12 PM:
At 10 AM was the opening of the 10th WWGC here in Lake Keepit. As promised it was short, because of the extreme temperatures here at the moment.
Welcome words by several people , also in Aboriginal language completed by playing a didgeridoo.
BUT,….before all that, the 10 teams marched in accompanied by a cadet carrying the flag f the country.
Here they are;
Petra Piskata flies in club class and she has brought her little son, the most beautiful little boy. He had no difficulty with the heat and looked interested around to what was happening around him. Their TC is the very experienced Petr Krejcirik, a competition pilot himself.
They fly with 2 in 18 m and 3 in standard and 3 in club class.
The opening finished with morning-tea. The rest of the day everybody will be free, to go where they want to go. With a few we visit this evening one of the houses looking over Keepit on a hill. It seems to be spectacular.
12.15:
VOTING has been on the accommodation for the briefing room. One country was in favor of the spiffy air conditioned hall in the sport and recreation center and 1 had no opinion. The rest was in favor of the shabby, hot hangar where the 4 tugs live.They prefer being AT the field above “luxe”.
As the UK send a tweet out already earlier ; “ Stupidly hot briefing today. The organisation is experimenting with briefing on the airfield in a tug hanger, we are melting! The UK team will be voting for briefing to move back to the AirCon’d hall at our accommodation for the comp. “
I heard somewhere “BREXIT 2” !!!!
So that’s organised.
It seems the designated start will be not used straight away, may be not at all, as the scorers could not deal with it.
Same as in Tocumwal.
So that’s sorted as well.
A landing from the 2 local pilots in the dust storm yesterday evening was quite spectacular.Even for the local pilots here. The SW storm definitely came in quicker than expected.The dust took ALL visibility as the wind stood full and straight on 20.
For that reason Attila landed on 32 short, to stop behind his trailer to pack the glider in it straight away.
We had heavy wind all evening and had to eat inside, but had a lovely night and the steaks now “cooked on the BBQ” by Nick, were yummy.
Results from the short AAT’s yesterday:
18 m; 2 hour AAT won by Anne Ducarouge in JS 3 in 1.59,52. Speed 175 km./h. over 350 km. Melanie had about the same. Heard from Lisa [Turner] that they had 8 m lift at some places!!!She was still full of adrenaline after her speedy flight; 172 km./h.
Standard class; 1.30 AAT…good speed here as well;220 km. in time 1.30 makes 146 km./h.for French pilot Aude .Sarah did well as runner up.228 km in time 1.35.speed 144 km./h.
Club class; 1.30 AAT; 5 flew over 200 km and the best speed was by the French they had a real good practice period,127 km./h for Celine and 122 km./h for Amelie both in LS 4.
Some more pictures from today by other teams:
Courtesy Sarah Kelly Arnold
Courtesy Adam.
courtesy Jo Davis.
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As most , I take off the afternoon, but want to share for family and close friends, reading the blog as well, a short tribute to our son and brother Dennis, who died 32 years ago here in Australia after a fatal accident with his tug.
Dennis and his dad George flew together in the Benalla WGC in January 1987, as the first father- son combination in the very first allowed 2 seaters in open class; the Nimbus 3D.
Only one week earlier [ December 27 1987] our best friend Kees Musters [World champion in Hobbs in New Mexico] had a fatal accident in the mountains in France with his hang glider. Busy with his funeral , we got the message of Dennis. We never attended the funeral of Kees.
It was a terrible time.
R.I.P Dennis and Kees.
Life continues
CU tomorrow for the VERY FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF THE COMPS.
Leuk om weer eens iets van je te lezen, kijk er naar uit om je updates te lezen tijdens the WWGC!
Groetjes,
Dinant
Hi Dinant, dank je. Vandaag begint het dus tot de 20 ste kun je zeker blijven lezen.
Goede sfeer hier en iedereen is er klaar voor.
Dag hoor
R.