Alphen aan den Rijn 17-08-2008
The first split WGC is over now. Both results count for the TEAM CUP ,but at this stage I have not found out who won it. Only thing I read was that Wolfgang Janowitsch, apologized to his Austrian team mates from Rieti, that they got their result a bit more down in Luesse. But for sur the Germans will have won as they had great results in both Rieti and Luesse.So have the French!
Most pleased I was with the winner in 15 m class. Finally he made it; Gyorgy Gulyas! How close was he in Eskilstuna! Loosing only in the last minutes and I saw his face when he saw that the gold slipped from his fingers. I nearly had tears!!!
This time he built up a comfortable “zone” during the race, to avoid what happened last year. A truly well deserved gold was for him this year. Congratulations Giorgy!!!
Runner up was Janus Centka, the old fox , as I dare call him friendly. Such an experienced pilot and this was not the first time , that he did remarkably well in the end. He loves the “Diane” he flies and is just “ONE WITH IT’!
A bit of an unexpected 3d place, but very much deserved is for young pilot Mark Leeuwenburgh from Holland.This was his very first WGC and for sure we will hear more from him. On the last day he passed Leigh Wells the WGC champion from Eskilstuna, who clearly had more trouble with the cirrus on the last day then Mark.
In 18 m. class the French pilot Oliver Darroze,was the best. Team flying by both French pilots helped during the last week, to pass Ronald Termaat who was first most first week. Both pilots very much appreciated each others great flying and in the end Oliver was the best. Ronald is a great runner up who tried everything to get the first place back, even doing a re-start on the last day” to get rid of “the FRENCH.
Karol Stariszak from Poland was number 3 in this class.To be honest , I never heard from him.But great effort!
In open class my favourite pilot Michael Sommer won. I know Michael quite well as he flew many times in the past with us in Tocumwal. One day, I even dared shouting at him , when he arrived just in front of a severe storm. We had closed all the hangar-doors already but of course had to open them again when Michael just made it back before. And when you know how big and how heavy those doors are….but we were waiting with a few to open and close them quickly. While getting all the water from our nimbus I gave him”heaps” as he with a big smile on his face apolgized for “the inconvenience” , went on with his job, while telling what a great flight he had. Of course I melted!!!!
As you know I predicted his win and even the second place from Tassilo, as both fly together in a superb way.I was wrong with the 3d place as good friend Lourens Goudriaan won here instead of Pete Harvey. Both are great pilots and Lourens over the whole period was the better one, being first during most of the first week. Great effort!
I hope that Michael once will be the next Ingo Renner with 4 or perhaps even more ,WGC titles.
The other Michael, this time in swimming and called Phelps, did it. He passed yesterday Mark Spitz who had 7 medals in one Olympic game and today he wrote history by having the 8th gold!!!!Great stuff!!!!
Congratulations to all pilots!!! Also to those who did not win, for a nice and interesting WGC. I tried to follow it via different blogs and of course the official one. To be honest, the blog from the German team was better, more actual and earlier with the news. I love Pete Harvey’s blogs, but he only wrote twice!The American blog was in my favourites too, great job their TC did.
I am not going to speculate on which comps were the best or the nicest or….. For sure we had in Italy the better weather with 11 days out of 12, as day 13 was a compulsory rest day, but both Directors Leo and Herbert with their deputees , did a great job in organizing their WGC teams well. Both countries deserve ALL compliments for their great efforts.
Off now to Hungary and Slovak Rep. for the 2010 WGC.
The 31th WGC for world, club and standard class will be from 03-07-2010 /18-07-2010 in Prievidza{Slovak Rep.} .Josef will be the director. Josef was steward now this year in Rieti.
The 31th WGC for 15 m. ,18 and open class will be in Szeded {Hungary} from 17-07-2010/01-08-2010.
First of course next years WORLD AIR GAMES in Turino{Italy} from 07-06-2009/13-06-09.
The weather here is not so good though we expect a nice temperature between 22 and 25 dgr. But forecasted thunderstorms , hail and gusty winds will stop great flying . The comps in Belgium at Keiheuvel , a weekend competition, will most probably suffer from these circumstances, but…you never know. They might find a nice “window”, as they found many in Luesse. I was supposed to go there but just could not find ” a lift” for the last 30 km. Will go south anyhow for a concert tonight from the group Rowwen Heze. Love their music.
Looking at the OLC I see that the Truckee-Minden_Tahoe area had great flights last week, so perfect weather. I once landed on the Lake Tahoe with an Albatross amphibian. I was there for the pre worlds in Minden Nevada, when we got to know the owner of this vintage “bird”. He invited us and some members from my Dutch team and from the Ozzie team for “a ride” over the mountains, to land on the lake. Thrilling that was, a once -in your -life -time- thrill!!!! In the end George, my ex, bought that Albatross and now it is still in Tocumwal, hopefully in the hangar!
Yes gliding gives you many, many special moments in life! That’s it for now. Preparing for the train to travel south for 2 hours. I still hate driving on highways since I lived in Tocumwal for 11 years , a town with 1475 inhabitants and nearly no traffic. It’s to crowdy on the roads here and in my opinion the drivers here at NOT friendly.
Enjoy next week see you again on sunday!Ritz