Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday August 3 2011 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
The glorious winner from the Grand Prix 2011 at Wasserkuppe; Giorgio Galetto. I received the picture from Marina yesterday. She is rushing to be in Musbach in time to do her FAI duties, starting this weekend. Busy lady! THANKS!!!! In between Giorgio won day 1 during the CIM in Rieti.
Finally the perfect weather arrived for holiday makers at the beach. Maybe just in time to “save” the people running clubs at the beach.
Yesterday 28 , today 26, what do you want more!?NO RAIN, as it rains AGAIN!!!
Last Sunday I really enjoyed sitting on the boat and cruising the canals of Amsterdam, with my family and friends. Even Australian mate Kait was with us. A bit chilly still that day, but we had heaps of fun.
picture by Kait from her BB.
I kept myself out of politics about our National Gliding Center Terlet. The main group of users, about 400,[ all together in a corporation] went broke last June due to “quarrels” and ” debts” , but the good news is that Terlet CONTINUES, which really pleases me! Love Terlet!!!
Day 1 in Pociunai was cancelled. So nothing new this season, just another scrubbed day. Though Day 2was much better and AAT’s from 2hours 30, were flown, some had to outland again.BUT…quite a lot finished! Still not a 1000- points-day , but they will get there! Local showers and a not too high cloud base
were the ingredients for that.
872 points in open class for the winner Killian from France, what an ace he is! And such a nice young man! Helicopter pilot by profession and when I spoke with him last , he served in Afghanistan.
Expensive points for those who outlanded, 4 in in this class! Feel sorry for Pete [N1] as I know how good he is!!
Was impressed with Bruno [YY] he still can fly!!!! His Nimeta [ 30.5 m. span!!!!] gave him 258 km and a 2d place for day 1.Good on him.
In 18 m.the number 3 on the world list from FAI, behind Michael Sommer and Sebastian Kawa, Polish pilot Zbigniew Nieradka, won the day [949 points] before Peter from Denmark.14 Pilots in this class were so unlucky to go ” au vaches ” under them Ricardo from Italy.4 ASG 29’s in the top.
In 15 m. class 12 outlandings and also one of my favourites Gyorgy did not finish!!! The French have a strong pact to try to win. Denis was 2d and Louis 3d and he defends his EGC title.
Day 2; The meteo forecast was good as I noticed on the official site, with a great looking sounding and 1/8 to 3/8 of cumulus!
379 km for 15 m class, 402 for 18 m and 425 for open. Finally some real soaring conditions with nice tasks!The 15 m. class flew with the trackers.
In 45 minutes all gliders were airborne, good from those 15 Wilgas.
Pilots had straight after their start 2m/sec. And…finally 1000 points for the winners, it should be like that!!!As they flew around the Kaunas TMA pilots really had to be careful to not go wrong. Some did it in the end. Arne Boye Möller [Denmark] was winner of the day, but …..violated the TMA and got an outlanding on the place of violation. So did 3 other pilots in his 18 m. class , 1 in open and 1 in 15 m. class.
The day was good but not real good, due to less good circumstances up N.But nevertheless with what we are used to in summer till now, a good day.
Great to see that the top- pilots who outlanded on day 1 were in the top now.Pete Harvey in open at spot 2 and Ricardo Brigliadori in 18 m. at spot 3 .They straight away showed that that outlanding was a misser.
Today , day 3, looks good again, sunny but cool morning conditions and flights in to Poland.
15m-452 km.to the NW, direction Baltic close to the Russian border;18m.-473 km. and open 501 km. both into Poland.Interesting to see the open class with in the overall scores 5 pilots between 1753 and 1722 points.
In 18m. class Peter Eriksen [1934 points] from Denmark is on spot1 overall but behind him are the Polish pilots [1927 and 1906 points] and they fly over home country.
In 15 m. also small differences between the number 1 and 5; 1855 and 1845 points!!!!
A nice long distance as today shows who will be best.
Uvalde is preparing for their Pre World Championship 2011 .They will be held from August 6-14! Won’t be there but will inform you with news I receive and read!
The CIM in Rieti has started yesterday with 71 participants in 6 classes!! 412 km. on day 1 for open class. So a nice Rieti day!Italian pilot Vittorio Pinni got the 1000 points in standard class. 3 Swiss pilots are on his heels.
In 18 m. Giorgio Galetto wast not too tired from winning the GP and travelling from Germany back to Rieti, he straight away won day 1. 1000 points in his pocket!
In open class the Austrian pilots Josef and Sebastian Eder were the best with close behind Alexander Müller.
Some pictures from my archive from Rieti WGC in 2008 .Wave, town and airfield.
And….George found on you tube the most wonderful “Bird” a smart bird; a lightweight airplane [ 450 grams] modeled on a seagull which flies by flapping its wings. AMAZING!!!! Here you can see it yourself! Enjoy!!!
www.flixxy.com/airplane-flies-like-a-bird.htm
Some analyses from the EGC and CIM on Friday!
No news on Sunday as I will be for the weekend at Keiheuvel, another favourite airfield just over the Dutch border in Belgium.Have n’t been there for a while so looking forward to catch up with friends. Jeroen, son of the owners of the restaurant Chrisje and Rudy, will be not there , he is in Musbach, flying the JWGC for Belgium, but all who got back from Nitra will be I hope!! Will tell you all about it on Monday, CU then, cheers Ritz