37th FAI WORLD GLIDING CHAMPIONSHIP
Szeged, Hungary
 24 July 2022 – 5 August 2022

Looking back first again, this time with news from Belgium.
“Yesterday a few of our pilots in open and 18m class had a good flight. Daan and Koen had another strong day and were among the fastest pilots of their class. They seem to adapt very quickly to flying big winged gliders. Well done guys. Our doubleseater pilot Pierre wasn’t feeling very well, and together with Arnaud he decided not to fly. Very sad, but a good decision with regard to flight safety. Luckily Pierre was feeling well again today and the are ready for new fast flights.
In 18m class Tijl and Bert were caught in huge pre-start gaggles. Tijl elected to start about 15 minutes before the main gaggle and Bert started a couple of minutes in front of the gaggle. In the end, as so often, the gaggle was fast. Tijl lost a couple of places [ 20 to 24 now] and Bert managed to stay in front of most of the gaggle and made a jump forward in the general rankings.[Spot 12 now from 19]

Today was quite a different day: We woke up under a completely covered sky. As it should be, the organizers tried to make the most out of it. In the end only the 18m class was towed, but cancelled in the air due to low and weak thermals. The rest of the day was used to relax” Belgian Gliding Team

John , of course, had his report on yesterday and here is a small part again about the weather;
“We had a favorable weather forecast today, featuring a good airmass that needed only moderate solar heating to produce good thermal lift. We awoke to clouds that were confidently expected to dissipate, allowing the sun to do its work. But the clouds never got the message, and hung around all day.”
more on US Soaring Teams
His story about “engines in gliders” is so true. So I am maybe old fashioned too.

As a few people do not feel well the decision has been made to go on with the INTERNATIONAL EVENING , BUT, everybody should test before going. Of course when NOT feeling well you stay ‘Home” where ever that is.

For today they set tasks, with the announcement that showers would arrive in the early afternoon over Szeged. So waiting again IF the show can go on. For sure it sounds as a short day.
“Similar conditions to yesterday but with the possibility of showers. First launch not before 12noon. Racing tasks have been set and we have our fingers crossed!” British Gliding Team

July 29; day 6 ,task 5, competition day 4... B tasks were on. First start at 12.20.
Trigger temperature today is 31.5 degrees C. At 12 it was 30 and pretty humid.
B tasks; whilst the weather showed some significant overdevelopment.
They flew!!!! This picture is from during the start.
They could see lines of showers as well on their screen.

Off the went.
Start times at 13:20 (18m), 13:34 (20m) und 13:48 (Open)
Baer shared the message that a lot of pilots today USE their tracker.
Good news for ALL who want to follow the pilots. And there will be a few as this competition is pretty popular.
https://glideandseek.com/?

What happened?
18m. 362.07 km....changed in a 2.30 AAT….REALLY fast flights. WOW, 162 km./h by Christophe. He really was in a hurry to win another day. He flew 438 km. in time 2.42. Fabulous for a competition.
A class apart.
With the weather prognoses in the back of their mind the Dutch and Belgian pilots started straight away at 13.24.
Christophe and his French mate Adrien Henry, also flying a JS 3, started at 13.42 and finished together at 16.25. Adrien flew 10 km. less, but was a great runner up.
But it did not matter too much as the early starters flew around with 156 km./h as well.
25 Pilots flew over 150 km./h!!!!!
Overall scores after task 5;
1. Christophe Abadie in JS 3 with 3.452 points
2. Arne J. Boye-Møller in JS 3 with 3.403 p.
3. Davide Schiavotto in JS 3 with 3.401.
SO CLOSE!!!!!!
It will be a great second week!!!!

20 m; 347 km...changed in 2.30 AAT….All pilots are in and 3 flew over 148 km./h!!!!
Daily winner; Austrian team Peter Hartmann / Karel Krobath in the HpH 304 TS Twin Shark,
They flew 382 km in time 2.34.39.
Hungaryan team Igor Volkov / Vladas Motuza in the ASG 32 MI, had about the same distance and time but started 15 minutes earlier.
Equal at spot 2 so runner up was the ARCUS T with Italian team Stefano Ghiorzo / Federico Mangano.
The slowest team had 137.88 on their “clock” and my Aussie mates Allan and Harry had 140 km./h. I guess they are both so pleased to be in Europe!!!
Overall scores after task 5;
1. Jakub Barszcz / Lukasz Kornacki in the SHARK with 3.392 points.
2. Erik Borgmann / Joost Wolff in Arcus T with 3.359 p.
3. Peter Hartmann / Karel Krobath in the other SHARK with 3.354 p.
3. Steve Jones / Garry Coppin in ARCUS with the same amount of points.
I presume the HPH people are in 7th heaven!!!!!
Pierre and Arnaud are fit again, pleased to see them in the air again, certainly on such a day.

open; 371.08 km....changed in 2.30 AAT....At around 5, Felipe was in with a booming speed of 164.08 km./h. Would there be anybody faster????? He flew 440.33 k in time 2.41.
Further than the earlier -set- racing- task.
By the way only 2 km./ h faster than the JS3 from Christophe, in 18 m.
Then there is of course Michael. They flew together BUT, his speed was 164.20. Indeed faster!!! And one more point for him!!!
They all started within 16 minutes.
Great job from young Radek, who flew 449 km. in time 2. 45; speed 163.52 km./h. in the JS 1, so not an EB.
Overall scores in open class after task 5:
1.  Felipe Levin with 3.404 points
2. Michael Sommer with 3. 377 p.
3. Oscar Goudriaan with 3.323 p.
All EB’s. Even the first 7 are EB’s , so to see the glider you need to win a WGC, in open class.

The weather moved in straight after the finishes. I liked the S.A. comment after the fast day :
“Tonight is the international evening, and tomorrow is an official rest day (no flying), so you can only imagine how this party will go down… faster than a flag down a flag pole …. 

I guess only VERY happy pilots at the INTERNATIONAL EVENING tonight. More talking and flying with hands and arms. They should!!!! It was a great day!!!!!
And a drink is allowed too, as due to the weather forecast , …thunderstorms and wind with hail….the “day-after” will be a rest day.
So a day off tomorrow!!!!
Good timing from the weather!!! It really co-operates well in Hungary.

There was one little / minor point today…… the SCALES. Not everybody was pleased this morning, with how that went. Some teams seem to be not very friendly, words were” unsupportive” . I could see on the pictures, a long queue waiting .
It was the topic of the day, BUT the fast flights and a day off tomorrow and ALL is forgotten again.

No a 1000 points day in each class they were just TOO fast.
All scores still preliminary.

CU tomorrow hopefully with some pictures from the party.

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12th FAI JWGC in TABOR in CZECH REP.

July 28 Report:
“Greetings from Tabor, Czech. Today was a picture perfect soaring day here in Tabor. The Club Class flew a 300 km speed task with light wings, cu filled skies and bases near 6000 ft AGL. Tomorrow looks to be a bit wet so we have decided to take a rest day as we have flown many successful practice flights with the ASW-20. Tomorrow we will be sure to enjoy the welcome party following the mandatory safety meeting“
Captain’s report from @Tom Cassetta US Soaring Teams

July 29; official practice day 3, with the opening tomorrow. I read that not a lot of pilots will fly today. A day for a bit of rest, a trip to Prague and the finishing touch of “things” .
The weather was not that good either.
There were no tasks on soaring spot.
“We are currently waiting for further development of the weather. There may be a chance for a short AAT in the afternoon before rain arrives. In the evening we will have a safety briefing at 19:00 and a welcome party at 20:00.” message on the official site at noon.
Tasks were shared; Club..1.30 AAT and standard the same.
Next message :
“First launch confirmed for 13:45. Team captains please come to collect task sheets at 13:25 to the front of grid and confirm change of start gate opening time to 20 minutes.”
Only 14 club class pilots flew and 6 of them got to know the area better by landing out.
In standard the Aussies tried but got back No day.
Opening tomorrow!!!!

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Series 11 of the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix;

In Eisenhuettenstadt  they were ready for a small task , race 6, on the one but last day; 156 km.
A new face for the 10 daily points. Only Dirk Windmueller , from the top 5, got 8 points and extended his scores to 30. He leads now. Robin has 28 points and Andreas 26.
Best speed today 136 km./h. by Rolf Gerzman. A tad faster than Dirk with 135.7 km./h.
They will be the pilots with the possibility to win this GP.
More tomorrow , after their last day!

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Arne Martin Güettler from Norway just got himself a new glider…an 18m JS 3, and he really is trying it out to it’s best.
” Today I was able to visit all the 3 highest mountain ranges in Northern Europe in one flight!
It was slow and careful, keeping high all the time. But what views!” indeed stunning pictures.
Here is one of them;

https://www.weglide.org/flight/194664

CU, tomorrow!!!
Cheers Ritz, a very busy but very pleasant day.