Alphen aan den Rijn Monday August 22 2011 ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
This is an extra special in word and picture, to share with you the happy moments from our new World Champion Tim Kuijpers in the club class from the under 25 juniors, held at Musbach in Germany.
A surprise party was organised by the Aeroclub from Malden to celebrate the 4th world champion gliding in Dutch history. Lots of friends, arrived to be part of this moment.
Baer Selen was there , he was the coach for many years to get our junior team on a good track and of course he was in Chateauraux the first Dutch World Champion. In 1991 he repeated this by winning in Uvalde Texas and in between Kees Musters won gold in Hobbs in New Mexico.And now “we ” have Tim ! The family was there and even the Mayor and the alderman of sport, a kind lady. Ronald Termaat, yes our former European champion , spoke some kind words in his function as director of the KNVvL, as well as Robert Jungblut , the president of the Dutch gliding association.Many pilots involved in the “education” of our young team , walked around proud, so they should as what they started a few years ago, shows off now!!
Proud dad Ferdi, sister Maaike with boyfriend Gijs, brother Caspar, uncle Ger [TC in Musbach] and even more proud mum Frouwke
“It was not easy to win” Tim said , everybody expected a lot from the German team, the wonder -boys as they were called, but Tim kept his head cool , flew as he wanted to fly, did his utmost best to stay close to them and where they more or less failed [ there is only ONE place and that is FIRST place !] , he won. It is a title on which everything fell in place for Tim.
Natasja from Dutch- Soaring-PR, invited TV and they arrived for some very nice shots, broad-casted yesterday evening on SBS6 during the local Dutch news.
As in Musbach Tim was thrown in the pool , after a flight first to show gliding for the TV cameras.
Town donated a cask of nice cool beer, very welcome on a humid day with 30 dgr. Souvenirs from Musbach were brought home and Bart the owner of 2 B was happy with the result from Tim and his glider. NOT FOR SALE, he said!!!
Grand ma was more then proud on her grand children and children , so were all friends. One of his instructors at Malden were Tim spend his flying -youth, was Dick Teuling and for the viewer with a good eye, he is on my Facebook picture as my instructor as well in 1967.
A lovely hot day with a great winner , an extremely happy TIM, a very happy family and more then happy friends. The cool pool was awesome not only for Tim but also for others who jumped in with a big splash. Tim is ready now for ” the real thing”. After concentrating on soaring for a few years, he has reached what his goal was, being the best!”
Now it is time for the future and he leaves already this Thursday for Oxford in the UK , to start his flight education , to be a pilot. But….”when I have finished I will be back”! Good luck Tim!
