The huge storm last Saturday here in Holland, has cost the life of one person, sitting in his car when a tree fell on it/him.He had no chance and died at the spot. Several people were lucky to escape death, some were injured. All in all I hope the next summer storm will be in another 100 years again.It was pretty wild and the cost will be higher than 13 million.
This morning we had another thunderstorm and torrential rain, I hope it is OVER NOW!!!!
The same weather ” hangs” over Arnborg.
Loved the , pretty tough Tour de France this year and the Formula 1 in Hungary last weekend. Vettel as winner and “our” Max on a 4th spot, he is only 17!!!
Good to see they all remembered Jules [Bianchi] who crashed in Japan last year and died last week.
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Looking back at the 18th EGC through the eyes of the pilots , Akemi and Mac,who lost with one point.
On my question I got an answer and I share it with you.
—” Akemi and Mac what a fabulous job you both did!!!!! Congratulations ONE point I hope this will not be a trauma for the future. Do you have any clue where you lost that point? If you would have known it ,you would for sure have taken one curve less in good lift .
When you have time I would love to have your vision on HC flying and on loosing with ONE point. A pity that you are on none of the pictures. Hope that they congratulated you and that you got ” something” too. Have a safe trip home both and CU in Toc. Cheers Ritz
—-” Thank you! No it will not be a trauma. We know we could have saved many minutes. Not just one point. We had some issues with bug-wipers and also LX9000 in two seater setups.
My bugwiper motor worked so slow, that Tassilo taught me (he told me this particular motor is made by his club member) I must start extending it before I arrive into thermal, so it is finished by the top of thermal;)) Unfortunately we had to use it in straight glide at speed 110 kph, (that was maximum speed for this wiper;) on two occasions for prolonged time, while others went past us at 170kph+. so others were some kilometers ahead of us by the time we could retract wipers.
It is my second time to finish second place in EGC as HC. First time was 2002 in Beckescsaba, also in Hungary. I was second in Standard Class after my team mate Tomas Suchanek. Back then they did not even call my name during prize giving. (To which many of my friends complained kindly.) This time they at least called me and gave me a bottle of wine!! Thank you!!!
We go to Europeans nowadays to try new things (new glider, new class, new instruments, new site etc) and also to try out different strategies.
I think my direct competitors know that too, by now.
(They seemed not concerned when I was in the lead, as they did not need to beat me to become European Champion.) Furthermore, it is great opportunity to meet long time friends in the gap year of WGC. With many of them, this is only opportunity to physically meet once a year. I am most grateful each time the organizers let us foreigners fly in EGC as HC.
This year, we had only two flights with ASG32 before we arrive to Hungary. It was very nice and easy glider with excellent performance. Akemi struggles with piloting Arcus (we had flown Wolfgang’s TWO in Namibia before, so we knew we are battling with the best Arcus in the world;), but she could normally climb with others pre-start in ASG32. I was smiling in the cockpit. I flew 98% once we started on task. It was really great glider and we really enjoyed this EGC.”
Thanks Mac and Akemi.And….off he is again ,..this time to the Pre-Worlds in Pocuinai.
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They are on their way as well , or already there .Lot’s of pilots with their crews to Arnborg for the WWGC and lot’s of pilots with their crews to Rieti to the 18th EGC for 15 m., standard and club class. Not to forget 16 pilots and their crews for the very first 13.5 m. WGC in Pocuinai.
Here a picture from Annemiek, one of the Dutch juniors and competing in the AU, the St. Cirrus owned by the Foundation Glider events Holland[ so is the AG the other St Cirrus by the way] , in the WWGC.
Annemiek is back from South Africa where she finished a work placement with Jonkers Sailplanes.
After the WWGC the AU will be packed in the container together with the AG and travel to Australia where the gliders will be part of the JWGC. Annemiek is reserve there and crews for Stefan Telkamp who will fly the AU over the Aussie paddocks.
Talking about Australia, 2 Aussie ladies, Kerrie Claffy and Jo Davis participate in Arnborg and their trip was much longer and not always easy.When you arrive in Europe after more than 24 hours , you have to collect a car and a trailer with a glider .Then drive on the “wrong” way of the road and deal with the not so good weather in Arnborg till now. But,…in Australia it is winter so the difference is not TOO big, though the North and East never get really so cold as in Melbourne or so.
Annemiek in the clean car , with a nice clean trailer and the glider in it. I hope, you surely heard in the past the story about the crew who collected the trailer to fly at a daily competition and with arrival the pilot was stunned to see an empty trailer .
as shared on FB by her crew Jan Willem.
17 Pilots are on the list from club class among them, 3 from Holland, Annemiek, [St Cirrus], Doortje [DG 300] and Lilian [LS 4]
4 Pilots from Germany one of them Swaantje [ASW 19b] who just recovered from cancer and I applaud her for her attitude and I am pleased to see her back in top soaring. Good on her.
Also Chrissie flies in this class, as said last time she was world champion once and has to travel quickly from Ocseny to Arnborg with husband Uli and great little son Fin.Uli and she were 4th in Ocseny just out of the podium with 9 points.
A French topper is Amelie Audier and from Italy Elena [Fergani] is participating.
10 Pilots in 15 m. class. 5 ASG 29’s in this class and 4 Ventus types and 1 LS 6 from Sweden with Gloria Stenfelt. A few toppers from Germany and France in this class and ” our” Natasja.
In standard class 13 pilots at this stage with 10 LS 8 gliders and 3 Discus ‘ 2a.
40 Pilots are hoping at this stage for better weather, MUCH better weather, ….that “stupid” low pressure system!!!!
Arne shared this picture with the message;” There must be a glider competition nearby.” So true!!!
Loved this picture shared at the Dutch FB site!!!!!!!
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The very first 13.5 m. WGC
in Pociunai.
Will start TODAY with practice, with 16 pilots from all parts of the world. They fly from August 1 till 15.
Morgan Sandercock from Australia , heavily involved in the Perlan Project , will fly the Sparrow Hawk.
Tony [Condon] and Francois [Pin] both from the USA will fly the Silent 2.
The Italian pilots Alberto Sironi ,Stefano Ghiorzo and Ricky [Brigliadori] , yes he had to rush from Ocseny to Pociunai, fly the Silent 2 as well.
Sebastian [Kawa] also rushing from the one to the other competition, flies a brand new type which should have it’s check flight today; GP 14 SE velo, a Peszke glider. Russian pilot Vitaly Borovik flies this new type as well.
The French pilots Frederic Hoyeau and Antoine Havet fly a Silent 2 .
Today they have a practice day; a 2.30 AAT.
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The EGC in Rieti
No secret ,…I love Rieti. Have been there many times and seen great comps. It’s not the easiest field to fly from as it is surrounded by huge mountains, but those who have flown there, always go back.
Who is flying between August 3 and 14 ?
In club class 20 pilots among them Roman who has to rush from Ocseny to Rieti and also Patrick Stouffs whose father flew there as well during my early years in gliding.
Ge Dale, an ace in mountains and the French pilots Gilles Navas and Denis Geurin are well known too as well as young Italian pilot Davide Schiavotto, who knows the place well.
In 15 m. 24 pilots , among them John Coutts and Dane Dickinson from NZ who flew there during the JWGC in 2007 . They will fly HC.
From Holland “our” Sjaak Selen and Jelmer Wassenaar, who flew there a few times as well also the JWGC if I remember well.
Former world champions Leigh Wells from the UK and Giorgio Galetto from Italy who does n’t live there but spends with Marina and Chiara a lot of time in summer in Rieti. AND,..a few good Finnish, Swiss, Czech and French pilots
We are going to see it all , so stay tuned.
No troubles over there with the weather. The UK team mentions;” another beautiful day at this soaring paradise called Rieti.
Today is the first official practice day so there will be a full weather and task briefing at 10.30 and a proper grid with, we are promised 8 tugs.
It’s lovely and cool at the moment but that will not last much longer.”
The weather yesterday looked good as well and who was ready with the scrutineering and paperwork choose to fly:
Dutch pilot Sjaak Selen, ready to go.
As shared by the UK team.
Official practice….TODAY; 290 in club class, 378 in St class and 398 in open class.
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The 43 Rally of vintage gliders will be from July 27 till August 6 in Holland flown from Terlet.
This great poster was shared by the THERMIELBEL, the restaurant at Terlet. Unfortunately the weather is just lousy, but there is hope for the next couple of days.
and a picture from the strip sitting at the Thermiekbel.
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In Rennes the French Club class Nationals with 22 participants finished with 4 out of 8 days. The last day, last Saturday was won by Spanish pilot Jorge Arias Riera , in the St Cirrus with the appropriate name OLE!! Of course he flew HC as Spanish pilot, but he did well, very well.During the 4 hour AAT that day he flew 411 km. in time 4.09 and won the day.
Less than 2000 points in total for the winner Christian Mallick, in the St. Libelle with winglets [1964] , which says enough about the weather.
Jean Denis Barrois [Pegase] and Jorge both had 1885 points and Mickael Charuel [LS4] 1840 points.
Here the International AND National podium.By the way, Belgium pilot Pieter Lievens was 6th.[1727]
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THE ARBOGA OPEN 2015 in SWEDEN.
They suffer from that low pressure system as well and had till now NO flying days. 47 Pilots are waiting to fly in 2 classes,club and 18 m.
They have set tasks on day 1 and day 3 but in club class the best pilot flew 34 from the set 153 km. and on day 3 , a 165 km. task was set but it turned out a non flying day. A pity.
In 18 m. on day 1 a 181 km. task was set but here the best pilot flew Ulf [Ringertz] flew 47 km.
202 was set yesterday but they did not start, the day had to be cancelled.
Today looks better here, maybe there and in Arnborg in Denmark too.
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On July 23 it was THE DAY in Fuentemilanos. My goodness me, too many 1000 km. flights to count.
Kilometer-eater Guy [Bechthold ] had the longest flight, that is in kilometers; 1.210 [985 FAI triangle]
A total of 18 x a 1000 means being on the right time at the right spot with many.
All types of gliders, lot’s of different nationalities and GREAT FUN!!!!!
Just fabulous weather!!!
Ken from Belgium shared some pictures from Fuente here you are , one from the field and when you are tired from flying 1000’s, from the beautiful town of Segovia. All beautiful.
Fuente from above as seen by Ken.
Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso
Acueducto de Segovia, a beautiful town I was there a few years ago and visited Pepe and the Wiesenthals.
Also Ely added last week a few 1000 km’s to their list.
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Some SOARING-news .
—- Vladimir Foltin (Slovakia) has replaced Peter Eriksen (Denmark) as IGC Secretary.
—- The World Air Games (WAG) will be held in Dubai in December 2015. Not an ideal site for gliding (50 degrees and no thermals) so gliding will be represented by a pylon type race.
—- GP Final at Varese from 5th to the 12th September . Entry to the Grand Prix Final is a hard earned process, through placing at one of the qualifiers.We followed them all and are going to see who will be the CHAMPION this time. See www.sgp.aero/final2015
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And to finish a picture from Sebastian {Kawa} .
ONE thermal with lift, before the start in Ocseny, used by nearly ALL pilots during the EGC.
Cheers Ritz CU next week
