Cucumber-time!

Alphen aan den Rijn  Tuesday September 25 2012

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

 Still nice flights on the OLC in this early autumn/spring. But NOT so many anymore, 34 only yesterday, a bit of cucumber-time.
Sorry, but I  have to talk about Uvalde again. This time cause Gary Ittner who flew for team USA in 18 m. class , had a great day last Sunday flying from Warner Springs in the Discus 2A this time; 726 km. in it… a nice nearly  600. km. triangle. Good on him and spot 2 on the worldwide OLC.
Best flight last Sunday was just over 1000 km. from St. Gaudens in France by Robert Prat.
A great flight in an LS 6 in New Zealand, where Vaughan Ruddick flew from Paraparaumu 396 km. using “fantastic convergences”.

Gary to the right.

And more Uvalde; Noticed today on FB, that Steven’s glider is back home from Uvalde ,[ pretty quick!] , with the words;
—” She’s home. After exactly a year the Texas adventure is over. Most epic contest ever.”—

Still get a lot of mails regarding Uvalde as well. So I am still in the mood! And….Steven is right, but he is also still very young, so there might be a few other “EPICS.” Who knows, atleast he has had this one!!!!

Time to “ leave “  Holland soon as we had the first night-frost; -0.3 at the airport of Twenthe in the East from Holland, in the night from Saturday to Sunday. BUT….I depart only on December 29 for Australia, so I have to wait a bit to go back to the nice warm climate. By the way this traler goes to Twenthe and from 45 dgr. to 17 here now.
Even worse; we had the first autumn-storm yesterday. A left-over from Isaac! It really hit. Fantastic old willows did not survive and dropped in a pond in Woerden, where I was to talk and have dinner with Frouwke. She is the organizer from the IGC plenary in March here in THE NETHERLANDS at Papendal [close to Arnheim] !!!!
I was asked to help out with the ladies program, together with Ferdie,  Frouwkes husband, so I hope we will see a lot of the ladies as well. Though it is still early Frouwke has organized the most important things already as accomodation , she is a very good and clever organizer . A bit later you get more info about it. There will be atleast 50 people from different countries to attend the meetings! Looking forward to catch up here in  Holland with a A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS!!!!

Not a lot of soaring this time of the year so I enjoyed looking at  cycling as the World Championships were this year[ last weekend]  in Valkenburg in Holland. The Dutch young lady Marianne Vos, won the title her 2d,  after she was 5 times SECOND!!!! She also won the Olympic title and this seems to be HER year.
Her win was epic and far ahead of the Australian number 2 and Italian number 3[she lost from a few times] and far, far ahead of the rest.
Belgium cyclist Philippe Gilbert won the race for the men. No problem with that though I am more a fan of his country mate Tom Boonen.

Love snooker as well and enjoyed the max break from John Higgins at the Shanghai Masters, playing against Jedd Trump. It was the 6th maximum break in his career; 147!!!!

Got an invitation, PRIVATE -event via FB, [so we don’t go with a few 1000 as what happened in Holland, ]  to participate in another Oktober fest this time NOT in Munich but in Chilhowee, [USA] where Sarah Kelly Arnold is THE FACE.
—” Chilhowee Oktoberfest is always an enjoyable flying and social event. You are invited to be a part of our excitement as we meet to relive the highs of the season, appreciate our racing sailplanes, play with vintage gliders, fly the ridge, and drink in the breathtaking backdrop of autumn in the Tennessee Appalachians.—”
A bit TOO far for me, but nice to receive the invitation and…I will there with them in thoughts!

Sarah and Ritz in Uvalde.

Off to the Southern part of Holland and later Amsterdam. Next soaring-eu  blog will be on Wednesday October 3. SORRY!
See you then with some news from the WWGC in Issoudun, Cheers Ritz