Omarama:
John Roake called Omarama, in his Gliding International already, the mecca of wave- soaring, and …they have a great early season with many long and high flights! Speed up to 180 km./h. over a 497 km. flight by Keith Essex [Nov.13] and distances, as said in my last blog, from 1.839 km.by Justin and Norbert.[Nov 8].
With guests from the USA, Romania ,Germany, The Netherlands and Austria they are more and more international as well. Good on them.
I was asked to be TC for the Omarama WGC 1995, but refused cause I had never really been in wave/mountain areas , so could n’t tell my pilots anything how to fly there or how to deal with the weather. In the end the pilots went first to a mountain course in France [forgot if it was Vinon or St Auban, think the last one] and Dick Reparon , who died last year , was their TC.
By the way, the winners that year were Ray Lynskey in open class flying a Nimbus 4 {RIP 2009}, Markku Kuittinen in standard flying a Ventus 2{RIP 2012} and Eric Napoleon in 15m. flying the Discus A, all Schempp-Hirth gliders.Eric still is the TC for many French teams, male and female and a real good one!!!!
Both Ray and Markku were lovely guy’s…. I met them at several comps.
Ray was the first to complete a 2000 km. wave-flight in 15 hours and Markku managed to be a WGC champion TWICE.
When I visited N.Z. a few years ago, I was only at the N. Island, which was absolutely beautiful. So…never have been in Omarama or at Mount Cook, my daughter Inge, however was there, together with Lizzy [Wells] . They even landed on the Mount Cook heli landing spot .
Last Sunday young Dutch Robin Smit, working at the moment at Omarama, flew his very first 1000 km!!!! Good on you Robin.
He is still learning, coming from a flat-as-a-pancake-country, but reflects on it in a way we can expect more 1000 km. flights from him this season;
“Wohooo my first 1000km, Another day in paradise!
Should have launched earlier and straight to Omarama Saddle instead of trying to get in to the wave near Twizel..
Lost 1.5hours with this, ones connected with the wave it was possible to do some good runs only it was not perfect sometimes really needed to stay in a good hotspot for good clime rates, and also the big amount of clouds made it really hard sometimes. “
They also hosted the South Island Championships at Omarama, between 9 November 2019 – 16 November 2019 .
They had 4 out of 7 day’s in a mixed open class and some great speed at day’s.10 Pilots among them Keith Essex, Nick Oakley , Derek Kraak and Max Stevens .
South Island Gliding Championships
Best day’s at the Southern Island comps were task 4 and 6 around and over 500 km.
Task 4 was won by young Nick with 487 km. and a speed of 219.84 km./h!!!!
Task 6 , a 511 km. distance , was won by Keith with 214 km./h.!!!
Last Saturday the final day was cancelled so we knew the winners;
1. Keith with 3.894 points in ASG 29E.
2. Nick with 3.501 p.in Discus2.
3. McCormack & Jackson with 3.211 p. in DUO DISCUS!!! On task 4 they were runner up, behind Nick and flew 465 km. with a speed of 208 km./h Good old Duo Discus!!!
as shared by
South Island Gliding Championships
This year both the South Island Regional Gliding Championships and the Club Class National Gliding Championships were running concurrently at Omarama .
Also in club class 4 out of 7 day’s
Task 1 only saw 2 finishers; Norbert in his St Astir III and Gavin Wrighley in an LS 4; 1000 points and 904.
On the last day Norbert won 250 points MORE than the runner up by flying around with a speed of 182 km./h over 460 km.!!!Runner up Philip Plane in a Hornet flew 391 km with a speed of 152 km./h.
National winner and National champion;
1. Norbert Scarlat with 3.453 p. winner.
2. Gavin Wrighley with 2.803 p. champion.
Sanpetru; another wave topper!!!
Learned about this airfield only last week and I promised to keep an eye on them.
Last Wednesday the top 3 flights on the OLC were from this airfield in Romania. All 3 over 1000 km…..2 in the 2 seater SZD 54-2 Perkoz 20m WL and one flight by Alex Pop in a Discus 2A.
AND,..the very first 1000 km. flights in Romania.
As they mentioned in their comment;
“The first 3 flights over 1000 km performed in Romania.
Super effort from all involved, super teamwork on the ground and in flight, management, pilots, super ATC service mechanics. ”
Congratulations!!
7250 MSL and 6756 AGL was the best height during their yo-yo flight on this top wave day!! Not bad!!!
As shared by George Rotaru
Argentina; More WAVE news!!!
Zapala Neuquen in Argentina had a Stemme-day with 4 pilots in 2 Stemmes flying 2.107, km and 2.040 km. Nice speed last Friday as well 160 and 163 km./h.
Stemme means,…Klaus Ohlmann is flying and indeed he did the first flight and the 2d was by 2 other German pilots, Thomas Horz and Dieter Memmert.
The 18m Ventus 2CM flight was super too; 1.508 km.by Juan Pablo Ventura.
“ One of those great wave days in Argentina. “
Germany;
Stendal is preparing for the 2020 WGC. When you want to know more just out of interest or because you participate the INVITATION Bulletin is out now!!!
And also news from Schempp-Hirth;
” Ventus-3M has just been EASA certified? Just saying… Congratulation to all the Schemppp-Hirth team, engineers at first, and all people around the world involved for this achievement! “
Bitterwasser;
Most pilots have heard the name Winfried Grosskinsky, he is already so long in our world.
Last year he was awarded , with a special palm tree, for his support to young pilots, WELL DESERVED.
” Wilfried Großkinsky invites several juniors to Bitterwasser every year for his 1000 km training camp. With him in the EB28 they get to know the country and later have the opportunity to fly with the new Ventus 3 from Wilfried for the 1000 km diploma. You can really earn the invitations with top rankings at German and Junior Championships and in the Online Contest. “
By the way, the weather for the CHAMPIONS in week 2 was less good!No 1000 km-flights, but ” less is sometimes good too”, though for some , the 1000-magic lacks.For sure the real Namibia weather will come.
Luckily already yesterday the day in Namibia was better again, with a 1000 from Kiripotib, Bitterwasser and Veronica.
S.A. ‘s Worcester had already a few earlier this week.
Australia;
At Kingaroy the Juniors start their Aussie Nationals on December 1 till December 7 and yesterday they shared this picture and message;
” 10 Days until JoeyGlide! Time to start assembling your outlanding kits (looking at you QLDers) and reading those local rules! More info on the JoeyGlide website. “
First from Benalla the Victorian State Comps will be flown between November 24 and 30.
Then from Tocumwal the 2020 Australian Nationals!!! Between December 10 and 21.
More news next week.
Cheers Ritz