The Montluçon-Guéret International Glide 2020/ PRE-WORLDS with 60 pilots from 17 different countries is in progress.
16 August 2020 – 22 August 2020
One of the important messages was published on August 14 2020;
“Dear competitors
Due to the severe drought situation in France and particularly in the department of Creuse, measures to restrict the use of water have been taken by the authorities.
Competition will therefore take place without ballasting the gliders.
Thank you for your understanding.”
That will be very different, but less work in the morning and everybody has the same “problem”.
I heard not everybody was happy with this “on short notice” new rule.

A lot of well known and still young pilots in club class as , Rasmus Orskov from Denmark, Jake Brattle and Tom Arscott from the UK, as well as a bit older Ge Dale and from Germany their German coach Wolli Beyer.
Dutch WGC champion Sjaal Selen will attend from Holland and my Belgium mates , Dennis Huybreckx and Jeroen Jennen.
Toppers from Germany as Jan Omsels and Enrique Levin and from Poland Sebastian Kawa and Lucasz Grabowski.
Matthew Scutter former JWGC champion from Australia and Andy Lutz from Austria and many more!!!
So 2 classes CLUB and a mixed standard/15 m/20 m. class. Scoring for the standard, 15m and 20m multi-seat class will be with French FFVP handicaps. 
First official practice day after rain the day before, was on August 15 with tasks as 3.30 AAT for club [ 13 pilots] and 3 hour AAT for the mixed class.[43] In the 2 seaters of course 2, as Eric Napoleon with Anne Ducarouge in the ARCUS .
12 in the mixed class flew and finished ,2 were “out”. Winner was Sebastian with 319 km. and a speed just over 100 km./h.
The rest , as runner up Dennis and Howard [Jones] on 3 ,had under 100 km./h.

A few “girls ” flying as well. A quick look on the participants learns me : Aude, Diana, Anne and the Abadies share one JS 3.

Let’s start with this for sure interesting competition;
CLUB CLASS 13 pilots:
Day 1 ..task 1…2 hour AAT; CANCELLED
Day 2..task 2…297 km; won by the young “hotshot” from the UK, Tom [Arscott] with a speed of 80 km./h in the LS 7 WL; 865 points.
Ge [Dale] an a bit older “hotshot’ was runner up in a DG 200 and on 3 the other young “hotshot” Jake [Brattle] in LS 7 WL.
So a few “out” as well; 7 from 13.
Day 3…task 3 …3 hour AAT; OUCH…bad day for Tom…he was the only one out….after 238 km. and lost nearly 700 points, that hurts!!!!
Jake had a better day and was runner up, they started together, so something en route must have gone wrong.
Winner for the day Stefan Langer for Germany in LS 3A. [279 km.in time 3.09 for 1000 points] His mate Uwe Wahlig in the same glider was 3d.

MIXED CLASS 41 pilots:
Day 1…task 1…2.30 AAT; CANCELLED.
Day 2…task 2 …322 km; only ONE pilot/team flew over 100 km./h. so a difficult day; Yves Gerster /Hirt from Switzerland in the ARCUS M .
Max[imilian] Seis in the JS 3 lost 18 points as runner up as it was a 1000 points -day for them.
The Abadies sharing a JS 3 were 3d but fly HC ,so Matthew [Scutter] had a good day as number 3.[98 km./h]
Matthew mentioned;”Exciting climb up to final glide on the first flying day at the France Preworlds.[In the rain]
Easily the strangest competition I have ever flown in – water restrictions mean we are not allowed to ballast with water, but we’re still being scored with ballasted handicaps, so we have Diana 2’s in our class as low as 30kg/sqm and Arcus M’s at nearly 50kg/sqm, with 1% between them. I have the FES batteries in my Diana 2 so I am not suffering as badly as others.
A difficult day, with TP’s surrounded by rain and a storm for some on the last leg…then dead air!!!
From 41 6 were out. Most of them only 10 k out!!!Benjamin [Neglais] was out on 12 k, as you can see a “real aux vaches”, but still could smile;

Day 3…task 3…2.30 AAT; MUCH better day for Benjamin…19th for the day. It turned out to be a Polish day; Lucasz Grabowksi [ASG 29] was on 1 with 265 km. in time 2.40. Jacek Flis [Discus 2A] was runner up and Sebastian [Diana 2] on 3 with the other Lucasz [Blaszczyk ] on 6.[Discus 2A]
The 3 Dutch pilots were on spot 31[Robbie in LS 8] , 32 Diana [in JS3] and 33 Sjaak.[Discus 2A]

For today there is a 1.45 AAT-task for the mixed class and a 2.15 AAT for Club.
Scores are very close ,..but hopefully 4 more flying days to make the difference,…AND with ONLY ONE point more you are a winner too.

If you want to “follow” the pilots….they continue till August 22… look at; https://link.glideandseek.com/montlucon-2020

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At the same time they fly in France the JUNIOR and Female competition.
La Roche-sur-Yon in France, is the place to be for the juniors and the female pilots.
Also a mixed class [ 19] and club class.[ 22]
4 Members of the De Pechy family, with, I presume dad and one son in the ARCUS M., being runner up on task 2 but as HC and 2 young sons in the Club class with Clement winning task 2 and brother Anton with no points.

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—-Ricardo Brigliadori flew a stunning new European and Italian record ; 183 km./h.over a 100 km. FAI- triangle.
He flew his JS 1 …and/as …he is the Italian JS agent.
Ricky mentioned via Jonkers;” “the sky of Rieti is always the most magical sky of the world. Every day brings joy, fun galore and satisfaction for those who love our amazing sport: GLIDING! “

—-Talking about Italy AND Rieti the Coppa City di Rieti is in full swing with group 1 and group 2 and during this competition the Italian Open Class Nationals will be flown.
21 Pilots fly for the title. Quite a lot of the same names as the last Rieti CIM.
They had 3 flying days till now …yesterday had NO TASK….and in open it’s again Giancarlo Grinza [Ventus 3F/18m] who is at this stage leading the “pact”.
Ugo Pavesi [ASG 29] is just 16 points behind and Thomas Gostner is 3d in Ventus 3T./18m.
Yesterday Peter [Hartmann ] in his Antares 23 won the 2.20 AAT with 163 km./h. in group 2.

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—-For my Aussie mates and for those who still hope to visit Australia for the 2020/2021 season here some news from the comps.
Qld state Comps
Registration from Thursday 24th Sept
Practice  Friday 25th Sept
Comp Saturday 26th Sept – Friday 2nd Oct
Presentation Dinner Friday 2nd Oct
Format will be Grand Prix style.
Club Class will be flown Dry
Sports Class will be ballasted.
Registration at https://darlingdownssoaringclubinc.wildapricot.org/event-3922221?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=9/18/2020

—-To finish some really “sad” news!!!!About Omarama, I thought the problems were sold but it seems to be more complicated!!!
“Sadly, Glide Omarama does not expect to be operating from the Omarama Airfield in the near future.
It has been an incredibly challenging six months for us on many fronts.
Many of you will know that the Civil Aviation Authority decided to discontinue our letter of exemption from part 115 of the civil aviation act earlier in the year. This decision, to enforce new compliance on Glide Omarama’s operations, was abrupt and unexpected and was made following extensive personnel changes within the Authority. Unfortunately for us, it fell in the middle of our season. Part 115 compliance for Gliding is unique to New Zealand and is a complex, lengthy, and expensive process. Requiring significant new levels of regulatory and administrative overhead it would have vastly increased our operating costs without adding any measurable safety benefits. It would also push many of our most experienced and talented instructors out of the industry.

Even as we began to tackle part 115 compliance, Covid-19 turned the world upside down. Despite some newfound local interest in gliding, many of our regular overseas clients and team are unable to travel here for the 20/21 season. We’re thinking of you all; whatever this gliding season brings it will not be the same without you.

A further hurdle has now been thrown at us by the Omarama Airfield Company. Despite our existing legal rights to an exclusive license to operate commercial gliding from the airfield, they have proceeded to advertise for new commercial operators. We have been attempting to work with them to resolve our concerns in a way which minimises impact on everybody else. Unfortunately, they have declined to engage with us around the issues raised.
As a result of all of the above, there really is no choice but to suspend operations from the Omarama Airfield until further notice.

I myself have retired and handed over the business assets and affairs to my son George in the hope that he can pull together new leadership and a future for what we have built over the last 22 years in Omarama.In the meantime, I am preparing all of the equipment for sale including gliders, tow planes, hangers, and ancillary equipment, as well as writing a book. So please watch this space for updates.

I am told that over our 22 years, Glide Omarama had grown to become one of the most successful gliding operations worldwide. It was certainly unique considering the skills and professionalism of our staff, our wonderful guests from around the world, not to mention the Omarama soaring environment.
I often said that the real reward from this line of work was the people we met and the adventures we shared. This is certainly true for both Mandy and me.

I would very much like to thank all our guests from wherever you came and our outstanding team. There is also a very special thank you which I would like to make to Rod Dew our General Manager; his outstanding leadership and steady support throughout these difficult times have meant so much.

Gavin Wills – Retired, Omarama

It makes me feel VERY sad again, as it makes me think back of how Sportavia had to be sold in 2005. It’s a life style you don’t earn a lot of money ,but it is great to meet so many mates and be there for them, share their passion as well as yours.
I feel for Gavin and Mandy but as far as I could see and hear they did a great job.
I still have a lot of contact with lots of our guests and friends from the SSC time.
I know they will have too.

Cheers Ritz