club,[ 3 finished] 378 [ 2 finished] for standard and 398 to get in the cross-country-mood for 15 m. class.[4 finished]
On Thursday 286 km. was set and finished by 4, some got penalty points, better now than in a few days and in st class the pilots got 323.65 km to fly 10 finished and in 15 m. 18 from 24 flew and finished the task from 350 km.
One sad , very sad note. The restaurant on the beginning /end of the runway is GONE. It was the meeting point for all after flying. Can’t remember how many times we have been there.And always with great pleasure.
Once a lovely restaurant with great food and company.It will be MISSED!!!
Shared by Terry Cubley.
With 2 hour AAT’s in each class ,the last day of July, showed that “our depressions” moving East, passed by N. of Rieti as well.Thunderstorms were predicted . From 11 tow planes, 8 had arrived already!!!
A not too bad day, as Roman[Mracek] flew 216 km. in 2.06; speed of 103 km./h in the St Cirrus.The 3 Czech pilots practiced together, showing their interest in a high ranking this EGC.
241 km. was flown in St Class by French pilot Lucas Delobel in the Discus 2;speed 116 km./h. and in 15 m. nearly 300 km. , a bit over the time, 2.25;speed of 122 km./h.by Austrian pilot Michael Rass.
Saturday no flying “due to weather condition”.So pretty relaxed on their way to a for sure grande EGC again.
This evening , at 5 the EGC will be opened by Terry, chief steward and because of unexpected absence of the jury president, also president . It all happens in the local stadium and all 17 participating nations will be there . THEN ….it starts!!!!!
A great picture by the Finnish team in Rieti. As seen and shared by Aku [Jaakkoola]
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The 13.5 m. WGC
in POCUINAI.
Antonov AN-2s parked on the edge of the field.
As shared by team USA.
2.30 AAT was set for the 13.5 m. gliders as practice last Wednesday. As said before, some gliders were just finished before this WGC. Looking forward to the results, as some top pilots fly in nearly each of them.
This one is from one of my USA mates Tony [Condon] who I personally got to know in Uvalde. I wrote about him in my blogs and had contact about that via email and when I was in Uvalde he flew up with a friend and we met. His wife Leah completes his team in Lithuania. A great team!!!
” Rigged, registered, and weighed today. Good news is that I was under weight.” Tony.
No flying, during practice, so more pictures this time from the new RUSSIA, shared by Tony.
A carbon fiber pure glider.
Pociunai: Day 1 – Finally we have some better weather for the start of the competition proper – no tasks were completed during the practice week.
Predictions are of small amounts of Cu, possibly going blue later in the day.
Task for the 13.5m class is just over 300km [317.76] with the first turn point in Poland.” as shared by the Aussie team.
The latest I just heard!
” Manufacturing delays have meant that the new GP14 glider hasn’t made it to the comp for Day 1!”
That IS a pity!!!!
Parallel with this WGC , some international pilots practice already for the WGC next year in Pocuinai. 2 Aussies are there as well ” Tobi and Dylan also have fixed tasks in the same general areas.“
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The WWGC in Arnborg
in Denmark.
The women still had one more day to wait but then, slowly , after 2 cancelled practice days, they could get in the groove as well with a 107 km. task for all classes on Wednesday. For some the first inspection of the area from above.
Many looked ,on the rainy days, to kill the time, around in the area, certainly close to the airport, for good landing- fields and mentioned still high hay and grass. Always good to know.
In the end also this day had to be cancelled;cloud base 700 m. and 40 km./h wind not the best to fly a competition but “practicing launch and seeing the field from above” is always good.
So in fact no real practice!But ,..the welcome party was good .
A strong high pressure system is reaching the West of Europe from Friday onward, so August will be better.
On August 1, yesterday, they tried again with 104 km. tasks as last practice, first for some!!!.BUT,….before they all went up, they had to be present at the opening- ceremony of this event in Herning .
Team Australia and Team Holland
Czech team and German Team
From August 2 till 14 the comps are ON.They start today with 154 km in st. class, 136 in club , 176 in 15 m.More on Wednesday.
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KLIPPENECK 2015, version 47!!
Unfortunately not the best weather to start with.
As seen by Jeroen Jennen.
A very popular competition and already in Mai it was impossible to enter anymore. All places booked out in 5 classes!Also pilots from Belgium, Holland and Switzerland “like” this comps very much and are eager to fly here.
They started on July 31, started is a bit much said as both the practice day and first day’s had to be cancelled.
After Bert jr. [Schmelzer] on August 1 shared his experiences about his WORLD- title in Finland, they finally could start on August 2, today.They are rigging and looking at the skies the pilots are satisfied.
These are the tasks for today; Standard 357.08 km., 403 for 15 m., 501 for 18 m. ,2 seaters go for 387 and open for 462 km.
More on Wednesday or earlier when the blog is going to be TOO long.
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The last day of the month JULY was a good one on the OLC. Several 1000 km flights!!Some German airfields had that great weather even good enough for an LS1 d to fly 750 km.[775 …FAI triangle 737]
719 from Czech Rep. in St Cirrus [602 FAI triangle] , is worthwhile mentioning too.
2 Dutch juniors flew from Terlet in the DUO DISCUS 806 km. So Holland had after all the rain , a good soaring day again.From Midden Zeeland even 893 was flown in the ASH 31 /21m.
several 700 plus and an 800 km. task were on the list as well here in Holland.
By the way the Dutch JUNIOR NATIONALS are in progress in Holland.
On July 30 2 French [from Buno] and 1 German 1000 km. flight.
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Whilst other fly , a huge amount of people were visiting or participating at the Gay Parade in Amsterdam. The busiest ever .As seen by Fallon.
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As always I get the Australian Alpine Flyer, a social monthly magazine from the Mount Beauty Gliding Club as well as the weekly updates from what ‘s going on by Marisa.
As the president Andrew Evans mentions: ” This edition has plenty of winter themes, from flying over snow-capped peaks to our Club ski team carving some turns at Falls Creek. How lucky are we to enjoy this beautiful environment right on our doorstep?”
Nice life style!!
The CFI Mark Bland is slowly thinking of the new season again :”Well we’re over hump of winter and last Sunday we had our first decent soaring day for many weeks. I managed to fly my Libelle past Mt Feathertop and enjoy the spectacular views of the recent snow dump.”
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And to finish one of the soaring heroes from this time;
Sebastian Kawa with his dad Thomasz as seen by Zsolt Mattburger and shared on FB.
Great picture, so relaxed.
