Post 1.538 on August 29 2024

Sometimes I get confused with the days and the time. A still have a lot of contact with my Aussie friend and they are at this stage 8 hours ahead of us, [10 when summer/winter time arrives]
The time difference with The Netherlands and Uvalde is 7 hours. So when I write on Thursday, they just finished flying on Wednesday and go out or to bed, when I start writing.
Friday August 30, is the last day and the party will be in the evening. The prize giving the next day!

Wednesday August 28 day 11 task 10;
And what a day it was!!!!! Normally I write that, when 20 or so 1000 km flights have been flown. Today, because ONLY 1 glider finished from the 3 classes. The NIXUS, never mentioned in these blogs as Brazilian pilot Claudio Schmidt never belonged to the toppers and I prefer not to write about pilots who are doing less good. Now he deserves a huge round of applause!!!!
So my question if the weather will have influence on the last days is to my knowledge,…… YES.
One of the most direct , but to the points analyses, is from Matthew, so here is his story about the day before I look at the scores
“ Predictable outcome. Unclear why we had a racing task (where is the IGC?). By the time the gate opened we were already surfing the storm front next to the airfield, and the first leg was hopping from storm to storm towards the first turn which we could see was inside a large cell.
All three classes came together to wait for the storm at the first turn to move a bit so we could all get north again, insane turbulence, people cloud flying, heavy rain and hail, all quite dangerous.
Everyone in our class climbed as high as they could then drove into the back of the storm to round the turnpoint, then went for a dead air glide into the blue where it’d just rained heavily towards the next turn.
A few got lucky with a tiny climb in the blue and jumped ahead to no further avail. Quite a few who ran out of fuel or battery or had non-starting engines have outlanded. One glider is even floating in a lake. I was glad to have a RES, lit up 110km from home over an airfield and comfortably made it back.
Simply setting an AAT would have substantially reduced the danger on all factors.“
Matthew Scutter’s Gliding
Picture shared by Matthew too.

All in all, when I read this , NOT A GOOD DAY, but of course I am not there, it’s based on several inputs I got.. And looking at the weather pc is pretty clear too.

Here is ARNE; “So the task setters launched us into what was clearly a very poorly set task and known deteriorating conditions that entirely as expected had all classes mixed and gaggling. And yes, no PEV. Why bother improving our safety by reducing gaggling? Where are the stewards? Why is derisking not in focus? 25km from the first turnpoint we ran into the storm and severe turbulence and micro bursts. It became a matter of running with the front to stay high enough to reach safe airfields”
more on Arne J. Boye-Møller

Keith ; “On the way home after using the engine. It was an adventure just getting home. Almost 100% outlanding rate for today.“

Adam with several hind sights; “Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Congratulations to Sarah & Karl on a great flight, taking their lead to 128pts over us in 2nd, two tasks remaining!
What are my lessons learnt? Firstly, when a task is set, I subconsciously always think, it’s possible to complete. It’s just in my positive nature. I need to bring this into my reality check, because by not leaving as soon as the lights went out, I cost myself distance, possibly even completing the task.”
much more on Adam Woolley’s Gliding Adventures

Pôle France Planeur “Journée trés compliquée pour l’organisation et les pilotes ..Zones de vols sous l’influence de cunimbs et d”orages qui empêchent de virer les points..La majorité des pilotes rentrent au moteur..Les deux JS3 LB .KW et le JS1 FD se vachent.
Anne rentre par convoyage air..L’ équipe de crews sont partis récupérer Laurent et Jean avec des remorques prêtées.”
A very complex day for both organisation and pilots, they write. Cu nimbs , and storms had an influence to reach the TP’s. Most of the pilots returned with their engine. Crews were busy enough to get the rest back 1 by aerotow and 2 by car and trailer.

South African Gliding Team “Seems like chaos all round today, with only 1 out of the 66 competitors actually completing their task. 14 gliders physically landed at other airfields, in fields or lakes, the rest all started their engines to get home.
Both EL and IMS landed at alternate airfields, as although they both have working engines, with the storms around there was no ways for them to get back to Uvalde Safely. They’ve both arrived safely back at Uvalde by trailer. And the rest are all strapped down safely for the night. Hoping for a better day tomorrow.”

Pasi; “Not much to tell. Through the rain to second like everyone else. Could of pushed 20k more, but like majority turned back to “better” clouds and started engine 170m AGL. Only 10L of fuel so it didn’t quite were enough. Didn’t want to push through the rain and thunder to Uvalde, so landed on McKinley. Ike McKinley greeded us with his wife (who is now part of team Finland]” Gliderpasi
And that or sure is the NICEST part of the day. NEW FRIENDS!!!

Of course not a bad for the daily winners.
Here we go;

18 m; 389.17 km….and Manu Litt from BELGIUM won, good on him!!! 209.47 km. for which he had to work hard. Christophe was runner up with 198.60 km.
5 Pilots only just flew over 100 km. ALL were OUT.
But luckily not too many points gained or lost. Manu got 280 points [and a CHAPEAU from me] and the last pilot on spot 32 still 144.

20 m;  405.47 km…. USA pilots Sarah and Karl handled the weather best and with “only” 170 km flown they were the daily best and consolidated their first spot overall with a few points more.; 7.789 for 7.661 for Adam and Keith.
The winners got 275 points the last ones 213 and 2 in this class don’t fly anymore.
Wolfgang and Andy flew today 132 km IN UVALDE!!!! Not what they hoped for when they left Austria, but they have had pretty good days before the weather changed. They are 4th overall.

Open class; 3.15 AAT….The NIXUS with long wings could glide longer than others through rain and sink, hence a nice daily WIN and a great performance from Claudio Schmidt from Brazil. 671 points for him.
I read that “This glider has a wingspan of 28 metres (nearly 100 feet) and an aspect ratio of 53 to 1 providing a glide angle close to 1 in 70.”
Jim Lee in the EB 29 was runner up with 386.94 km. but,…he had to use the engine. Michel and Felipe were on an equal 14th spot, [ they are getting better and better in being EQUAL] ,but no worries, they are far ahead and loosing 342 points does ‘nt bring them into problems. Still, with 2 days to go in the lead; 8.900 for Felipe and Michael has 8.666, whilst number 3 Laurent has 8.666 points.
Claudio is still 17th from 17 , but he had a day-win and an unforgettable day I think. Well done!!!!

And last but not least;
A big thank you already to the tuggies. WGC Uvalde 2024 shared this picture on August 22.

What, I GOT in 2012 was this, from very kind spectators / guests in the tent, where I worked;
A steel ” State of Texas” with a glider in it. HANDMADE!!! AND proudly accepted. It’s in my garden on the fence, so I see it every day. Above sand, as it is awfully heavy and it should not fall on anything .
I believe one of the Dutch team members took it home in the trailer on the boat. Too heavy for in the plane. Too heavy also to carry around, as I got as a present from SOARING CAFE, a nice 3 -day- stay in a luxury hotel in San Antonio, before I flew home. That’s where I met after the comps, Art Grant and his travel-friend, again.

And something to get the honey easy out of the jar. Handmade and personally handed over.
For both I was very grateful and still have them.

And YES my daughter and grand daughter, Inge and Indya ,arrived safely for 2 days in Uvalde at the field, warmly welcomed by the Dutch team and their hosts, as they could straight away join in at their BBQ .

CU again tomorrow, for the last , for sure exciting days.

I wait for the analyses from John Good, USA pilot, CD, TC and so much more, good writer as well. An American analyse on this day , would be good too. John is always 1 day later, so you can read it tomorrow. On August 26 , task 8 he wrote already a bit about the weather ;”A significant change in weather today, forecast to persist for several days. It features lower temperatures, more moisture, and much higher chances of afternoon rain and thunderstorms.”

Cheers Ritz