We had 3 very unwelcome visitors in The Netherlands within ONE week and not only here but in a lot of European countries around us even up to the middle of Poland.
Dudley was the first storm with up to 120 km./h and Bft. 10.
Eunice the second one and a very nasty one, with Bft 11 and wind gusting to 145 km./h. That day, last Friday, schools were closed at 2 PM, 170 KLM-flights cancelled from Schiphol …and oh oh the winter-sport -holidays started…no trains from 2 PM etc. They called it one of the nastiest ones in a decade!
Wind up to 145 km./h and NOT ONLY in coastal areas ,but also in the heart of Holland, around Utrecht.
In the UK, the army was ready to help out and all coastal areas from Portugal up to Norway were on full alert.
Also Germany and Belgium were hit hard!!!
In the end Europe mourns 15 people who died.
4 In The Netherlands and Poland, 3 in the UK and 2 in Germany and Belgium.
In the Netherlands ,..all by falling trees!!!
The damage bill will be huge, but the loss of lives is much more terrible.
When we were happy it was over,….. Franklin visited. He arrived in the night from Sunday to Monday with gusting winds up to 145 km./h and severe thunderstorms with huge hail.
3 Storms within ONE week and 6 days above at least Bft 9…. not normal!!!!AND,… a more than 500 million euro damage bill!
And that is,…only for Holland.

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Something totally different,…..
Grietje and Francesco Bruinsma, also from the Netherlands ,started their Australian soaring center long ago.
They stayed with us on a holiday , loved it and they wanted to buy Sportavia at Tocumwal, but when that was not possible ,they decided to start a new soaring center at Corowa about 80 km to the East of us.
I knew they were selling and now it will be in the hands of Keith Gateley.
I know Keith already for a long time too and wish him all the luck he needs. It is indeed a fabulous life style to run such a business ,but hard work.
Here is what he had to say on February 16;
“I am reminiscing about my gliding in the 1990’s. For a while I was a member of a Gliding Club at Corowa. It was Sunday afternoons activity of winching the IS28 up the wire with plenty of circuits flown and when conditions were good a cross country or two. The club had an Astir or two and a Cirrus. It was good times, flying with mates, no club politics and the freedom of using a large airfield, seemingly all to ourselves. Fast forward about 30 years and I was sharing a beer with Nick Gilbert and Adam I’Anson at Leeton. We were watching the final day finishers of Skyrace and talking about old times in gliding. Adam was a cheeky 4-year-old when I joined the club at Corowa, he is still cheeky and still likes a chat.
The boys told me that the Australian Soaring Centre Corowa property was for sale and before I knew it, I was hatching a plan to drive down to have a look. Another visit was made last weekend and I have decided to jump in and give it a go. After all I purchased the Corowa Winch 10 years ago and it is about time it returned home.
Its official as of today, I have exchanged contracts to purchase the land, buildings and pool where the Australian Soaring Centre Corowa were operating.
I will be sending a call out to those that have flown at Corowa in the past. It must be time you come visit, stay tuned as I have many plans for this amazing cross-country site.I am looking forward to a fantastic 2022/23 flying season. What are my plans?
They are evolving but likely to include the following activities:
-Home for my new EB 29r (due by October 2022), which will be available for hire.
Eta glider D-KFEM to be flying from Corowa for the 2023/24 season, available for hire with well known local and overseas competition pilots.
Hangar spaces available for glider and powered aircraft.
Club camps.
Winch launches.
Super Dimona for glider launches (up to 750kg aircraft) and local sightseeing flights.
Trial Introductory flights in the Super Dimona.
Competition flying.
Re-establish a gliding club for locals to join.
Access to fantastic clubhouse facilities.”

On top of that they took over the SKY RACE GRAND PRIX from Leeton;
“After 5 fantastic years at Leeton, the SkyRace GP organising committee have decided, for the first time, to switch venues. Before going any further we’d like to sincerely thank the Leeton Aviators Club, the Leeton Council and the Hydro Hotel for their support. In particular Barry Kirkup, Dave Dowling and John Mason from the Leeton Aviators Club have worked hard to make our event what it is.
We’re excited to announce that the next event to be held from the 28th of December to the 6th of January will be held at Corowa Airfield. Corowa is a sensational site and was on the competition venue rotation 30+ years ago, and we’re very excited to say that starting with our event, it’s back! Keep your eyes peeled on social media for a more detailed announcement on this subject.
So – here are the particulars for our next event.
Venue : COROWA AIRPORT
Dates : 28/12/2022 to 6/1/2023Classes : F1 & F2 (see entry form for glider eligibility)
Entry form is available here :https://skyrace.com.au/entry-form/
There has been a lot of interest in our newly introduced F2 class so get in quickly.

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Looking at the picture below, insiders will straight away say:
Porta Westfalica. I wrote in the past already about it as quite a few Dutch pilots spend their week or weekend there.
Also on the 14th of February when the ridge worked well and happy pilots returned home with a smile.
They can leave their gliders in the hangar over there during December, January and February.
During one flight they flew for nearly 3 hours, over 295 km. , lift 0.6 m and speed average 109 km./h and XC 102.
Only 1 % circling!!!

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More news for summer in Italy for the well known Rieti comps. Here is Aldo the CD;
“Rieti: CIM & CCR & Extended Club Class! – August 2022
Dear friends of gliding in Rieti, the dates for the Coppa del Mediterraneo CIM, and the Coppa Rieti CCR have been switched as:CCR: Coppa Città di Rieti, August (1 training) 2-9;CIM: Coppa del Mediterraneo, August (10 training) 11-20.The most significant difference between CCR and CIM simply is the duration of the event. At the CIM, of course, you must expect one “rest-day” if we fly more than 6 consecutive days.In both events we will fly in handicapped mixed class (the Index list will be similar to the German DMSt 2022 – WeGlide). Usually, the participants exceed the n. of 40, so we try to split the gliders in 2 groups, based on the Index value (discriminating Index will be somewhere around 118, still open to debate and analysis of all participating gliders).
Additionally, in 2022 we will accept gliders of the “Extended Club Class” we have introduced in Italy: it’s based on the IGC Club Class, but reinforced with higher performing gliders such as Discus2 LS8 LS6 Ventus Ventus2-15 Janus DG500 and others, all with no-ballast and applying the new Italian Club Class Index List. We really hope this will make the Club Class more interesting (especially for those who don’t like very high wingloadings).So essentially, if we have enough participants, both events may see 3 “classes”.
Please spread the news!
thank you very much!
all the best,
Aldo“

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Interesting flight by USA pilot Ramy Yanetz on February 17 flown from Byron [CA ] ;
“SkySight was right on again, this time nailed the strongest wave nearly 100% of the time allowing exploring in wave from Williams much further than ever before to near the Oregon border.”
And….Another great north wind wave. Wind from N-NNE up to 50 knots earlier, 75 knots later.
Temperatures in F at altitude were single digit. Was a bit cold in his ASG 29.
You can read his comment on the OLC that day with lot’s of pictures.

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The 2021 Australian 18 m. / open and Sports/15m. NATIONALS started last Sunday at Benalla and continue to the 26th. Their practice day was on Saturday.
18m/open:
Task 1…369.57 km; 12 pilots tried hard to be the best on day 1. Pete [Temple] in his 18m. ASG 29 won the “fight”. He started relative early at 1.50 PM whilst the rest mainly started after 2 PM. Pete flew around with a speed of 128 km./h, which was 10 k faster than the runner up, John Orton in the same glider.
Here is Pete on Pete Temple Gliding
“Day 1 of the Open/18m nationals at Benalla.I was keen for a solid start, and achieved that plus some. The day suited my style – I started well away from anyone else and flew mostly by myself the first half of the flight. After that there were gliders around, but I was higher and leading out so could fly my own flight. First glider home – it’s always nice to come home to an empty airfield. 5.2 knot average climb on task with an average speed of 128 km/hr, not too shabby in a vintage glider.6 more days to go.”

Task 2….345.05 km; The Nimbus 3/25.5 m. from Ryan [Driscoll] was still in good flying mood from earlier comps and proofed that by winning task 2. Speed 106.59 km./h
Adam [Woolley ] was as runner up, a tad faster with 109.83 km./h. [handicap Ventus 3 T is 1085, from the Nimbus 1050]
And here is Adam; you can follow both of them, when you are interested, with the link.
“Editors note: Congratulations Ryan on your first ‘nationals’ day win! Had an absolute blast today & had a lesson by the master, Peter Temple in blue conditions for the last 100km. Pete lead the first 1/4, then I lead the next 1/3, Geoff Brown the next 1/4. Peter lead from the final turn, it was clear that no one was going to get away from another at this late stage, all we could do would be lose it. So I used my old age & cunning to not go for it, but sit back & coast home.Nothing in it in all reality glider wise between the JS1, G29 & V3 today, all at 570kg. The only thing I’ll say is that I’d feel that I could cruise at a higher cruise speed inter thermal with the same LD – but with the low height of thermals, it was hard to get away. The feel of the V3 helped me into a few cracking climbs, etc.Finally, Pete is an insanely strong climber, I look forward to trying to match him one day – new goal.”
Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures
Task 3….2.30 AAT; Won by Adam who started 3 minutes behind Pete. who was runner up with Ryan as number 3.
12 started and 1 was out.
Task 4….411 km; Speed for Pete and Adam 128 km./h and for Ryan 120 km./h. That was also the order of the daily scores today AND the overall scores after 4 days.
Short note from Adam “I effectively lead from start to finish today, all day, then got pipped at the end by one climb behind me, super frustrating, but that’s the game, I’ll be 1st or 2nd today, don’t know..”
The rest in the Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures

The weather today;

standard/15 m;
Task 1…354.51 km; local racer Tobias [Geiger] won the day in his Ventus 2ax; 104.75 km./h. 6 Pilots started in this class
Task 2…297.16 km; Tobias was , no surprise, the daily best again. He was the only one again flying over 100 km./h.
Task 3…2.30 AAT; Tobias is a bit of “a class apart”. I know he loves his kilometer-eating, but he is great in competition flying too. He flew 317 km. in time 2.32 so a nice speed of 124 km./h.
Michael Durrant in his LS 8T was runner up with 298 km in time 2.43…speed 110 km./h.
7 Started 5 finished.
Task 4…361 km; And ,…Tobias won again with 127 km./h whilst runner up Michael had 114 km./h.
The 6 who started all finished.
So after 4 days Tobias leads with 3.734 points with Michael as runner up with 3.123 p. Pretty good lead is n’t it?
More next week.

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With the new season on the verge of beginning, we really do not want this to happen. FLY SAFE!!!!!

CU next Wednesday
Cheers Ritz on February 23, one day after 22-02-2022.