A “SPECIAL”on the DUTCH JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP at VENLO. AND…..EXTRA PICTURES!!

Post 1.440 on Sunday August 13 2023.

Dutch National Junior Championship
Venlo 5 August 2023 – 12 August 2023

Here they are again with 3 “girls” upfront. Emily Nagelkerke, [VEZC] daughter from our crew and friend for many years, Leo. Sophie Odekerken [NIJAC] and Nelleke Roos.[Gelderse]

Yesterday was the last day from the Junior National championship flown from the beautiful field of Venlo, where nowadays the Club from Venlo and Eindhoven co-operate in the best harmony after the Eindhovense Aeroclub had to leave their field due to airliner business ; VEZC
They flew in one class and started with 2 non-flying-days, but after that the weather was OK .
All tasks were just under or over 100 km .Task 6 however was a 3 hour AAT and won by Emily Nagelkerke; 192 km with 64 km /h in Discus A. Good on her!!!
I traveled with my grand daughter Indya on Friday morning to Venlo, to be at the briefing at 10.

The attention by the young pilots was strong when scout / crew Sander Terpstra, explained them what he saw on his flight with them the day before. Indeed Sander did that in a sparkling way and for sure they learned from it.

We caught up with Sophie. She is from Malden and had no plan to fly the Junior Nationals . She met at the club from Malden George and Diana . They asked her about her participation . When they heard she had no glider they offered her their LS1f and here she is flying and doing well at Venlo. She was 6th from 18!!

Sophie and the LS1f, she “got”
Courtesy Indya

We also caught up with some of the older members from Venlo I know, who kept an eye on things , but the whole competition was organized by young ones!!!
Indya’s friends, twins Luuk and Tijs from the Gelderse,[ by the way they continue their summer camp today ] participated for the first time and did well with a 5th and 8th spot overall.

Very first competition for the twins, this is Luuk.

and this is Tijs. Their father Marco, was 1 one the instructors to let Indya solo a few years ago!
Courtesy pictures Indya.

The scouts for the day were presented and they were good ones; Robin Smit JWGC silver in Narromine and in the Duo Discus 2 former top JWGC juniors Simon and Maurits.

Simon and Maurits full of smiles and energy to help out the new pilots. They both started their soaring career at Venlo with this competition as well.

The last day started with rain but turned out flyable later. With a start at 16.43 Wouter and Luuk reached 83 km.for 16 and 15 points. They were the only finishers Wouter at 18.25 and Luuk at 19.10.

Overall scores ;
1. Wouter Bakker from the Amsterdamse in ASW 20 with 1,057 points.
2. Boris Ariës from the ACS in LS4 with 1,016 points
3. Emily Nagelkerke from VEZC in Discus A with 973 points.

Well done!!!!!
Nationale Junioren Wedstrijd

Nice to have been at Venlo again, where I started my soaring life in 1967. Then I slept in the bush in a tent behind the old hangar , yesterday Indya did so too as she visited the end party.
History repeats, nice!
So far the Dutch Junior Nationals.

——-The EJGC in Denmark was more or less spoiled by rain due to storm “HANS”, but they had fun anyhow! The Dutch had 2x a spot 6 and were runner up for the TEAM CUP,[877.38], behind the Czech Rep[887.58] but before the UK.[860.75]

Ready for next years JWGC in Astrow ]Poland] !

German Junior Gliding Team
“Das dänische Wetter mit Sturm und Regen hat leider nicht so viele fliegbare Tage ermöglicht wie wir es uns gewünscht hätten. Trotzdem war die Junioren Europameisterschaft für unser Team eine tolle und unvergessliche Erfahrung”
Not the best weather , not too many days,…. but a great experience .

—–Steven Raimond; has been for many,many years a Dutch top pilot representing The Netherlands at EGC ‘s and WGC’s. This Polish EGC was his last “performance’ on this high level. He was in “my team” several times and I truly enjoyed the company from him and his Marion, the best crew in the world.
He became European Champion in Rayskala in 2005 and I was there as steward that year!
By the way, Pete Harvey won in 2005 too in open . He was now runner up in the 2-seater class.

During the last Dutch Nationals in Mai I met them and took this picture!

—–This picture is from the EGC in Poland with a true friendship between the Belgian and Dutch pilots/crews. A competition is ALL ABOUT FAIR-PLAY and friendship!!!!!

With from l / r. Dennis , mum Brigitte,Joost, Leon and Anna, kids from[ Gitte and Jeff] , Dennis wife, Jeff, Marloes, wife from Joost, Eddy dad from Dennis, Thijmen son from Joost and Marloes.
With other words the soaring family Huybreckx with partners and kids and the Dutch soaring family Wolff [without Marit, their daughter who is busy with her professional pilot training]
picture courtesy Bert Schmelzer sr. ..they are a well known soaring family as well, with mum Hilde and sons Bert jr[with Barbara and little Leo] and Tijl

——–More longtime soaring friendship as shared by Lizzy Wells;
“Inge and I first met at the gliding pre-worlds at Rieti in 1984.
Then, catching up again in Uvalde in 1991 we plotted a travel adventure together through NZ and Australia – finalising plans by letter (no Internet, email or mobiles back then!).
And travel we did, staying with so many amazing people along the way.

So catching up with Inge this week, nearly 40 years from our first meet, was really special – but WAY too short ….… here’s to a follow up very soon “