DECEMBER 7 post 1.394

Day of the funeral from Chris, one of the engines behind the Gelderse Soaring Club ,flying as you know, from Terlet in The Netherlands. He was only 60 years old and died of a heart attack at home.
R.I.P. Chris,….you will be VERY MUCH missed by the entire Gelderse Soaring Family and beyond.
At a get -together last week people stood in a long, long queue to say farewell to him.

—–Last Wednesday on November 30, the last day of the month November, Ludwig and Heimo topped the OLC list with a 1.047 km flight from Kiripotib; 138 km./h.
You surely know that Ludwig [Starkl] together with Wolfgang [Janowitsch] were the founders of FLYING WITH THE CHAMPIONS and RENT A GLIDER. Ludwig stopped last year, after 8 years, as organizer, but was back as valued guest and “just- glider- pilot”.
8 Years of experience with briefings there ,paid off as he commented and they flew in the best optimal “window’ for the day.
It was not even a perfect day as one of the other Kiripotib guests mentioned;
“Another great day but not much streeting and weaker climbs. Top cover killed the thermals 150k out so we took 2kts 100k out for a safe final glide.”
I got to know Ludwig and Heimo [Demmerer] better during the C.I.M in Italy. They were frequent flyers there. Good ones too, as they fly a lot over their Austrian mountains. They both flew many WGC’s as well, but Ludwig gave up during the WGC in Benalla in 2017 , after 2 near misses [ 5 and 11 m distance] and 2 collisions ….2 days in a row …., with those many gaggles. Though he was not involved ,he could not be answerable anymore to his family and friends, he said.
Brave decision to do so during the WGC, as I know how much he loved his competition soaring.
Of course I know all 3 of them already also, from the wedding I attended, from Wolfgang and Janet, long ago.

—–Keith [Essex] moved from the USA , where he is a member of the Minden Soaring Club, to New Zealand again for the season. Straight away he shared from his first 500 km-flight a, on December 1, a nice picture from gorgeous N.Z.

He is one of the 14 pilots flying the SOUTH ISLAND GLIDING CHAMPIONSHIP 2022 from Omarama. There are 2 classes and on day 1 , December 4, Keith straight away won the 3 hour AAT flying 418 km in his ASG 29 in open class. Speed 139 km./h!!! That was quite a bit faster and further than p.e, Max Stevens in the Ventus 2C ; 310 km and 102 km./h.
Same tasks for racing class where 2 LS 8 gliders were the best ; Terry Jones and Tony van Dyk; 369 km ..speed 123 km./h and 338 km with 110 km./h.
Task 2 ; 2 hour AAT,…won by Keith with 384 km …speed 187 km/h!!!!
“A couple of 2 hour AAT tasks have been set for today. There is quite a lot of uncertainty around the weather for today so the tasks have been set with quite a few different weather options in mind.“
Terry flew 281 km and Tony 303 ….speed 140 km./h and 131 km./h.
Task 3 a 2 hour AAT in both classes were won by Keith and Tony.
“Everyone is back and most got around the task despite the rain showers!” the organization.
“Our” former Dutch Tony is still GOOD!!!!He leads the racing class after 3 days with 100 points. I have n’t seen him now for quite a while but at the last comps he still could speak really good Dutch.
Keith in his class leads with 446 points.

They finish on December 10. Today they don’t fly. “No tasks for today. Too much weather around.”

—–The 5 exciting aspects of JoeyGlide 2023 you don’t want to miss! Starting soon, on Saturday December 11!!!
“If there’s any Joeyglide to attend, it’s this one; and for good measure. As we gear up towards our highly anticipated event, we can’t wait to welcome you and see you in the air! Between covid, bad weather and floods, we know it’s been tough to fly this year. But it’s now time to dust off the cobwebs, pull out the camelback and hang out with your friends in Lake Keepit.“
The JUNIORS are ready to go for it and will be sponsored where necessary.

——One of the former Aussie juniors AND JWGC champion in Narromine Matthew, wrote a very interesting blog about flying in Australia at this stage.
“My gliding colleagues, particularly in the southern states, have been complaining that it’s another La Nina year and everything is washed out with all the comps getting canceled. Today I set out on my “How Bad Could It Be?” tour, trying to visit all the badly flooded areas, traveling by glider.“
You better read the full story on Matthew Scutter’s Gliding
“There’s no road access due to the floods, everything is arriving by helicopter, so I better figure out a way to soar out of here.” on December 2 2022.
https://www.weglide.org/flight/226282….
In between he had time for some fun as well,…a voting poll;
“Please vote on my destination for tomorrow from Bourke (if I am able to get away without running my battery flat!)”
Mind you Bourke is up in the N and Tocumwal on the border of NSW and Victoria [S].
Heart react for Tocumwal
Haha react for Augathella
Wow react for Swan Hill

And https://www.weglide.org/flight/226373 how he continued on December 3!!!
“Getting out of Bourke was as bad as expected, had to hobble out with the FES 20km inland to the cu.“
The votes were for Augathella, never even heard from the place, so off he went….more adventure…what a great guy he is!!!!!
AND,…it ain’t over yet ;”Super easy cumulus conditions with a teeny bit of streeting, horrific terrain the last 400km into Mt. Isa… took a few 3kts to keep at cloudbase. 10,000ft feels low out here.“
Now he had to figure out how to get away from Mt Isa, a mining town in N.W. Queensland…..
https://www.weglide.org/flight/226583
“Once again unsure how to get out of here. Looks a bit bluer the coming days. Tomorrow’s problem!“
WHAT A HERO!!!!! These 2 pictures have been shared by Matthew.

Mount Isa as mining town and ,…as his mate Adam commented; “What a great experience, Mt Isa, home of Australias biggest windsock!“
Courtesy Matthew

Matthew’s mornings news today ;“I’ve long believed everyone eventually gets what they deserve, which is why I live life in a state of perpetual fear.”
And “Reasonably high chance I’ve stuffed this one up! I flew into Thargomindah yesterday expecting an early start for a massive day today, but on landing realised the forecast had become a lot more marginal than when I left. This morning it is even worse again than the forecast. The trough is too far progressed. read the full story on Matthew Scutter’s Gliding

—–Whilst our winter started with pretty cold conditions,[minus 2] summer arrived down under after the coldest ever spring since 50 years. For that reason I hope it quickly dries out .
The Southern corner with well-known gliding places as Benalla, Tocumwal and Corowa, do have early guests already and they flew over 500 km. on December 2.
Frequent [Dutch] Corowa visitors Jos and Willem are flying from Corowa the ASG 32MI and the ASH 31/21 m. 576 and 588 km.
From Tocumwal local Grant flew 511 km in his St Jantar 2 and Swiss Chris in his ASW 27 a more-or less O&R to Leeton; 339 km.
On Saturday Lumpy even flew 740 km [668 FAI] in his new Nimbus 4T and Grant is his “little” St. Jantar 593 km [500FAI triangle]
Charles Day in his 17m Kestrel 423 km. from Benalla.
Indeed summer has arrived with 31 dgr. C.

By the way, Swiss Chris who is a long time mate ,can be sometimes a bit of a nerd and I say that with full respect and a big smile!!!!He knows me….
“That was fun, much better thermals than yesterday
OLC Program gets thermalling start wrong when towing with Eurofox
OLC thermalling statistic differs compared to https://www.weglide.org/flight/226258
WG 11.5%
OLC 15.32%“
AND,…he is mostly correct.
Eddie, who is an “ace” on weather, shared this picture.
Around Lake Cargellico and a bit more to the SW, you see less clouds;
Eddie; “The flooded areas suppressing thermals and cumulus cloud formation!”

——-This must be Max Maslak’s BEST experience with soaring in his 19 year life. Flying the Ventus 3 by himself during the Bitterwasser-1000 km-camp and together with Wilfried learning in the EB 28
“Day 7 1000km Camp Bitterwasser;
“Again one of the best days in Namibia with a 300km convergence line in the west. Early start with an adiabatic temp curve. Even if the high level of instability in the west brought about early spreads of rain, the route planning in the morning went quite well. The thunderstorms that hung over Bitterwasser in the late afternoon were limited in time, so that in the evening the airfield could be approached again without any problems.
Another important experience for Max at just 19 years old..” by Wilfried
They flew 1.214 km…speed 143 km./h.
Max flew 3x in the Ventus 3M/18 m; 1.049 km….1.158 km…and day 7 …..1.049 km.
With Wilfried; Day 1…..1.135 Max very first flight, …1.162 km….1.214 km
The other “pupil” was Tobias Pachowsky. On his last day he tried hard but flew 999 km. in the Ventus 3M , whilst optimal 1.001 was predicted. NO WORRIES. He had a fabulous time, with 3 over 1000- km- flights with his mentor Wilfried.
“7 flight days……..7400km…….is only possible in Bitterwasser…
Thank you Wilfried!!!” was his last comment.
The other “lucky-young-one” is Tobias Welsch.
“Day 8 1000km Camp Bitterwasser.
This day was also one of the special ones in Namibia….!
A good route planning thanks to top meteo and the morning temp. Even if the beginning was a bit difficult, it went great afterwards!
Since the north of Cu was moderately so well developed, we put a long leg in Namibia that was unknown to me. Even if the return flight was marked with over-developments, the decision was worth it.
My first flight with Tobias which was really fun…! as commented by Wilfried, who really puts effort in his flying but also writing about the young ones.
Top job Wilfried, I met him in the far past.

—— The 69th ARGENTINIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS have been flown from Rafaela, since November 28 till December 9,…. so still in progress. They fly in standard [13 pilots], open [ 14] and 15 m. class [20]
Host Rafaela celebrates it’s 80thiesist birthday, reason enough to have a big championship.
And,…CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
And they had pretty good weather, with up to a 5 hour AAT on task 6 with 667 km. won by Juan Pablo Verdura in his Ventus 2CM/18m in open class.

The organization mentioned;
“It is an extreme heat wave, it is probably a historic heat wave for the month of December, since 12 days are expected in these conditions with some very isolated showers,” he explained during the morning briefing before flying the meteorologist, Lucas Berengua, in relation to the maximum of 40 to 42 degrees Celsius that will accompany the days of flight until the end of the competition.” on December 5.
On December 5 they were on task 8 ….flying day 7….in all 3 classes.
408 km was set for standard class and the overall best 5 pilots all flying LS 4 are in points between 5.951 and 6.054.
Open class had a 4.30 AAT with 468 km as best result. In this class Damian and Juan Pablo lead overall at this stage; 6.421 and 6.415 points. CLOSE!!!
In 15 m 444 k was set and the best speed was 104 km./h 4x an ASW 20 in the daily top.
December 6, birthday of St Nicolas, task 9 flying day 8… was a short day with 2.30 and 3 hour AAT’s. Damian and Santiago [Berca] had both 1000 points . Flying together in the same glider Ventus 2CM/18 m ;415 km with 138 km./h.
With the very close scores an “off-day” is expensive. Juan Pablo was 4th, lost 150 points for the day and moved at this stage from 2 to 4.
More next week.

That’s it for today!!!!
Birthday, Christmas and New Year will make it a busy time. But I try to write as much as possible.
For your information I will not travel to Australia this season, so NO TOCUMWAL JOURNAL, but have enough family and friends there to keep you informed.
After 7 troublesome months [ very tired and NO energy] as result of the moderna booster jab, I am nearly back to normal, but a 24 hour trip down order is just too much.
Hopefully next season again.
Cheers Ritz