Alphen aan den Rijn   Saturday June 25 2011    ritzdeluy@hotmail.com
This is again an extra update to make the stories not TOO long. I have published a blog on June 24 as well. Pictures will be added  when I receive them, Mikael had to work, but will be back this weekend.

Friday evening; As said , another window to fly in, a bit of a pity as it does not really show the capacities of ladies who love strong weather and long tasks, but …the weather is the weather, NOBODY can change it. We all learned to accept it as part of our sport.
So the girls had the forecast of 4/8 of cu’s and a cloud base of 1200 m. But…overcast arrived quickly as I heard and there was tension …would it be possible to fly today, and what about tomorrow??
They first delayed , then changed tasks and then did start. But cancelled first for club class then for 15m, they were not even launched and tried hard to get a 5th day out for the standard class ladies! But unfortunately the weather did not allow that either. Not everybody was so sure about that, some pilots as I heard were really UNHAPPY, as the climb- rate was better then the day before and the base at 1000 m.. I do understand that some pilots just want to achieve a few more points to get higher in the overall scores , as a lot is still possible, …… if you don’t fly you don’t get points!!!~On the other hand you don’t loose them either. And….the possibility of flying is not TOO big for tomorrow, let’s just wait and see. It would be sad if it just goes out as a candle this 6th WWGC with only 4/5 days and very marchinal days as well.

So Midsummer night party for everybody! Don’t know in what mood some pilots will be, certainly not the ones who thought/found that soaring was possible for standard class! IF tomorrow is a day , the last possible one, to change the scores, the pilots cannot really celebrate and the expectation of a good day is not BIG. Lot’s of tension for the girls on SPOT 1, will they have to defend the title in their pocket NOW?????

Saturday morning; As you know or might know, I try to read and investigate[ do research]  as much as possible about soaring, to write my blog as interesting as possible for you, BUT in my own style and with my own thoughts. So of course I read the blogs from Germany , the UK and France as well. Good thing from my education…. I speak 4 languages!
What “struck”me most is that all 3 including my Swedish friend Teresa were VERY disappointed[ nearly angry]  that the Friday task was cancelled for standard class. It seems one pilot still flew the task and finished it at Arboga! Indeed a bit weird but I can only guess that the organisers had a good reason to cancel , as they for sure want to show Sweden as a WWGC country as good as possible.
Teresa writes;  “unfortunately yesterday was canceled when the
pilots were in air!!! I dont understand that; I feel that I started to get into
the game and could have improved on the list, well thats gliding. We are
invited by the French pilots to Isodoun next year to the pre comps. I will be there.”
If your German is not too good their blog-reaction was;  ” Our pilots in club class and standard class were disappointed about the decision of the organisation to cancel yesterday. One from the standard class pilots flew the task yesterday and her opinion was that it had been possible to fly” .
And the UK girls were clear in their blog as well; ” rugger, rugger rugger, we can’t believe it.They launched us under a great rug of soarable sky, with cloud base higher then 1000 m+ and climbs stronger then the last competitionday, Jane was in a 7.7 kn climb…when they cancelled the day, so curses, no chance to score points and to change the results.”
And the French in their blog; ” Though the tasks seem to have been possible, the organisation scrubbed the day. Disappointment about an other cancelled day with climbs from 2 m/s.”

Well that says enough is n’t it? But what I like is that the organisers do not feel too “high” to apologize, that they cancelled the day too early. It would have been very interesting if they had flown as the difference in points in standard class, between number 1 with 2080, Sue Kussbach and number 5 with 1943 points is not big. Numbers 1-3-4-5 are all from Germany , number 2 Gunilla Lindell is from Sweden.
Hope for today , the last day of the comps,  is not too big. Next briefing is at 12 as better weather is expected after some showers.
Atleast the girls had a lovely night yesterday, with the French team , everybody is very enthusiastic about it. And…it seems the atmosphere was great so new friends, new thoughts and new invitations as Teresa got to come and fly in Issoudun, where the next 7th WWGC will be. By the way the French team gave a presentation about the possibilities in Issoudun, while waiting for the last briefing.
Of course flying is the first priority, but when the weather does n’t co-operate , the friendship between nations is the next great option.

Saturday afternoon;  Grid time 14.00. First expected launch at 14.15 and last at 17.00!!!! It is good they don’t give up too soon on this last day so tasks are set; club 137 km and “the rest ” 158 km. It means , in the end, that they only had ONE 1000 -points -day !!!!
The rain passed by and indeed some better weather arrived after this trough.Excitement everywhere; for the girls on top , who do not want to loose points and on lower spots to get higher up in the scores!!! Gliders are on the grid and it is still raining..a bit. Only again a few points to loose or to gain, but winning the day and an outlanding can make the difference.
What is going to be??????

You can read it in the last blogs about Arboga, later today and tomorrow! A nice link to finish, to something very different but still very intriguing “the beach walker” a kinitic sculpture .Thanks Peter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=HSKyHmjyrkA&feature=email

Cheers Ritz