Unfortunately the WGC 2021 in Stendal in Germany has been cancelled. Such a pity. Hopefully the other WGC for the small ships , a bit later in summer, can go on in France!!! At Montlucon-Gueret Airport (LFBK)
From the official site;
“We are sad to inform you about our decision to cancel the 36th FAI World Gliding Championships at Stendal-Borstel airfield. After continuous exchange with the relevant authorities of the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt and the county of Stendal, they finally stated that an approval of the championship event cannot be expected at this point in time due to the ongoing restrictions of public life related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now 2 months before the beginning of the training period, this leaves the cancellation as the only option to us.

We would have loved to host the event back in 2020, 100 years after the first gliding competition on the Wasserkuppe. Now also in 2021, it is not possible for us to welcome legends of our sport in Stendal. While being sad, our disappointment stands small in the light of the overall tragedy caused by the pandemic.

All the best wishes from our end go to Thierry Paris and the team in France for the WGC of the Club, Standard and 15m-classes. We hope it’s going to be a great competition!“

The last 2 days of April still had artic influence…no not here for soaring,… but we felt the “artic”.
This time it was the UK [Lasham with 728,775 and 527 km. ] and Scandinavia with just under and over 500 km.
Denmarks pilot Mads Lykke, flew in his ASH 26 E a distance of 460 km. He started in the middle of “the leg” from the airfield of Hammer Flyveplad and flew to the NE and back to the SW, via a convergence-line, from the borders of “flat” Denmark and the seas to the right and left.

Here it was grey and WET!!!!
BUT,…the first days of May however were pretty good again, look at this great picture from Robin Smit.

May 1 showed 4 over 700 km. flights in The Netherlands and with that they topped the worldwide OLC list, with flights from Mark and Alfred Paul from Soesterberg. They flew 882 km. but in not always too easy circumstances…..rain and slow flying due to other circumstances than fore casted, they decided to fly in a window direction East. Good decision….streets to race.
Challenging flight with a 2 minute engine use to come home safely. “Final glide with +50 was a bit too sportive”
Robin flew in the LS 4 a 750 k. from Gilze Rijen.
Steven Raimond 720 in his ASG 29E and all 4 “praised” the weather.

Together with club member Marissa, who flew the LS 8 neo, Robin flew on May 2 in the LS 4 ….766 km!!!!!They went in to Belgium , Marissa never flew there before , so Robin lead the way and when it all went well , even into France. Mind you no engines!!!
She even used for the first time her just obtained RT license AND ,…it was her first flight in the LS 8 NEO.
Great soaring girl!!!
Tim flew from Malden in his ASW 20 a distance of 839 km.

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On April 30 , last day of this great soaring month , I read this very sad news:
“In memory of Dave Shorter. Exceptional pilot and exceptional man.
Today’s flight started with the sad news of Dave’s passing. I already had a task in mind so flew it in his memory.” by Alan Barnes.
Got to know Dave pretty well in Lake Keepit. He was the WWGC-meteo-man, a very wise gentleman. He visited us in Tocumwal as well.
He loved cooking, was good in it, as were Nick and Jay and we “girls” Frouwke, Gisela and I joined in at his table with more friends of our age , at many occasions during the Lake Keepit WWGC.
On April 5 Dave was still flying in his JS 1.
A statement of the president of Gliding Australia:
“It is with great sadness that I advise of the sudden passing of Dave Shorter, yesterday 29^th April.
Many of you will know Dave as a strong and successful competitor in Club, State and National competitions where he regularly finished on the podium.  As recently as a month ago, heavily handicapped, Dave was winning days in a Club GP at Lake Keepit in his JS1. For many years he served as Treasurer of Lake Keepit Soaring Club where he oversaw the great revival of that Club. In recognition of his tremendous contribution to Lake Keepit Dave was made a Life Member of the Club in 2013.He has also been an extraordinarily generous contributor to our sport as an official.  Dave was Treasurer of the GFA for seven years up until last August and he excelled in that role. For the last 2.5 years he has also been Chair of the GFA’s Investment Committee through which he has contributed significantly to the Association’s financial strength.”
R.I.P. Dear Dave!

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Good news from Italy;
A lot of cancellations in Europe , BUT, Italy opens her soaring-doors for comps. You might be interested. Here is some news from Aldo;
“Gliding competitions are GO in Italy!
The Club Class Nationals are going on in Alzate Brianza.
Then, first will be the Coppa Città di Varese, MAY 8th – 15th 2021;handicapped, valid for IGC Ranking as well as for the Walter Vergani memorial trophy, and open to pilots from all countries.
https://acao.it/coppa-citta-di-varese-trofeo-vergani/

Current anti-Covid rules allow social dining in the open air, with 1m distancing. Briefings will be via Zoom.
You are all invited! We are ready to offer good organization and help you have a lot of fun.

The next Italian comps are already on the agenda as well;
Trofeo Città di Torino: MAY 22nd – 30th. www.torinoglider.com
Trofeo dell’Oltrepò in Voghera: JUNE 04-05-06th + 11-12-13th. http://www.flyavm.it/trofeo_oltrepo.html
Coppa Città di Ferrara: JUNE 18-19-20th + 25-26-27th. http://www.voloavelaferrara.com/copia-di-2020-comp…
Coppa del Mediterraneo CIM, Rieti: AUG 3rd – 13th. http://www.aeroclubrieti.it/w/?page_id=2014Coppa Città di Rieti: AUG 15th – 22nd. http://www.aeroclubrieti.it/w/?page_id=2030

I have been a few times at the CIM in Rieti and I ALWAYS had the best fun there. Great weather, exciting flying, good food and with a lot of well known, but also new faces …great company!!

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THE SAILPLANE GRAND PRIX is on again.
In Rion des Landes in France.
With 3 practice days to get in the right soaring-mood after covid 19. BUT,..they only used one of them on May 1 [159 km.] with Adrian Henry as winner in the JS 3.
Race 1 was on Sunday;288 km. and 4 pilots flew around with 127 km./h. They got 10 [Christophe Abadie in JS 3] 8 [Didier Hauss in JS 1C] 7 [Mike Young in Ventus 3] and 6 points [Sylvain Gerbaud in JS 1-MD 1C]
Race 2 ; 240 km. and this time Philippe Depechy won the 10 points with a speed of 127 km./h.[JS 1c EVO]
Runner up Sylvain.

There is one pilot from Belgium and one from Germany in this GP. Pierre de Broqueville flying this time an ASG 29 and Steffen Trapp., flying a Ventus 2 CXT.
2 Ladies as well, both participating in last WWGC Melanie [Gadoulet in JS 1 C EVO]and Anne [Ducarouge in JS 3] and winning the gold and the silver!!!!!

Race 3; 126 km. 4 other French top pilots got the 10, 8 and 7 points today with a speed of 101 km./h so a more difficult day where 6 stayed more or less together with up to 26 seconds.
Then the differences were more up to 8 minutes
Race 4 is today, 162 km….more next week. Last day on Sunday, May 9.
After 3 days of flying and 5 to go the overall scores are; 1.Christophe with 23 points, 2. Max Seiss and Philippe with 18 and 3 Jean- Denis Barrois and Sylvain with 16.
You can follow the race on
sgp.aero/france2020.aspx

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Soaring is all about safety first, for that reason I share this message from the Australian Gliding Forum;
“This email is directed at all who fly gliders, the pilot and the daily inspector. Its intent is to reinforce pre-flight inspection, daily inspection and daily inspection duplicate inspection safety value. The GFA regularly receive defect reports advising of occurrences involving rigging errors which have the potential to kill. There was a fatality in England recently involving a Standard Cirrus where the tailplane locking lever safety pin was inserted with the locking lever in the unsafe position. Just because a pin is inserted does not mean it is carrying out its intended function. I ask you to question when you inspect.  

In the EASA Safety Information Bulletin 2019-07 issued 30Apr2019 which was reissued as GFA AN 178,you can read it all.”

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More news about “problems”: as shared and written by Arne Martin Guettler from Norway. Pictures by his partner Kristyna Kachtikova.
“Oh no! My trusted PS ended up in the lake today.”
A Discus T at the lake not far from Notodden Airport, Tuven.

The story;
“Not me flying, but my co-owner was piloting when the tow plane experienced loss of power soon after take off at about 30m altitude. At Notodden there is not many options when taking off on runway 12, so in the lake it went. Pilot made a great emergency landing, without injury, and the glider was rescued too. And the tow pilot managed with great skill to barely make it back to the runway, without further damage or injury.”

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To finish another ” lesson in life”, as we got over 30 years ago as well…hitting power lines!!!.You might remember we lost our son , due to such an accident.
FLY SAFE this summer!!!!!
General Aviation Accident…(28/April/2021)-
New Zealand :
“A Tecnam P92 Echo Classic, owned by the Canterbury Recreational Aircraft Club Inc, registration ZK-RGB, clipped powerlines and impacted open field terrain in North Canterbury, New Zealand. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the two people onboard, an instructor and a trainee, were seriously injured.”

By the way, “our” April was the coldest since 1986, with an average of 6.7 dgr. C.
BUT……this weekend spring / summer starts after the spring/autumn/winter period.
Sunday 25 dgr.C….love it!!!Maybe only ONE day!!!
Today after 76 years we celebrate our freedom. Yesterday we remembered all those who died for this freedom. Lest we forget…..
All events were without the normally thousands of people…second year in covid-style.
Cheers Ritz