Post 1.316 on February 2 or 02-02-2022 or 2-2-22 the day our King and Queen married 20 years ago.
YES!!!!…we had 11 dgr. C last Sunday, and then it feels a bit, like spring is not far away. But ….I do know better.
The weekend ended with a real Western storm, going into Monday with high water and lot’s of damage mainly in the NW.[10 million, the insurance companies said ” not too bad” ]

First back to last week when Norm [Bloch] had a super fast flight. I was not sure if it was a record but here are the facts:
Congratulations to Norm Bloch for his 6 national records!
1. 200 klm triangle speed record – Open Class – 165.19kph
2. 300 klm triangle speed record – Open Class – 165.19kph
3. 500 klm triangle speed record – Open Class – 165.19 kph
1. 200 klm triangle speed record – 18 metre Class – 165.19kph
2. 300 klm triangle speed record – 18 metre Class – 165.19kph
3. 500 klm triangle speed record – 18 metre Class – 165.19 kphBeverley – Kojonup – Lake Grace – Beverley23rd January 2022
WOW!!!!!! Good on you Norm. Flown in his JS3.

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The WESTERN CAPE REGIONALS…CAPE GAUNTLET.…in Worcester in South Africa, flown in 3 classes, had in the end 5 days and one more in club class.
Open class with 8 pilots, had good to very good tasks with twice a 3.30 AAT.
Task 1 , 346 km., was straight away spectacular with a speed of 196 km./h!!!! In 1.46 minutes Andreas Spielmann from Switzerland raced in his JS 3, over the task area , but for only 507 points.
Task 2, with 360 km. was a prey for S.A. pilot Laurens [Goudriaan] in the ASG 32 and good speed again now 175 km./h. Dawid Pretorius in his JS 1 , was just a tad slower.
The next day-task was cancelled but, task 4 was 436 km. again and the Swiss guest Andreas, did extremely well by winning his 2d day.
Task 5 was a 3.30 AAT and John [Coutts] and his mate Nic[olas] Bennett finally had their ARCUS M fine-tuned and won the day, with 550 km in time 3.31!!Andreas just needed a bit more time , but was a tad faster;1000 for 973 points.
Task 6 ,last Friday showed another 3.30 AAT and that day was for Nic and John ago.
523 was the distance in time 3.32 [speed 148 km./h.
2 Great days as the last one was cancelled.
Dawid was runner up and Andreas 3d.
Overall winners from the Cape Gauntlet Cup in open /18m;
1. Dawid Pretorius in JS 1 with 4.019 points.
2. Andreas Spielmann [Switzerland] in JS 3 with 3.983 p.
3. Laurens Goudriaan in ASG 32 with 3.773 p.

The Club-pilots had 6 days and it was all between Sindle and Grobler in a Janus B and Kevin Mitchell in a 17 m/ DG 400. Kevin won 4 days, but 1 off days as well, loosing more as 300 points. Ian Forbes in an LS 3a had some good flights as well.
So the overall scores look like this;
1. Sindle & Grobler in Janus B with 2.704 points.
2. Kevin Mitchell in DG 400 [17m] with 2.493 p.
3. Ian Forbes in LS 3a with 2.300.

Only 5 pilots in 15 m. class but they flew 5 days with several just under and just above 300 km.
1. Findlay Smith in Ventus B with 3.758 points.
2. Rene Lans in Ventus B with 3.468 p.
3. Pieter (Tokkie) Carstens in LS4 with 3.194 p.
The Cape Gliding Club shared this news;
“Congratulations to the winners of the annual Western Cape Regional Gliding Competition. This year the #Gauntlet was run to an extremely high standard. The dynamic flying conditions in Worcester requires pilots to be at their best. The contestants came from far and wide to take part in this jewel in the #Gliding crown.”

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The N. Z Multi class Nationals, also in 3 classes finished with 7 out of 9 days .
In open they started with a set 310 km. task flown by 4 from the 8 pilots.
Ross Gaddes in a Ventus 2A, won the day with 84 km /h.
Brett Hunter and Patrick Driessen followed and also Derek Kraak was “in”.
Unfortunate day for Tim Bromhead who was out after 175km.
Task 2, had a 2.30 AAT and again a lot of non-finishers; 4 from 7, so only 3 in; Patrick, Brett and Ross . Tim was again the unlucky one! “Out” after 40 km.
Task 3, 303 km., only 6 started and ONE finished…. Patrick.
“Finally a ridge day! With a 10-14kn SW breeze .Open went straight South for Waipunga Falls, Pat made it home whilst the others fell apart around Rangitaiki due to the sea breeze.”
Task 4, 3 hour AAT. 327 km was flown by Brett in time 3.12, whilst Tim was runner up. Patrick was 3d and Derek 4th.
8 Started and 4 were out.
Finally much better weather; “Blue day all day. 7500 thermals with stunning views all the way down the course today“

Task 5 with 345 km. on a cumulus day, gave Tim 1000 points for his hard work. Finally not an off day for him.
Task 6 3 hour AAT; same same…Tim won again now with 305 km in time 3.04. Patrick and Brett followed in about the same time.
Task 7 on the last day; 2.30 AAT….won by ….Patrick with 272 km in time 2.28. Tim was runner up with with 274 km. in time 2.39.
“Final day of racing today had low and scrappy clouds that built in height and strength to the South. The strong NE breeze kept things tricky in the prestart but as the pilots got away the day thoroughly improved.”
7 Out of 9 days is good in this world with a changing climate.
Open class champion;
1. Patrick Driessen in JS 1 with 4.773 points. He won 3 days.
2. Brett Hunter in JS 3 with 4.395 p.
3. Tim Bromhead in Ventus CT[17.6 m] with 4.182 p. He started “down under” on spot 7, but managed with 2 daily wins and 3 “runner-up-spots” to finish on spot 3. Great achievement.

As written, there were 3 classes but I focused on open.
Here are the results from RACING CLASS from the in the end 19 flying pilots. It was “all about” the first 3.
1. Steve Wallace in Mosquito with 6.157 points. He won 3 days .
2. Mark Wilson in St Libelle with 5.794 p. He won 2 days.
3. Jason Shields in Discus 2T with 5.772 p.
By the way Tony was 5th. [5.743 points] He had a less good day on task 5 and 7.

Sports class had in the end 4 flying pilots and the best were 2 pilots from Auckland in their PW 5 with 4.611 points and 4.409.
1. Murray Wardell with 4.611 points.
2. Georgia Schofield with 4.409 p.

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The 2-seater championships [January 29-February 5] started in Lake Keepit and Adam flies there with Keith in the ARCUS M and Bruce with Kel in a Duo Discus [from Brad Edwards] , so when you read their blogs you are “sitting front row.”
Here are the links;
“More competition time! I’m back at Lake Keepit for the week, flying in the 20m two-seat national championships. I have borrowed a trusty (and very shiny!) Duo Discus from Brad Edwards, and will share the cockpit with our esteemed club president, Kel Burgess. Looking forward to a fun week. The weather again looks to be a challenge, but hey, I’m setting the tasks, so anything could happen! Practice day today, first competition day tomorrow.”
Results can be found at: https://www.soaringspot.com/…/2022-dual-seat-nationals…/ See you there!
Taylor’s Gliding Page
AND
“Fantastic looking sky for the practice day of the 20m nationals, Keith & I are here for the 4th year running in VH-FIG JAM (Comp ID!). Only this year, no engine in the back – guess I had better be on my best behavior“
Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures

Task 1 ;3.30 AAT and good old Harry [Medlicott] with Allan [Barnes] as his pilot flew 441 km. in Harry’s ARCUS M in time 3.31 and won the day. They were just ahead of Adam and Keith and David and Lesley.
8 Teams started and 7 finished on a good day.

Task 2 , 3.30 AAT, was in the end a “wet” one , with no finishers, BUT great flying by Bruce and his mate Kel in the DUO DISCUS, flying 367 km .
As all 7 who started not finished but flew min. over 250 km., it was a 1000 points day for them. Allan/Harry and Adam/Keith followed.

Task 3; 232 km. but in the end cancelled! Bruce was not happy with the decision to cancel,….BUT he is the tasksetter: “Sack the task-setter, I say! (Please )Firstly he outlands the whole field, then he cancels the day, and this happens… and this wasn’t the best part of the sky.”
Adam is milder; “All good BT, 100% of pilots were in agreeance when the text came through at 1400L. It’s just the way the game is sometimes.”
The weather…..look for yourself.

Task 4 today; it’s raining.

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Also for BITTERWASSER the season is over now. Gliders have been packed and it is time to look back, indeed a great season it was;
“The containers are on their way. Best cross-country weather in Namibia, but now the 21/22 season in Bitterwasser is definitely over. The Grid Boys’ packer team has once again grappled hard. Five Arcus were the last to find their place in the containers. The total of seven containers, some with up to six gliders, are now being shipped to Walvis Bay by truck. The freighter Green Mountain will take them to Rotterdam. They are expected there in early March. The gliders should then be ready to fly again in Europe in mid-March, just in time for the new cross-country flight season.”
A total of 713 flights by 112 pilots “created” 550.815,16 km. of pure joy and friendship.

Here is a nice story from a real nice young man I got to know , I think in Rayskala, where he created the most beautiful videos , which were showed every morning at briefing. His name Hubi or Hubertus Huvermann.
He describes not only the epic soaring, but also the spirit from this Centre.
I say; “that’s what soaring is all about”.
“I am back in Germany. Crazy. But true. I was shocked, realizing it is still night at 7 o’clock in the morning. And the day is not really getting any brighter than dawn. But at least you don’t sweat that much. Bitterwasser has been a great time. Probably it will take a while until I can tell what it was. Bitterwasser is a legend. An icon in soaring. That was clear to me in advance. I heard of Bitterwasser the first time as a flight student. And now you can’t think the OLC without it.
A place to set records – for sure. But somehow there is so much more to this place. A place that is attracting people from all over the world and merging them in aviation. A place forming friendships. A place where people are leaving nothing in the tank, working hard to keep this place like it is. A place cultures are facing each other. Where perspectives are changing.
Many gliders are already back in their containers and ready for the journey back to Europe. I still have some stuff left to show to you in the next days. I am thankful for now being part of the Bitterwasser history. It was a pleasure trying to show you some small parts of this oasis. Thank you all for the feedback via so many different channels. Now you get some nice photos so you know who’s behind the stories See you soon, Hubertus

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To finish this post I share a memory of 2016 , February 1, then shared by Jill McCaw editor of the N.Z. Gliding Magazine.
https://www.mccawmedia.co.nz/SoaringNZ-Magazine

I publish ,with his permission, regularly pictures from Geoff as I love them. And,…Tim is the Tim from the Nationals above!!!

Just a quick BRAVO again for Klaus Ohlmann. When he flies you know it’s something special.
He flew 1.343,55 km. departing from Serres La Batie, in an Antares 20 ,in mountain wave over the Pyrenees above the Nord of Spain and South of France and even Andorra .
Mind you, it is still early February so VERY short days. He used 9 hours and 59 minutes and 44 seconds.
Klaus; “Despite a lot of wind the waves were working very well. But of course flying the Cevennes against this strong wind the day was too short. But I’m happy to see my friends in Pic Saint loup.”

CU next week
Cheers Ritz