Alphen aan den Rijn Wednesday August 19 2009
First of all apologies for not writing last Sunday. I arrived back home later in the afternoon on Sunday and Monday and Tuesday I was occupied with a few important “things” , so here we are again with the latest news in the new blog.
Looking back at Rieti, it was 5 days GREAT fun and 5 days with a lost feeling how it is possible that we can miss a pilot for 73 hours with all the technical and electronical new “toys” in the gliders and when 500 people and 7 helicopters are trying desperately to find him. About 40 of the pilots and crew from the CIM were searching as well, as maybe the way a glider pilot thinks while flying was important as well.
The pilot loved flying, it was his dream and he was able to fulfill it , so it’s most of our dream as well to fly or be involved with flying, so …as life goes on …we go on as well, wishing his family all strength!
This time was the 3d time in a row that I had the honor of visiting Rieti. And again I could enjoy the friendship, the professional organization and the good to very good weather. Meteo Guido “missed” one day with a lot of out-landings, but for the rest he was spot on.
Today the 18 m. Nationals start in Rieti and 17 pilots will “fight” for the best place and a spot in the team for the WGC. Pilots as Giorgio Galetto, Alberto Sironi and Rick Brigliadori belong already to the top and will fight each other on the edge.
The day I left the weather looked fantastic and indeed it was great as some pilots flew over 700 km.
Holland now has hot weather with temperatures up to 35 tomorrow, real tropic!!!We are not so much used to that.But yesterday pilots were happy here and from our National Gliding Center flights from 640 km. were flown.
In Szeged in Hungary they still fly!!After the success of the WWGC and the great weather it is now time for pilots to fly the pre-worlds during the Flatland Cup between August 9-22.Pilots fly in 3 classes and the Hungarian Nationals are part of it as well!!
The mixed open class with after 7 days of flying Petr Krejcirik from Czech Rep on spot 1, with Ventus 2 18 m. , as well as in 15m / 18 m.
In 20 m. multi seat -open class 2 Hungarian pilots in the top with friends David Jansen and Graham Parker on 3d place in an ASH 25.
In Prievidza the 52 th. Slovak nationals have been finished last Saturday. These comps were as well the 2009 pre-worlds for ” the smaller ships”.In the mixed class was after 7 days of flying top pilot Sebastian Kawa , the best.
In club class after 6 days , Australian pilot Alan Barnes and in standard class Finnish pilot Juha Sorri.
In between the Lasham Nationals and regionals have been finished last Sunday. After 6 flying days, Leigh Wells , former world champion in Eskilstuna , was the winner in standard class , with…his father Martyn still on a VERY good 3d place!!!!
Winner in open class; Pete Harvey , former World and European Champion and the current European Champion from Nitra.
Only 2 months to go and I will fly out to Australia to visit my friends in Tocumwal. Till then I will write newsy blogs for you , as I am not sure , at this stage, if I will carry my laptop up to OZ. For now you are up to date….
Greetings Ritz