Post 1.407 on March 8 2023.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN DAY!!! SO,……..More women in this blog.

LAKE KEEPIT REGATTA.
26 February 2023 – 4 March 2023

20 Competitors fly this fun event, with a serious touch. With a few 3 Hour AAT’s and a 2.30 and 2 hour AAT the first 5 days were covered with good soaring conditions.
“The Regatta is all about fun and learning and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
One of the very enthusiastic members of the Club , Jacques [Graells] in his JS 1a, could not fly every day , missed out on day 1 and 2, but on the day’s he could, he won or was runner up.
But winning in this REGATTA, is not important just gives you a good feeling and is for some, an extra dimension on such a week.
Jacques is a lovely guy . On day 3 with the 2 hour AAT he flew 270 km. with a speed of 125 km./h, 5 k faster than Justin Smith in the ARCUS.
Instructor Nicolas [Singer] another of those lovely members and a REAL good cook, was 4th that day. Another well known-to-me fine pilot, Mathias Kopp, flew in his ASG 32, but was unlucky; “out” after 156 km.
Day 4, task 4, with a 3 hour AAT was for Justin with 381 km and a speed of 119 km./h. He beat Jacques on handicap ; 368 km. /speed 121 km./h.
Day 5, task 5 with another 3 hour AAT was for Jacques again; 422 km/speed 137 km./h. Nick [Nicolas] was runner up ;390 km/123 km./h. Justin was 5th and Mathias did not fly.

Day 6…another 3 hour AAT and it was between Jacques and Justin again; 410 km for Justin with 119 km./h and 438 km with 122 km./h for Jacques;1000 and 976 points.
Tim Carr in the Duo Discus XT, was 3d. In the time I was there Tim was the enthusiastic president of the club.
Day 7…last day…2.30 AAT won by Jacques, with 306 km with 122 km./h. Justin was runner up with 295 km with 116 km./h.
No secret that Justin won the REGATTA. He flew every day. In the end Jacques was 3d, missing 2 days…pretty GOOD!!!!

LONG ago we visited Lake Keepit too when the Nationals were flown there. I also have good memories on that competition with our pretty unit at the Lake . A special event,….One of the toppers flew then his beautiful ASW 22 KG. After launching he had a problem, he had to return but was full of water. In the end the wings were on the ground and our mate was sitting on the “wheel.” No flying for him anymore……..

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Information about a competition in The Netherlands; Gelderse 1 daagse wedstrijd

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——We could see on several days [3] the Aurora Borealis. I only saw pictures , but they were stunning. We call it “NOORDERLICHT” . Pretty spectacular and very rare here.

—–Another happy and colorful picture this time from the UK .
“Congratulations to all the recipients of BGA trophies for their amazing performances during 2022! “

MORE HAPPINESS ; “Cornelia “Conny” Schaich being awarded the 2022 International Gliding Commission Champion Pilot of the Year! Congratulations!“

——-And Liz Sparrow received the very prestigious Pelagia Majewska medal, for the few who don’t know;
“This Medal was created by the FAI in 1989, following a proposal by the Aero Club of Poland, in memory of Madame Pelagia MAJEWSKA, eminent Polish glider pilot awarded the Lilienthal Medal for 190, and holder of 17 world gliding records, who lost her life in an air accident in 1988. The Medal is offered to the FAI by the Aero Club of Poland. It may be awarded annually, on recommendation by the FAI Gliding Commission, to a female glider pilot to reward : a particularly remarkable performance in gliding during the past year, or eminent services to gliding over a long period of time.”
I got mine in 2015, obviously not for great soaring but by “hanging around, “observing and writing my blogs, crewing, being TC and steward ,[Finland] member of the jury [Italy, one of the choosen jurors could not come so I wrote my blog AND was Juror, no worries with a boss as Tor] R.I.P.

——–And the senior and junior team from South Africa have started a week of training in the Kalahari .

—-–And…..6 of the 7 containers full of gliders flying in Namibia have safely arrived;
“On Saturday we were able to unload six containers with the aircraft. On Friday, after extensive inspections at customs in Rotterdam(X-ray) and Bruchsal(gas examination), they arrived safely and without damage in Waghäusel. The seventh container disembarkes in Hamburg and will reach its destination Celle next week.
Only 7 months to go and we are already heading in the other direction again.“
For bookings: hog@bitterwasser.com

——And a fabulous sunset as see by Gerrit in Australia. The EB …..A Royal glider and a Royal sunset.
Gerrit is/was in Narromine for the Narromine Gliding Cup Week as is the Geelong Gliding Club.
They mentioned; “Unfortunately, high winds have grounded us for 2 days but the rest if the week is looking good.” But they also PRAISE Narromine as place for gliding AND place to be.

—–The NSW State Comps [February 6-12] FINALLY have the correct winner.
“Congratulations to Miles Gore Brown who, after correction of his score, is now in first place in the NSW State Championships!
And huge thanks to Ian Steventon, whose diligent investigation into the scoring issue lead to producing a correct score!”
I had the wrong one too, so herewith also my correction.

To finish this impressive MONUMENT in the water to remember all pilots from the war who drowned there. Between 1941 and 1945 117 crews of Allied planes got killed in the lake called IJSSELMEER and around it.
It was placed in 2012 on April 18 and the design was from Arend Kleinpaste.

CU next week, by the way the 2023 FI season opened last weekend in Bahrein. YES,….Max won. And what about Alonso……. Another hero.
Our Dutch soaring season started at some places as well. The Gelderse at Terlet [Arnhem] did…so did Soesterberg [Amsterdam] Sikko flew 184 km between showers, but it was a nice 3 hour “in the office”.
So not yet big tasks as the weather was very poor, but checks and “feeling the glider again”.,,,,why not, …….perfect, being ready when the weather is there. Not this week temperatures between minus 4 and plus 8 and SNOW!!!!!
The GOOD flights in The Netherlands were already on February 26 , with 6 flights from Soesterberg between 141 and 416 km.[See last blog]
TO ALL now the season starts; Have a safe and fabulous new 2023 season.

AND,…be aware of unexpected incidents as with towing out. CHECK THE TOW OUT GEAR before the season starts.
Benjamin [Neglais] added under this picture:
“Never drive back. Never drive faster as first gear idle. Always triple check before getting in the car. Never turn steep. If any doubt, ask for help. You Can ruin tailplane, aileron, wingtips so easily and neither will Be easy and fast to fix.”
Benjamin is Sales Manager at Schemmp-Hirth and pilot for the French Team.

cheers Ritz
This morning I woke up with snow and at least 3 more hours we will see SNOW!!!! I thought and hoped it was SPRING!!!! Yes March brings gales.