Public Library in Tocumwal on January 10 2013

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

2 Blogs today one written by Antti Lehto , about his “mate” Markku Kuittinen and this  one about yesterday , when I just enjoyed a busy social-day-off- from gliding.

The Finnish friends always have been very close to me. Maybe because I spend quite some time at Räyskälä .The words Antti uses are straight from the heart and memory!!

5 Of my friends having an early breakfast at the Pavilion with me.
Margie, Gina, Lesley , Deslee and Jill.

Yesterday the cool change came trough and it was about 20 dgr. in the early morning when the 6 of us had  a nice  champagne breakfast. It was however SOOOO cold!!! You might think it would be a welcome change to the over 40-dgr.-days this week, but no I do not like it , even as too cold cars and rooms.And…even my 5 Aussie friends were not “amused” with the low temperature, but we stuck to our idea having breakfast on the first floor of the Pavilion overlooking the Mighty Murray River. Straight after,… morning coffee and tea till 1.
And at 2PM,  a great movie called The Way by Emilio Estevez with Martin Sheen and Dutch movie star [but I never heard from him before] Yoric van Wageningen.

After the movie straight to the beach again with friends Julian and Vanessa and their 3 “kids”. Very pleasant again on the river, very sophisticated as well, with bubbles and sushi, homemade by Vanessa and great quality! Overlooked by a nice koala high up in the tree. Finished the day with a nice walk , finally a good temperature for a walk and meeting 14 kangaroos, all sitting in the grass at the cemetary.

Booked in via my friend Jo, for a night in Benalla to be part of the last day and prize giving of the 51 thiest multi class nationals. Told you already about the marginal conditions that day here in Tocumwal, with the high fire danger rating. Was a bit amazed to see pilots had to fly to Finley about 20 k to the N from here. But they had not too much problems as I noticed Lars got the 1000 points that day and a few less flying to Finley again on day 2 in open class.
Tom claffey is on top in the 18 m. class after 2 days.
Day 3 is on today and in standard and 15 m. they cancelled day 2.

In Chaves the standard class pilots had 4 days out of 4 but all pretty marginal,  with not a day with 1000 points. Sebastian Kawa was 4, 7, 8 and 1 on those days and is overall on spot 2 , with only 3 points behind Mario Kiesling the German pilot who won in Holland the very first junior World Comps.
In club class 3 days have been flown and I was pleased to see Sarah on spot 11 overall from 41 pilots in her class . Tim from Holland is on spot 2 just behind local Argentinian pilot Santiago Berca.
In PW 5 class another Argentinian pilot tops the list overall after 3 days and good to see Aussie kilometer eater Allan Barnes on spot 8 now from 23. Allan only had the choise,  as I heard to fly a PW 5.

On the OLC , I see only happy pilots from Lasham flying all those long  flights, all over 1000 km. Guess the wine [one glass] to celebrate was on the table every day!!!So it should !
Till now Chris Starkey flew 4x over 1000, Roy did 3, Patrick flew 4,  as well as Andy.
My Belgium friends Bert sr.and Hilde flew 3 till now.
What about Reinhard Schramme flying in the ARCUS a distance of 1.335 km. with 140 km./h.
Impressive, also the ARCUS flight from Kiripotib nearly 1300 km. by a Polish pilot, nearly would say who else? Those Polish pilots are getting better and stronger every day.

Over the Argentinian mountains 2 over 2000 km. flights in wave. Finally another top day there! One flight 2.182 km. with 178 km. /h. Impressive!

5 PM; Back at the airfield where 2 ” gaggles ” of gliders from the Nationals in Benalla are passing by. The smaller ones had as one of the TP’s Finley and the bigger ones Berrigan. I hear the pilots from Toc arriving at the field, Pam, Gerrit, Butch, UE and more.
It seems some pilots from the multi class nationals have landed as well.
Tomorrow seems another good and hot day so let’s see what it will bring. Will be here in the morning.

Cheers Ritz