Pribina Cup March 30-April 6! Fatra Glide in May 2013! Still exellent soaring in Australia!

 ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN    SUNDAY FEBRUARY 10 2013

ritzdeluy@hotmail.com     www.soaringcafe.com      www.glidinginternational.com

Looking ahead at the new season.
As said in my last blog I would spend a bit more time on Fatraglide 2013 from May 4 -May 12.
Here is the colourful “inviting” -invitation, as I received it.

invitation_fg13

Worthwhile to double click to see the enlarged version!

Only 60 places available and in this early stage already several participants, amongst them G Dale and going stronger every day, so don’t wait too long when you like to fly in that area.
Some pictures from Martin Airfield in November 2012 ,when they flew wave behind the Fatra mountain,….. on St .Martin day , the patron of the town;

Fatra glide 2012  Fatraglide 2012 2

Fatraglide 4

Martin Airfield as seen by Tibor Fratik.
For more ;
www.fatraglide.sk and www.gliding.sk

Even earlier in the season  from March 30 till April 6, the well known Pribina Cup will be the goal to reach by many pilots, who love flying in Nitra [Slovakia] . 50 pilots in each of the 4 classes are allowed with a total max. of 150 participants. So be quick when you want to be part of it. Of course the champions from last year can fly to defend their titles and “ will be admitted in addition to the above limits, but they must, however, follow the online registration procedures as other pilots.We trust you understand that such criteria must have been introduced in order to deal with the possible over registration in a fair way.–”
Good on them!Some pictures from 2010 from Elfro, who makes SUPER pictures!!!!

Pribina cup by Elfro  Pribina Cup by Elfro2

 You can enter with an online registration form and entries will be till February 28, which is the deadline!!!!!
At this stage 107 pilots have entered from 17 different countries.
At this stage; 45 in Club class, with 8 pilots from Germany, 20 in 15 m. ,13 in the 20 m. multi seat class [ with 8 x duo discus, 4 x ARCUS and 1 Janus 18.2 m] and 29 in open class including 18 m. class gliders.
A huge HAPPENING every year with great winners; as Wolfgang Janowitsch in open class last year and ready to defend his title.
For more dates from important comps in the new season you can go to www.soaringcafe.com

AUSTRALIA:
Now the European gliders have been packed in the containers , it is going to be a bit less busy in Australia as well.
The end of season there is just superb with over  1000 km. flights still in February. I like that!!!!
Specially Narromine has done well.
Were they on spot 112 in 2012 on page 3 on the OLC stats for airfields , this year at this stage they are on spot 7 on page ONE. CONGRATULATIONS!
Also Benalla did well , being on spot 4 at the moment , and this was in 2012 spot 8.
Tocumwal is on spot 9 at the moment and ended in 2012 on spot 26.
It is nice to oversee things in the end of the southern- hemisphere- season.
Corowa stats were in my last blog![from spot 5 in 2012 to 6 now , not even a big difference]

Still nice weather in Narromine where Mac [Ichikawa] flew in the ARCUS M a 825 k task last Friday.
Before packing the container Pepe [538 km] and Berry [ 363] had one more flight; the last for their season from Corowa and as Berry mentioned; “only 275 days till the next season“.
And,..it surely was n’t a bad season this year in Australia.
Yesterday however it was everywhere in Australia  ”not good/bad” also in Horsham.

Horsham week:
Finished yesterday with 5 days out of 8. Day 5 had a 2 hour AAT but was good enough for 1000 points in each of the 4 classes.
The last day was cancelled so the winners are known and to be looked at on www.soaringspot.com
Competition director was Rolf Buelter who I met in Tocumwal this year and who flew there his first 1000 km. No flying for him at Horsham but he mentioned ;
-” We flew as you know 5 out of 8 days with the full range of weather from very difficult to absolutely brilliant. Marta Najfeld, who resides in Horsham now, called that day the best she ever experienced. Most importantly the comp concluded safely without icident.–”

The New Zealand Club Class Nationals started yesterday and today with practise days! From Monday Febr.11 till Friday Febr. 22, the comps will be flown with 11 pilots; 2 x discus ,[handicap 99]  1x discus b, an LS 3 a and an LS 4, a Mosquito, ASW 20 and DG 100, as well as Jantar 2 , PW 5 [handicap 81]  and last but certainly not least a Standard Libelle.

More to do in Australia , this time Victoria.;
–”Soaring over the Victorian high country, near Mt Hotham – VMFG Mt Beauty Easter Camp is not far away! – starting March 29!—”

Mount Hotham by Ben Loxton

As shared by Ben Loxton who is a member of the VMFG.

AND,talking about mountains….from the Mount Beauty Club
—”Mountain Gliding Course 4 March-11March

There are now some 20 pilots who have registered interest for the course.
A reminder that the course runs from 4 – 11 March and details can be found on the VSA website at

www.gliding.asn.au/index.php/whats-happening/coaching

This week we will also be adding to the website, a guide to ‘Safety in Mountain Flying’ from the French National GlidingCentre – well worth reading.—” Ian Grant   VSA Coaching Coordinator
Great and usefull idea! So when you are interested you can still put your name on the list.

Guests this weekend , but no CARNAVAL this year, too much snow and too cold, but in the end it turned out a sunny day.
CU on Wednesday, and ……. as you see Terlet is ready for the new season.
New cables for the winch as shared by Sicco Vermeer who flew in “my” WGC team in Uvalde 1991. He works  at the Service Center at Terlet.

Lierkabels voor nieuw seizoen
Cheers Ritz