August 19 2006.
Latest News by Ritz
Today as promised the story from young Belgium pilot Bert Schmelzer jr., who won Spagetti glide [Pre World Junior Gliding Championships ] in Rieti in Italy, then Klippeneck as team with his younger brother Tijl and now Bert flies on invitation [ by Tilo Holighaus] in the qualifying German Grand Prix in Hahnweide. What do you want more!!??? In between he studies architecture and will leave mum and dad for a while from September onwards, to do this in Madrid for half a year.So Spain here he comes!!!!
Both Bert jr and Tijl , have been brought up in a gliding world. Dad Bert and mum Hilde both fly and even the grand parents were wellknown glider pilots. It is very SPECIAL to hear that Bert ‘s crew in Hahnweide will exist out of his girlfriend Lies and….his GRANDMA , who flew in the early 50thies SG 38 and Grunau Baby at Venlo Airport in the Netherlands.
Their club now is at Keiheuvel Airport and they are members of the German -side; Vierssen.
Bert will fly with his standards class glider Discus 2 AX in the Racing Class as they had no time to organize another glider, but I am sure he will do well with a less good performing glider. He is such a talent, so is his brother Tijl .
Bert and Hilde were frequent flyers in Tocumwal with us in the past , so I know them pretty well and can say that with the Huybreckx family [also Keiheuvel in Belgium] , they belong to the nicest gliding families I know in the world.
Enjoy the story. It will be put on today under topics. Soon we will have Topic’s by MikeMike 1.2.3 etc and General topics,1-2-3 etc but for now I am sure you can find it.
What’s happening more in Europe!?
Germany; Hahnweide
As said the Qualifying Grand Prix will be flown in Hahnweide with 20 competitors on invitation.They start on the 19th-27th of August.
Most of you will know what the Grand Prix tries to do. They want to promote gliding in a different [better] way , more visible on big screens , at home via vPos on your computer and at the place itself. 2 Pilots can win per qualification and the World Grand Prix will be in New Zealand. After Hahnweide there will be one in Bloemfontein in S.A.
Different to other comps is the Regatta start. All pilots start together and the winner is the one who is back first.Points are different too, as the number 1 gets 10 points and so down to 8, 7 etc.A bit like Formula 1 racing.
I remember a lecture I think in 91 in Uvalde in a huge sports hall, where this system was promoted and not all of us believed that this could work, we smiled and thought; we will see!!! Here you are it is ALL happening!!!
France; Issoudun.
This weekend the Pre European Championships finish in Issoudun. They flew from August 8-19 with 105 competitors. These comps were also the French Nationals . The practise week had some good days with up to 850 km.flights; the competition week had also rain and lot’s of wind.In the end they “only”flew for 3 days!!!
One accident with an outlanding, had as result that the French very experienced pilot died next day.Another very tragic loss of life in gliding and lot’s of very sad people around the pilot. Why, still all those accidents???!?I do not know…but we remain, “just” human beings!
On August 16 you can see an “hommage”to the pilot,Anthony Roe.
For results you can look at- aciss.free.fr -and click on championship.Today is the last flying day , but it is cancelled too and…the prizegiving for 3 days is tonight at 8.
That’s it for now, the sun is shining and a bit of a walk would do me fine. Have a nice weekend, Ritz