There is a lot of important news in this blog, so read it carefully.
About the WAR, which should not even been there, too sad for words, about the final verdict of the WWGC …updated later with IGC ‘s latest ranking list….and about “banning good people” from FB; EDDIE MADDEN and YES he is well.
I was stunned and ANGRY!!!!
And of course about INGO.

It’s unbelievable that Putin, who with blue open eyes ,without blinking, said, that all the movements from his army were JUST training, attacked Ukraine in the early morning of February 24.
What a LIAR!!!!
Our world changed that day!!!
For the older mates, Kiki [ Jacky Clairbaux] is a well known name. He was for years the French TC and VERY involved with soaring ,also in the past in France, Italy and now in Spain.
He just married an Ukraine lady Helene and lives in Kiev/Kyiv.
He stays there as well ,even now. I wish them both ALL THE BEST!!!!.
“The war has started everywhere in Ukraine . The Ukrainian people are ready to resist .SLAVA UKRAINIA“
AND…
“PLEASE DON’T FORGET UKRAINE ! WE ARE WORRIED AND ALONE !“
His later message was that he moved away from Kyiv to a place somewhere in the country. God bless them.
No TV anymore but still on line.

And some support with this picture. It had a link for donations to support financially, but with the many different financial sanctions I do not think that will work. BUT,….within ONE day the Dutch people donated 1.5 million to the Red Cross for help on Ukraine.
You can donate to your Red Cross as well.
My thoughts are with ALL the people in the Ukraine.

The FAI Sailplane Grand Prix shared this news and picture:
“We strongly condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and are calling for an immediate ceasefire. The Sailplane Grand Prix Group stands by the side of the Ukrainian people and particularly to our friends from the Gliding Club Buzova, near Kiev.”

AND…
“The Ukranian government has confirmed the destruction of the world’s only An-225 in its Hangar following a rocket attack by Russian forces. The world’s largest aircraft is no more.”
News from Spotter Magazine
What a waste!!!

And yesterday more sad and shocking news:
“Colonel Oleksandr “Grey Wolf” Oksanchenko who was the Ukrainian Air Force Flanker display pilot between 2013-2018 has lost his life on Friday night when his jet was shot down over Kyiv by Russian S-400 Triumph Air Defence Missile System.”
He came out of retirement to defend his country from the Russian invasion and paid the highest price.

Col. Oksanchenko was not only a very experienced pilot who won a number of awards for the best flying display at many events across Europe, but he was also a true fan of airshows. Despite leaving the active service and joining the reserves in late 2018 he volunteered to remain in the Ukrainian Flanker Solo Display Team as a coach/advisor and travelled with the team during the 2019 display season which was also the last airshow season for the team.
R.I.P Colonel.

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It’s weird to talk and write about soaring now again, but life continues and I promised you ,so here is
Task 5 in Benalla …..a 2.30 AAT but cancelled for both classes.
So they continued on Friday with one more day to go.
Task 6….was in both classes 2.30 and with the weather forecast for Saturday, the last day, task 6 could be the last one!
You know when you fly.
In open/18m. only 9 pilots [ 2 were out because the penalties for their airspace-infringement earlier was huge… no reason to fly anymore] were still flying and Lithuanian pilot Joris Vainius in his ASG 29, won the day with 116 km./h!!
Runner up Pete with 110 km./h and Adam with 106 km./h
Adam tells how he experienced the day in Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures
In standard/15 m it was Tobias again and he was also the only one flying over 100 km./h in his Ventus 2ax; 262 km. in time 2.24.

Indeed there was no last day [February 26] , though a task was set and the skies looked not too bad; “Awesome looking sky, a 1.5-2.5hr AAT was on. But to be fair, to task it would’ve only been possible with hindsight & also, the results wouldn’t have changed at the top, so nothing really lost, just amusing!” by Adam
Pete shares his look on the comps in Pete Temple Gliding

Here are the final scores;
Open /18 m.
1. Pete Temple in ASG 29 with 4.425 points.
2. Adam Woolley in Ventus 3Ts with 4.246 p.
3. Ryan Driscoll in Nimbus 3/25.5 m. with 3.960

Standard/15 m;
1. Tobias Geiger in Ventus 2ax with 4.534 points winning EVERY day.
2. Michael Durant in LS 8 T with 3.819 p.
3. Bernie Sizer in PIK 20b with 3.288 p.
After task 1 Bernie who flies from Tocumwal, was number 6 .Slowly he moved up to finish on the bronze spot. Being 2x third! Good on him.

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This is Joel and he flies in/from the very RED “heart of the Australian continent.
“Yesterday Joel flew over 300 km in the LS4. He started gliding about a week ago! With the flight he finished his B-certificate, and did a 5 hour flight and 1,000 m height gain for his silver badge. Pretty impressive – congratulations Joel!”
Of course I add mine!!!!

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There is FINALLY a verdict ,a FINAL verdict about the 2019/2020 WWG in Lake Keepit about 25 months AFTER the comps.
The CAS …Court of Arbitration for sport…has spoken .
“The appeal to the FAI International Appeals Tribunal lodged by Australia against the decision as confirmed by the International Jury at the WWGC 2019 with the main request that all penalties against the Australian Team Pilots be completely removed and United Kingdom and Germany with the main request that all Australian pilots’ results obtained in the Championships be invalidated and the pilots be disqualified from the championships was finalized and a report published.
Australia then decided to go further and filed an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). CAS has in February 2022 informed FAI that the appeal is considered withdrawn. Consequently, the verdict of the FAI International Appeals Tribunal is upheld.”
https://www.fai.org/sites/default/files/3_2022_igc_president_report.pdf

The termination order was written on February 15 2022 in Lausanne.
More is not possible, this is the end station and the “girls” who won, remain winners and the girls who were stripped from their scores ,remain without their medals.
Sad that such a great competition had to end like this….. for all involved!
I just got the latest on the Ranking list;
Regarding final scores of WWGC 2019:
the IGC Ranking List has now been adjusted according to the decision of the International Appeals Tribunal:
https://rankingdata.fai.org/SGP_CompPage.php?compid=3925
https://rankingdata.fai.org/SGP_CompPage.php?compid=3926
https://rankingdata.fai.org/SGP_CompPage.php?compid=3927

About INGO. thanks for the reactions on my personal tribute. SO many people knew him and so many loved him. I was proud to work with him. I wish Judy ALL the best in this difficult time.
Many more people shared their connection with Ingo.
A good story about his flying, is to be found, also in English, on
https://nordicgliding-com.translate.goog/ingo-renner-37000-timmar-segelflygtid/?fbclid=IwAR0cDm24LNF6LQFtvV1-q4RFIMvAlDgvjVc5nNx5BVZnFDsZg7zGgfkeK4k&_x_tr_sl=da&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US

Here are some pictures by his “mates” from all over the world.
the French team;

In his Discus XX, which he owned with Judy and in which they made SO MANY HOURS.

And one of the last pictures. Ingo still at the airfield ,81 years old, with an always smiling face.
How many times in his life has he be on a picture like this. EVERYBODY wanted on the picture with Ingo.

I heard that the GFA are planning a BIG CELEBRATION EVENT one day in Tocumwal. Ingo deserves that.
The funeral will be , as I heard a private affair .
He will be buried at the cemetery , were our son Dennis is and “connected” again with his mentor Bill Riley, with Dolf and Maureen Huber, Jeff Close and good old Jim Taylor and his wife Marg. All involved in the past with Sportavia, all worked with him.
It’s getting more and more busy there!
My next visit, will be a totally different visit , without Ingo’s welcoming smile. He was always there.

On the last picture to the left you see the hangars from Sportaviation/Eddie Madden.
Some of you might wonder why Eddie ,who was very active at FB, disappeared there from February 8 onwards.
NO he is not ill, he is well, but you are going to NOT believe this news from him.
“I was forever banned by Facebook for uploading the video of my Granddaughter Sunday on her scooter in my hangar,
This was deemed as child exploitation by Facebook and so all my links Eddie madden and SportAviation have been removed forever.”
More than BIZARRE.
For those who missed him you NOW know why .
The WOKE idea is good against disinformation, but not for kind people who even need it for their business!!!!
In what world do we live????
I hope the word forever will change, so he can be back with his nice stories about soaring and other views on the world!!!!!

CU next week. Hope the war will be over then. Most probably to optimistic/euphoric.
More news also about the Australian Nationals in several classes from Narromine between March 7 and 18. Lot’s of top pilots.

Cheers Ritz. ….on March 2…meaning the meteorological spring has started Hurray!!!
Not to forget; The next FAI Gliding Commission (IGC) Plenary Meeting will take place in Copenhagen (DEN) on  and 5 – 6 March 2022.