Last Thursday, our astronomical summer started and we had on this side of the world the longest day.
Last Wednesday we had 28 dgr.C., a day later only 18.!!!But fabulous clouds and a strong wind from the NW bringing in some “polair” air and through the years I found out, that’s great for soaring; in the evening I looked for long goal flights but, though it was the longest day …for thermals it was not long enough here in Holland due to overcast.
John Williams however, flying from Kinross in Scotland flew 829 km. with some wave just under 3000 m. MSL.[Antares 20]BUT,…..a some more pilots “used” the air and flew far…
What about Andy [Aveling] and Garry [Coppin] flying their ARCUS T over 1.135 km. from Lasham and Roy [Pentecost] in the ASG 29 E, also from Lasham 750 km.
Daan [Spruyt] from Belgium with 795 km. in the ASW 27 and then NOT using our European air ,but USA clouds just over 1000 km for Keith Essex [ASG 32 MI] from Minden [151 km./h] and John Good flying from Montrose with a mate in the ARCUS M; 147 km./h..
Later I found out that more UK pilots did well. They use their own NATIONAL LADDER to share their flights;
“British Gliding Team members topped the scores on Thursday 21st – Russell Cheetham’s awesome 1003k at 107kph for 6562 points, and on Friday 22nd – Liz Sparrow flying 613k in her Standard Cirrus at 87kph for 5905 points closely followed by Finn Sleigh and the Libelle at 82kph for 5819. Epic days, epic flights!”
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VARESE….Italian SGP;
Interesting start,….shared by the organizers.
It was a cloudy morning last Wednesday in Varese when I left you and a lovely evening with a BBQ.
What happened that day?
race 4; It turned out a French day with Diedier [Hauss] and Gilles [Navas] on top for the 10 and 8 points. Peter was 3d and still leads after 4 days with 34 points.
All finished in one big gaggle/bunch; the first 8 between 117 km./h as best and 113 km/h.
” It was a real race all the time ” is what Didier mentioned with a big smile straight after the flight, when Margo [Acquaderni and A[eroclub] C[lub] A[dele] O[ rsi] President]] interviewed him “we were very tight all the time. How I managed to win in the end I don’t know , I made a better final glide, began more direct and earlier”
Gilles is for the first time in Varese. He found the flight difficult, he struggled quite a lot. Just before the finish he had “2.7 m “and was able to catch the rest.On the last 4 km,he passed Peter with higher speed, but was not able to catch Didier.
Looks good!!!!!
As shared by the organizers.
Race 5; “Weather situation is quite weak, we need 27 C° to get thermals but if the temperatures rises to much there is a very high risk of thunderstorms, that’s why the task setter has decided to give 193,3 km task in the pedemont again.Takes off at 13:30”
“After a wonderful BBQ we are here again ready to start day 5 !
A thunderstorm passed last night and the airmass looks still quite humid.”
Messages from Thursday morning, so another day in Varese-paradise.
I was waiting for Mike [Young] to step up the podium and that happened today!!Winner with 10 points, in the VENTUS 3G with a speed of 104.8 km./h. Just a tad faster as Peter with 104.6; the difference for such a small margin is 2 points.
Mike was upfront all the way and “felt” the racers behind him. He kept pushing and pushing but then,…had to find a thermal at 750 m. He praised the VENTUS 3, ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC, as even on low height it helps you out. He saw the others coming closer and closer but just made it in first on the correct finish height.From 15 Tilo was 13th [ including 43 sec penalty for finishing a bit too low] , so not such a good day for him.
Day 5 winners, Mike, Peter and Gilles
As shared by the organizers.
Race ; CANCELLED.
as shared by the organizers
Windy day in Varese !But they tried HARD !!!!
One but last race! On top Peter with 42 points followed by Thomas with 34 and a max of 21 points in 2 day’s to gain.
“At the briefing the meteo man showed that the wind situation for the flight is very nice, even if a bit different from usual.
The wind on the ground has increased from the East and makes take off very difficult at the moment.”
The organizers shared this map/picture to show the wind.
Gliders at the back of the grid/grass, ready for the launch at 1 PM..
As shared by the organizers.
“Ready to take off the wind started blowing from the wrong side again, so the director decided to cancel the day.”
Last day race 6;
as shared by the organizers.
Last race for the Varese QGP.
“After the strong north easterly wind that forbid yesterday take off, today we expect good weather for the final shot that will be played by our competitors.“
Great looking last day in Varese.
As shared by the organizers.
Race 6 started at 1.35 PM.
You would not expect big changes in the top. But spot 3 changed “hands” .
How come ?
Gilles won the last day….11 points in the pocket!!!!! AND…he went up from 20 to 31 points, meaning 3d place!!!
Gilles found the first leg , direction East,difficult, Peter even more difficult , he got in deep shit, got low , made some strategical mistakes but got the gaggle again and finished 5th for the day.
After 6 races Peter was the clear winner with 42 points. Well done!!!
Runner up for the last day and the SGP….Thomas with 42 points. Mike who had 20 points, as had Gilles, got 7 for the last day, just not enough to be on the podium.27 points and Didier had 28!!!
So,………Peter and Thomas can book a trip to Cerdanya for the 9th world final in Spain.[1 Jun-8 Jun, 2019]
The Varese toppers/heroes, both pilots and organizers.
Shared by the organizers.
In 2 weeks 12 pilots fly to be the best in the next QSGP in Germany in Musbach among them 1 Polish and 1 French pilot and Laurens [Goudriaan from South Africa] in a JS 3.
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Swiss Nationals. 7/8 day’s out of 9 !!!
The Swiss Nationals were flown between June 16 and 24 , with 39 competitors in 2 classes, mixed 15 m and mixed open.
They had pretty good weather and the mixed open pilots flew every day with strong [368 and 410 km.] tasks.
17 in this class and on day 1 only 5 of them flew the 315km. set task and that straight away had an impact. Gabriel Rossier [ ASH 31 Mi/21m] won the day and was the best on 3 other day’s as well.” In ” at day 1 as well; Thomas Sütterlin in ASH 25 EB 28 and Yves Gerster in a DG 400/17m.
The out-landers lost 500 points on this day and after 7/8 out of 9 day’s, the last day was cancelled] the 3 best from day 1 were in the final top 3; 1. Gabriel with 5,329…2. Yves with 5,219…3. Thomas with 4,720.
In 15 m. David Leemann won day 1 in an LS 8. Day 2 and the last day were cancelled in this class . He also won task 5 [255 km.] and 6 [329 km.] AND won the comps so he was CHAMPION in the open 15m class with 5,084 points.
Only 2 pilots could stay close; Peter Keller. He won task 7 and was overall runner up with 4,888 points.
German pilot Lukas Blattmann [LS 8A] was 3d with 4,790 points.He won the last flying day ,1000 points, and flew during a 3.45 AAT a distance from 387.90 km. in time 3.45,53 !!!! Good on him.
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EUROGLIDE:
“Euroglide is the biennial gliding race over more than 2000 kilometres through Europe, organised by the Venlo Eindhoven aero club in Venlo, The Netherlands.”
Starting on Monday July 2 till July 13. But no worries if you are back in 3 or 4 day’s!!!This year’s race is around 2350 km.
Last preparations in full swing. With a race like this the preparations and PRE-FUN- are as important. Will keep you informed.
EG 2018 maps as shared by Bas.
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Next week more about the Spanish [3 classes,…. club ,15 m and open from La Cerdanya] ] and the French Nationals for 18 m ./ open class.Both started this weekend [23 and 24 ]and continue till the 30thiest!!
The French Nationals had already 3 day’s out of 3.
16 Pilots plus 3 HC pilots fly from Montluçon-Guéret; Arne and Peter from Denmark and Laurens from South Africa.
Arne won day 1 with 326 km. and only 6 finishers.For the French Nationals spot 1 was for Denis Guerin, followed by Philippe de Péchy and Stéphane Aboulin.
Peter [ASG 29 /18 m] won day 2 with 343 km., so the Danish pilots are doing VERY well in France. Though Arne lost 315 points by being 10th.
By the way Laurens [JS 3 /18 m] was runner up , so both HC. Looking for the Nationals Gerard Lherm was the best , followed by Laurent Aboulin and Sylvain Gerbaud.
Day 3 yesterday, ,with a 3 hour AAT, was a prey for Laurens who flew 246 km in time 2.57,19. Denis won the day for the French Nationals with 263 km in time 3.08. Lherm had a bad day in the EB 29D; outlanding after 168 km. Guess virtual.
More next week!!
Arne’s 18 m. JS 3 as shared by him.
La Cerdanya has till now 3 out of 4 days for all 3 classes.
In club all tasks under 200 km and in 15 m. 3 AAT’s from 2.15 and 2x 1.45 .Frederic Crespo Nomen leads after 3 day’s in an ASK 21 and a total of 944 points!!!!! That say’a lot.
In 15 m. 2 from 3 day’s have been won by Aldo Rodriguez. In this class 4 Spanish and 5 HC pilots.
Open 2.45 and 2x 2 hour AAT’s. So not yet the real Spanish soaring conditions.Also here HC “foreigners” ,and one of them Robert Pratt from France in ASG 29 , won day 1.
Yesterday 3 HC pilots in the top; Lukasz Wojcik [Poland] in the Diana 3 , Gintas Zube [Lithuania] in the ASG 29 and Robert. Robert leads overall , after 3 day’s with 100 points over Spanish pilot Serge LECLERCQ in the Nimbus 4.
The latest next week.
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AND looking forward to the 35th FAI World Gliding Championships in Club, Standard and 15-metre classes. Championships begin on 7th July at 19:00 in Ostrów Wielkopolski. The contest will take place until 22th July.
29 Countries participate with 49 in Club class among them the current WORLD CHAMPION Jan Rothardt from Germany.
42 In 15 m. ,with title-defender Sebastian Kawa in GP-15 and 47 in Standard class among them Louis Bouderlique who defends his title.
Cheers Ritz
To finish a great picture by Sophie Mahieu shared by L’album de Mamz’ailes SoFi and Planeur Glider
.
Fabulous colors from the Pic [top of the- ] de Morgon and the lac [Lake of-]de Serre-Ponçon.
Courtesy Sophie Mahieu.