Alphen aan den Rijn Monday July 18 2011 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com all pictures from my archive
little kute Nitra from the German TC, is he back in Nitra???
After a friendly opening with tradionel dances, live music and shows from different gliders , even Vladimir [Voltin wellknown competition pilot himself] ,the competition director gave a demo in his modern LS10, after demo’s from “vintage gliders ” as Z23 Honza [40thies] and Zlin 425 Sohai [60thies] , the ” EGC-SHOW” starts today!
Thank God, they do not have the weather we have here. Still terrible and we keep this autumn- fore- taste till at least end of this week, grrr……
Last time during an EGC that World class will fly together with standard and club as, during last IGC plenary the 2 seaters have been choosen above the PW 5’s in EGC’s and WGC’s. Looking forward to see how the 2 seater 20 m. pilots will enjoy this competition.
There are 11 PW 5’s competing this EGC [including pilot Brendan from Australia] ,33 pilots in club class, 31 in standard class and 16 in the 2-seaterclass, so 38 here in total including their co-pilots who will be , “finally ” mentioned at the prize-ceremony as well.
It’s going to be a fantastic 2 weeks with great pilots and an area well known to many through the Pribina Cup. Also the organisers have been through all this before, so reasons enough to believe in great soaring.
The first briefing has been posponed to 11 instead of 10 AM. For all classes there is a 2 hour AAT between 102 and 290 km. So pilots who love AAT’s have a good first day!!!First start at 12.30. There is lot of wind and they are just in between 2 air masses!!! A bit tricky! But….The first of 12 days has begon!!!!
Some analyses before the comps really start ;
In the world class 2 pilots who would be able to win due to experience are, French pilot Jeremie Badaroux and Italian doctor living close to Rieti Airport, Luca Urbani. But the 2 Polish pilots certainly working together will go for the number 1 spot as well. Let’s wait and see. Good luck to all 11 pilots including Brendan , if I remember well he flew with us in the past at Sportavia.
In club class of course I hope that young Rene, the current champion can defend his title. He and mate Tim , runner up last time form a great couple together with great intention to be the best. And….don’t underestimate an other young pilot from Holland Frank Hiemstra, very talented as well.
Vittorio Pinni from Italy is good, Vitautas from Lithuania is another young topper and the French and UK and German pilots always have strong teams on the ground and in the air. I do not know all of them, so they can surprise me.
Mirsolav Cink [Czech Rep] is also young and very talented and I expect something from Mario Schupfer [Austria] as well. Of course I wish EVERYBODY good luck and a safe competition.
Great to see the German TC Rainer Wiencek at Nitra . Would be his doggie Nitra there as well???
Frank Hiemstra [middle standing]and Tim Kuijpers [right]
In standard class I have to start with Sebastian Kawa and the title defender Mario Kiesling. Also here the UK and French and German team have possibilities , as well as Bert Schmelzer jr from Belgium and Jan Louda from Czech Rep. I would love to see Dennis Huybreckx from Belgium doing well. In the past he was “helper”at our Sportavia. His cousin Tim , flies in Club class and was “helper” as well one year. And Alfred Paul from Holland won a 2 week long distance competion called “shootout” with us flying with Ingo Renner in the Duo Discus. And…. Sjaak from Holland flies ,he is Baer Selens younger brother and as you know Baer was 2 times World champion.
Great to see Alessandro from Rieti in this class flying the LAK 19 /15m!
In fact all pilots representing their country should be able to fly well, so good luck here as well for All standard class pilots.
Luca Urbani [world class] and Luciano Avanzini[middle right] in 2 seater class
Last but not least the 2 seater class. I expect a LOT from both Italian teams flyiong the ARCUS. They are just good! Also Visa Matti and Harry from Finland [ ARCUS] are very experienced. The Dutch team has 2 young former national champions, Bart and Patrick in ONE ARCUS that gives good hope!!They also flew Junior world comps.
Good old Russian team Dimitry and Ilya can surprise us , as well as Tijl [son]and Bert [father] Schmelzer sr. and Sigi Baumgartl and Brigitte. Also Swiss team Edi and Christian are very experienced WGC and EGC pilots.
Tijl was one of the lucky ones as well to fly the Shootout with Ingo in the past at Sportavia.
One Lak 12 in this class , 6x ARCUS and 9x duo discus.
Let’s wait and see. Don’t put money on it, it is just what I think !
Bert jr., Bert sr., Tijl and Hilde Schmelzer
They fly and 2 hours is 2 hours; just try to make as many kilometers as possible in such short time. You know already it will not be a 1000 points day , but an outlanding on such a day still costs.
All pilots were up in the air just before 2PM. 10 Tuggies are responsable for the 95 launches and they did it in about 45 minutes. Now tactics can begin, go on track early or later depending on the weather and of what others do. It is only 2 hours of flying so when we know the starttimes , we know when they SHOULD be back. Startime from club opened at; 13.55 and from standard at 13.47!
Surely an interesting first -EGC- 2011- day. The response of several pilots is that climbs are not terrific under the 2/8 of clouds, while others “find” 6 k. So speed might be less important then coming home. Reading the official site I might conclude that an early start was the right choice as they announced that the weather deteriorated while the first pilots finished.
But….pilots at least finished and a few, who HAD THEM, had to use engines to come back home, or had to land somewhere.
In the end it turned out a difficult day for many pilots. But …it was the first soaring day of the EGC in Nitra. Scores are late and at 10.00 PM still not available, so you better look later when you can reach soaring spot [ I can’t it might be too busy] or when the official site has them available. A bit late to be honest even with an AAT.
See you tomorrow, for the scores analyses and day 2
cheers Ritz