Indeed …life continues, also for the glider pilots.
They try to give all tragic events a place, have spoken with each other and will do so for many more months and years and …they are looking at the skies again, as they have too because they are beautiful at the moment …., they feel the passion again and they fly again.
Also the club members from Marlinde, Sjors and Lars,..it is as it should be,…that is …when you can do it!!!
The reactions from the world wide soaring community were heart warming and will support the families, friends and club members.
Some reactions;
“our thoughts are with the Dutch gliding community the whole world gliding community feels this loss.” Australia.
” our hearts are with the Dutch gliding community on such a
tragic loss .” Australia
” Deepest sympathies to you all during these black days. ” Finland.
” This is tragic. My condolences to the pilots’ families. ” USA.
” So sorry Ritz all my condolences to family and friends ” Belgium
” A cruel weekend, Ritz. Thinking of you xx ” the UK.
” I am so sorry. That is truly awful. By last night, the news of both of these accidents had made it to New Zealand. The whole gliding world is a family and we are all in mourning with you. ” New Zealand.

On Monday I opened the blog to start again,…..I had a quiet weekend, BUT, ….on Monday Morning I heard that the Dutch lost on Sunday afternoon Carribean time ,one of their NH -90 Marine helicopters during a coastal- patrol between Aruba an Curacao ,our Caribbean Islands . Most of you know I lived at Curacao for a while, so I was extra alert. The marine base is a big place in town.
2 Survived the crash, 2 did not,one of them...Christine Martens, the captain of the helicopter, AND,…..she was a Dutch glider pilot only 34 years old.
She and the coordinator were in the cockpit, the other 2 in the belly. They could get out by their selves.
I read that the mariners at the ship saw it happen and straight away went in a boat to the helicopter which was already under water and got the other 2 out,..but re animation did not help anymore
They found the black box, so hopefully they find out quickly what went wrong. Till further notice they keep all those NH-90 helicopters on the ground.
R.I.P. Christine and R.I.P. Erwin, father of a 1 year old daughter.

Back to “work” again;

The 10th POLISH 15 m. Nationals,
The 18th Club Nationals
Ostrow Glide 2020.
Ostrów Wielkopolski Michałków, Poland
16 July 2020 – 26 July 2020

In all classes quite a few pilots in this Corona time. All with mouth masks in the briefing.
20 In the 15 m. class and 46 in club .

15m;
Day 1…cancelled.
Task 1…..232 km.; and..Tomasz Rubaj in his ASG 29 was really in a hurry and flew 137,6 km./h and that was quite a bit faster than the runner up …one of the Lukaszes..this time Lucasz Grabowski with 123 km./h. flying a 15m. LS 8. The other Lucasz [ Wójcik ]had 122.98 km.h. in an LS 8a.
Janusz Centka [ ASG 29E 15m ] was 5th and Sebastian Kawa in Diana 2 6th after a penalty.[ no Event Marker recorded ]
Task 2….292 km; a great day for Lucasz [G] Lucasz [W] Janusz and Tomasz…1-2-3 and 4. Speed between 121 and 125 km./h.
2 Out and 3 did not fly.
Task 3… 1.30 AAT was set but NOT flown/cancelled.
Task 4…1.30 AAT;with 116 km./h “good old “Janusz was for a little while the daily winner.He flew 174 km in time 1.29,20.
Janusz was WORLD CHAMPION in Uvalde in open class in 1991 and in Borlange in Sweden in 1993 both in the ASW 22.
In 15 m class he was world champion in Eskilstuna also in Sweden in an SZD 56-2 Diana 2.
I was at all those comps!!!
But later it was Lucasz Blaszczyk , the local Lucasz, who flew 177 km. in time 1.26. He started very late and clearly had the better weather.
Enormous differences in start time; the early birds started at 11.38 and the winner at 13.51!!!
Bad day for the other Lucaszes; 14 and 15 with one just in and the other just out!!!

Then they had the REAL soaring weather and of course the task showed so:
Task 5..3.30 AAT; Top pilot Sebastian showed as world champion from the most WGC’s, his class in the Diana 2 ;473 km. in time 3.39 so a good speed of 129 km./h. Tomasz was also over 120 km./h. ; 122 km./h.
Lucasz G and Lucasz W were 3 and 4.
No tasks yet for today!!!

Club class;
day 1 was cancelled.
Task 1…177.13 km. flown by all 45 who started. Many, many Jantars and SZD 55 gliders in this class.
Mikołaj Zdun was the first winner in a St Jantar.[106 km./h.]
Task 2..249 km; Mikolaj won again and again 106 km./h. And also again…. all 45 pilots finished. Stanisław Wujczak was 3d.
Task 3 was cancelled.
Task 4…1.20 AAT; New names all difficult ,new winners and Judyta Czyz was 4th in ASW 19.
Aha I saw her in Lake Keepit. She was 7th at the WWGC over there and really flew well.

Task 5..3.30 AAT, so a long one for the small gliders!!! NO worries, only 1 out from the ones who started and 350 km. in 3.32 for the winner!!! Flying a BRAWO…and the runner up was a BRAWO too.
Judyta was 10th.

No tasks yet for today!

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We just had a great soaring weekend including Monday!!!
Several 1000 km. flights on Sunday from Fuente where Guy Bechtold flew 2 x a long flight in a row; 1.202 on Sunday and 1.089 on Monday and a 1000 from Villacastin in Spain.
MONDAY, was a booming day again in Holland, but also in Belgium.
Peter[ Millenaar ] flew in a Nimbus 4M a distance of 1.157 km. mainly over our “small” country.
Peter shows a very good photo story on the OLC. Have a look!!!
Jeroen[ Jennen] , who started in an LS 8 from Keiheuvel, just over the border here, flew 1.001 km. and…totally unexpected!!!Always nice.
He declared an 850 triangle flew it but the day was SO good that he added “some more ” kilometres.
He flew over Holland and Germany.
Jef [Kell] flew with him yesterday , he in a Discus 2.[1.006 km.] HIS VERY FIRST 1000 km. back after more than 10 hours….extra congrats!!!What a happy chappie…looking at the video!!!!
Jeroen flew 999.72 km.yesterday. Maybe a bit disappointed,…but that is OLC km.’s, his oudi and LX mentioned 1.003 km. Uncle Eddy [Huybreckx] mentioned…280 m.short….he was already worried that this could happen.
Tijl {Schmelzer} flew his 18 m. Ventus 3 T ,over another 1000 also from Keiheuvel , this time an out and return far into Germany and back, whilst his dad flew the 18 m. Ventus 2 CT,over 815 km,..
From Terlet Steven Raimond flew a declared 816 triangle !!!
The last 3 day’s have been really great again.

And to finish,…one of the UK young ones, who converted to the junior. Well done!!!!
Here in Holland the summer soaring camps are busy so lot’s of also young ones have the possibility to fly for a few weeks.

CU next week
Cheers Ritz