"...forecast is either for storm, many storms or the whole country covered in storms."
"...forecast is either for storm, many storms or the whole country covered in storms."
It was waiting on day 3 from the Finnish Nationals in club and standard class flown from Rayskala. Good practice this competition, specially for the overseas pilots, participating in the WGC starting on June 22. A competitive way to get to know the area, environment, sauna, lakes, trees and VERY kind people. BUT, …the weather did not co-operate!!!!
They postponed the first launches until 3pm and a C task was handed out.
In the early morning the opinions were still in a gay way. The Aussie team mentioned:
“We have either a 2.5 or 2 hour AAT for racing class . Forecast is either for storm, many storms or the whole country covered in storms. In all cases Rayskala will have a storm.“
Waiting at Rayskala, at least the sun is shining, BUT towering CU’s passed by as well.
pictures courtesy Adam of course all with his permission.
https://www.facebook.com/W3Racing
“ Now if this were AUS, I’d be very excited about those towering CU in the distance. As it turns out, we’re in Europe and weather cycle times are very very fast.” Eric.
http://www.staussglidingwgc14.blogspot.com.au/
Towering clouds, storms no matter what ….the ” flyable window” arrived and the 2 hour AAT was on.
The first pilots over the start line in 15 m. flew off around 4.30. Mac started at 5.30, and as expected it brought him nowhere; 25.3 km. and 55 points.For sure there was a good reason he could only go that late.
Seven pilots even managed to finish , including the ” young Finnish dogs” Aku [Jaakkola] , Markku [ Kuusisto] and Petri [Sucksdorff]. The best speed was by Juha Sorri; 86.8 km./h. over 182 km.
Also the club pilots had to come in action for a 2 hour AAT. The UK pilots knew this weather from home and both Ge [Dale] and Tim [Milner] were the best with around 170 km. and 68 km./h.! Both went on track STRAIGHT away at 3.45, about 15 minutes earlier than the rest. Obvious the correct start time! Also USA pilot Garret made it home in the Dutch Cirrus; 4 with 444 points!
EE with Eric [Australia] outlanded.
” Yet another safe outlanding in Finland. Andrew must be having fun driving all over the countryside to pick me up.Practice, practice, practice, the main event is still a few weeks away so it doesn’t count yet. Learning more every day.”
That’s the spirit!!!
Day 4 was cancelled!
Day 5 had an AH-factor!!!With rain in the West and in the NE and rain on the way to Rayskala the task was set to the East; a more or less out and return from 293 km. for the 15 m. pilots [146 km. OUT] and an O&R from 261 for the clubbies.[130 km OUT] .
Riku Rissanen tried to cheer them on , on FB:
“In the Nordic Junior Comps in 2000, same situation. Finally the line opened at 3PM and we went east and some of us made it back [280 km.] at 8 PM.Everything is possible! ”
My Aussie mates still believed in departing,…. but at that stage not in finishing.
Kristian Roine , who as I heard , shared ALL his knowledge about out landing fields with the competitors in a superb way , shared now a picture from the rain arriving at Rayskala, at 1 PM. so it was waiting once more!BUT ,….not too long, as you can see the day was cancelled for good reasons!
as shared by Kristian on Friday and Adam.
The day later , the last day 6, of these comps it was about the same, …so no flying!
This does n’t mean they will have this weather at Rayskala during the WGC. Indeed I saw it too, the weather can change there very quickly. Maybe not enough practice but enough learning lessons, not bad either AND fun!
In 15 m. 3 out of 6 days with a 3.30, a 3 hour and 2 hour AAT . Both first 2 days were for 1000 points and the winner over 3 days was Markku Kuusisto, in Discus 2 b [2533] like father like son , with as runner up Aku Jaakkola in LS 8 [ 2512] .Both young and talented pilots,who surely will try their utmost best in their own country to get far during the WGC.
In club class not such a thing as a 1000 points day, but also 3 days. A 3 hour AAT on day 1 with no finishers, 261.7 km with 2 from 12 finishing and 5 from 11 finishing on the last one. Final scores Kristian Roine in the ASW 20[ 1370] and Mikko Nikunen in the St. Jantar 3 with winglets [1320] followed by the 2 UK pilots.
On Wednesday evening the organizers from the Qualifying Grand Prix in Rennes-Saint-Sulpice in Bretagne, welcomed all guests on FB. 19 pilots fly in 15 m. gliders from 4 different countries among them 3 ladies, one of them Jutta Sturm. By the way Obama will be in France as well to remember 70- years- D-Day.With a lot of head -of-states, our king and queen included they will be in Normandie. You can only have deep admiration for the still alive veterans, who put at such young age their lives at risk, for our freedom. CHAPEAU!!!
The grid at Saint Sulpice today .
Shared by the organizers.
Day 1 was won by German pilot Kai Lindenberg who ” got ” the 10 points, before Christophe Ruche.
Jutta was on a good 5th spot.It was a short distance only 103 km. but exciting enough with even wave above town.4 Outlandings and quite some penalty points on day 1 mainly for start speed/altitude and low finish altitude.
The weather for today looks good/promising. More on that in my soaring.eu blog on Wednesday.
In FERRARA in Italy 40 pilots started on the 30thiest of May and flew till today in a mixed class , with mixed to good weather circumstances. Distances between just under 200 but also 400 km. were set and young [ as Davide, Elena and Nicola and for sure more but I did not get to know them yet] and old/experienced [ Peter, Ricardo,Luca , Stefano and Manuele] toppers mixed with new pilots, to be the best.
Some of these 40 pilots flew for points in the 6th round of the the Italian Championship race in this class UNICA. Peter Hartmann from Austria, but feeling very much at home flying in Italy/Rieti won day 1, 3 ,4 ,5 and 6 and just missed 7 points to win day 2 as well. Best speed during this competition around 117 km./h. by Peter.
Peter [right] here with French pilot Louis, at the WGC in Uvalde.
The Dutch Open Military Championships at Malden close to Nijmegen was flown in 3 classes. The weather was so-so, but no complaints as there was a lot of good flying on the good days and great fun also on the less good days. Out of the 5 possible days they flew 3 with tasks in club class from 310 km.,264 and on the last and exciting day 306 km. The number 2 overall when the last day started unfortunately out-landed and 3 members of the FRYSIAN AERO CLUB occupied the best 3 spots. On the highest spot just fresh-new- Dutch Champion in Clubclass Frank Hiemstra in the St. Cirrus, followed by his dad Ben in the Discus bt and Sander Terpstra in the LS 4 climbed from 5 to 3.
The Frysian toppers!
as shared by Ben Hiemstra.
In combi class 3 DUO DISCUS ‘ in the top and a real ” fight” for the honors, as there was only a difference of 5 points between 1 and 2 and 75 between 1 and 3.In open Eric Weijers in an LS 6 c/17.5 m. won the comps, he was 400 points ahead of the runner up!.
Not so long ago a student-pilot from the USA traveled to Holland for work. He inquired with SoaringCafe for options to continue his soaring as a student. As I live in Holland I got the mail and could help him.
As one of the co-founders of the Cliniclowns in New York , he was in Holland to promote his work . He even did that during free-soaring-time. As I find his work very important, I share with you some pictures I received and a bit of text. Isn’t it great how we meet people trough our fascinating sport!?
“I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME WITH GELDERS ZWEEFVLIEG CLUB!
Once Ton knew I was working with CliniClowns, he opened his heart and the club doors to me!
I made 11 winch starts and my longest flight was 2 hours! It was super! One morning while the pilots were having coffee, I showed up in the CliniClown Car as Dr. Stubs and gave a few tests to see if they were fit to fly! And the last day, I brought a few extra red noses.”
Dutch fun in the glider and dr.Stubs in the Gelderse Club House.
CliniClowns Netherlands;www.cliniclowns.nl
With this laughing “selfie” by the members of the Gelderse I say till next week.
Cheers Ritz
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