Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday June 22 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
I guess Mikael has been too busy, so no pictures today. When they should arrive later I add them ofcourse.
Monday morning;After a [Sun]day off, with lot’s of rain, they found AGAIN a small window in Arboga, to fly in on Monday the beginning of the week in which the longest day on June 21 and Midsummer-night, will be special for all ladies; AAT in each class , 1 hour and 30 minutes and for club between 152 /260 km. and the rest 173/290 km. Swedish meteo man Gunnar, thinks it is possible to fly though there is a risk of showers and the air is very unstable. The German team/meteo, does not expect that flying after 15.00 belongs to the possibilities, so an early start at 11.30 and just 90 minutes in the air to fly and everybody could be back home before the weather “gives up”. It seems possible if you calculate it all well and this would give another day [4]! I saw on the weather that this low pressure system is very persisting and annoying the NW of Europe, while the SE is good , sitting under a “high”. My Australian friends Jo and Tony Tabart are in Rieti at the moment so that is good for them. Was supposed to see them in Rieti over the last weekend but was too busy to even organise it. A pity!
Here is some news from Jo from Rieti, about yesterday;
—The day was blue, with a little CU to the south which we had seen from the air – but the CU was not so obvious at the airfield.
Tony flew a club Discus and had a good 3 hour flight to the south. Cloud base was 2,400 metres, long glides and reliable climbs under the occasional CU.—-
Monday evening; So what happened, today in Arboga? They did NOT start at 11.30. Instead they had a TC briefing at 12.00. New B tasks, new first launch time 12.30…12.45…..then thunder was heard from the N. where a big shower was hanging …..and ….the day was cancelled. Correct decision, as I heard! And…at least they tried hard again.But…it is still not a valid WWGC, we need one more day, but that should not be a problem with still 4 days to go.
Midsummer night !!!! Yes that is very special. I have been part of big bon-fires several years in both Sweden and Finland and it was “special”. First of all it is weird that you can still read a book outside at mid night, but there is something you feel , about this Midsummer Night and it is difficult to describe, it gave a bit of a “spooky” feeling, such a twilight atmosphere.In one of those nights I still remember one of the crew members of my team , fell in love with the wife of one of my pilots. Of course this brings some stress in the team and was not easy for the TC [me].AND… Of course I know this happens more [ could write a book about it!!] …..and maybe had nothing to do with Midsummer Night, but it still felt that the atmosphere created it. Correct me when I am wrong.
Here is an impression about yesterday at the WWGC in Arboga from my friend Teresa.
—Well, we are desperately waiting for the GOOD weather! I’m happy with my
flying and I love the ASW 27, but I’m not a ‘sprinter’ but a ‘marathon-runner’,
eg I prefer the really long tasks! I often do misstakes with short tasks like
starting too early, like the day before yesterday, the weather improved after
couple of hours, (not forecasted) and as I prefer to fly alone I did not wait
for the big gaggle….Then having been forced to drop the water my final glide
was really hairraising, I crossed the finnishring at 100m and had to land
1000m before the RWY as I could not cross the highway with lots of traffic on
it….That was my shortest retrieve ever.
I’m optimistic about the days to come!
On my question what they do on a non-flying day?
When the day was canceled today, one of the French pilots
asked me where they could find a good sauna in town. I said that the best sauna
in the middle Sweden was in Eskilstuna, at Ekeby gliding field, so when I went
back to Eskilstuna I started to heat up the sauna, it takes couple of hours as
it is heated up by wood, and when the French ladies arrived they had a really
hot sauna and they had some very good time and spent some three hours there! I
put up a sign on the door that the sauna was booked for the WWGC 2011 for the
rest of the evening. I also invited the Finns (as they are some real sauna
people) to come later in the evening.
I had some nice chat with Gillian Sprekley the other day. She is a very nice
lady and as we have known each other since Benalla -87 we had some good laugh
about some old happening we could refer to. She was a bit worried about all the
forest here but I think I managed to convince her that it is not that bad, and
her beeing a very good pilot she can handle that. That is maybe not the case for everybody.
One of the pilots was in total shock the other day as she had spent
some time very low over the treetops with not landable below. It is part of
the flying here to take the unlandable areas into account, and still we have not
been over the REAL forest…
Well lets hope for some good days to come.
Yes we all met in Benalla that year in 1987. Gill’s husband Brian became world champion that year as well as Ingo Renner , Teresa’s ex husband. Kees Musters had a bad day in the beginning but after being more relaxed after that and socialising in the evening, he got back to 4th place. Great effort !
Tuesday morning; The astronomical summer starts today , but it does not look like it and it does not feel like it!!!!Before going to Amsterdam I can tell you that the weather clearly seems to be better in Arboga with longer tasks; a 3 hour AAT for club 203/362 km and the rest a 2 hour 45 AAT from 234/409 km . A 1000- point-day??? Finally???
Tuesday evening; YES!!!! It was a 1000-point-day, but a very difficult one with low cloud base,with several outlandings even from Joanna from Poland who had such a nice first place. There were showers, cross wind and even the witches night ,” Babajaga” was moved to Wednesday cause of the wind and many outlandings.
So a day to loose lot’s of points , but also to gain them. Which means, happy pilots and sad/disappointed pilots!
In club class 8 from 18 finished! “Poor Swaantje” , only flew 18 km and got 47 points. Best distance ; 267 in 3 hours and 23 minutes! Best overall; Amelie Audier from France.
In standard class, the German girls did well being 1-2 and 4 and only 6 from 16 finished. Best overall spot after 4 flying days is for Sue Kussbach from Germany.Best distance 304 km.in 3 hours 27!
In 15 m. class again 3 German girls on top and 7 finishers from 13. My friend Teresa made it home, good on her, being 5th! Best overall; Susanne Schödel from Germany. Tough days for all the girls, it was a 1000 point day but a very difficult one. Best distance in 15 m. class;320km. in 3.24.
I told you already how good the German team is organised. It is not only Uli who as TC directs the team, but also Walter who “reads” the weather for the ladies. Walter is not just “a “Walter, but Walter Eisele, a top pilot himself with lot’s of experience but also the WGC director from Bayreuth and… through the year, coach from the girls. The team is sponsored by Mercedes with 5 top- 4-gear -cars.
OLC; interesting flights.First on Saturday; From the Industrial Flight Park in Hobbs New Mexico, where Dutch pilot Kees Musters once became world champion. Some great flights specially the one in the Antares with Dave Nadler who reached a speed of 156 km/h over 652 km. But also the ASG 29 /18m. flight from Allison Tyler 645 km [ a 500 km FAI in it] with 128 km/h is not bad. And a pilot I got to know from Greece, Alexis Anastasiou, had a super- day- flying his ASW 22BLE, over 787 km. in a yo-yo, over Greece!!!
Last Sunday my friends in Switserland had a nice day. Belgium pilot Bert Schmelzer jr. who lives and works at this moment in Switserland and Stefan Leutenegger flew 608 and 754 km from Hausen am Albis so, about half an hour by car from Zurich.
Great to see that Pepe flew in his ASH 31/21m. a 1000 km.yoyo from Fuentemilanos yesterday. The first 1000 in Fuentemilanos for the season. I reckon a few more will be added!!! He loves the glider, by the way!
Just to let you know from July 1 till 8 I have my annual holiday with my high school friends and then there is not time to write , just to laugh and talk and have fun. Cheers Ritz