Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday May 9 2012
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.glidinginternational.com www.soaringcafe.com
In the end , the Belgian Nationals had only in ONE class a National Champion. Tijl Schmelzer won after 3 days the standard class, with brother Bert as runner up. The other classes had winners , no champions. The Schmelzer brothers are ready now for the famous Hahnweide competition starting in 2 days. 118 Gliders will participate [ standard class-24, 15 m. 12, 18m. 39, open 25 and 18 in the 2-seater class at this stage] in this 46th edition and of course I will keep you updated. Looking forward to this competition with so many familiar pilots.There are 5 classes with a few really good pilots from different countries.
Tijl in the Nimbus 4DM at a Keiheuvel competition last August.
Not only a competition in Hahnweide in Germany, but also in Jena-Schöngleina where 84 pilots “fight” for the Jena Cup in 3 classes. See for results at www.soaringspot.com
By the way they start today …I hope! I see a 328 km. task for the club class so that sounds good!
A total different list on the OLC on Sunday. The great weather area in the North was even bigger on Sunday and Finland , Norway and Sweden got some of that “bittersweet and lovely” weather as well. Behind the nice USA flights and the good Invermere flight in Canada, we see Sweden [nearly 600 k. in the Duo Discus] Norway [ 711 k. in the ASH 31] Germany the far North [ 550 k. in LS 6] and Finland.
Soaring places I never heard from showed up; Boras Viared, Kjeller, Notodden , Ljungbyed, anyway good to know!
This great weather continued on Monday with a lot of great Scandinavian flights. Holland was lucky too with a few over 500 km. flights.
On Tuesday still great conditions [NOT HERE] and as many-times-WGC pilot Markku Kuusisto mentioned:”when it is good in Finland it is good!!!”And I know as I have seen it with my own eyes!!
Markku flew just over 700 km. in the Discus 2, WITHOUT water from Piikajärvi .[ NW from Räyskälä ]and…great flights from Räyskälä as well.”
By the way the Visivehmaa Open starts on May 12.
Yesterday “good old ” Antti Lehto flew from Räyskälä 907 km. in his Ventus 2C/18m.
Talking about Sweden; I dug up some pictures from Eskilstuna in Sweden by Fritz Schweikart.
Fatra glide from Marin Airfield in Slovakia has started as well. A few friends , Tibor and Brano who flew with us in the past in Tocumwal are the ” engines” behind this nice competition with this year 40 competitors in 2 classes; combi and club.
05-05-2012 was day 1 and for the Club Class Masters [Prizemoney in this class 3000,-E. for the winner] they had a 255 km. racing task with 13 from 20 pilots finishing the task. Unfortunately their TP was in the rain. Day 2 was cancelled .
Who from the 22 pilots in this class would win the 3000,-E???
Could it be Roman Mracek? He won already the Pribina Cup, was 2d in the mixed class in a Duo Discus at Prievidza…. why not number 1 again now?
In the combi class local hero and National topper, Lubor Kuvik won day 1 [303 km.] and was 4th on day 2 an AAT in 2.30.
Day 3 had the great weather we have up N. and a task from 365 km. was handed out for the combi pilots and 300k for the club. But it turned out a bit different and the pilots got a B task!
As Tibor said; ” well, we expected it to go more smoothly I must admit. But despite most qualified sniffer our budget could get us (Branik on vintage Orlik) found decent climb of 1 m/s in release area – trouble was it was in 900m and release height is 700m. Which is a bit trouble if the hill with this climb is 830m. Do the math. Anyway, after couple of delays we started launching but to exceptionally high 800m.”
You can read his daily stories at www.fatraglide.sk
Tibor to the left during the 2011 Fatraglide.
Brano to the right.
Being 3d on day 1 and on spot 1 on soaring day 2, it might happen for Roman.He won the B task over 241 km.
In the combined class Petr Svoboda , who was 3d on day 1 and the best on day 2 , now also the best on day 3 over B task;278 km.
Today is another day…..with a 502 km task for the “mixed pilots”and a 405 km for the Club Masters.
The Polish 18 m and Club class comps had better weather then other countries . With 5 days and tasks as , 3 hour and 3.30 AAT’s , a 414 km racing task and one small task on day 1 this looked more like a competition. Though…club class had 2 cancelled days as well.
The Polish toppers were there as; Zbigniew Nieradka, Karol Staryszak, Janus Cenka, Tomasz Rubaj and some guests as Mac Ichikawa,[ who travels straight after to the Hahnweide comps] and Steven Crabb.
After 5 days Tomasz [Diana 2] won with 4023 with only 20 points on Karol.[ASG29 /18m] in this 18 m. class.
On day 3 Zbigniew lost during the 3 hour AAT over 300 points on a 1000 point-day and on day 5 , with only 5 finishers he outlanded and lost another 285 points. He ended on spot 9.
On the IGC world- ranking list Zbigniew still is on spot 3 behind Sebastian Kawa and on top Michael Sommer.Both Zbigniew and Michael will defend their title as world champion in Uvalde in 18m. and open class.
By the way, Polish pilot Karol is 9th on this list!Poland has , always had , some good pilots.
The 2-day-competition in Teuge had just miserable weather on Sunday as well. No points were scored!
A pity as one day later, on Monday a pilot had 5.3 integrated and flew over 300 km in an ASW19. Over the weekend some pilots were just unlucky!
And…Alexander Venema flew on Monday from Veendam , up N. here in Holland , nearly 600 k. [595k.] in a DuoDiscus. Not bad!It was a new OLC record for his club[ The Noord-Hollandse Soaring club] and in the end he was sorry he did not make the 600km.
Wave was good last Monday over Vinon making it possible for Gilles Navas to fly in his ASG 29E/18m. a nice 850 km task using the mountains to depart and come back home , but also thermals as he went from the mountains far up N.W. With that he topped the OLC list that day. Looking at his flight he did not make it totally home without ” help.” No worries!
Very nice flights yesterday again from Königsdorf; 789 in a Duo Discus!
Gilles in Sweden in 2006. Picture courtesy Fritz Schweikart.
In exactly one week the Dutch National Championships will start. I will be there in the weekend for the BBQ on May 19 . Just booked a room in the Postillion Hotel ,like last year with my friend Ans, who flew with me at the ZES .This hotel sponsors the comps , offers a nice deal for friends of the NK , is very close by and has , on top of that, wifi.
Will be great to catch up with everybody again. The CAE [Global Academy Amsterdam] /NLS Nationals will be from 17/26 of May, with at this stage 52 competitors among them a few world-toppers!!!
Time to talk with some friends who travel soon to Uvalde and to enjoy some “anticipatory pleasure.” Nice word did ‘n’t know it in English.
Terlet last year with the Thermiekbel and the Terlet-moorland.
Pictures courtesy Bert Kuijper.
That’s it for today, cu on Sunday! Cheers Ritz