11th WWGC
Husbands Bosworth, United Kingdom
14 August 2022 – 26 August 2022

AUGUST 17; Still no regular blog on Wednesday, as I try to cover the WWGC daily and….as I am busy writing anyhow, 2 BIG comps in Italy, the CIM and the UK the Lasham 18m and 20 m NATIONALS.
Most parts of Europe had the best soaring weather ever this season, though for us “normal mortals” the heat wave was a bit long.
Glider pilots “were” in heaven”.

In Husbos, they had NO TASK yesterday.
So IF they fly today it will be day 4 with task 2. But I could already see on TV this morning, that the UK was under a thick layer of clouds.
The yesterday evening news was ;
” Today was an official rest day with rain all night and forecasted thunderstorms from 1500. The Czech and Danish pilots visited the Imperial War Museum Duxford and got a fantastic tour around the aircraft. Everyone gathered together in the evening for the official quiz night which the Danish team won. Tomorrow is forecast to have 1200ft cloud base and a chance of thunderstorms again but the race office will convene at 0700 to assess the conditions.”

Dutch Women Gliding Team  shared news too. TC Sjaak Selen, a former WGC champion[ 2018 in Poland] and his partner Lilian, who flies in club class, spend time as tourists exploring the area and Foxton locks.
“Foxton Locks are ten canal locks consisting of two “staircases” each of five locks, located on the Leicester line of the Grand Union Canal about 3 miles (5 km) west of the Leicestershire town of Market Harborough. [where the opening was] They are named after the nearby village of Foxton,” according to Wikipidia.
I missed that too whilst being in Husbos in 2005.
“The day was cancelled before the briefing and declared a rest day. It looks like we used the good weather for the next days, after the first TOP DAY. ” she mentioned as well. “unfortunately” BUT it will get better!!!!
They put like many others the glider in the trailer and wait till the weather improves.

Elena from Italy is an interesting, nice and out going young lady. I met her in Rieti a few times when she was still really young. In Lake Keepit ,she was more or less unexpected ,the new WORLD CHAMPION after the problems with the AUSSIE team . After I did not see much of her gliding and now she flies the WWGC and is doing well. Her dad, brother and younger sister all fly. Very nice family.
Here is there way of telling us at home what happens in Husbos on August 15.

Back to AUGUST 17; Unfortunately the day is cancelled during briefing, for all 3 classes .
I hear the mood is still very good and WHY NOT?????
After rain there will be sunshine.
More tomorrow!!!

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From Lasham came the morning news and a picture which says enough;
“Day
Good morning! Both classes were SCRUBBED at 8am with a thunderstorm warning in force that may include hail.
See you tomorrow!”

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The CIM in Rieti in Italy
10 August 2022 – 20 August 2022

August 17….day 7…. flying day 6 [task 5was not flown] ….. task 7;
YES,…they fly! Launces expected at 12.45 and A and B tasks have been handed out.
Yesterday’s scores were not complete in 18m/open. From the 4 who were not scored 2 were out and 2 teams did not fly anymore , one of them team Bruno Gantenbrink who flies nearly every year in Rieti in his ETA. The other Mauro in his AS33es. He landed -out on task 4.
Winners in the mixed class , The Bouderliques, were honored with a ” bottle” each.

Mixed class; 3 hour AAT…The gate opened at 2PM …..After 5 PM, they slowly arrived back at the Rieti-airfield. Some even after 6. Not an easy day, hot and blue in the beginning , but later the base went to 2000/3000 m.
In 3 hours and 17 minutes Team John Coutts finished with a speed of 128.41 km. over 423.56 km.
Team Alberto Sironi was runner up; 384 km. in time 3.03; speed 125.83 km./h.
Ukrainian pilot Marius , who won task 2 and 3 in his Ventus 2 ax was 4th.
17 from 21 finished .
Off day for UK/Lasham team Flewett & Perley, they flew 433 km, BUT DID NOT FINISH.
They dropped from 3 to 7 overall …ouch.
Top 3 overall at this stage; Sironi, Bouderlique and Coutts….so Italy, France and UK/NZ.

18m/open class; 2.50 AAT...On the other hand….UK pilot Jon was the daily winner in his AS 33es. Their gate opened at 2.50 PM.
NOBODY could finish within the 2.50 time limit, but Jon flew 397.47 km in time 3.06; speed 127.88 km./h.
Runner up was Boris. His JS3 flew over 379 km. in time 125.89 km./h
For today their forecast was ; convergence lines (maybe in blue) and finally west, southwest wind, not so strong/weak.
20 started and 16 finished, 4 were out among them MM, Manuele, one of the Italian mates from my Rieti time.
The top 3 overall is still the same. Boris, Werner and Jon, so Slovenia, Austria and the UK.

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When our days here are getting shorter, they start down under with the preparations, for their spring-time, as the early season more or less starts then. In the WW2 hangar from Tocumwal Soaring Centre, they prepare their gliders for the 22/23 season.
It’s always great , but also a bit emotional, to see “our” former hangar. It is such an historic beauty. I lived in it…in a flat… for a few years, with great pleasure.

Whilst waiting for the CIM, I can do other things, so I will update later. UPDATED!!!!
Cu later or tomorrow.
Ritz