In Memoriam
R.I.P. John Roake.

It was hard to read that John had died. He was a true mate!!!
I forgot when I met John for the first time.
I know he was the CD in Omarama , but I was not there as TC, I had no experience at all with mountains, so another one took over the TC job.
In Rieti, in 2008, we REALLY got to know each other. We, John and his wife Chris and I, became friends.
There he asked me to work for him as editor for European news stories in his Gliding International ,which I did for many years.
I visited them during my N.Z. trip and Chris made a lovely Christmas dinner from all kinds of N.Z. fish.
They drove me around in the area where they lived in Taranga.
I had a swim in their pool. Not a normal pool but one with hot water, built on a geyser.
Later I had to stop with my contribution to G.I. because it was a bit too much and I was not enough between soaring mates anymore,….hence not enough “fresh” news….but we still brainstormed about soaring’s future.
He just had a new plan which he confidential shared with me in a mail on June 11, in which he explained something innovative …NEW FEATURE …CONFIDENTIAL….and said;
“Now to YOU! WE will be happy to  share the end result with you   but we  need your help please!
Hope you can grow to be as enthusiastic about the concept as we are.. It is a major leap forward for the sport.”
I helped …of course!!
But what happens now?

The last years I mentioned in my blog the most important items in every G.I.
That had stopped the last couple of weeks ,as I did not get the link to it, so I was already very worried.
I was worried before and he always wrote back,..NOT TO WORRY.
John was in his early 90thies.
A real GEM and the most enthusiastic gliding fanatic I knew ,a real soaring encyclopedia!!! A charming guy, full of vitality, caring, direct, smart and outgoing.
His wife Chris just wrote ; “He certainly had a wonderful life and achieved everything he set out to do.”
His G.I. was one of the best gliding magazines in the world. I hope they continue, but John will be sadly missed.
John WAS G.I.
I thought he would live for ever, for me he remains FOR EVER YOUNG.

Angel Cassado shared the next picture and text.
“I wish to advise the sad news of the passing of a gliding great this morning, John Roake ONZM JP 1929 – 2021.
*Editor of ‘NZ Gliding Kiwi’ from ~1965 to 2008
*Editor ‘Gliding International
*Established the first GK Year-Book in 1967
*Established the Gliding Kiwi Book Room, later to become the Gliding International Book Store
*B Cat instructor
*FAI Silver C and Diamond Height
*Director and Task Setter for 1967 NZ Nationals
*NZ Team Manager at World Championships Poland 1968
*Director World Gliding Championships, New Zealand 1995
*Alexander Schleicher agent
*Established Roake Trust in 1974 in support of future NZ participation in World Championships
*Angus Rose Bowl 1980
*FAI Paul Tissandier Diploma 1981
*Lilienthal Gliding Medal 2002
*Companion of Honour of the FAI
*Gliding NZ President 2002-2006
*Life Member of Gliding NZ

.……Back to “normal”:
The first week in Namibia was not top, but those- every -day -1000’s ,mostly start just a bit later . Of course a lot LEARN how to fly great distances by sitting in the back of a 2-seater with a CHAMPION!!!
You do not really need a 1000 to do so, but it is more fun when it is possible.
One of our Dutch pilots is flying/learning in the 18m/Ventus 3 M in Kiripotib.
“Racing task in blue thermals. First time around some situations that could be improved. Second time around went much better. Only to not find lift on the last 20km and needed to use the engine to climb to save final glide altitude. “Outlanding”
When you look at Veronica, another Namibian mecca, you see pilots from all different parts of the world, as Israel, The Netherlands and Germany. Topper Bruno Gantenbrink flies his NimEta X from there over the desert.
Kiripotib had in the first week, pilots from Japan, Austria [many ,…. Ludwig and Wolfgang both from Austria do trainings there with students ….Flying with the CHAMPIONS] Finland, The Netherlands, and Slovakia .
Bitterwasser had in the first week from the 5th onward, mainly German pilots but also Nic from the USA , friend from John Good and 2 French Francois Hersen and Pierre Lemaire.

On November 11, the master/champion himself ,Wolfgang, flew 1.138 km. and he was in a hurry, as his speed was 153 km/h.in the Antares 32E from Kiripotib.
It was 1000 km-day, as a lot flew their first 1000 for this season.
12 In total from Bitterwasser, Kiripotib , Veronica and Pokweni, where Alexander Mueller in his EB 29 flew one;1.146 km. speed 136 km./h but that was mostly because the “engine-room” had not closed well.
Tilo [Holighaus] had a nice one with Wig [Ludwig Starkl] from Flying with the Champions an d Rent a Glider
Of course Ludwig is very experienced in Namibia.
Tilo was more than pleasantly surprised, to learn how to fly lines optimal, enjoy the great views and to experience a real good convergence,…all in one flight!!!

The first 46 flights on the daily [Nov 11] OLC were from Africa as not only Namibia was good,Worcester and Potchefstroom had up to 922 [Worcester] and 831km. in a Duo Discus from Potch.
Mathias Schunk who flies from Worcester shared this picture during his flight in the 18m/ DG 808 B;774 km.

As Mathias, former TC from the German team, Uli Gmelin, flies in South Africa with a few others from magic Worcester. He flew 718km in the 18m./DG 800.
Worcester has German, UK, and Swiss pilots and of course the local heroes.[Laurens , Tokkie and Sven]
From Potchefstroom less flights . As Oscar mentioned on November 7 ;”Normally, we would have done a couple of 1000k’s in October from Potch. So far, our winter weather was better than what we have currently
BUT…….Oscar flew one on the 14th in the JS 3!

Well…..Now I can lay back again, as the first ones are the nicest and there will be so many more.
I keep an eye however on the “special” ones. Another 13 last Sunday and 1 from Potchefstroom as well.[Nimbus 4D]
You can find them all daily on :
https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc

——–I have never been at the South Island of N.Z. I am not so keen on mountains, but I do love pictures with mountains.
John Mc Caw flew on November 8 from Springfield [ not too far from Christchurch] and took this picture which even more amazed me when I read that there is a landing strip !!!!Called the Lake Heron Strip!!!!
Indeed John confirmed it; “Yes just by the pine trees (middle) Great strip Alex landed there this time last year and was retrieved by Mike Oakley in his Cub”

They flew with 3 gliders ,Std Cirrus, ASH25 and Discus 2a and travelled 500km in convergence lines and thermals to 11,000ft. Turned around near Lake Ohau. Had to outland at Castle Hill Station because our Airfield was covered with 8 8ths of cloud to ground level. Thanks to the retrieve crews who travelled over Porters Pass to pick up the 3 gliders.
John shared a few pictures about this magic flight.

——-One of my USA mates Tony Condon, is not only a glider pilot and light aircraft pilot , but since November 8 also a “balloon-pilot”.
The Balloon Federation of America shared the next news and picture;
“Congratulations to our newest commercial pilot, Tony Condon. of Kansas!”

—-For “lovers” from the SGP, here are the new dates of Serie11 
“The FAI International Gliding Commission has announced the venues and dates for the 11th series of the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix (SGP) national qualifying events and the 11th SGP World final.

There will be 10 National contests in the 11th series with the World final being held at Pavullo in Italy, which was also the venue for the first E-Glide and 13.5m World championships. The series includes three events in the southern hemisphere that will take place in January and February 2023, while the other seven qualifiers will be held in Europe in 2022. The final is scheduled for August 2023.”
As you can see Australia ison it too, so the happy news was :”It’s just been confirmed that Gawler has been awarded a Sailplane Grand Prix event.
It will run 2nd to 8th January 2023 in 18m Class.

–—-No way to go to Tocumwal this season . I would have loved to see and visit the new MUSEUM.
Here is some news from the old airfield.
“This day in history…On the 16th of November 1942 (79 years ago today), the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) formerly took over the aerodrome and depot, then known as McIntyre Field, from the United States Army Air Force. RAAF Station Tocumwal Headquarters was formed on the 14th of November 1942 and would see the RAAF become a permanent fixture at Tocumwal for another 18 years and became the largest base operated by the RAAF during World War 2 with a peak population of over 5,300 personnel in March 1945. You can learn more about Tocumwal’s secret past at the Tocumwal Aviation Museum, open 7 days a week, 10am to 4pm. “#tocumwalaviationmuseum#thedromecafe#visittocumwal#visitsuncountry#tocumwalonthemurray

——And to finish , to honnor John, this great picture from a G3 magnetic storm – Aurora Australis Port Hills NZ 4 Nov 2021.
Geoff [Soper] used a 14mm Sigma Art Canon 1DXMkii.
Straight out of camera, no edit except quick crop to 16:9 aspect ratio.

CU next week, GREAT to see by the way, that my friend Daan [Pare] flies now with his son Thijs from Kiripotib in the ARCUS M. A lovely father-son week over desert-areas and remote/in hospital areas , Thijs had never seen before in his life. AND,…they flew a 1000 already as well on their first day.
8 x a 1000 on November 15 from Kiripotib only. Among them more well known pilots as Mike Young, Boerje Erikson and Hans Peter Ueblacker and of course Wolfgang with a “student”, of course a declared 1000.
From Bitterwasser and Pokweni that day, 4 over 1.200km. flights….{ The new 1000!!!!}…..in total on the OLC page, 29 x a 1000 or plus!!!
Cheers Ritz