With minus 7 ,our spring feeling was gone for a few day’s. Tomorrow it will be “autumn” as wind will reach bft 9 with heavy gusting’s.
I guess that’s March.

Victorian State Comps continued in Benalla.

The Victorian State comps started with a practice day on March 3 and on March 4 they had to fly for the points.
They did in 2 classes, unballasted [ 10 pilots] and ballasted.[10]
Not TOP weather but flyable ;a low and blue day.
2.45 AAT’s were set and in the “gliders without water”, the Mosquito from Bendigo was the best; 163 km. in time 2.26.
Only 3 from 9 finished.
In the other class , home pilot, Toby Geiger in his Ventus 2ax flew 243 km. in time 3.08.
3 From 9 finished!!!
They did not fly on the 5th but the 6th was a flyable day again .
2.45 AAT for the “empty” gliders .
6 From 10 finished task 2 ;winner with 216 km. in time 2.44 was Mark Goodley in the HORNET for 900 points.
Bernie Sizer , with Tocumwal as home base, in his PIK 20 B WL was runner up with 245 km. but needed more time ;2.57.
Ailsa McMillan, who flew with the Aussie team the WWGC in Lake Keepit, flies the LS 4 and I had not seen a lot of flying from her over the last period. Good to see her in this State competition; 4th for the day.
Of course with Covid, EVERYTHING is different.
Task 3 in this class had a 2.15 AAT and 2 pilots flying the local DG 1001s/18m got the daily prize; 206 km. in time 2.17. Bernie was runner up and Ailsa 3d.
After an outlanding on task 1 [ flying 175 km which was 10/20 and 30 km further than the finishers, BUT you have to finish!!] she is now 3d overall.
Task 4, after a non flying day was a 2.30 AAT.
199 km. in 2.41, was the result for Ailsa and SHE WON the day. Good on her. She is a good pilot. 875 points. Only 76 points behind the overall number 1 Jack in the MOSQUITO. AND,…with ONE day to go!!!
4 From the 7 who started finished.
Task 5 was squeezed out….a 2 hour AAT and won by Jack with 188 km. in time 2.02….for 614 points.
9 From 10 finished on this last day.
The top 3 from the last few days stayed the same with a little change after task 2 ,….it was then Jack, Mark and Ailsa now it is
1. Jack Hart in the MOSQUITO with 3.713 points.
2. Ailsa McMillan in LS 4b with 3.568 p.
3. Mark Goodley in the HORNET WL with 3.434 p.

In the ballasted glidercomps task 2 was a 2.30 AAT and won by Tim [Wilson]a lovely guy , with a Dutch girlfriend, but due to Covid they have not seen each other since last season, when we all met in Tocumwal and had dinner together;256 km. in time 2.33. The only one over 100 km./h that day flying his ASG 29E.
Task 3 was a 2.45 AAT and not Tim’s day. He was “out” after 262 km.
Winner was John [Orton] in his ASG 29/18 m. ;327 km. in time 3.14.
Toby was 3d but still leads the pact, followed by John and Matt [Cage].
No flying on Monday!
BUT,….YES flying again , Task 4, on Tuesday with a 3 hour AAT. Prey again for Toby,267 km. in time 3.02 for 1000 points!!! Nearly 200 points in the lead before the last day.
8 Did start, 5 finished.
Task 5; 1.30 AAT and all 9 who started finished!! Toby won another day [175 km. in time 1.30] ,pretty clear he won this competition. Tim was runner up for the day. Overall he was on spot 4!
1. Tobias Geiger in Ventus 2ax with 4.034 points.
2. John Orton in ASG 29/18m with 3.729 p.
3. Matt Gage in Ventus 2CX/18m with 3.407 p.

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On March 7 several clubs started their season in Holland with great looking skies, but it was terrible cold when you were not sitting or standing in the sun. By the way, that sun is really good already!!!!
Soesterberg [ACVZ] and The Gelderse , the club from my grand children, did open their season. Great day for the seasonal test flights when you wear thermal clothes!!!!
And masks!!!!!

Some started straight away with nice CC flights, as my friend Daan [Pare] who flew 259 km. from Soesterberg [ nice weather, good test flight, with streets , but a “bit” chilly] straight to the East and other friends Vincent and Bart flew from there in the ARCUS 275 km. They went full of enthusiasm to the SW following the line of the Nordsea to Cadzand a famous Dutch seaside resort ; “fabulous, but on the way back,….there was wind,..no cu’s anymore” BUT,…no worries…..they had an engine”
They loved every minute.

In Germany great weather as well last Saturday with a 539 km. from Stadlohn [-East of Terlet just over the border]in an ARCUS T.
This is early-season-2021-fun, but there was late season-2021 fun as well. Sven [Olivier] flew 866 km from Worcester in his JS 1, and on Sunday New Zealand [Matamata] had a FUN-day with several flights between 500 and 600km-plus km. in Discus 2, SZD 55and DG 300.
When the weather is really good, we call that “kastelen- weer” in Germany they say “hammer wetter” .
One of my friends Bertje, decided to use that literary and followed in the air a few great castles on “castle-weather-day” !!
That extremely cold weather from the North gives great visibility.

Sunday was not as good but still some good early-season-flights. This time just over “my” border into Belgium where Pieter Daems flew in his Discus 2T a nice distance/ jo-jo from 417 km. starting from Keiheuvel.
A weekend full of “happy, but frozen” chappies.
I found the word “chilly” an understatement!!

Last but not least ;
Peter Eriksen from Denmark is ,last weekend, elected as the new president of IGC, The International Gliding Commission.
Our Dutch Frouwke Kuijpers is now first vice president of the IGC.
Eric Moser , who was president for many years ,is now in the EB from the FAI.
Congratulations!!!!

To finish. I found this picture on FB with the message “High altitude crossings”….in my eyes….pretty scary!!!!

Better stay further away from each other, this upcoming season.
CU next week
Cheers Ritz

And.…..not to forget….for WOMEN’SDAY this picture from USA pilot Sarah, and WWGC Champion in Lake Keepit, who is this year flying the WGC in Stendal in the ARCUS with Karl Striedeck…old and new with respect,…. for this picture and the “nice combination”.

The British Gliding Association and WWGC 2022 news;
“We’re celebrating International Women’s Day in style by launching the Women’s World Gliding Championship 2022!”
www.wwgc2022.co.uk

13-17 August 2022 at Husbands Bosworth…HUSBOS…. in Leicester in the UK.