Alphen aan den Rijn Sunday July 15 2012
ritzdeluy@hotmail.com www.glidinginternational.com www.soaringcafe.com
PRE_WWGC briefing in Issoudun.
courtesy Hans Spekkers
It is mid summer and we “enjoy” 16dgr. yes at least PLUS, but this is no weather for summer. Looking at the OLC July shows not a lot of flights, while it should be “booming”. Topper till today is 942 flights on the 7th. BUT…it seems to improve!Let’s hope I count the days to the 28th when I depart very early at 5 AM for my flight at 7 to London to fly from there via Dallas to Uvalde.
The Pre-WWGC continued…..more or less. So I continue as well .
On Wednesday another 1.30 AAT. Best distance was 146 km. in an ASG29, but handicapped the day-winner was Celine Gantie in Pegase with 388 points. Natasja , in her LS 6, did well with a 12th place and 117.7 km in 1.27.[303 points]
Natasja and Nathalie Hurlin before start.
In 18 m. same marginal conditions but still a window to fly in and the same task .Day-winner here had 160 km in 1.27, flying an ASG 29/18m.
Thursday; the message I received was….rigging….waiting…open class cancelled…waiting…standard class cancelled…waiting…new task for 18 m and the “women” …resetting tasks in logger etc…waiting…cancelled…de-rigging…and waiting for the forecasted “load” of new rain. Instead of news some more pictures……
WAITING.
pictures courtesy Hans Spekkers
While waiting for good weather it is interesting to meet pilots who have been “SOMEBODY” in our sport. So did Natasja. She met Gill Van den Broeck, who is together with Georgette Litt THE lady in aviation from Belgium in the past and still well known now. Gill, born in 1927, is one of the most influential women in European and international soaring and flew lots of records and was involved in many female contests on World and/or European level as TC, director, jury member and president of the jury in Klix [2005] , steward and chief steward.Here she is with Natasja.
Women in soaring, young and a bit older.
Friday another miserable day and NO flying!
Saturday last day;
Weather on the last day; Pictures says enough.
Briefing at 10.30 but….the weather was still not “” flash” . The last day of the 37th International was cancelled in both classes and pilots had “only” 5 days in standard class and 6 in the mixed- open out of 12!!!
Still hoping for a window, for the 2 other classes, so a 1.30 hour AAT for the women and a 2 hour AAT for the 18 m. class pilots was set.
But…in vain….. The weather refused to co-operate. So next year they start again and then in real. With this typical British weather the girls from the UK , MAYBE had a bit of an advantage if you may call it and advantage ….anyhow Elisabeth Sparrow won the Pre-WWGC with 1371 points before runner up from France Marilyne Abadie-Berard.[1334 points]Marylyne is the new French female champion.
Natasja was on a good 21st spot.
In 18 m. class the winners prize was for Christophe Couseau with 1417 points while Denis Guerin was runner up with only 3 points less!!!!!!!
Let’s hope for MUCH better weather next year as now they had more cancelled days then flying days. A pity for organizers and even more for the pilots who were surely hoping for the real French weather.
Got, while having contact with Beryl Hartley from Narromine , some news about this wonderful soaring place and I share a BIT WITH YOU :
—” All is well here at Narromine. My son Mark who is the CEO of the Sport Aircraft Assoc. of Australia has the head office of that group in our old building and with his staff is building up an increase in sport aircraft at Narromine. The gliding club now has two Duos and 3 single seater and is still going strong although not as many members as we would wish. Arnie and I still do a lot of work with the club and probably will do until we are too old to be useful.–”
And I can confirm that both are VERY HARD workers and lovely people to deal with.
Talking about Australia good news from Tocumwal as well as Eddie bought for Sportaviation a new light aircraft for the new season;
—” Jake and Eddie flew over to Horsham to pick up the newest addition to our fleet. A new Eurofox nose wheel Glider Tug 24-7571. This will complement the Eurofox taildragger tug now in use for training and Glider towing.–”
For all those who are not on FB, here is the picture;
Picture from Tocumwal airfield a few years ago.
courtesy Ronald Hermans.
Unfortunately the weather in Räyskälä was as terrible as here . Till yesterday they had NO flying day during their Nationals in standard class, 15 m and 2 seater class!!!!
Finally Silva could fly again after having been competition director for several comps including the ones I visited , the EGC and JWGC . He was supposed to fly with his son Johannes in the duo discus, but only Saturday they could fly;249 km. tasks were handed over to the eager pilots in each class!
And….they flew!!!! Juha Sorri was the best in standard class 86 km./h. in Discus 2B.
Harrie Hirvola was the best in 15 m. with 86.8 km./h. in Ventus 2 A.
And in the 2-seater class Tihula Kimmo won in the duo discus.[82.3 km./h.]
Unfortunately Silva and Johannes had to make an outlanding after 207 km.
ONLY ONE DAY TO GO, today! No tasks yet.
3 More blogs and off I am. Cheers Ritz
