WGC Benalla; Wednesday January 11 2017.
Don’t worry ,….this GREAT picture was from yesterday , where they ,by the way, flew a 1000 k. from Cunderdin in WA.
This picture shows according to the “ugly- tuggy” pilot average skies and a good-looking grid.
He is absolutely right.
Charlies Towing Adventures.
DAY 3; January 11 2017. Task 1 for 15 and 18 m…task 2 for open
Finally all pilots went up in the air on a blue, very blue day. Tuggies managed to launch all 115 pilots in 85 minutes.
After postponed starts,which cost time, a C task [shorter] was the task to fly, hence later opening from the start-line.
As the SA TC said; “The tasks were changed on the grid to Task B and then the Team Managers had no longer signed for this change, than the organisation announced that they would be changing to Task C.”
In the end they had to fly 206 in 15 m. ,282 in 18 m and 256 km. in open class.
Then the huge start for Joy and Tim Shirley, “doing ” the scores and verifying. As long as I know them, they do this very consequent/strict and reliable. Very nice and dedicated people.
15 m.;start-line open at 4.02 !!!Sebastian started at 4.27 PM, nearly “evening” but what you can you do? He finished at 6.34 PM, so a speed of 97.59 km./h. They all started with in half an hour. In the end Sebastian [Diana 2] was the best and won the day with Mac as runner up. Mac [Ventus 2 a] started at the same time , finished 5 minutes later. The new JS 3 with brothers Attie and Uys finished on spot 3 [shared with Louis ASG 29, from France] and 5.
All scores preliminary and 2 pilots were not scored yet.
Sebastian shared this great picture on FB.
18m.;start-line opened at 3.10 PM. Killian Walbrou flew around in his JS 1 with a speed of 95.4 km./h which says enough of the day. Runner up Canadian pilot Dave Springford in ASG 29e; 95.2 same as Arne Boye Moeller.
The new VENTUS 3 was on spot 4 [Boerje] and 6.[Steve]
The first 22 pilots from 42, were still in the 900 points-margin.
Adomas Grabskis from Lithuania was only 4 k out!!!!John Coutts [NZ] 16 k.
Chinese pilot Guangwei Shang did remarkably well on spot 32 just behind Giorgio. He started very early at 3.11 PM straight after opening.
The last finishing pilot arrived a 7.41 PM..
open; 3.30 opened the start-line so rather late but they got a small task. A for me rather unexpected winner..Ricardo,. NOT that he is not good,.. we all know he is as well as very experienced and with the call sign LEO on his tail he surely flies with inspiration of his dad Leo[nardo], but you would expect every day EB 29 R on top. Good that this is not happening, otherwise it would be boring.
Ricardo [ JS 1/21 m.] started at 3.59 , that was 6 minutes earlier than Michael and Tassilo in their big flying machines. They were runner up. Speed 107 for 105 km./h. for the runners up.
3 Pilots did not finish, they were between 10 and 15 km. short; one was my South African friend Laurens , who started the engine, the other Dutch mate Mark and the Chinese pilot Peng Du .
They flew over Tocumwal in a big gaggle, not that high and the 2 EB 29’s were the first to continue I heard.
A tough final glide!!!!
Anita Taylor mentioned;
” Bruce almost outlanded!!! Had the engine on standby…. almost had to fire it up. So lucky to get home ok!!!! Phew”
He was in on spot 22.
VERY blue skies also over Tocumwal.
picture [i-phone] courtesy George.
Ann Ducarouge is two times Women’s World Gliding Champion, one of three current world champions on the French Team this year in Benalla.
She flies in 15 m. class in an ASG 29 with call sign EW. On the IGC ranking list she is on spot 64. Her team mate in this class Louis Bouderlique flies the same glider but with FB. He is actually on a 4th spot on the IGC list.
There is a nice video with her and Lisa [Turner] on;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdpsrFSXVrs
Today she finished on spot 21.
In between very serious and interesting discussions between the best glider manufacturers in the world.
With Thilo Holighaus, Uys Jonker, MR. Gerhard Waibel, Dr. Loek Boermans and Oliver Binder.
Picture shared by Tim Bromhead.
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In between still great last days in Namibia.
The high season is there between half of November and half of January , before and a bit later you still can fly too but there are more chances for storms.
They had another FABULOUS year from all places, Bitterwasser, Kiripotib, Pokweni and Veronica, lot’s of excellent flights have been flown.Still now ,….as yesterday 3 pilots ,[ counting the 2 seater pilots 5] , flew over 1.374 km.One pilot even in a VENTUS 2CM/18m.
The ANTARES 23 flown by Austrian top pilot Peter Hartmann flew over 1.200 and the Antares 20 with our former guest Roy from Lasham 1.123 km while is Lashem mate Patrick flew over 1000 in the Shark,…HPH 304 S.
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The Andes CUP.
Day 4;with a 4 hour AAT. Carlos Rocca Vidal is a “hero” he was the only pilot who finished and flew 534.88 km. in time 4.28. So not as easy a day as expected and hoped for. Several pilots flew distances up to over 400 km.
Rene flew 350 km. and did not finish so he lost a” few” points; nearly 400 on Carlos.
Overall scores after 4 days; Carlos 3.605 and Rene 3.146.
Still a few days to go so a lot possible!!!!
AND,….Jeppe moved on as said before here is his story:
“Another great adventure. Today started at 06:00 in Osorno, Chile. Driving towards Argentina on one of the most beautiful routes I have ever seen: tropic plants, cows in meadows like Dutch master paintings and waterfalls all over!!
People: go here on a holiday!
Crossing the border took a while, but then arriving at Bariloche gliderport, Nahuel Huapi, was a reward. Flew almost 8 hours and 600+km with Jean-Marie Clément in his Nimbus 4DM.
The wave expert showed the surroundings from Esquel to Chapelco. All wave between 3 and 7km height. Saw Klaus Ohlmann flying by for a 2000+km flight…
Now to sleep. Those vulcano’s!!!”
It sounds…. he cannot sleep from excitement!!!! Klaus flew by the way 2.179 km.
courtesy Jeppe.
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Some shots from 1987. Enjoy!
Ray [Lynsky] with Gerrit
and
Kees and Gretha.
AND
crew from the Yougo Slavian team Boris with Gerrit.
Look at this; one morning Boris knocked on the door; ” The car and trailer are for total no use“!!!!!!
They had an accident with their rented AVIS-car and OUR trailer from the MM.
Enough nostalgia for today more next time
Back in the weekend, busy for the next [most probably] 2 days, if not back on Friday.
Keep following all the news and scores on other sites!!!
Cheers Ritz