Start of the 37th WGC….In any case 2 good practice days…. Opening at 6PM today!

Post 1.458 on December 2 2023.
https://wgc2023.com.au/

November 30 official practice day with 3 hour AAT’s for all classes.
courtesy Łukasz Błaszczyk

Got already a lot of news so let’s start quickly with “from day- to -day-news” A day earlier as well, but TOO LONG blogs are not good and old news is no news.
I might even try daily news but that’s difficult with the 10 hour time difference. I’ll see.
Just keep reading.

Wednesday November 29;
Got the booster jab, felt a bit dizzy but ready to “rumble” again.
First an introduction to my friends from the lower countries in Europe, The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
GOOD LUCK to all of them!
Dutch Gliding Team

A mix of the Dutch team and team Luxembourg, with Bart the Dutch TC, Sjaak [pilot] , Erik [pilot] and Joyce, Indya [TC Lux.]and Inge who both just arrived , Jeroen [pilot] with the glasses and upfront Diana.[pilot Lux]
**Dutch Gliding Team**

**3d generation TC**, Indya [20] on her first TC meeting, worn out after 30 hours of travelling, but sitting in time with Brian and Eric. I don’t even think, she knows those, by now nearly “nestor’s” , but for sure icons of our sport at that moment. But she will….
Her mum Inge was TC in Békéscsaba in Hungary and her grandma Ritz [me] was TC at many occasions.
SO NICE to be able to see this happen,even though it is for me only by pictures!!!!!

Belgian Gliding Team
“The Belgian team is ready for another competition! This time, Manu Litt, François Delfosse and Dennis Huybreckx will fly the 37th FAI World Gliding Championships in Narromine, Australia.
Manu (MM) and François (73) have shipped their JS3’s here successfully and will participate in the 15 meter class. Manu has spend a few weeks here to train and François did a first flight this week. Dennis rented an LS8 to fly in the standard class and is preparing the glider this week.”

Team Belgium with 2 of them I know, Dennis who smiles in the camera and Manu with the sunglasses and at the end of the table sits Diana and Adam.

Their was no official flying due to the heavy rain over night, BUT the weather is changing!!!
Here is Bruce;“Another day on the ground, sorting out some remaining jobs on our gliders.
And outside? The sun shone, the cumulus popped and looked gorgeous, but the wind blew, all day. Last night there were some big falls of rain, mostly from the west around to the south, so that area will be slow for the next couple of weeks.Tomorrow we will all go flying. I can’t wait to get in the air again. It feels good to be ready to rock ‘n’ roll!” Taylor’s Gliding Page

They , the tuggies, …no comps without them…are on November 30 ready as well. World Gliding Championship 2023

Thursday November 30;
are they ready to rock and roll????
“A tricky day out for all today, with top cover moving into the task area earlier than predicted.” according to our UK mates.
3 hour AAT’s were set for all 3 classes and Ricky won in 15 m [JS3] in a glorious way. His dad Leo[nardo] flew in Benalla in 87 and with us before that comp.
Ricky flew with a speed of 119.64 km./h over 378.60 km.
The runner up, Sebastian, [Diana 2] in comparison flew with a speed of 112.76 km./h over 347.80 km
25 started and 2 were out.
Adam was 4th; “An interesting day in the skies, at times it felt like I was in a washing machine. The conditions saw CU to 6000′, with averages from 3-7kts, though with a 22kt westerly wind! This saw me not being able to follow my own advice of trying to stay in the top half of convection & topping up in the 4kt’ers, but spending my day in a forever downward direction, bouncing off the ground & up to 4000′ most of the time as I got too greedy.” more in his Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures
In Standard class it was Lithuania with Joris Vainius in his ASW 28, who won the day just ahead of the Polish pilots , Lucasz and Tomasz who started a minute earlier.
20 started and 7 were out. A few mistakes as well, better now than in 3 days.
In Club class 21 pilots started, 5 were out but 9 did not start at all on the official practice day. Still ONLY practice, no worries. Some might have not brought their logger in.
Czech pilots Tomas and Jan were the best with a speed of 311 and 304 km/h over 311 and 304 km.

Danish Gliding Team with club class pilot Rasmus [ world champion in 2018 in Ostrow Poland] in white shirt with his TC to the r and Diana and her TC Indya.
By the way 2 more WORLD CHAMPIONS from 2018/Ostrow are flying now in Narromine; Dutch pilot Sjaak Selen [St class] and Polish pilot Sebastian Kawa.[15 m.]

December 1;
Start of the meteorological winter on this side of the world ,with indeed icy conditions here…..up to minus 10…. and snow in the N. of our country and down under it ‘s SUMMER again.
Got a lovely picture from Anne [Aus Soaring] with Inge, Indya and Gerrit.
Noticed many more great pictures on the official WGC FB site, have a look and ENJOY!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093208068838

When I asked Anne , months ago, for help on accommodation for the Dutch team ,she straight away replied with all kind of info/possibilities….. great lady. Inge knows her from when she was a teenager.
*“Sorry you’re not here in person too, Ritz but you’re here in our hearts*” that’s Anne too. LIKE!!!!
Back to soaring: Racing tasks for all classes, on this last practice day;

15 m; 341.51 km....after AAT’s now practice with a set task.Best for the day was Lithuanian pilot Linas Miezlaiskis in ASG 29; 138.47 km./h with Dutch pilot Erik[JS3] as runner up ;134.44.
24 from 28 started and 4 “practiced” an out landing.
Adam was one of them.
“Today after I released from tow, it was immediately obvious that I had an undercarriage door problem, fortunately my team mate was right there to confirm it.” more on Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures
Standard class; 346.56 km.…and the 2 Polish pilots Tomasz and Lucasz did well with a speed of 122 km./h. Still “only” practice ; some penalties to learn from and some out landings 4, to learn from.
Club class; 255.67 km; I expect a lot from German pilot Uwe Wahlig in his LS 3. He straight away won the day with 122.84 km./h and is of course the current [2021] WORLD CHAMPION.
29 from 30 started and 1 was out.

The French down under, prepared for the HOT sun and the flies. With Kevin Faur as their pilot in the middle. He flies in 15 m in a JS 3.
Courtesy Jerolamo Radman who always takes and shares the best pictures.

PR is going well also for the locals.

Several pages on the AUSSIE team with their TC Miles [Gore Brown]. Know Miles for ages and he will do well!!!! courtesy Anne Elliott

December 2 OPENING and the best weather ever. I could nearly say “as usual”.
I was ready for a live stream of the opening at 8 AM my time, but nothing on the official site.

Dutch Gliding Team their team looks up at the skies to see this, whilst they prepare for the opening!

With Roelof, Sjaak, Erik ,Jeroen and Thies ready to go for it. I expect a lot from them. **Dutch Gliding Team**

The Italian Gliding Team as seen by Andrea [Venturini] with behind them team Luxembourg, shared by Vola aVela.

The French team with Eric and his pilots and crews .

Team Luxembourg with George,Diana ,Inge and Indya.

Team Denmark;

Team Belgium;

With my longtime friends Dennis and his wife and son in the middle with dad Eddy with the sign and mum Brigitte. Another family affair!
Belgian Gliding Team

More pictures from the opening tomorrow.
Leaves me for today, to update you with the names of the officials:
Rick Sheppe from the USA will be the Jury President and the other Jurors (both remote)
are Bob Henderson (NZL) and Peter Szabo (HUN).

The Stewards are Brian Spreckley (UK), and John Godfrey (USA).

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There is other news as well!
—–Wilfried Grosskinsky flew 300 x a more than 1000 km and that must be a record! In the EB 28 he took a junior Gerrit Neugebauer ;
“Gerrit is one of the lucky youngsters, who won the Bitterwasser Cup this year. The price is sponsored by Wilfried Grosskinsky and the Bitterwasser Lodge. Thank you so much for giving juniors such an incredible opportunity in gliding!“
I can only agree with that.

CU tomorrow with more news about day 1 of the 37th WGC and more pictures also from the opening!
Now my grandson Dexter is visiting for the weekend.
Cheers Ritz

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