Interaction !
ANOTHER , ….this time Finnish …..FAMILY -AFFAIR!
When I wrote in one of my blogs about our “FAMILY AFFAIR ” in Benalla in 1987, I got a lovely reaction from Riku Rissanen.
I have been a few times in Rayskala and I am proud to got to know quite a lot of people there.
Here is the Rissanen family as shared by Riku, who wrote so enthusiastic about his family , that I asked him if I could share a few news items and here you are.
“Me [4 months old] and Markku ,my father in 1979 at the Finnish Nationals in the “2 seater” ASW-19 OH-592 “
His grandfather Pauli started in 1947, his grandmother Pirkko flew in 1965 , his own father Markku started in 1966 and his uncle Sami in 1983. Riku himself had his basic course in 1994, when he turned 15.
He was in the junior team 2000 and 2002.
Dad was best mates with Tapio Savolainen, the TOP-Finnish -TC I wrote about in my blog .They met in the 60thies after Tapio started gliding in 1968.
The strings between the soaring families was strong, as Tapio was the godfather from Riku.
Last year they had an awesome flight, dad and son;
“When I flew the 1037km with my dad Markku last year, we both said after the landing that it was so sad that Tapsa didn´t see this.”
Well ,so out of the blue from one of the blog readers with a comment, such a nice story about family-soaring.
As you know, I know a lot of soaring families and they intrigue me.
Thanks Riku. AND,…he has children as well, the oldest is 13 ,so who knows the soaring-history continues.
Riku [to the r.] in 2002 with a very well known soaring-face/crew at several comps, Mikko.
“Normally” at comps, Mikko is dressed in Riku’s outfit
” For the last days briefing, we changed clothes with my crew Mikko.”
And about that competition.
“Nordic Junior competitions 2002 at Kronobergshed Sweden with NO contest days..ONLY RAIN”.
————
Bitterwasser.
HAD A FABULOUS SEASON.
Here is the last news from this season and the first for the upcoming season from the Bitterwasser site:
“The Bitterwasser season 2016/2017 is finished.
After getting the ok from the customs ladies, the containers with the gliders left Bitterwasser.
A fantastic, successful and accident-free season is over.
230 flights with more than 1000km.
780 flights with a total of 625 thousand km shows the high quality of the season.
At January 19 , the Namibian weather showed again his best side, with 1400km.;Reinhard Schramme made one of the biggest flights of the season.
From tomorrow on the preparations for the coming season 2017/2018 will start.
Those who wants to fulfill their dream of flying in Bitterwasser can make a booking under booking@bitterwasser.com. “
The 4 Namibian airfields did well on the OLC list looking at the stats of airfields after their season, with a 1st [Bitterwasser] , 2d [Pokweni] ,3d [Kiripotib] and 5th place [newcomer Veronica]
On spot 4 was Gariep Dam in South Africa.
Bitterwasser;118 pilots flew during 781 flights a total distance of 625.356,35 km.
Pokweni; 58 pilots flew during 448 flights a total distance of 344.633,04 km.
Kiripotib; 78 pilots flew during 395 flights a total distance of 275.423,88 km.
Gariep Dam; 64 pilots flew during 437 flights a total distance of 240.538,71 km.
Veronica; 45 pilots flew during 231 flights a total distance of 184.608,56 km.
.————-
Interesting OLC flights last week!
It’ s a great after-season in Australia !!!
Temora one of the great spots in Australia to fly from had some friends/guests using the very nice weather for some exciting and great flights. Arne from Denmark moved there after the WGC and flew on January 27 with dad and son Woolley and Butch and Ben Loxton and some Temora “locals” as Brian, Nathan and Graeme .
Brian nearly flew a 1000 in his 18 m. LS 10; 955 km. [750 FAI triangle! ]
Nathan in his LS 3 a 865 km [667 FAI triangle]
Ben in his St Cirrus flew 721 [600 FAI triangle]
Arne flew a 750 FAI triangle and Adam 725 km. One day later they all had such a good day again and Adam flew then 850 and Arne 875 km.
Adam tried out his new 15 m. Ventus 2ax and loves it “Fantastic day running up and down the trough line with my mates.“
All places in Australia were pretty good this late in the season and good old Richard was back in Benalla after the comps, for his annual soaring holiday and enjoyed 524 km up N. with “ Wind nw/5-10 kts. Mainly Cu except later on to the west.”
Kilometer-eater Stefan flew his LS 4 from Tocumwal over 603 km !! Corowa had several over 700 km. flights .
Have to repeat it; BENALLA REALLY HAS BEEN VERY UNLUCKY WITH THE WEATHER!!!!
After all the stress from organizing a good WGC , competition director Terry relaxed win the sky with a 500 k in his LS 3 from Benalla. Maybe his last as I just read he bought himself a new toy and he is now the proud owner of a Ventus2cxt.
It can always be BETTER, I mean with the weather!!!! Bathurst was according to Matthew Scutter, the place to be on January 29. Pipers Field hosts the Bathurst Soaring Club , one of the largest gliding clubs in NSW, only 2.30 driving from Sydney.
Matthew flew from there 1.018.05 km. in his Discus 2 A with a nice speed of 115 km./h.. Good on him, after a pretty frustrating WGC, he deserves such a great flight to feel again how nice soaring is!!! Well done!!!
On the OLC he commented :“Today was the approximately 1 day a year Bathurst was the best place to be. First thermals, the last thermals and a marginal seabreeze convergence let me just squeak out a tonne.”
In his 2017 WGC recap he mentioned;
“I’m now going to take a break from high-level competition and do some more distance, adventure and generally ‘fun’ flying for a while. I hope to come back to a different landscape, hopefully with some different rules that make for safer, more enjoyable racing.”
Right he is!!!!The full recap was on FB at Matthew Scutter’s Gliding.
And Matthew has made some firm decisions:
“It’s finally happening. Just booked Adelaide->London on March 17, to build a campervan, then travel Europe.”
Always welcome!
Also Tocumwal had a great day with a 700 FAI triangle in an ASH 26 E [ Terry Ryan.]
Not long and the doors from the hangars in Europe will be opened again. I noticed already the announcement of opening- parties to see each other again and to just talk SOARING after winter , till they can all go UP again.
AND…the temperatures here in Holland will rise to 12 -plus in the weekend.
————
AND as you can see Corowa has started preparations to send all incoming gliders “out” again, destination Holland.
Beautiful Corowa, it will be less busy in the pool over the next months.Looking at the skies,…great day for packing!!
AND
the message from Francesco and Grietje:
“Everyone, really everyone helped packing today! The weather has not been that good this season but it did not kill the “Corowa family” spirit!!!!”
THAT’S THE SPIRIT!!!
———-
And to finish this perfect picture from Wolf Herold, shared by
Soaring News by Paul Remde of Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
“Waterbomber – here comes the force…. Antares 23”
CU next time
Cheers Ritz