The BGA (British Gliding Association) is doing a great job in sharing a new video about outlandings. To give it more attention I do so too. It’s already shared more, also on YouTube, but it’s worthwhile to bring this under everybody’s attention.

http://www.gliding.co.uk/bgainfo/competitions/fieldlanding.htm

—“We are delighted to announce that a new video, sponsored by the Ted Lysakowski Memorial Trust and covering all aspects of the field selection and landing process, is now available.

You can view the entire 47 minute video online; alternatively individual chapters in HD can be viewed.

The chapter headings are:
Chapter 1 – Introduction; The process of field selection; Size, slope, surface
Chapter 2 – Obstacles on the approach; The effect of wind; The biggest is not always the best!
Chapter 3 – Slope: identifying and dealing with it…
Chapter 4 – Surface, early spring to mid-season; Whats growing, can we land on it?; Winter and spring cereal crops; Tram-lines and tractor wheelings; Oil-seed rap; Introducing grass fields.
Chapter 5 – Grass for silage, hay and pasture.
Chapter 6 – Horses, stud farms and gallops; Sheep; Cattle and stock-fences; Identifying fences and avoiding landing across colour changes
Chapter 7 – Overhead wires; Spotting the poles; Approaching harvest
Chapter 8 – Harvest time, stubble and straw; Random tractor tracks; Land along the direction of cut; After the harvest; Happy landings—“

It is fantastic to see how the Trust called after Ted Lysakowski is used for educative and important information to ALL glider pilots world wide on an item everybody can learn from.

I got to know the Lysakowski family in Rieti during the WGC in 1985. One day Ted outlanded somewhere in the middle of nowhere and we could not give any help to his wife waiting in the centre of a small town. On our way back in the early morning she was still waiting for news not knowing where to go.

Ted died a couple of years ago in a mid-air collision. Only a few months ago daughter Karen died at the age of 43 due to lung cancer but she herself always stated that she died from toxic fumes in the cockpit. She was an airline captain for BA. One of her mates , Richard Westgate, flying in the same company, died as well, also at 43 . He has donated his body to medical science to find the true reason of their death.

The EGC in Vinon was exciting and nailbiting, certainly on the last day.
In 15 m, Christophe Ruch won 6 out of 9 days and on the last day he “lost it” to his French mate Louis Bouderlique, who after the same start time was about four minutes faster with his finish and ended in spot 2. Pair flying every day and on the last day “the best” wins.

Spot 3 was claimed by another French pilot, JD Barrois, so we can talk about the three musketeers. Though the difference in points between the first 2 (7499 and 7476) and number 3 is big (6944) and with number 4—Phil Jones from the UK—it was more than 1000 points (6384); AMAZING!

In 18 m, French pilot Didier Hauss was still number one overall on day seven. On the days before, he and Christophe Cousseau started together; however, on day eight Christophe started 21 minutes EARLIER than Didier and won the day, while Didier dropped overall to number two and Sebastian made his way to the top spot.

On the last day it was worse. Didier outlanded and dropped from 2 to 5 and Christophe from 3 to 2.
Admiring the French pair-flying and keeping an eye on that technique for years, thinking it belongs to the best in the world, HERE something went wrong. Very interested to know what?! And this morning, I found out what went wrong by reading the summary of day nine as seen by Sebastian’s father, Thomasz.

–“To bylo velmi dramatycke.” (“It was really dramatic”)

Yesterday was something of an emotional rollercoster, but life has more suspense and surprises than Alfred Hitchcock could ever hope to come up with. The plan was simple. Sebastian was to keep his ambitions on a very short leash and leave at the best time. We have calculated that for the 407 km… task this time would come between 14:30 and 14:45 accepting giving up 3 to 4 minutes to the rivals. We came to an agreement with our southern neighbours to fight together to hold our places in the table. It turned out that the white-red-blue HQ had exactly the same judgement of the weather situation and tactical goals. The weather was great with visibility typical for Polar circle so the usual pre start dance did not take place. The French run away and were caught by the first mountain range. Didier and Sebastian were uncontested so they could do a lap of honour but it does not work like this with the alphas. In the Morgon region clouds spilled out and suppressed the lift. Everyone had a different way of dealing with the situation. They spread out over Durace valley by Gap and Sisteron. For the next two sections the weather was capricious ut over Morgon Sebastian caught up with a group marked by Cousseau’s tracker. Dider did not have one on this day. Turning point was set at behind the lake deeper in the valley. It is common knowledge that in such a pipe one can meet only devil playing with winds so everyone after the turn made a random escape.The Cousseau group went north with the wind to look for support on the slopes of Ecrines. Sebastian decided to go back straight to Morgon, which some minutes before offered excellent lift. There is a reason local pilots show respect to this place. Although the western slope was exposed to the Sun and perpendicular to the wind it welcomed Sebastian with sink instead of lift. The reason was quite simple. It was here where the convergence area was starting and clouds kept on forming all day which prevented the rocks from warming up and only from time to time the stone giant was giving salutary breaths.
The boy was having a hard time for a long time by the rocks to no avail and when it started to get really nasty as the stone rubble at the foot of the mountain was getting dangerously close he decided to fly towards the river valley by Gap. Literally a few minutes after his departure the slopes began to work and saved from great trouble Jarek Tomana. Sebastian made a save, little rocks at Durance did not fail him but he no onger could count on the bottle of wine for winning the day.

It also seemed that his golden medal was growing more and more pale. We were surprised though not to see Didier Hauss at the finish line. Would he have landed at another part of this huge airfield and stashed the glider in one of the hangars? It turned out that the pressure had its effect. When the initial group fell apart Sebastian kept his emotions in line and saved on height. He could not be persuaded by a Czech colleague to jump to usually excellent Pic de Bure and he laboriously worked through not to impressive thermals under weak clouds. Didier pushed on forward as the conditions seemed excellent and… he had to pay a visit Ohlmann at his airfield. This news did not really make us happy as the day was drawing to its close and we still havent heard from Mirek. He did not answer theradio, his cell phone was silent, he had no tracker, SPOT was not on. The organisers shared our fears and started to get the rescue team ready. Nice. Would it be a deja vu from a few days before? When we joined the rescue activites right before the sunset Mirek’s engine roared over the airfield. Sebastian saved his first place.

PS
You cheered Riabczansky in Argentina. This time all eastern Europe teams kept their fingers crossed for Sebastian. Rascvietali yabloni i grushy, poplyli tumany nad ryekoy…Pazdravlayu !
Tomasz Kawa

So Sebastian  won by consistent flying, being 4th and 2nd on days 1 and 2. Then first on days 3 , 4 and 5, 10th on day 6 , 2nd on day 7 and 3rd on day 8 and 4th on day 9.  Christophe, in second place, got the silver and Roman Mracek—always to be found in the top—the bronze.

 

Sebastian the well deserved EGC champion 2013.
courtesy as shared on FB.

In open class Michael Sommer in  the EB 29 was the best combination. In his track Marcus Frank in the Quintus M flew to a 3d spot overall. Different “flying-together ” here with the German team, as Marcus always started first with Stephan Beck in  the ASW 22 BLE and with those long wings Michael could follow quickly and all 3 rushed over the task area helping each other with info as much as possible. Stephan outlanded on day 6 whilst Michael and Marcus had the day win and runner up spot. He lost more than 400 points that day.
In the end Stephan ended on spot 9.
French pilot Killian Walbrou , with 8 m. span less than the EB 29, was the runner up in the JS 1 C. GOOD on him! A very nice young guy who I met already earlier in JWGC’s and other CAT 1 comps.

Killian, Michael and Marcus the best in open class.
Picture courtesy German site.

An interesting EGC, sadly with a black edge. Now the EGC for the smaller “ships” is about to begin! I really wish and hope with no fatal accidents!!!!!!!!

For all the news on the EGC in more detail, you can read www.soaring.eu

Cu next week cheers Ritz