It ‘s a weird SPRING, here in Europe, with extreme good days, not only with wave/föhn or ridge but also with thermal activity and ……absolute terrible days.
Par example here in Holland we had to deal with it.
We had perfect days , cold and dry ,sunny and clear, over 700 km. was flown in an LS 8 on April 20 and days in a row with over 400 and 500 even 600 km, very unusual in Holland, but when we needed the good weather most, it was not there.
3 Out of 9, 2 out of 9 and 1 out of nine days was the poor result of sitting at Terlet and waiting and hoping, during the Dutch Nationals.
Only one “good ” thing, with not 4 days in each class, we had winners not champions, BUT, the champions from last year keep their title and they have the same names as the winners in each class from this year. AND,…they ALL still had a lot of fun, though the picture maybe does not show that.
Courtesy Frank Hiemstra via FB.
The Overseas UK championships were cancelled straight away. No flying in Ocana this year for the 10 competitors who wanted to be part of this competition. The weather was not good.
Dutch holiday makers expecting to go to Spain to avoid the rain here and to sit in the sun there, miss out , as rain , wind and low temperatures are “king” there as well. No sun at this stage, except for the far South of Spain.
On the other hand on May 16, last Thursday UK pilots flew from Dunstable 691 km. and from Lasham in an LS 6 554 km. So at that time “HOME” was good! Earlier in May they flew 621 km. in an HPH 304 and several over 500 km. flights.
Our Danish friends are trying hard to have new champions in 5 classes at Arnborg, but it does n’t like to happen there either. Denmark had some nice days before as well, with 300 and 400 km. distances, now the weather did not co-operate either.
They tried hard, one day pilots flew over 100 km. but that was not enough to make it another valid day , so it looks they have to be content with 2 out of 10 days, one OK-day with 341 km. as best result and one marginal day with a 2 hour AAT in all classes!!!
Last day today, maybe and I hope so, that will be the day!!!!
The Uppsala Masters are on and started with marginal weather as well. Finnish pilot Antti Lehto , flying his Ventus 2CXA, in the racing class discovered the paddocks in Sweden, while Göran Ax managed to finish in open class in the ASH 31 Mi.
Antti in a nice paddock.
courtesy Antti via FB
While they all were suffering and waiting for thermal-lift, Mathias Schunk flew from Königsberg in Germany on May 15 a distance of 1.314.28 km. and one day later he flew the longest wave-flight ever in Europe; 1.750,67 km. both flights in the Quintus and with a good föhn wind!
It ‘s being on the right place , on the right time, as we are used to in soaring.
More good flights yesterday one from France where Klaus Ohlmann flew in the Stemme 1.530 km. Austria ‘s Sven Kolb flew 1.189 in the Antares, Swiss Daniel Rossier 1.460 in the ASH 31 and from Germany 1.020 km. in an 18 m. ASW 28.
You see this weather is most probably pretty normal,we forget so quickly, but I call it normal-weird!!!From highs to lows and within 1000 km. separation of airfields, great weather – differences and then I do not mean flying in the mountains, as that’s always special.
Let the summer be nice, please!!!!
For more news about last week you are free to read www.soaring.eu
Cheers Ritz
