That happened yesterday in Bayreuth during the “100 year-Bayreuth-Airfield” International competition and the Bayerische Meisterschaften, with many top pilots, as Werner Meuser and Uli Schwenk, both European and World champions in the past. A pity, as no matter how hard you try … the weather can just refuse to cooperate. But there are days enough to come so it surely will be a memorable 100 year anniversary at Bayreuth, where in 1912 the first plane started for a short flight. The WGC was in Bayreuth in 1999 and Giorgio Galetto won there in 15 m class, Holger Karow in open, and Jean Marc Caillard in standard class. Had a great time there then. Today, day 4, unfortunately is cancelled as well!
While the pilots over there struggle with the weather, some other pilots in Germany but also in Holland and Belgium enjoyed great circumstances yesterday. What about a flight in an LS 7 with winglets from Leverkussen by Bernd Fischer—830 km. From Belgium [Keiheuvel] Tijl Schmelzer flew another long distance flight, this time 922 km in a Ventus 2 CT [18m] and from Holland several 750 km flights. One interesting one, by our new Dutch 18 m champion Ronald Termaat [see picture made yesterday by Marco Vermeer the co-pilot] flying the Nimbus 4DT in the direction of the Czech border. To be not back too late, they turned around 20 km before, to fly home again with 888 km in the pocket.
The female pilots flying the Nationals in Germany enjoy unstable weather circumstances with small AAT’s over the first days, but yesterday a bigger task up to 401 km in 15m and standard class. Most 15m pilots finished, but in standard class nobody made it home. Today their day 4 is cancelled.
The German ladies were strong participants in the EWGC’s and WWGC’s in the past and for sure they will perform well again in the future. From the 40 participating ladies in Ulm, nine fly on the German National Team. The two double World champions Sue Kussbach and Susanne Schödel, both world champions in Szeged in Hungary and Arboga in Sweden, are not in Ulm.
Some pilots practise in France in Vinon for the Pre-European comps, called Provence-Glide2012. They started yesterday with as winners on day 1:
15 m; Christophe Ruch in Ventus 2 with 115 km./h. over 299.7 km. Runner up Sebastian Kawa.
18m; Didier Hauss in Ventus 2C with 120km./h. over 309.4 km. Runner up Killian Wallbrou.
open; The French ASH 25 with 100km/h. over 361.3 km. Runner up Stephan Beck[Germany]
So in each class the French were on TOP.
Several International pilots flying the WGC in Uvalde will be there as well: Giorgio Galetto, Russell Cheetham, Wolfgang Janowitch , Sebastian Kawa, Mike Young, Alberto Sironi and more. Alongside they fly the French 15 m Nationals.
Lasham in the UK is very busy the upcoming week. While the British Queen celebrates this weekend her 60th jubilee as queen, the pilots in open class [22] started yesterday for their Nationals, as well as the 15 m pilots [37] and alongside the regionals are flown also. So no time for them to look at TV at the Red Arrows [yesterday] or the boat parade on the Thames[today]. Though…maybe they had a look as the day in each class was scrubbed. Several frequent flyers in Tocumwal in the past are flying in open class as Richard Kalin and Peter Sheard and in 15 m: Bruce Cooper, Patrick Naegelie and Roy Pentecost.
For more news from last week you can go to www.soaring.eu
SORRY, no news next Sunday as I travel to the beach with my high school friends for a week. A short update will be on this upcoming Thursday. CU then.
Cheers!
Ritz
