Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday July 19 2009
While my family is having a great ,but very hot [40dgr. C. ] holiday in sunny Greece, we are here in Holland back to 17 dgr. and rain with very grey skies, but with the promise that we might see some sun in the afternoon. So no soaring weather this weekend here in Holland.
In parts of Italy , Germany and Austria the heat [wave] was followed by bad weather and severe rain which caused land-slides killing 3 people and due to the wind one person in Austria ,a very experienced German hiker from 71 years old , was killed by falling from/blowing off a mountain. He was the last from a row of 4 man trying to take shelter for the bad weather , when he just disappeared.
Italy is suffering from a heat wave , as is Greece and the southern parts of Europe , but in Rieti they are still working hard to make the next Coppa Internazionale del Mediteranneo a great success. All airspace is open for the competitors so a REAL Rieti competition is about to begin.
Guiliano, the man from PostFrontal ,who had a great success with his mate Alex and the help of speaker Art from Canada, with the Condor Tracking system during the 2008 WGC in Rieti, has made as he says “from scratch” a very easy Ritz Corner for me, so I am happy to co-operate again with people who know what they are doing and are excellent in their job. In Eskilstuna in 2006 , KG was the superman, in Rieti in 2007/08 Maurizio and in Finland twice in 2005/09 Katja.
If you look at the site www.rietigliding.it designed by PostFrontal in co-operation with the Italian Gliding Association, you can see a site with great pictures , easy to handle and you can , as pilot, even use the Condor simulator system to practice before you arrive .Just have a look!
In Pociunai were it is 28 dgr. the first pilots have arrived for the 15th EGC for standard class, club , world and two-seater- class.The un-official practise days are between July 19 and 22 and the official from 22/24 July. The comps go from July 24 till August 8. Will keep you informed. A few very good pilots have entered, so let’s see who will go home with the highest honors!
In the UK , the club class nationals are held in Pocklington between July 11 and July 19 .It looks the 33 pilots have the same weather as we have at this stage, but at least they have flown on July 11-13-14-15-16.It pleases me that our former tuggie at Sportavia in Tocumwal , Tim Milner is at this stage number 1 over-all ,in a standard cirrus, winning 2 days !I do not know yet if they can fly today, which is the last competition day!
Parts of the USA are still fantastic, they have an awesome year. More 1000 km flights from Ely, Minden and Mountain Valley, where Mark Grubb even flew 1061 km in an ASW 20 on July 17!!!! ” Perhaps the strongest conditions I have ever seen”, he said.
On July 15 he flew in the ASW 20, 800 km, one day later 768 km .
Norbert Schlafke flies in Ely and has already 5 1000 km. flights in his ASW 22 with as best speed ;143.79 km/h. and best distance 1.206 km.
Invermere in Canada had great conditions as well with flights up to 836 km by well -known pilot Hans Binder.
But…Europe still has great weather as well. Not everywhere as I see no flying day at all during the Military comps in Germany at this stage. But all those mountain areas are just good .Yesterday Serres la Batie in France had such great weather for their guests. Several German pilots flew their 1000 km. there and some …only just, did not make the 1000!!! Italy showed nice long flights as well as …yes….Rayskala, so we did not use all good weather there, but left enough for our Finnish friends.
Talking about the USA we have to remember as well the 40thiest anniversary of the Apollo going to the moon and as so many in the world I was sitting that evening, with my 2 weeks old son Dennis on my lap….[history was about to be written , so he should be able to say later that “he had seen it”] , looking at the first men walking on the moon!!!!!40 years ago….where goes the time!
It is with great sadness that I finish today’s blog with the message that yesterday in the early morning, Adriana, the wife from Leonardo Brigliadori , mother from Riccardo and Stefano and grandmother of their children , has died of cancer. Adriana was a very vivid , loving and caring person, who stole the hearts of so many people in the soaring world. Also mine, years ago already and till the end! I will miss her loud and enthusiastic , ” Ciao Ritz”!” I can only say;
“Ciao Adriana”!
Ritz