Alphen aan den Rijn
April 1 2007
Hello everybody,
No this not an April joke! But….spring really has started now. Though we had a cold easterly, we had 16 dgr. with nice sunny conditions and blue skies. While sitting in the sun I even felt some turbulence on the ground and yesterday somebody mentioned seeing the first glider in the air; an LS 4 at the airport of Valkenburg , a military airfield not far from the coast and about 30 km. from here.
Not long and the Dutch Nationals will be flown in Stendhal in Germany, not far from Berlin. I heard that in the Luesse area , also not far from Berlin, some pilots flew already around 400 km. NOT BAD!!!
One of my friends Sikko Vermeer who flies for the Amsterdamse Gliding Club, even flew 725 km in the duo discus, in Saint Auban {France}where they have their annual camp.
More countries will have their Nationals soon and I try to keep an eye on them.
In Rieti they are very busy with the preparations for Sabina Glide ,the pre-worlds of the 30thiest FAI WGC in 2008 [July 8-15-2007] and the junior world comps [July 8-August-11-2007].After that they host the traditional competiton in August AND the Grand Prix.
The deadline to enter the Junior World Comps was yesterday March 31 2007, so I hope that all 59 preliminary entries from 16 different countries will come and fly!And if possible also some reserve pilots. The deadline for reserve pilots acceptance is on May 31.
In Germany they are in full swing for the WGC in 2008 in Luesse. First they will fly this year the preworlds:Lilienthal-Glide.As you know these comps are for 15m. 18m. and open class pilots.The Lilienthal-Glide will be also the German Nationals for open class and 15 m.
Time schedule; July 15- July 28-2007.
Look for info at www.wgc2008.de
It is rather busy , to have a job in art with lots to do and to keep in touch with the gliding world, but I will try.
The weather is OK , so I wish everybody in Europe, a safe and enjoyable new gliding season, with lots of personel-best- results and if you fly competitions a nice gold medal!
Cheers Ritz