Alphen aan den Rijn
november 18 2007
A great sunday morning here in Holland, full of sunshine and a bleu sky, a morning to just feel happy. Specially cause I do not have to scratch the ice from my carwindow. It’s my day off!
Still have to get used to scratching ice from windows and to be honest I am NOT good in it and too impatient. Don’t forget that I had no winters since 1984!!!!! I surely will get used to it.Though I heard that there is a “magic bottle” ;spray the stuff from the bottle on the window , use your wipers and the problem is solved!!! Have to buy such a bottle immedeately.
Never underestimate Klaus Ohlman , THE best long distance pilot in the world. In Argentina he made a few nice long ones again. Also Bitterwasser pilots flew long distances and OZ had great weather too.
I am more then pleaesed with the very good flights from Terry Bellair from Bendigo in Victoria Australia.He flew several times in our Tocumwal-Outback-Shootout and was eager to fly the longest distance. He never won , but I see that he still improves and flew another over-700 km flight this time from Narromine in his DG 400 17.I am really impressed and pleased!!!!!
This afternoon the young Rieti team from the junior World comps meets in Noordwijk on the beach for a beach walk and a nice dinner in an Italian restaurant.Looking forward to catch up with them again. One of them, Bart , will fly in 2008 in THE WORLD COMPS, together with Jelmer and Robbie , as said in an earlier post all junior world pilots! Maaike , yes good looking always smiling Maaike, will be there as TC and she has got some practise now too. She was my assistant in Hus Bos and did the job by herself last year in Rieti and….she did a good job. Pilots are mostly a bit jealous on the dutch team , because of their dedicated TC s’. Yes we have a few good ones here and Maaike ‘s mum is a great ,very experienced TC too.
Talking about World comps! The first bulletin of the Luesse world comps is online.[www.wgc2008.org] since november 15. 130 Pilots are max. allowed to fly or 50 max. per class.Lufthansa will be the main sponsor, more to follow ofcourse and nice news is that ” under circumstances special conditions may be available exclusively for ALL_LUFTHANSA _flights.
Next week is the Dutch Gliding Day and all 300 allowed guests got a ticket. Even some have to wait on a waiting list.Will give you the news after. Read in the papers about a special English meteo-prof. who predicts that around that day, between november 24 and 28 we can expect extreme weather in the NW part of Europe touching Holland too with 12 b. wind and lots of rain. The Dutch meteo says “nonsense”, waiting anxious now who is correct.
Last but not least ! I was wondering where the Japanese pilots have gone after the demise of Sportavia, but I saw that Yoghi is back in Toc and flies with the Sportaviation team in Tocumwal. For sure Junzo is there too then!
Eddie and Don are very busy building up the new center and their website is under construction; www.sportaviation.com.au
The club in Toc has their annual Christmas party on December 2 with a meeting before with as main ” item ” to buy yes or no a glider for joy flights and instruction, which they lease now.
Just saw that this is POST—- ONE HUNDRED—- . Not too bad, is it?
That’s it for today Cheers Ritz