We, finished the year 2021 with a record temperature of 15 dgr. C. and we started 2022 with the same record. It never was so warm in Holland in the end of December/beginning of January.
And,…look what happened at some of the sunshine states as California in the USA ??!!Both the West and East struggle[d] with loads of snow.

On the 28th of December it was Australia topping the OLC list with Toby Geiger, on December 29 they nearly did it again. This time Lumpy [Paterson] from Tocumwal, but working in the West of Australia, flew a 1000 from Cunderdin.

Here is his comment on a wonderful flight:
“First 1000km for the season in WA albeit an out and return ….. 1.006 km. at 115 kph. Good fun day with no real low spots, thermals were reasonably predictable, however the wind direction change between 4500 and 5000 meant having to readjust somewhat. The further north I went the stronger the wind got ( as predicted) it got up to 23 kts before turning…. great while it’s on the tail but you gotta pay the ferry man….. took a while to get going heading south again but as the wind dropped off the thermals got more organized and stronger again. I was counting on the trough moving inland during the day, however it just sat east of Perth for a long time and only really started moving through after 4.30 ( not quite normal ) but it lined up pretty well for the run home which was a good thing as I was running out of daylight, landed at 7.22pm….. big day and loved every minute of it”

Tokkie Carstens however flew from Worcester in his LS 4 a distance of 986 km. and moved to spot 1…..Great job!!!

When there are many pilots at a good spot and the weather is top, you have many fabulous flights. We have had that in the past, many times.
Now on January 2 it was Namibia again. After a bit of a dip in the weather they flew 16 over 1000 km. flights. Up to 1.183 km in a Ventus 3 M.

This great Namibia weather continued on January 3 when another 18x a 1000 even up to 1.225 km AND 3 FAI 1000 km. triangles!!!!
When you put 2 “kilometer-eaters” as Bernd Goretzki and Guy Bechtold in an ARCUS they fly 1.198 km [998 FAI triangle] with a speed of 139 km./h. and top the OLC!!!
One day later they did it again, now 1.063 km with a speed of 133 km./h.
Also Minden in Nevada enjoyed 1000 km. weather; James Lee flew 1.254 km in the JS 1 and just over 1000 by Michael Price in an 18m. Ventus 2CM.

Did you see the AUSTRAGLIDE ’84 video?
Lots of memories came back.
After we met the Aussie team in Rieti at the ’84 WGC, they invited us to come and fly in Tocumwal. That was an important place as the open class WGC winner in Rieti was Ingo Renner and he lived and worked in Tocumwal. Kees and George decided after a few beers in our house, that they were going to beat Ingo on his own flying-area/domain. First practice in Tocumwal then off to Benalla for the pre-worlds.
They had the greatest fun!!!
They even managed to find each , with help from Klaus Holighaus, an open class glider, a Nimbus 3 ,of course same as Ingo, they even succeeded in finding a sponsor to bring each Nimbus in a separate container down under. I was the one to organize the logistic part, …visa, carnet’s , containership, in -and export,…but that year I had to stay home.
Full of enthusiasm the 2 left , but came back a bit disappointed.
Every time when they were fast they thought they had beaten their mate Ingo, to only find out that his glider was already in the hangar!!!!
But they had a sterling time and from then our love for Australia and specially for Tocumwal was born. In ’85/’86 I went as well and since then we have been there nearly every-down-under-summer.
The rest is history!

The 1987 WGC in Benalla was of course the main goal for many top pilots. But that year the weather there was less good than it could be.
Kees had a bad start ,but improved and became 4th. George flew with our son Dennis and as I have written before, this father-son-combination was the first in history, as till then no open class two-seaters flew at a WGC.
In the end of ’87 Kees died ; He collapsed against a mountain in France with his hang glider and broke his neck.
We were still busy in The Netherlands to cope with what had happened to Kees, when we heard that our son Dennis, who flew as a tuggy in Tocumwal to make hours, after he successfully finished his flight education at the NLS at 18 years old, had a deadly accident.
Sunday December 27 in ’87 and one week later Sunday January 3 ’88. The huge impact on the 2 families ,but also on the pilots in The Netherlands and worldwide was enormous and weird but true, they still “live” in many thoughts….even after 34 years.

Last Monday it was 34 years ago that Dennis passed away. His best friend from high school Wouter, came to see me.

Back to “NOW”.

The first competition in 2022 was in Leeton the SKYRACE GP, flown from January 2 till January 10, with 19 pilots.
“FUN IN OLD PLASTIC”
“Conventional gliding competitions can require a huge financial commitment. The Skyrace GP 1.0 is centered around the club class handicap of 1.0, which means that pilots can buy a competitive sailplane for less than $10,000.“
There are 2 Hornet’s, 8 x a St. Libelle, 5x a St. Cirrus and one open Cirrus and 3x a St. Jantar 2.
The first days they had a rest and welcome BBQ….practice on the 3d and …. on January 4 they flew day 1 and Andy Maddocks in an HORNET won the 10 points for the day in group 1.
In group 2 it was Christian Streifeneder in the St. Libelle receiving the 10 points.
“Day 1 has 2 winners as the groups aren’t graded until the second day. Andrew Maddocks in his Hornet and Christian Streifeneder in his Libelle received the first stickers for the comp.“
Today was cancelled due to an “early storms forecast”.

The first good flights on the OLC on January 1 were from Benalla in Australia, what a great season they have; 2x a 1000 from Toby and John [Orton] in his ASG 29 and one from Temora ….Adam [Woolley] in his VENTUS 3 ….1.115 km….a personal best regarding distance.
Richard Trail in an ASG 29e from Wangaratta flew a 1000 as well.
All places close to where I lived in Tocumwal.
Adam even send me a happy-new-year- picture from above, awfully nice of him.
Matthew had a super flight as well yesterday in his Diana2;
The first Diana 2 self-launch 1000k, and possibly the longest 15m flight inside QLD?
“Envious of the 1000’s being done down south, but not wanting to deal with the ongoing border mess or risk sitting 7 days in a motel room in NSW with COVID, I was forced to look for more local opportunities. Central Queensland is like Namibia-lite, nowhere to land, booming conditions, short days. I bailed on my original plan of a big triangle because cu’s were getting very big and visibly showering on the most dangerous leg (no landings), and without phone signal for the LX radar either. Not the flight I was hoping for but good enough. First 1000k I’ve done without any “magic” (convergence, trough etc), not even any prominent streeting.”
https://www.weglide.org/flight/118699
Sorry ,..but one way or another I deal easier with the OLC than WeGlide. It must be me!

For those living in the Murray River area now;
“The new year has begun and the countdown is on for the 2022 Tocumwal Airshow.
Celebrating 80 years of the Tocumwal Historic WW2 Aerodrome,
100 years of the Air Force,
60 years of the Murray Border Flying Club and
opening of the Tocumwal Aviation Museum.
A great family day out including:* 5 Hours of flying
* Australia’s best display pilots
* Food Trucks, Market Stalls, Kids Entertainment
* Hot Rods & Historic Vehicle Displays
* Helicopter joy flights
* Warbirds including WW2 Fighters & Bombers, Aerobatics, Formations, Fire Bombing Demonstrations and much more.
Tocumwal Airshow 10 April 2022

AND,…also for those living there, JOEYGLIDE will be flown from Benalla between January 15 and 22;
“WE ARE 10 DAYS OUT FROM THE BIGGEST GLIDING EVENT OF THE YEAR! With 15 competitor and 7 coaching entries, it isn’t too late to enter yourself for what will be, the greatest JoeyGlide event in recent history. Are you ready for some awesome Cross-Country flying and fun on the ground? Click the link:
https://www.joeyglide.juniorsoaring.org/home

Last but not least;
The first day from this year ends with a sad loss for our soaring world . Of course getting nearly 93 is perfect, but passing away still hurts when they are people/icons in our sport like John Roake and now Tor Johannessen.
I met Tor at many comps and once had the honor to be his jury member when he was the president at the WGC in Rieti. I learned a lot from him and remember fondly our trip to the Marmore -cascade. He then was 15 years older than I was, and walked and climbed the rocks ,as a young spring chicken. He was wise, philosophic and learned me to let others be the judge, when I was insecure about my writing.
Really sad that I , no I must say WE ALL , lost 2 iconic glider pilots in such a short time.
2 Great presidents of a jury at many WGC’s.
R.I.P. dear Tor….thanks for your wise words and your warm friendship!!!!

“Former IGC President Tor Johannessen dead
Glider, military pilot, SAS captain, recipient of the Otto Lilienthal medal, record holder, World Cup pilot, World Cup official and much, much more. Norwegian Tor Johannessen died on New Year’s Eve 2021, aged 92, but achieved much in his long life.”
As shared by Jens Trabolt the Executive Editor of  NORDIC GLIDING AND AVIATION MAGAZINE

CU next week.
Cheers Ritz