July 29 2006
Latest News by Ritz

Italy;
With one day to go and a rest day today, Spaghettie glide, or with other words the Pre World Junior Championships are nearly over.
The youngsters , some flying with coaches have trained well and good results , specially from the Belgian brothers Bert jr. and Tijl Schmelzer, show that it should not be too dangerous for our juniors to fly there. “Good training IN the area during a competition, helps a lot “,is what comps director Leonardo Brigliadori already said when we left Hus Bos in the UK, where we had the last Junior -World-Comps. And…that’s what they did, though not a lot of them.But I am sure the juniors who are going to Rieti, will train in another period there then.

I could not believe my eyes when I saw that during the practise day on July 22 Bert Schmelzer jr. flew the 292.9 km with a speed of 150.8 km/h.in a discus 2. AMAZING!!!!

In club class 3 Polish pilots have settled on the 3 top places with one day to go. It is great that the youngest pilot from the World comps in Sweden Piotr Jarysz is number 1 at this stage flying a Jantar 3 W !
Good on you Piotr!!!!A lovely young man, you might remember my intervieuw with him in Eskilstuna!
Young Dutch pilot Bart Berendsen is 5th overall flying a cirrus 75. He is coached by Ronald Termaat [Libelle] who belongs to the TOP pilots in Holland and was on the last days 2d in the Swedish world comps but unfortunately landed out and fell down a few places.He flew many comps in Rieti and won one and was 3d at the European comps there a few years ago, so good to have him as coach, he knows all the in’s and out’s around Rieti and the Terminillo.
The Junior World Championships will be from July 26 till August 11 2007.

France;
Today is known in France as “Black Saturday”,a day on which everybody goes on holiday. Traffic jams are calculated in the travel schedules, but…..today was not too bad.” Only ” 600 km all over France, better then in the last years. So competitors leaving Vinon after the Prize giving had the possibility to end up in one, but hopefully it was easy going for most of them! Another World Competition is over.Next one is in Rieti in Italy!Another mountain area !But pilots are used to it now!
SABINA GLIDE the pre -world Standard, Club and World class will be from July 6 to 20 2007.The World Comps will be in 2008 from July 6 till July 20.So now you know it all!

Belgium;
Today I visited the first competition day of the more or less “fun comps, with a serious touch ” at Keiheuvel, with 28 competitors. I caught up with lots of friends and of course had a long talk with Brutus about Sportavia. This topic was HOT. Of course different pilots and youngsters from this area flew or gave a hand at Sportavia in the past.
It was also nice to catch up with Pierre de Broqueville who I met in Sweden during the World comps and who so generously invited the 4 winners from the World Comps in Sweden 2006, to be his and his families guests , to come and fly for a week in the Pyrenees and play golf there. I never knew his home club was Keiheuvel and that he lives so close by.He flies this week his Nimbus 4 D with his Team captain from Sweden, as his co pilot.This gliding world is so small.

Germany;
Several pilots travel straight from Italy to Germany where the 38th comps at Klippeneck , will be flown from August 5 till August 12 2006.A few well known competitors as Reinhard Schramme who flew in the European comps in Finland and in the World comps in Sweden, will compete there. He flies in 18 m. class, with 32 other pilots.
There are 28 competitors in Standard class . The Schmelzer brothers Tijl and Bert jr, but also Bert sr. and young Dennis Huybreckx are a few of them. Eduard Inabnit is another well known pilot from Switserland and I met him in both Sweden and Finland.
Also 8 competitors in open class. I will keep you informed!

Europe;
The last great weather days , as the next week we will have some more unstable weather with thunderstorms and rain. A bit what the “poor Pilots in Vinon ” had over the last weeks, though they still managed to fly thanks to AAT tasks.On the OLC you can see already less longer flights. But we CANNOT complain , the weather has been SUPER!!!
Just having a nice glass of cool rose tonight after a beautiful lunch at Keiheuvel.American salad! Temperature is 28 dgr. and sunny and nice conditions to fly should make this first day an easy one at Keiheuvel. About 232 km. were the tasks for the 2 classes.No stories, a pity as I would not have mind to write for a smaller competition , it does n’t always has to be a World or European contest. But…I will go back one day, so stay tuned!Ritz

July 28 2006 Latest News by Ritz

France;
The last day of competition flying was cancelled at 12.00 to day, by the competition director, due to thunderstorms over the field. Result is that the World champions in Club class and World class {PW5} are known now.
Winner in Club class is Sebastian Kawa from Polen with 9129 points flying his Jantar 3 B.Congratualations to him. Well done Sebastian!!

Good runner up is French pilot Benjamin Neglais flying his St.Cirrus cs11-75, with 8733 points and 3d is Petr Krejcirik, from Czech- Rep. with his St cirrus gaining 8720 points.

UK pilot Jay Rebeck had still chances to day to get higher up in the ranks, but weather did stop him. Off course he could have lost too, by outlanding, but a lot would have been possible on this last day, though the winner only had to fly and not outland as he was well ahead! Jay ends as 4th with 8611 and yesterdays day winner , Uli Schwenk from Germany finished these comps with a nice 5th place. Good on you, Uli!
Though I was not there, but analizing from what I had read I was most impressed with the flying from Jaroslav Tomana, who finished 9th.

In the World Class the last flying day yesterday “disturbed” the top 3 places from the 3 French musquetiers, as Milos Dedera from Czech Rep, settled down on 3d place over all. Winner and World champion is Christophe Ruch from France, who flew in his PW 5 9319 points together. French pilot Didier Hauss who I know from the 1987 World comps in Benalla was the good 2d pilot and as said Milos moved in on 3d just before Laurent Couture.

I have not heard a lot about the comps in Vinon and though the stories were a bit better in the end it was difficult to get a good impression of these World Comps.Now I saw , how important a good story writer is for top comps, as whoever writes the stories, is the PR for our great sport gliding, and sadly enough it STILL does n’t get enough PR.Perhaps the IGC should spend some money and employ an editor for all their big events, so they are sure they get the best advertisement.

Europe ;
Still great weather with absolute fantastic flights all over Europe. I was most impressed with flights from pilots flying in an LS1-c for over 668 km and a mosquito with 644 km.Most probably Germany and Spain have more 1000 km flights then ever before in one season.

USA;
Also the weather in the USA is still good with 1000 km flights. Hobbs, Ely and Parowan show long distance flights.

Australia;
The shock and horror of the closure of Sportavia slowly sinks in, and lots of pilots and friends write each other for comfort. There are people furious as they think it was not necessary, but also sad, very sad, a great gliding place which earned its place in the world, has been closed.

If you wish you can send your reactions on this site as there is somewhere a place for comments. Please use it when you feel the need!

Belgium;
As there are only about 30 participants in the BENELUX competition on Keiheuvel airport , I do not have to write there. Rudy called it off yesterday. But I will go and have a look tomorrow and inform you anyhow about their first competition day.

That’s it for now. VERY HUMID here in the Southern part from Holland.Ritz

July 25 2006 at; 16.00.PART 2.

After finishing the story about Sportavia in Australia, I found out, that with the many people helping us to run the business, I forgot to mention Ross and Glenda Bodey, who have been partners with us for a few years. Sorry about that, they deserve to be mentioned.

About the European weather and the great flights , I found out that 98 pilots yesterday, flew over 565 km. The list of pilots flying and filing the REAL FAI tasks is huge too.
What a blessing for the glider pilots, this extremely good weather, but unfortunately NOT for the farmers. They complain that it is too hot and too dry and the whole harvest in Europe will be less then any year before or even nearly nothing. So we will have expensive potatoes and vegies.I feel for the farmers , but the rain should start on Thursday again, so a few real showers but without damage , might help, though I doubt it, it might be too late for this season.

Thanks for your reactions on the sad closure of Sportavia.People who suffer most are, Eddie the CFI and Peter, the engineer for gliders.They did an extremely good job over many years and have to find something else now, after dedicating their lives “totally” to gliding. Hope the new club can be arranged soon, so they might be involved in gliding and repairing again, but I am sure they will miss the international caracter from the past. For them it was a “life style” too,not only a job, they did not mind “pretty low wages”, but loved the guests and helped them where they could. Also after working hours!

If you were interested …and you have read the Sportavia site, you have also read that all pilots who have a private glider IN the hangar or a caravan ON the camping area have been asked to remove them from the premisses before the end of October , but….IF a club starts they might perhaps stay again!!?? Do you understand it!?
There are 2 more nice hangars on the field, not as beautiful as the WW2 hangar , but for the time being it might help, for the new founded club. As said , I keep you informed!

You might “feel”that it really has done something to me, so sorry for carrying on!
Ritz

July 25 2006;Another hot day in Holland with 34 dgr. in the shade. Here is the news.

AUSTRALIA:

The 25th of July 2006 will be always in my memorie as A BLACK ONE.As you can read on the web site; www.sportavia.com.au the most interesting and international gliding school from the world, situated in Tocumwal[ Australia] on the mighty Murray River, does NOT exist anymore!!!
Lot’s and lot’s of pilots have flown there, came back year after year, then they spread the word and more pilots came with their wives, friends or new pilots.
I myself arrived there for the first time in 1985, travelling from Holland to down under. We missed after our first visit NO year, so we had no winters anymore with suited me fine!
In 1995 we bought the business from one of the owners Don and continued with his partner Jeff, who just 2 weeks later died in a terrible accident.
After being guests for 10 years we were sole owners now and I can tell you it is a total different story to be a guest from Sportavia or to run it.
But with help of Don and Eddie the CFI, Peter the technician, who started working there 30 years ago when the founder Bill Riley had this dream to put Tocumwal on the map , with Ingo Renner , Bob and many other people we managed to make it big, BIGGER !
The last 2 years Sportavia was in the hands of Richard Cawsey, who did his best, had the money and really tried hard, but in my humble and personal opinion, had not enough knowledge of aviation.
So the sad outcome is that the curtain has fallen over the place I dearly loved!
NO commercial gliding anymore IN TOCUMWAL!!!!Everybody who has been there, will feel the loss of this very special place.
A club has been started, so I will keep you informed where what and how, as soon as I know more!!

FRANCE;

Today is a rest day in the World Comps for World and Club class in Vinon.The 3 top pilots in each class are really top pilots and with 3 days to go it will be an interesting finish of these comps, which had unusual [for the time of the year] , as I heard, showers and thunderstorms. Unfortunately in my opinion the daily news is very poor and the results much too late. Preliminary results can have mistakes, but that’s why they are preliminary.Look for all news at www.wgc2006.fr

EUROPE:

Flying in Europe is still great fun. Pilots must get tired from flying nearly every day in such great weather.Lots of long distance flights have been made in many different European countries, as Germany, Italy and Spain but also the Scandinavian countries got their share of fantastic weather.look on the ON LINE COMPETITION for the daily results.
AMAZING!!! July will be the hottest summer EVER , they announced that already now. A summer to never forget , a day to never forget this July 25 2006.

A sad Ritz

Holland has from today on , its second HEATWAVE in 2006!!! Pretty unusual and not even the hottest summer, as the hottest one was still in 1947, but I can’t remember, as I was only 1 year old then.
I can tell you however;it is hot with 46 dgr. in the sun and 36 in the shade.Even as an ” Aussie” girl, I suffer a bit from the heat, during this holiday in normally cool and rainy Holland. For the first time in my life it was not even “cold” on the North Sea beach, as hot, still over 30 dgr. as in the country but with a nice wind.Very pleasant!

But….if it means that, ” over 1000 km. flights” are a measurement for good gliding weather, then we can ALSO say that the weather is not only perfect for sunbakers, but also for glider pilots.
Many 1000 km PLUS flights have been made both in the USA { p.e Parowan} and in many European countries as Germany {Unterwoessen} and Spain {Fuentemilanos}.Many, many….!!!
Ofcourse just under 1000 km flights enough too. What anbout 775 km. for my friend Antti flown from Rayskala in Finland and 783 km from Rieti in Italy not to forget Lubor, who flew 818 km in CS., so I think all pilots this summer season are more or less HAPPY!

The Club class and World class World Comps however, suffer a bit [ till now] with their weather as storms and thunderstorms “visited” the area of Vinon over the last couple of days.Yesterday they had a rest day due to the weather and long retrieves the day before, but today they finally go for longer flights; 405.5 km. for the Clubclass pilots and the PW 5 pilots go for a nice 312.5 km. task.
Hope they all have an excellent day with no, or just a few, outlandings.

There are not a lot of competitors in the Keiheuvel Competetion in Belgium, so I am not sure if I will go there. At least ONE day , for sure!
Due to the fact that the next World Junior Championships are in Rieti in the mountains , there will be no selection [as planned] this time over flat land.Both Belgian juniors who might go are the brothers Bert [jr.] and Tijl Schmelzer , but they practised in Switserland and Germany [Klippeneck] and go to Italy in August.
Dutch pilot and junior member Bart Berendsen will go to Italy too. He flies in a single seater with one of the top pilots from Holland, Ronald Termaat to practise and to find out if this area is safe enough for him to fly.
I know that Leonardo Brigliadori, who is the Comps director, is very kehn on having lots of juniors practising with top pilots who have been flying there in the mountains already, to fly in Rieti and specially in the competition, so they know the area and what they can expect in 2007.If you have trained well, it is a great area to fly there in sunny Rieti.Those Junior Comps will be held from July 28 till August 11 in 2007. I will be there as their “blogger”.

Back to the garden now. Still very blue skies, no wind , no clouds so still HOT, but…. the last day as we expect rain with possible thunderstorms tomorrow and then temperatures between 25 and 30. Not too bad!
Cheers Ritz

I just saw that the email adress from the World Comps did not show up in the story. Hopefully it works now.
www.wgc2006.fr
Enjoy as the practise week has started!
Cheers Ritz

Well, I am happy it is back. Have no clue what happened but I am glad it is there!Enjoy reading! Cheers Ritz

Just wrote a story about Vinon where the Club class world comps and world class have started their practise, about top pilot Daan Pare in the USA and the and his good flights in ELY [USA] and also in Fuentemilanos in Spain and though I saved it, I lost it all!!!Stand by as I try to find out via Australia what to do. Sorry about this. We are trying hard , but it seems complicated sometimes, though behind the scenes we work hard.
Trying to find the story now first.Ritz

I am still trying to find my way in “soaring.eu land”.But don’t worry things are happening behind the scenes.
Not long and the World Club Class and World class will be flown in Vinon [ France.]
I will not attend, but surely somebody will do the daily bulletins.
Marina Galetto, will be there for her second steward job and I wish her well. She did already a great job on her first one in Eskilstuna, as I could see that with my own eyes.German pilot, Peter Ryder will be her boss this time.
Pilots have started in Vinon with the practise and temperatures seem to be really hot, up to 36 and 38 dgr. You can follow the news on Enjoy! Though it is a bit complicated at this stage to find it all and not very organized, but I am sure they will do better when it really starts.Anyhow I wish all pilots and the organization, good luck and safe flying.There is no [ at least not yet] competitor list, but if you look at the results from the first practise day, you can see who is who and which pilots are flying in both classes!

Good friend and top pilot Daan Pare spends part of his summer in the USA after flying the Euro glide in Europe and Amstel Glide [in Holland.]
After retiring as a KLM captain , he enjoys life now flying gliders on different airfields in the world. He has also spend a lot of time with us in Australia at Sportavia in our summer time, where he flew several 1000 km flights, even 2 in a row.Last year he flew a double seater in Gariep Dam and flew 5 or 6 1000 km. flights from there.
Now he is in ELY [NV] and though the weather is not as spectuculair as last year he is not complaining.On July 8 he flew 705 km with a speed of 120.5 nkm /h.
On July 10 however, 4 pilots flew over 1000 km from Ely and Daan was one of them ;1062 km.this time with a speed of 122 km/h.
Look for flights and more info on the International Online Competition 2006.
In April he did ridge flying in Pensylvania where the weather was n’t that good either but from Moriarty [NM] he flew 2 very nice flights; 2 from 1125 km. BUT, with a speed of 153 km/h. That is just fantastic! Enjoy the rest of your stay Daan!

Still have n’t heard what is going to happen with Sportavia in Tocumwal[ Australia.] One of the most visited gliding fields in the world ! The place were I ran “the show” to gether with George and our great team of very experienced instructors and other staff, for 10 years. One of them is the one and only 5 times World champion in gliding Ingo Renner, who after his retirement as instructor in Oerlinghausen [Germany] finally can spend all his time in Tocumwal, but…..will they still fly there???
Will Don and Eddie, the CFI, be back ??? Unfortunately I do not know. We can only wait fore the answer of the sole owner since 2 years, Richard Cawsey and even I hope , though I will be not involved anymore, that they will continue from this fantastic airfield, with its WW2 hangar where you can easily fit about 60 rigged gliders. Where you can sleep in a motel at the airfield and have your dinner and drinks in the Bomberbar and Grill.It would be terrible sad , if this most friendly aiport closes for gliding!!!!It should NOT happen !!!!

Spain has, as a lot of other countries in Europe, very good gliding weather too. This year is certainly NOT a bad year for gliding!!! Several over 1000 km. flights with speed over 110 km//h. have been flown in Fuentemilanos this weekend. A small airfield compared to many others, but with great weather and lots of summer guests, sometimes up to over 100. I had the honnour of staying there too and loved it. Very experienced people running the show and fast launches with enough tugs and lots of self launchers lined up for quick departures.

It is also great to see how many junior pilots are flying SO well from different places.Where you are, if you have great weather or not so good , enjoy your flying to the fullest, but SAFE. Ritz

Holiday is over and we start again with some action on the gliding news.In between you might have found the 3 pictures in the “gallery”.
First picture is the LOOOONG long wing span from the ETA, a glider which has cost already about 1.3 million Euro. This picture is made in Eskilstuna, where Giorgio Ballarati became 2d during the World Championships Gliding in this open class glider.
Second picture is a total vieuw of the last day of the gliders from the very last MULTI CLASS World Champion ships in Eskilstuna. An historic picture, don’t you think!?From now on we have to visit 2 places to check on the results ;as said already, the open, 15 and 18 m. class pilots will fly in Lusse in Germany and the pilots from the World, club and standard class in Rietie in Italy both in 2008.
Third picture is from the young female Swiss pilot who “touched” the ground with one wing, made some kind of “airloop” and landed , after that, safely on the airport.I think the photographer Joost Mol, from the Netherlands made an absolutey fabulous “shot “.

The next trip I am going to make is to Belgium where at the “most friendly” airport The Keiheuvel [Balen, close to Mol] , an 8 day competition will be flown which I will attend as editor.
It is the 22d International “8 day competition” , the 18th BENELUX competition, also the Junior selection for Belgium and it will also give us a winner for Belgium in Club Class.What do you want more!!!???

In between the 4th Club class competition and the 5th World class [PW 5] on world level will be flown in Vinon sur Verdon from July 15 till July 29-2006.
The 8th European Glider Aerobatic Championship will be flown in Rybnik in Poland from July 18-29-2006.

The weather in Europe is GOOD! Not only for gliding but also for sunbaking etc. With temperatures here in Holland over 30 dgr. we are rather spoiled.On the OLC you can see that in most of the countries distances up to 800 km. have been flown.When I look outside , I see great blue skies and wellformed high white clouds. Surely lots of pilots are happily flying around.
Just heard that an amfibian plane has crashed close to Hamburg and killed 4 from 6.Having been a part -owner of an Albatross, it hurts to see and hear about accidents like this.

I work hard to get some correspondents lined up all over the world. But….when you have something interesting to say from where you fly in the world, please be my guest;write to and I will see if we can publish it.Also if you have something interesting to offer or to sell, let me know and we will add it to the stories.

As you can expect there is not a lot to write for me about gliding, when I am ” housesitting ” somewhere 30 km. South of Amsterdam, where I only see airliners pass by high above me, so as planned, we continue with weekly stories and we go daily when we are “onsite” or when something interesting appears. That’s it for now, enjoy the rest of your weekend and see you next time. Cheers Ritz