When I left you on Wednesday morning they were ready for short tasks in France, but even short was not good enough.
In Club, 3 from 13 finished, in Mixed 13 from 31…..The UK pilots did well in that kind of UK-weather.
Starts were mostly around 4 PM for club and around 4.25 PM for the mixed class. So a late window to fly in.

Club class;

Wednesday …Task 4…2.15 AAT;
The German and Polish pilots knew how to deal with this weather too. Uwe [Wahlig] and Stefan [Langer] started at 3.49 together and Uwe finished after 138 km in time 2.24. Stefan flew 147 km ,but seems not to have finished but still got 358 points where Uwe got 440.
Lukasz Kornacki and Arkadiusz Downar in SZD 55 and Pegase started together as well at 3.41 and both finished in time just over 2.30 and 140 km’s distance.

Thursday…Task 5…363 km;
That looks better….

But it was not really better….with what I heard, a pretty tough wind and on the tail during start, the pilots enthusiastically started their relative big task, BUT…..ONLY 3 finished. The wind on the nose at the last leg was just too much for most.
Uwe and Stefan finished,… good on them…. they started together at 1.46 and …finished around 6.50 PM. So over 5 hours in the air.
They were on a daily 2 and 3 spot ,…cause the UK has a good pilot as well; Jake started at 2.15 , finished at 7 and was number 1 with 877 points and a speed of 77 km./h
His UK mate Ge started at the same time, but JUST could not make it home missing out on a few km’s.
Belgium pilot Frederic de Groote is doing well in his St. Libelle and was on spot 4 missing out on 4 k.
So 3 IN and 10 OUT.

Friday….NO TASK! So 1 more day to go!!

Saturday …task 6...3.45 AAT !!!! LAST DAY!!
Weird day not only because the scoring system failed in the evening, just when it is important to see what’s going on.
In this class however, “things” were pretty normal.
The German toppers Uwe and Stefan , were together with Rasmus, the ONLY FINISHERS.
They flew all 3 over 300 km, …more did so, but did not finish…with the best speed for Stefan, 88.96 km./h., so he won the day.
Jake was out and lost points.
Then it was waiting for the scores till mid night. Sunday morning I had the final results, for the first 3 pilots.
1. Stefan Langer, moved from 2 to 1 with 3.961 points.
2. Uwe Wahlig moved from 3 to 2 with 3.936 points.
3. Jake Brattle moved from 1 to 3 with 3.776 points.

Mixed class;

Wednesday…Task 4…1.45 AAT;
Starts between 4.14 and 4.30….also for them a small window to fly in,…so small that 9 flew less than 100 km.
It really upset the overall scores as the “normally finishing” pilots as Sebastian and Lucasz were out as well.
So 6 pilots flew over 150 km.,among them 3 UK pilots, 2 from Italy and 1 from France.
For their efforts they got between 517 and 530 points .
The UK pilots Matthew John [Cook] and Howard [Jones] moved straight away from 7 and 14 to spot 1 and 2 overall, but scores are close very close.
My Belgian mates Jeroen and Dennis had a bad Tuesday. Their scores arrived only a day later. I noticed they had started 1 hour later than the rest and could not bring their gliders home.
So I wondered what had happened,…taking a risk for a late start…maybe rain and non way to depart…NO , they were not sure if they had a good start and flew back for a restart…now I wonder if their first start was OK.

By the way Benjamin had an other outlanding, but I was more interested in his comment;
“this time with my team mate. Still massive welcome from the farmer and his family. We will come back for sure just for the friendship !
Weather was like a « cucumber tart » and start line limited to 1400 m was just a joke many pilots paid by early outlanding… anyway welcome in Montluçon “

Thursday…Task 5….369 km;
That looks better and scores will be hopefully less upset. But,…..for some it was a “hell-of-a-day”!!!!
Though 1000 points were to be given.
They were for Belgium pilot Francois Delfosse ,who in his JS 3 flew the distance with a speed of 68 km./h. AND,…that say’s enough about the day with a real tough wind on the last leg.
Some were caught out by rain as well.
What about Sebastian, you look for him at the top, but no this time he was at the bottom!!Last spot ..41…with 163 points.
He started with Lucasz G. who was the last finisher on spot 29…but he “got” 836 points.
But we know what Sebastian can,…..no worries!!!

Friday…NO TASK!

Saturday….task 6…3 hour AAT ; LAST DAY!!!
And what a day it was!!!! Not only because of the scoring problem, but also because the changes in the overall scores….Let’s start with the day first.
Team Eric and Anne won the last day in the ARCUS T. with 333 km in time 3.10. A few more were scored and then it was waiting. Problems with the scores. I went to bed.
In the morning on Sunday, still the wrong scores as I knew that some pilots were scored as only km’s,…. but they had finished.
In the end the scores , who were all pretty close changed dramatically.
The 2 UK boy’s Matthew and Howard moved from 1 and 2 to 5 and 9!!They were 18 and 19 for the day.
The French boy’s Meric and Antoine moved from 6 and 3 to 1 and 2!!!!
They were 12 and 14 for the day.
Scores are still very close, that’s why I share the best 10.
1. Meric Morel in ASG 29 with 3.935 points.
2. Antoine Havet in JS3 with 3.928 points.
3. Enrique Levin in Discus 2A with 3.870 points.
4. Jacek Flis in Discus 2Awith 3.869 p.
5. Matthew Cook in Ventus 2Awith 3.844 p
6. Max Seis in JS 3 with 3.835 p.
7. Thomas Grove and Andy Lutz in ASG 29E and Ventus 3 with 3.831 p.
9. Howard Jones in Discus 2A with 3.830 p.
10. Peter Banki from Hungary in Discus 2A with 3.815 p.

I say often ” on a last day a lot can happen ” That happened here with scores SO CLOSE. Mind you…scores are ALL PRELIMINARY as they are still struggling with the system…but they claim that the numbers 1-2 and 3 are OK.

An interesting competition , …maybe TOO many outlandings… I had the feeling that for next years WGC the organizers have to do a few jobs . No worries, it’s practice for them and the pilots.
As I later read, most were volunteers and called on very short notice. The drought and covid-rules did not help either.

As said the Junior comps and Female comps were in La Roche-sur-Yon also in France.They had tough weather but great fun.
Here are the ladies, the best out of the mixed class…

And here the juniors from CLUB class with only 3 out of 7 days.

And the winners from the mixed class after 4 days of flying out of 7.

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Coppa Citta di Rieti

With 21 pilots hoping to be the new Italian Open Class National Champion ,they started on August 15 in 2 groups like in the C.I.M.;
Group 2 counted 28 pilots, group 1 had 12 .
They had 7 out of 8 good days up to 500 km. and a few very fast ones.
Peter Hartmann [Group 2] flew on task 3 around over 381 km. [2.20 AAT] with a speed of 163 km./h!!!
One day later he repeated that with 162 km./h over a racing task from 394 km. flying his Antares 23T.
Saturday was the last day and Peter leaded the overall scores then in group 2 , ahead of the Bouderliques, Giancarlo[Grinza] winner from the C.I.M and Thomas[Gostner] .
Great to see Alvaro [De Orleans] did win 3 tasks [1-5-6] in his ASH 31 Mi 21m. A pity he did not fly on task 3.

On Saturday was their last day and in group 2 the winner was yes , Peter again, now with 129 km./h. over 393 km during a 2.40 AAT. So easy overall scores;
1. Peter Hartmann in ANTARES 23 T with 6.085 points.
2.The Bouderliques in the ARCUS M with 5.879 p.
3. Giancarlo Grinza in Ventus 3F with 5.795 p.

In Group 1 no surprises and great flying by Luca
1. Luca Urbani in Discus B WL with 6.128 points.
2. Team Scheiber from Austria in Duo Discus XLT with 6.062 p.
3. Lorenzo Fornari in Ventus A [500 kilo] with 6.015 p.
The rest was in the 5000 scoring.

SO ….also important ,…who is the new Italian Open Class Champion;
1. Giancarlo Grinza with 6.231 points.
2. Ugo Pavesi with 6.052 p.
3. Thomas Gostner with 6.007 p.
The rest was in the 5000 marge.

Congratulations to all. Rieti had a great time with many happy pilots during the C.I.M. and C.C.R.
I think, no I am sure that, CD Aldo’s mentality , personal interest and touch, have to do a lot with these great comps.
Not to forget a THANK YOU TO THE TUGGIES, always active in hot and sometimes not too easy conditions

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—– Newsy news;
Liz Sparrow, the CD for the next WWGC ,flew a new UK gliding speed record; class….women’s open,20m and 15 m.!!
Congratulations Liz, this is some super flying. Liz’s record flight was on 11 July 2020. She flew a 400km triangle at 107.76 kph!
I add my congratulations as well. By the way she flew the record in an ASG 29/15m.
—-  regarding the rescheduling of the Multiclass Nationals in Australia, which had been planned for October 2020.
” The SDP (Soaring Development Panel) have agreed that a Nationals can not be a Nationals if all states can’t attend, or can’t do so without quarantine. So if the current interstate restrictions were to remain in place throughout the soaring season, we will not be having any Australian Nationals events in the 2020/21 season. “
They remain optimistic though…
—–The Kiripotib SOARING team , has cancelled with pain in their heart this upcoming season. So NO FLYING WITH THE CHAMPIONS.
There will be no containers from them, going to Namibia this season, but they are planning already for the 2021/22 season.
” We decided two months ago not to send our gliders, but in the background there were considerations and discussions about organizing a shortened season. However, the current Covid19 developments, especially in Namibia, have led to the decision to cancel everything. “
—–Bitterwasser had about the same message;”All hope in vain.
All the optimism of the organizers did not help: this year – due to the Covid 19 pandemic – there will be no hovering season in Bitterwasser! The Bitterwasser Board kept the decision open until the last minute. Now, shortly before the containers with the gliders should have been brought on the way, the decision had to be made. “
Travelling from and to Namibia at this stage,is impossible too, BUT ” The hope for a season in Bitterwasser has not yet been completely given up. If the development turns positive by early October at the latest, a shortened season can be organized. “
—-The Polish 18 m. Nationals [ 14 August 2020 – 23 August 2020 ] from Leszno , were won, like last year by Lukasz Wojcik in his VENTUS 3T.
29 Competitors in this “open ” class and 5 out of 10 days.
Janusz Centka was 3d in ASG 29 and team Wolfgang Janowitsch/Petkovic in ARCUS M was 6th.
—- Tassilo Bode had some super flights in the Ventus 3M from Puimoisson in France and shared some great pictures here is one of them.
Pretty busy there with 22 flights on the 21st.
One day earlier Lucas Blattmann flew a 1000 from there in his VENTUS 3T.

We finally had the last day of the regional heatwave last Sunday, pfff… 18 day’s is a pretty long time. On the other hand , we have today a REAL autumn-day,..this change is going to quick!!!AND,..again a lot of damage by fallen trees, but no casualties.
CU next Wednesday
Cheers Ritz