POST 1.398 on January 4 2023.

2022, was not the best year for many of us. The war in Ukraine, the sky-high rise of gas and oil and the economical prices going with that, climate change problems as flooding, landslides , fires , hurricanes and damaging cyclones , extreme cold and the final convulsion of COVID,…they all had a huge impact on many of us.
Also on me…..after having been miserable tired and without energy for 7 months, thanks to the MODERNA- booster-vaccine I got on December 2021, I slowly get back in the “normal” routine again. Pffff……
I am ready for 2023.

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The 12th Women’s World Gliding Championship is open for entrees/registrations!!!!

1 July 2023 – 14 July 2023, The Garray Airfield, Soria

“See the world’s top sportswomen race their gliders over 14 intense competition days and thousands of kilometers to become World Champion.  Watch the mass launch of up to 60 gliders, follow them on live race tracking. It’s a great family day out with fun gliding-related activities for the kids, air and ground displays and street food stalls.“
https://wwgc2023.org/

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Not long and the Namibian rain season will start. BUT,…. what soaring-season they had!!!!
On December 27 they had already a “sneak preview” of what’s going to happen.

BUT,….it’s still too early for full rain days so THE VERY LAST DAY of December was AWESOME in NAMIBIA, with 27 flights over 1000 km and 2 with more points than anytime before. Both from Bitterwasser , both in an ARCUS M and both with “a Schroeder” in it. Maximilian Schaefer and Eva Schroeder and Tore Graeber and Simon Schroeder. First 1.300 for Simon.
“Good forecast by Topmeteo – great weather in Namibia!
An early start at 10 a.m. under clouds that is rarely experienced in Bitterwasser!
First east to prepare a triangle for the day.” more comment from Maximilian on https://www.onlinecontest.org/

Being at the right spot at the right time,…so important for 1000 km-chasers.

So Bitterwasser topped the last day of 2022 on the OLC , BUT, also did so on the first day of 2023 with WOW flights again; Maximilian and Simon flew 1.298 km in the ARCUS M. …1.054 FAI triangle. As they mentioned; BITTERWASSER SIMPLY THE BEST!!!!
My Lasham mates Roy and Patrick have flown 3 x till now and a glorious 1.292 and 1.140 are added in their log books. Their day 3 was different; 452 km.
“Good conditions to NE but as we headed south from Kentucky there increasing shower activity towards Bitterwasser so we turned back. An easy run home until the last10km then moderate to heavy rain so an interesting cross-wind landing.“
Yesterday; 811 km. Their mates Andy and Garry were the only ones to fly over 1000 km. on the OLC ; 1.100 to be precise , even able to share a great picture…yes from showers.
Garry; “Landed just before the storm arrived!“

South Africa is going strong too. On the 28th of December, Worcester had 2x a 1000 by Karin and Markus [1.008 km] in their ARCUS M and by Sven, [1.125 km] in his JS 1B…their Worcester MAGIC is working again. Both with a speed of 140 k/ph.
Sven flew a 1.110 km. flight also on December 24. For Karin it was the first flight back in “their” Worcester.

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There is a nice way of looking back on 2022 on WEGLIDE. This one is about club class and involves a Dutch pilot.
“Best of WeGlide 2022
Today is our ‘Club Class Special’, and what a year it has been for the clubbies. They prove that you don’t always need expensive machinery to achieve awesome long-distance flights. Here is one of our favorites:
Jeroen van Dijk from the Netherlands launched at Soesterberg Airbase 09:10LT in his LS3 for a flight that would be engraved into his memory for a lifetime. In 10,5 hours, Jeroen crossed the whole of Germany from West to East and eventually landed in Strunkovice, Czech Republic with 1021km flown. A mega achievement!
Two months later, he proved that this wasn’t just luck. This time he made the 4 digits again with his LS3 and managed to get back to his home field!

1021 km @ 97 km/h

Soesterberg @acvz

LS3

10h 37m

Head over to WeGlide to see the full flight:
https://www.weglide.org/flight/160672
This flight was on May 28 2022 AND, I missed writing about it, as I was on my annual holiday with the high-school friends, but you know it now. GREAT EFFORT.
Belated congratulations Jeroen!!!!

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There is a small airfield close to Minden and nearly as well-known as Minden; TRUCKEE!!!!!
“Loving the Winter Wonderland, but looking forward to our 2023 season opening day too!” by Truckee Tahoe Soaring Association

Another small airfield Porta Westfalica, now in Germany, is the host for ridge-soaring-[hangfliegen] guests as Tudor, who flew in his St. Cirrus WL, 416 km. on December 30.
He shared this picture. More pictures on the OLC .

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The FAI SGP Qualification from the 11th series started on January 2 in GAWLER in Australia.
They continue to January 8. Their unofficial practice started on December 31.
5 Pilots amongst them Pete Temple and Mak Ichikawa, both in the back.

The official practice day was GOOD; not a huge task 355 km, but excellent soaring conditions, what about….40 dgr. C, light sea breeze, thermals at launch to 7,000ft and Cu to 14,000ft in in the east of the task area. Not many flew….but the 2 who did really practiced interval’s and starts.
Race 1 on January 2…2023!!!
“CANCELLED
The main issue is that the upper air is still too warm. The temperature would need to reach 34C break through the inversion. The maximum temperature is forecast to be 31C.“
https://australia23.sgp.aero/…/race-day-1-2-january…
Race 2 on January 3; 235 km and won by gentleman Geoff, who saw that Pete and David in front of him, got into problems and lost height, so he decided to stay careful and as high as possible. On the last leg they had better circumstances along a convergence line. Geoff flew with a speed of 105 km./h. He was the only one without penalty seconds for a too high max speed at start.
Mac was runner up; 103 km./h. He flies in G1, the Ventus 3T, from Adam Woolley.
Race 3; today…237 km.… preliminary won by Pete, but all were “punished”.Rules are strict in the SGP, so they should be.
Pete had not the best start. He went through the gate first but saw behind him that all others had a “monster climb” . They were kilometers ahead and 1000 ft higher. But Pete managed to “get” them one by one, finding 5 to 7 kts thermals, to bring him home.
But at this stage they all have still 0 daily points.

When you like VIRTUAL GRAND PRIX better here is the link to the scores for race 1, with 44 participants world wide.
“Virtual SGP: All results from Race 1 are available!
Congratulations for this first win, Marcelo!” FAI Virtual Gliding

https://www.condor.club/comp/besttimes/0/?id=22325

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AUCKLAND SOARING CHAMPIONSHIP 2023
 Drury, New Zealand 1 January 2023 – 7 January 2023

They, the Auckland Gliding Club, started full of optimism but after ONE day they could unfortunately only share his message;
“Attention soaring enthusiasts! It is with a heavy heart that we announce the official cancellation of the Auckland Soaring Championships for 2023. Despite our optimism and the promise of a great New Year, the weather forecast for the next six days is simply too bleak to ignore.
However, we did at least have one rewarding day of soaring, and we finish on a high with most pilots enjoying the flying and our assistants having a great day as well.”
Next time BETTER!!!!

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Right on those last days from 2022, a few people passed away. One of them the POPE Benedictus XVI, the first pope in 600 years, who resigned but also one of our well known gliding mates;
“I have the sadness to inform you that Jean Claude Lopitaux did his last flight yesterday.[December 30]
He was world champion in 1989 in Wienerneuestadt ( Austria)
He was very active in the defence of airspace for gliding.
He was sick since several years.
Blue sky Jean Claude. RIP” by Kiki.

Not too much news today,…maybe that it was 18 dgr. C here… PLUS…, the warmest ever last-day-day-of-December!!!AND,…the warmest ever January 1 2023.
Not much snow in the winter sport areas from Austria, Switzerland and France, so quite a few accidents and incidents. It looks like spring over there.
Cheers Ritz