The UK NATIONALS for 15m. standard and open class.
In the UK, from the big airfield of Lasham, the UK Nationals continued and as said in my last blog , the weather was not nice for them.
They flew between June 26 and July 4 and till July 2 they had in 2 classes only ONE day, the first one.
Picture courtesy Jane Nash
Then,…..only open flew on July 1 ; 177 km. was set and 6 from 16 flew the task whilst 4 did not fly at all. With a speed of 76 km./h Ian Macarthur won the day in a JS 1 b/18m.
Pete Harvey and Steve Jones belonged to the finishers, Russell Cheetham did not.
But the weather improved a bit and on July 2 they set small tasks, ….a window might open…. :
But……it was not happening….cancelled.
SO,…still only ONE day for St. and 15 m and 2 for the open class.
That changes on July 3 ,when the early morning message was NOT, “grid open at 10, DO NOT GRID BEFORE BRIEFING.”
BUT;” Good Morning, Grid on Runway 27. Grid open at 0830L. Grid order – OPEN, STD, 15M. Briefing at 1100L. Grid lists available from control “
Small tasks again; CANCELLED!!!!
AND,….this was the news on July 4 the very last day;
“No flying today due to the weather. We have tried to use every available slot in the weather all week but it wasn’t to be. Prize giving was held this morning and the results of the competition can be found at the link below.
Congratulations to our new National Champions and see you all again in august for the 18M and 20M Nationals.”
Such a pity , but we know ALL how it works. It does n’t really show who is the best pilot, but for now…..there are scores.
After 1 day of flying in 15 m. the overall score is
1. Andy Davis in JS 3 with 1000 points.
After 1 day of flying in Standard class 2 winners in LS 8.
1. Steve Eyles and Jeremy Wood both with 1000 points.
After 2 days of flying in open class;
1. Ian Macarthur in JS 1 B/18 m. with 1.596 points.
2. Pete Harvey in Ventus 3 with 1.590 p.
3. Steve Jones in ARCUS M with 1.539 p.
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THE SLOVAK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at NITRA.
As said they were blessed with better weather. Out of 13 days they had one day off and 1 cancelled day .AND,…Nitra is a great place to fly from.
So 11 out of 13 days and I own you the last 2 days and the final overall scores.
July 1;
Club; 2 hour AAT …only 16 started and they all finished. 2 Pilots flew over 100 km./h in a DG 400/17 m. and KKB-15FES. ….227km in time 2.13 and 212 km. in time 2.07.
15m. ..2 hour AAT; 233 km. by Pavel Louzecki [ LS 8] in time 2.06 and Miloslav Cink also in LS 8 ,231 km. in time 2.05.
Combi class..2 hour AAT; Radek [Krejcirik] flew 274 km. in time 2.07 in his JS 1 C/21m EVO and Pavol Cerny 244 km in time 2.13 in a Shark 304 MS. Radeks dad Petr was 3d in his JS 3/18m.
All 22 who started , finished!
July 2,last day:
Club ;1.45 AAT….The last couple of days the overall scores were between Tibor Fratrik in Pegase c 101 a and Jose Kozar in LS 1f.
There was one point difference after the last but one day in favor of Josef.
As Tibor was 3d on this last day and Josef 11th it was clear who was going to be the champion in club class.
15m;.1.45 AAT...On this last day, 2 “girls” in the top 5. Dana Novakova on spot 1 and Jana Treslova, on 5. In this class it was all about Miloslav Cink and Pavel Lousecki. BUT, Miloslav was more than 500 points ahead.
Pavel was 3d on this last day and Miloslav 4th.
Combi; 1.45 AAT.…in this class it was about Radek and Pavol looking at the overall scores. The last day was not for both of them , but Radek was runner up and Pavol 7th.
Final scores;
Club;
1.Tibor Fratik with 7.892 points and CHAMPION.
2.Jozef Kosar with 7.867 p.
3. Milan Surovčík Jr. [Pegase] with 7.754 p.
As shared on the 2021 Slovak Gliding Championship site.
15 m;
1. Miloslav Cink with 7.976 points and CHAMPION.
2. Pavel Loužecký with 7.431 p.
3. Tibor Arpáš [LS 8] with 6.793 p.
combi ;
1. Radek Krejčiřík with 7.507 points and CHAMPION.
2. Pavol Černý [Shark 304MS] with 7.138 p.
3. Branislav Jesenský [ Ventus 2CXT/18m.] with 6.828 p.
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Much-better -weather- flying in the USA
2021 18 meter NATIONALS from Nephi.
June 27-July 8.
With 2 practice days on the 27th and 28th with good distances and good speed [362 km. and a speed of 158 km./h. by John Seaborn] the REAL THING started on June 29 with 32 pilots.
Task 1; 2.30 AAT.….was a good one , though the forecast was not too promising, with storms and overdevelopment around.
In the end the winner , John Seaborn flew 440 km. with a super ….they call it BLAZING ……speed of 173 km./h.
THEN,…… no contest day on June 30. No weather but the long range weather in July looked OK.
Task 2 on July 1; 3 hour AAT…..Robin Clark in an ASG 29 won the day with 484 km. and a speed of 160 km./h. I read that Robin was “showing that flatland flyers can still win in the mountains. “
Sean Fidler , also in ASG 29 was runner up and Rick Indebro , in the same glider BUT 15 m. version, number 3.
Task 3 on July 2; 3 hour AAT.…Another 400- plus- k- task for the pilots and Rick flew 509 k with a speed of 163 km/h. Sean was runner up and both are the overall leaders as well.
Bif Huss who once won the title was 3d.[ Ventus 3M]
Task 4 on July 3 ; Again the SAME NAMES and they keep performing. Sean flew the set racing task from 441.86 km. fast with 163 km./h whilst John did so with 162 km./h. Rick was 10th for the day but still 3 overall.
Task 5 on the FAMOUS 4th OF JULY!! 3.30 AAT....490 km. for a new face on spot 1 , Josef Bostik in a Ventus 2CMX/18m.
25 were in, 4 were out [ 2 on engine ]and 5 did not fly anymore.
John had a bad day being 24th , dropping overall from 2 to 6. Sean was 5th and Rick 11th., they are both on spot 1 and 2 overall.
Jim Lee in JS 1C/18m. was runner up and moved to spot 3 overall.
Points are VERY close though!!!
“Day 5 at the 18m Nationals in Nephi had it all: 15 kt lift and 15 kt sink. Long glides across big blue holes over unlandable terrain with totally still air. We had heat, storms, rain, snow, and graupel showers. We were fighting against being pulled up into the clouds and minutes later we were fighting to stay airborne. We worked with dust devils and massive gust fronts. We were flying in huge gaggles and alone in the wilderness. We also had to avoid a wildfire TFR and a Restricted Area that occupied about a third of the second turn cylinder. The flight was spectacular and exhausting. Calling the day dynamic would be a total understatement. We had 2 landouts but everyone is safe and accounted for.”
Impressive day, as shared by Soaring Society of America
No task on the 5th,…… BUT
Task 6 was yesterday. and…it was a good one. 608 km. The first 9 pilots flew faster than 160 km./h. The best, Andy Blackburn in JS 3/18m. , had a speed of 171 km./h!!!! Rick in the 15m. ASG 29 was runner up whilst John and Sean were 3d and 4th.
More next week.
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The 2021 Swedish Nationals from Feringe in 18m. club and 20 m.
3 July 2021 – 10 July 2021
Club with 11 pilots started with task 1, a 3 hour AAT on July 3. The only Norwegian pilot flying in this class Kato Kvitne, won with 318 km. in time 3.06 flying an ASW 20.
Task 2, a 2 hour AAT was for Kato again. 204 km. in time 2.07.
Task 3 , a 1.30 AAT…the LS $ with Martin Ekdahl in it flew 153 km. in time 1.39 for 464 points. Kato in the ASW 20 flew 174 km. but needed 1hour and 54 minutes.
9 From 12 were in.
Task 4 ;185 km…..NOBODY flew the task but 2 pilots were close; Martin and Kato …183 and 180 km.
18 m. class with 13 pilots started also with
Task 1 ,a 3 hour AAT, which was won by Börje Gustavsson in a JS 3 ; 338 km. in time 2.58.
Task 2,… was a 2 hour AAT won by Björn Regnström in JS 3….126 km./h.
The 2 Börjes[ Gustavsson and Eriksson 119 km./h.] were next on the daily scores list.
Task 3 …1.30 AAT with the Boerjes upfront again.The JS 3 flew 200 km. in time 1.34 whilst the Ventus 3 flew 204 km. in time 1.41.
11 From 14 were in!
Task 4….set task from 220.85 km. ONLY 2 pilots in, Boerje Eriksson and Jan Hasslid in Ventus 2CXM/18m. Meaning that the other Boerje was out, but not too far .He flew 201 km. Overall Boerje Gustavsson leads with THREE points.
20 m. class with 7 teams flying 5 x a Duo Discus in different variation , 1 DG 1000 and 1 ARCUS M.
Task 1,….a 2 hour AAT won by Lindell & Lindell ;257 km. in time 2.16 in Duo Discus XLT.
Task 2..another 2 hour AAT; 274 km in time 2.15 by Jobs & Ganev in ARCUS M with 122 km.h. The runners up had 114 km./h.
Task 3…1.30 AAT ARCUS-time again; 168 km. in time 1.33.
5 From from 7 were IN.
Task 4…190.87 km….Only the Lindells were in!
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News from the FAI SGP.
“The 20 pilots who will be competing for the World title in September are now known. The level will, once again, be very high. We are looking forward to a very exciting final in September! “
Here is the press release;
“The last 18 months of restrictions due to the covid pandemic created some significant challenges for the FAI/SGP 10th series. In 2020 most scheduled events were postponed until 2021 with the anticipation of being able to complete the series in preparation for the final at St Auban in September 2021.
The continuing restrictions for 2021 cast a shadow over the events planned for 2021 and raised doubt about there being enough competitors to maintain a high standard for the final. The anticipation of cancelled events proved correct with eventually four of the national events being cancelled. This was a huge disappointment for the pilots and organisers who had gone to great effort to try and hold the events.
To enable early decisions and planning for the final to go ahead the FAI/SGP team in conjunction with the FFVP decided that each of the cancelled events should be allowed to nominate pilots for the final and the organisers would automatically be accepted to hold an 11th series event.
Joining the 10 pilots who qualified from the events that took place are 8 pilots invited by the cancelled event organisers and the SGP team, the reigning champion and a wild card entry for the host country.
We are pleased to announce there are 20 pilots accepted to compete in the 10th final from 10 countries. We are looking forward to a very competitive and exciting final in September!“
CU next week. Nearly start of the Junior European Gliding Competition [JEGC] in Lithuania. More in the next weeks.
Also about the Dutch Summer Competition from Malden and the 45th International Issoudun 2021, with 16 pilots in club from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain. And 32 in the multi class, with pilots from France, Belgium, Hungary, Spain ,Germany and Italy.
Cheers Ritz
To finish some nostalgic news from the Tocumwal Aviation Museum about the 6 hangars at the WW2 airfield. In the past we owned 2 of them, whilst one of the 6 collapsed and one got fire. I had to call Bill Riley who owned it to tell him about the fire. He rushed out!!
“Recently one of the three remaining giant timber World War 2 hangars was listed on the NSW State Heritage Register following an application by the current owners. This is a great result and will ensure the significant history and heritage associated with these great buildings will be retained. There were originally six of these buildings on the aerodrome, four in the northern repair depot area where there are two remaining, one where SportAviation Tocumwal is today on the southern end of the airfield and the iconic Sportavia Tocumwal hangar, now home to the Tocumwal Soaring Centre. The southern hangar, Hangar 2, was destroyed by fire on the 2nd of October 1944. The 2 northern most hangars also suffered disaster with one collapsing in 1968 and the other also being destroyed by fire in 1998. When built, these hangars were the largest single span timber buildings in Australia and that claim remains to this day. These hangars were built to cater for the assembly, repair and maintenance of the largest aircraft operated by the United States Army Air Corps in the Pacific at the time including B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator. We’re thrilled to know the current owners of the remaining buildings from WW2 are working to ensure these time capsules remain standing in honor of the men and women who constructed them and worked within them over the last 79 years.“
1998.