The RACE was REALLY “on ” during the last days of this SGP in Rion Des Landes, BUT they were not all flyable.
Last Wednesday , when I published, Christophe Abadie had a comfortable lead of 5 points on Maximillian Seiss.
That day , race 4, a task of 162 km was set and the race was won by Adrien Henry in a JS 3. So…10 points for him. Christophe had no points and finished on spot 12. He remains on 23 points, BUT, Adrien is now on 22 as is Sylvain [Gerbaud]

Race 5 was a real good, better said “strong” one by Philippe [De Pechy]. 112 km. was set but the weather was not their friend. Philippe managed to “fight” for 2 hours, flew 37 km. BUT,…all in vain, as the day in the end was invalid.
6 Pilots went “aux vaches”.
Race 6 was cancelled due to poor weather so it all depends on Saturday, the last day …299 km. was set ,….but no it was not happening again….the weather refused to co-operate.
On Sunday morning I read :”Congratulations to all the pilots for this great event. Christophe Abadie is the GP France champion followed by Sylvain Gerbaud and Maximilian Seis completing the podium. The two 1st pilots have already a ticket for the Final: http://sgp.aero

So out of the 4 days, Christophe won 2 and was 7 and 12 on the other days.
Sylvain was on spot 4,2,8 and 4.
Max on spot 5,5, 2 and 6.
Adrian [10,6,4 and 1] and Philippe [6,1,6 and 8] had both 20 points.

Heads are now turning to La Cerdanya for the Grand Prix of Spain in 3 weeks.

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That Sunday, the Rayskala Open had it’s 2d day. Not the very best weather either, but they were prepared/ready to go for it.

Day 1 showed 7 pilots in open flying an AAT of 2.30.
Juha Sorri , in an ARCUS M, flew 275 km. in time 2.38, so a nice speed of 104 km./h.
9 pilots in Club with the same task. Antti Taimioja in a Discus a won with 230 km in time 2.34. Petri, son from Martti Sucksdorf, who flew in the past with us in Tocumwal and brought his wife Liisa and Petri along, was runner up, in an LS 4a. I got to know Petri when he was 5. He is 30 now!!![see picture below]
Day 2 had the same task and pilots,,…,but was cancelled in the end.
No task on Monday., neither on Tuesday but for today a 2 hour AAT is announced.
They continue till May 15.

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On May 1, they started in Belgium the Coupe Maurice. 18 Pilots flew that day and winner was Wim Akkermans in an LS 8. 11 Finished.
This coupe, named after Maurice Huybreckx, [R.I.P.]the pater familias from this well know family and father of my friends Marc ,Chrisje and Eddie and grandfather of Jeroen [Jennen] and Dennis , Tim , Sofie and Gitte is a gliding competition with four different starting places. Kiewit, Weelde, Brasschaat and Keiheuvel. They depart from their own club, this can be any club in Belgium, and then fly to the starting point. The finish height is at 500m AMSL in a sector of 3km so that the height is enough to fly back to the home club after finishing. (You may also land at the finish airfield if your crew likes to drive the trailer]
Last Sunday was race 2 , a small one from 139 km. on a hot and sticky day with rain and nice but sometimes ” awful” weather, with rain , and thunder- storms. The day was cancelled.
Hopefully the next one has good weather again. It’s a nice concept.

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In Calcinate Del Pesce in Italy started the Coppa Citta di Varese [CCV] on May 9 with a 3 hour AAT for group 1, with 18 pilots…. quite a few real toppers!!!!They continue ..hopefully… till May 15.
The National Championship of the 18 meters class will be held within the CCV. [Varese City Cup]
7 Two-seaters, 4 x ARCUS and 3 x ASH 25.
Margot Aquaderni won the first day in 18 m. [8 pilots] with 286 km. in time 3.05 [
The open was won by Stefano Ghiorzo in the ARCUS T with 332 km. in time 3.19, before Peter Hartmann in the ANTARES 32 T. [305 km. in time 3.01]
Today they have a 3 hour AAT.

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Last Sunday it was Mothers day , but not all men stayed home.
Very understandable as they must have looked at the weather and have seen that it was GOOD, specially in Switzerland and France, and not to forget JAPAN,…with this time good wave.
Not often they fly a 1000 in Japan. Shigeru Ishiyama did from Nagano;1.007 km.!!! In a Ventus 2cT/18m. GOOD ON HIM!!!
I have been at several fields in Japan and I can tell you it is not easy to fly a 1000 there. He flew from Nagano to the slopes of the “good” more- mountain- like -area and flew a yo-yo-type of flight in high WAVE, up to 6750 MSL.
On Monday Kenshi[ Tagami]flew one in a DG 400/17 m. from Itakura,..very special flights; 1.114 km!!!!!!
Good on you Shige and Kenshi!!!!!!

The European flights were TOP as well; Christoph Heidemeier flew in the Ventus 3 T/18m a distance of 1.205 km. in high wave as well. He started from Hausen Am Albis.
He mentioned “Thank you that Mothers day turned today in to Fathers day “.
Jeurg Haas, who in the past flew with us in Tocumwal in the glider from Swiss Chris, flew 1.155 km!! Good on him.
Carl Audissou flew 1.029 km in France and Rolf Friedli from Hausen am Albis a 1.063 km. flight. Lots flew between 500 and 900.
We had that top spring weather here in Holland one day earlier with 85 great flights up to 919 km. in the ASH 26E.
Sunday here was humid, hot 28 dgr. C and showers and thunderstorms.

On Monday the weather was still good in Germany and Switzerland.
1.643 km. from Koenigsdorf in Germany in a Quintus [Matthias Schunk]
1.503 km. from Courtelary in Swintzerland in a JS 1 [Yves Gerster]
and 2x a 1.200 km. flight.
Between May 9 and 11 the foehn-wind was on full “trottle” , hence super flights.

Yesterday the weather was awesome again in Austria and parts of Germany close to Austria. Have a look at the OLC, 2x 1.800 km. flights from Wiener Neustadt and Trieben in Ventus 2 CM/18 m. and ASH 31/21 m.
1.513 km.in a Ventus and 1.498 km in an LS 6 both from Niederoeblarn , 1.170 from Ried Kircheim in a DG 1000 T/20m. and 1.044 from Mariazell by well-known pilot Heimo Demmerer.
The flight in Germany was from Koenigsdorf in a Ventus 2CM/18m.;
1.561 km. in wave and ridge soaring, all in co-operation with a super foehn wind.
Congrats to all!!!! One of those top days not often happening, with high and strong wave AND FOEHN.
Romania had 3 up to 600 km. flights in a Discus.

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Between May 4 and 13 they fly the Club Class Nationals from Chilhowee in the USA. Sarah [Arnold] and her husband Jason run this airport and participate in the Nationals as well.
20 Competitors and 3 HC.
On May 5 task 1 was set ….a 2 hour AAT,….Tom Holloran in the LS 8 flew 140 km. but not enough pilots flew enough kilometers, so the day was invalid.
Contest day 1, was won by Tony [Condon] who I know through my blog already for a few years. During the 3 hour AAT he flew 262 km. in time 3.04. in his St Cirrus. Sarah flies the St Libelle and was 5th. Sylvia [Grandstaff} who I got to know at the WWGC in Lake Keepit was 7th in her Discus a.
17 From the 20 who started finished!
Contest day 2, was for Daniel Sazhin, a former USA junior team pilot. In his LS 4 , he flew the set 324 km with a speed of . 116 km./h.
All 20 finished!!!!!
Then 4 days with NO-weather,… ” a complete rainout” and too strong wind were the wrong-doers.
Till now 2 out of 6 days and Tony leads with 1622 points followed by Mike Westbrook in the in the Discus CS, and by Daniel with 1598 points.
Yesterday Tony mentioned about day 3 which was in the end was not a valid day
;”No time for in flight photos today. This was a lot of work to make it 75 km. Averaged 100 fpm. Pure survival flying. Won’t have a day. World Champ Sarah Kelly Arnold and I went the further than anyone else. I’m perfectly satisfied to be in that company!”
Daniel said;”We tried, but another no-contest day, despite some outstanding flights by Sarah Arnold, Tony Condon, and David McMaster.”

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Sometimes you hear of very special flights.AND,…as you know I like them! This one was flown on April 16 by Mark [Wering] from Lasham.

What do we see here? A flight to the Isle of Wight.
” I fly here above Newport the middle of the Island of Wight ,looking to Cowes on the end of the river Medina and the New Forest and Southampton on the other site of the Solent.”
He flew the Duo-Discus solo that day. To add some kilometers he flew to Wimborne close to Bornemouth and back to Lasham; 284 km.
Looking at the OLC it is very clear what interesting flight this was.
https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-3.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=8314019

Also SPECIAL,…..AS 33 Es with call sign WS makes it’s first flight in Finland 10.05.2021. Pilot Petri Sucksdorff. His dad Martti was the tuggie.

AND,…one more;
“Nordic Gliding Magazine has today published a nice article comparing the V3 and the JS3 with stunning photos of each flying over the heaths in Jutland, Denmark. In the beginning of the article there is a link to an immediate translation to English: https://nordicgliding.com/ventus-3-vs-js-3-mer-lika-an…/

We had last Friday SNOW and last Sunday 28 dgr. C…..what to say.
Bizarre.

Cheers Ritz..CU next week, I have had THEN 2 vaccines..so more or less safe, BUT, last week in 100 people there was 1 corona case here in Holland . That person had both injections.