Wave is the word for this week. Wave paradises are very busy and good results have been seen on the OLC, though the different diamonds [3000 and 5000 m height gain] are not always visible as pilots who are not going on a X-country flight and stayin the wave box to fly their diamond, only share their happiness with their friends on the ground after the flight, being as happy with their achievement.

One of my friends and the CD from the 2006 WGC in Eskilstuna, Robtert Danewid every year enjoys wave in his soaring paradise Vaga/Frya in Norway. heir last day was an especially good one with wave up to 7100 m and lenticular skies all over the southern part of Norway, as you can see on this first picture.[both courtesy Robert Danewid]

In the USA of course Minden is a great wave paradise, and when I was there in 1990 I was impressed with all the equipment they provide visiting pilots who are attempting their height gain. Nice flights this week from Minden, with gliders as Sparrow Hawk, DG 400/17m and ASW 27 flying 849, [119 km/h] 771 [140 km/h] and 780 km [ 152 km/h]

More good USA wave flights, this time from Rosamond where Jim Payne flew yesterday in a DG 1001M a distance of 1,264 km in blue circumstances, but as he mentioned, with good wave building up slowly and with a rare southerly flow.

Europe has a lot of wave paradises and most of them are in Italy and France. But Switzerland and Austria also have good wave conditions. It is THE time of the year to visit and many do so. Former junior world champion in Husbos in 2005, Christophe Nacke, used the whole French and North Italian mountains to fly yesterday 557 km [444 FAI triangle] in an LS 1 d, while mate Alexander Späth [ runner up in Musbach during the last JWGC] did about the same flying 648 km [339 FAI triangle] in a Discus 2T/18m. Both fly from Puimoisson. Here is that nice picture from young German sport soldier Felix Bauer again.

The clocks in Europe have been put one hour forward last night, which is great as we can use the evenings better now. Fabulous weather here in Holland for spring time; we seem to beat records again. Will let you know next Sunday on April 1, no, no …..no April joke!
If you like you can read more about last week at www.soaring.eu