New-Zealand Team News
Clickhere to read profiles of pilots and team captain
NZ homepage is: http://www.netlink.co.nz/~gliding/
Join team by telephone
The High is moving over the UK and extending a ridge over the task area. Scattered Cu developed around Saint Auban about midday and stayed all day in the light winds.
Briefing this morning was 25 minutes (again, again). As a result of numerous complaints about outlanding certificates and outlanding reports the organisers clarified some of their requirements. On Day 5 Patrick Stouffs (B), 15M Class, stopped 2m SHORT of the finish line mark on the airfield. When his GNSS was checked he was assessed as being 6m PAST the finish line. The organisers have promisied to take more care with the positioning of the white strip used to mark the line.
The met forecaster promised us well marked thermals up to about 9500ft in the valleys and 12500 ft in the high terrain with light northerly winds in the nor-western area and light sou-westerly winds at St Auban and to the east. There was a risk of thunderstorms over the Italian border.
The tasks called were: Open 454 Km; 15M 428 Km, and Standard 396 Km. This time the tasks stretched to the north-east of St Auban with the Open venturing up to Bonneval, 170Km nor-north east of St Auban.
An excellent thermal racing day was enjoyed by all pilots with the Standard having the best of the conditions and all pilots coming home. The slowest Standard Class finisher was Carlos Schmitt (ARG) at 83 kph. In the 15M Class, Patrick Stouffs (B), landed out after 344KM and in the Open three pilots landed out - Robin May (GB), Eric Mozer (USA) and Paul Bourgard (B).
Last night was the New Zealand Night and the land-outs aerotowed home just in time to get the last of the 8000 (yes, eight thousand) lamb chops! A great night was had by all and the apples, kiwi-fruit, lamb chops, and Steinlager went down very well. The NZ Team was warmly applauded at briefing this morning for the party. The French Chef working on the airfield and the German chef crewing for Uli Schwenk helped us cook the chops. Our thanks to ENZA, Zespri, Lowe Walker and Lion Nathan for their magnificent support. Nine 'Teams' performed musical items and the winners - to great acclaim - were deemed, by the Stewards, to be the group from the Czech Republic - a delightful song from Jaroslav Vach's two children (aged 5 and 7)
The Unofficial Results (times taken from the GNSS and with penalties) for Day 6, 7th of July are:.
Standard - Day Results
1st Erik Borgmann (NL) 127.4 kph 1000 pts
2nd Andrew Davis (GB) 126.9 kph 992 pts
3rd Jean-Claude Lopitaux (F) 125.9 kph 977 pts
7th Tony van Dyk 124.0 kph 947 pts
16th John Coutts 119.2 kph 874
Standard - Cumulative Results
1st Jean-Marc Caillard (F) 4944
2nd Jean-Dennis Barrois (F) 4842
3rd Jean-Claude Lopitaux (F) 4715
4th Baer Selen (NL) 4544
5th Peter Hartmann (A) 4496
11th John Coutts 4333
15th Tony van Dyk 4207
15M - Day Results
1st Giorgio Galetto (I) 134.3 kph 1000 pts
2nd Stefano Ghiorzo (I) 133.7 kph 992 pts
3rd Thomas Gostner (I) 132.9 kph 980 pts
15M - Cumulative Results
1st= Werner Meuser (D) 4885
1st= Michael Grund (D) 4885
3rd Giorgio Galetto (I) 4864
4th Eric Napoleon (F) 4847
5th Gilles Navas (F) 4709
Open - Day Results
1st Ron Tabery (USA) 124.8 kph 1000 pts
2nd= Didier Hauss (F) 124.3 kph 994 pts
2nd= Gerard Lherm (F) 124.3 kph 994 pts
Open - Cumulative Results
1st Uli Schwenk (D) 4991
2nd Robert Schroeder (D) 4984
3rd Gerard Lherm (F) 4879
4th Didier Hauss (F) 4870
5th Ron Tabery (USA) 4844
Bob Henderson
WGC.97@wanadoo.fr
Internet pages:
The NZ Team Page is at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/NZ.html>
The Full Results are at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/>
and the NZ homepage is: <http://www.netlink.co.nz/~gliding/>
8 July 1997 (for 7 July)
St Auban Newsletter No. 13
Competition Day No. 5
The Low Pressure continues to move away with the High coming in from the Atlantic. The northerly and bright blue skies greeted us for breakfast and scattered Cu has developed to the east during the morning in a small trough line moving north-south.
Briefing this morning was 25 minutes (again). Pilots were advised that there were numerous errors on yesterdays out-landing reports and that penalties will be applied. A Jury Meeting is scheduled for 7 pm to hear the protest from the Finnish Team.
The met forecaster promised us (more) blue thermals up to about 9000 ft in the high terrain under increasing inversions. The northerly will produce some wave but this will decrease as the wind goes nor-nor-east at mid-altitudes under the influence of the small trough-line. The tasks called were: Open 473 Km; 15M 403 Km, and Standard 389 Km. Again the tasks were all to the north and west of St Auban, as far west as Die and as far north as Briancon but, after yesterday's problems, the final turn points have been moved closer, being only 10 to 15 Km to the south of St Auban.
Also, from yesterday, the first damage of the Championships - but only to aircraft not to pilots. '37', Gerd Spiegelberg (D) landed through a hedge and into a orchard ending up with a broken wing (as reported yesterday). The glider, an LS8a, is already back at the LS factory. Graham White suffered a ground-loop in his landing and has cracked the tail boom extensively as well as suffering damage to the elevator. He is also planning to trailer the aircraft to the LS factory for the repair to enable a new CofA issue and re-entry of the aircraft to NZ. The third reported damage was for Brian Spreckley (GB) who parked his LS8 on a rock when the undercarriage collapsed. The fuselage skin in front of the gear doors was cracked as a result. Brian is still flying.
Other minor damage, skin scratches on wing-tips and gear doors, was also evident on the grid this morning.
Unfortunately for NZ and Germany, both their pilots will be out of the rest of the Championships. Is there something about LS's in this tail?
Sunday night was Bavarian night with free beer, sauerkraut and videos about Bayreuth. NZ night is tomorrow - and that means that ONLY NZ, the USA, Germany and France (Thursday) have put on cultural evenings.
The Unofficial Results (times taken from the GNSS and with penalties)
for Day 4, 6th of July are still a little up in the air. A
number of Team Captains have filed Complaints - for Day 4 - against penalties
imposed for incomplete landing certificates.
:
The Preliminary results for Day 5, yesterday, 7th of July - show a
return to form for John Coutts and a very even days racing with all winners
coming home at around 111kph. The biggest gaggle to finish was also
seen with some 12 or so aircraft converging on the Finish Line. And
Milos Dedera (of "Yellow Pig" fame at Kiwi-Glide) was first in the 15M
Class. Even so there were a total of 16 land-outs, including Guido
Achleitner (STD) and Ingo Renner and Eric Mozer in the Open.
Standard - Day Results
1st Herbert Weiss (D) 113 kph 1000 pts
2nd John Coutts 109 kph 937 pts
3rd Jean-Marc Caillard (F) 108 kph 928 pts
25th Tony van Dyk 89 kph 632 pts
Standard - Cumulative Results
1st Jean-Marc Caillard (F) 3971
2nd Jean-Dennis Barrois (F) 3868
3rd Jean-Claude Lopitaux (F) 3739
4th Peter Hartmann (A) 3625
5th Doug Jacobs (USA) 3593
13th John Coutts 3443
17th Tony van Dyk 3256
15M - Day Results
1st Milos Dedera (CZ) 111 kph 1000 pts
2nd Werner Meuser (D) 110 kph 986 pts
3rd Michael Grund (D) 109 kph 980 pts
15M - Cumulative Results
1st Werner Meuser (D) 3930
2nd Michael Grund (D) 3928
3rd Gilles Navas (F) 3890
4th Eric Napoleon (F) 3886
5th Giorgio Galetto (I) 3859
Open - Day Results
1st= Rudolf Schild (CH) 111.3 kph 1000 pts
1st= Daniel Thut (CH) 111.3 kph 1000 pts
3rd Robert Schroeder (D) 111 kph 996 pts
Open - Cumulative Results
1st Uli Schwenk (D) 4090
2nd Robert Schroeder (D) 4082
3rd Gerard Lherm (F) 3892
4th Didier Hauss (F) 3880
5th Ron Tabery (USA) 3841
Unofficial points for the World Cup up to the 6th of July are:
1st France 3401
2nd Germany 3183
3rd Netherlands 3169
4th USA 3078
5th Italy 3051
10th Australia 2669
13th New Zealand 2546
Bob Henderson
WGC.97@wanadoo.fr
Internet pages:
The NZ Team Page is at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/NZ.html>
The Full Results are at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/>
and the NZ homepage is: <http://www.netlink.co.nz/~gliding/>
6 July 1997
St Auban Newsletter No. 12
Competition Day No. 4
We now have a World Championships - and finally a 1000 point day for all classes.
The Low Pressure has moved into northern Italy and we are between the Low and a High coming in from the Atlantic. The day dawned with a strong northerly wind which has continued all day under clear blue skies. Cumulus has been visible to the north have not moved south, and only weak wave has developed in the stable conditions.
Briefing this morning was 25 minutes. We were told that three ELB(A)'s had been screaming their head's off all night somewhere in the tie-down area - and future offenders were threatened with a fine of a bottle of champagne! Also, the use of French on the finish line radio was banned (and immediately forgotten during the finishes today!) and - the reason for no Unofficial Results for yesterday was revealed - 13 (Yes, thirteen) GNSS loggers had shown start heights above the permitted 3500 metres. We were advised that all loggers and calibrations were being checked and the starts all reviewed. Later in the day the scores were issued, and one pilot was scored zero for being over the start height. The Team has formally complained and we await the possibility of a protest on the decision to decline the complaint.
The met forecaster promised us blue thermals and weak wave in northerly wind conditions with the wind strength decreasing during the day. The tasks called were: Open 509 Km; 15M 469 Km, and Standard 404 Km. This time the tasks were all to the north and west of St Auban, as far west as Die and as far north as Briancon. Unfortunately, as it turned out, the final turn points for all classes were 25, 40 and 18 Km, respectively, to the south of St Auban.
But first the Unofficial Results (times taken from the GNSS and with penalties) for yesterday, 5 July:
Standard - Day Results
1st Jean-Marc Caillard (F) 117 kph 828 pts
2nd Claus Triebel (D) 110 kph 758 pts
3rd Jean-Claude Lopitaux (F) 108 kph 738 pts
19th John Coutts 98 kph 640 pts
26th Graham White 82 kph 484 pts
28th Tony van Dyk 79 kph 447 pts
Standard - Cumulative Results
1st Jean-Marc Caillard (F) 2105
2nd Baer Selen (NL) 2081
3rd Peter Hartmann (A) 2051
4th Guido Achleitner (A) 2047
5th Andrew Davis (GB) 2040
18th John Coutts 1726
22nd Graham White 1694
24th Tony van Dyk 1668
15M - Day Results
1st Thomas Gostner (I) 129.75 kph 860 pts
2nd Regis Kuntz (F) 129.61 kph 858 pts
3rd Eric Napoleon (F) 129.43 kph 856 pts
15M - Cumulative Results
1st Gilles Navas (F) 1997
2nd Eric Napoleon (F) 1995
3rd Fridolin Hauser (CH) 1986
4th Martin Theisinger (D) 1960
5th= Michael Grund (D) 1959
5th= Werner Meuser (D) 1959
Open - Day Results
1st Robin May (GB) 125 kph 1000 pts
2nd Daniel Thut (CH) 118 kph 886 pts
3rd Ingo Renner (AUS) 116 kph 859 pts
Open - Cumulative Results
1st Uli Schwenk (D) 2124
2nd Robert Schroeder (D) 2086
3rd Jan Anderson (DK) 2022
4th Philip Jones (GB) 2019
5th Didier Hauss (F) 2017
And so to today - with most pilots setting off shortly after their start gates were open. Nearly five hours later, under the (finally) hot Mediterranean sun, and after watching models and aerobatics and gliders and generally enjoying the Festival of Provence which came to our airfield, the suggestion was made that some of the gliders were back in radio range and likely to finish.
And so they did, final gliding from the last real ridge-lift climb on the 6000 ft peak, the Lure, just west of St Auban, around the southern turn points and into the strong head-wind to finish. At last count thirteen Open, eleven Standard (who had the least distance to glide out) and only four 15M pilots had finished. The 15M had had a punishing 80 Km to glide through almost flat air after leaving the Lure at 6000 ft (only 4500 ft above St Auban)!
Many choose to terminate their flights at St Auban rather than press to the south. One aircraft was reported as crashing 5 Km south of the airfield and it was some anxious 15 minutes before it was confirmed that the damage was a broken wing (from ending up in an orchard) and that the German pilot was uninjured. And many landed only a few kilometres south of St Auban because they just couldn't find the last few hundred feet required to get home. Both Graham White and John Coutts were amongst those forced to land literally within sight of the airfield.
And so the raw results for today - taken off the computer screens - are:
Standard (404 Km)
1st Gabriel Rossier (CH) 94 kph 1000 pts
2nd Bruce Taylor (AUS) 93 kph 997 pts
6th Tony van Dyk 86 kph 957 pts
12th Graham White 402 Km 813 pts
25th John Coutts 392 Km 791 pts
15M
1st Ake Petterson (S) 86 kph 1000 pts
2nd Giorgio Galetto (I) 85 kph 994 pts
Open
1st Robert Schroeder (D) 102.5 kph 1000 pts
2nd Uli Schwenk (D) 102.4 kph 999 pts
Points for the World Cup have now been produced for up to yesterday
and the cumulative positions, after three days, are:
1st France 2475
2nd Netherlands 2339
3rd Great Britain 2302
4th USA 2268
5th Germany 2260
9th Australia 1950
14th New Zealand 1696
Bob Henderson
WGC.97@wanadoo.fr
Internet pages:
The NZ Team Page is at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/NZ.html>
The Full Results are at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/>
and the NZ homepage is: <http://www.netlink.co.nz/~gliding/>
The Low continues to sit just to the north of us circulating rubbish onto the St Auban area. With a North Atlantic High moving on today the Low is being forced east and we are moving into "Mistral" conditions - or the northerly wave. The wave set up at low altitude mid-morning and stayed all day, but with very wet air 80 Km to the north making flights in the northern Alps unrealistic.
Yesterday Hannes Linke - a Steward again at these championships - was put in the very embarrassing situation of outlanding with the most experienced French pilot here (total gliding 32,000 hours) while on the sniffer flight.
Last night was the USA Independence Day party with something like 700 people there to absolutely demolish the cheeseburgers and chips that Team USA purchased from the MacDonald's outlet in Digne - 26 Km away. A good night was had by all and the first World Paper Glider Championships were successfully completed.
Briefing this morning took 20 minutes and the only contentious issue was the fact that an ELB(A) - required fit to all competition gliders - had been screaming it's head off all night somewhere in the tie-down area!
The met forecaster promised us wave to 14,000 feet with conditions improving during the day. Tasks of 340 to 410 Km were set going as far north as Gap.
The launch was then delayed as everyone watched a wall of cloud forming on the high ground to the north of the airfield. Task B was called for the Open Class - and then for the Standard and 15M, and then task C was called for the Standard - while they were still handing out task sheets for task B! The launch was finally away at 14:00 into an improving sky with a reported 14 kts climb from the sniffer. All three classes now had task B - the Standard Class not having to change again because the organisers had successfully negotiated additional vertical airspace, south of St Auban, to enable the wave to be used.
The tasks were, in order of launch:
Open - 385 Km; Standard - 301 Km; 15M - 344 Km. All had multiple legs going south then north then south again for the final glide. The Standard Class had the only truly into wind section on leg 4 and this push into a stiff northerly was reflected in their speeds.
A few Open Class aircraft got low after the start, and two 15M ships landed for relights, but otherwise everyone climbed up and away for their starts. The strength of the wave prompted some - especially 15M - to elect to start late, but this was no an advantage in the end.
Again the tasks were undercalled for the conditions with the Standard completing in 2hr 34 and 15M in 2 hr 39. The 15M Class set a blistering pace making the most of their cross-wind legs in the wave, however, seven Standard Class pilots landed out, with distances ranging from 120 Km to 227 Km. Both Australian pilots, John Buchanan and Bruce Taylor, were amongst the seven who fell to earth.
John, Graham and Tony had their share of grief with John misjudging his final glide and Graham and Tony getting caught low on the into wind leg.
In the Open Class Robin May smoked the others by 7 kph to take the first 1000 point day of the championships (3hr 05). Also of interest in the Open Class is the performance of Ingo Renner who is flying an ASW26E (without the motor!) - but this is an 18M aircraft flying against the likes of Uli's 27M Nimbus.
The Preliminary Results (raw times from pilot start-times and manual finish line) for the day are:
Standard - Day Results
1st Jean-Marc Calliard (F) 117 kph 831 pts
2nd Claus Triebel (D) 109 kph 755 pts
3rd Jean-Claude Lopitaux (F) 108 kph 739 pts
4th Jean-Dennis Barrois (F) 107 kph 729 pts
5th Erik Borgmann (NL) 106 kph 719 pts
19th John Coutts 98 kph 634 pts
27th Graham White 82 kph 473 pts
29th Tony van Dyk 79 kph 435 pts
Standard - Cumulative Results
1st Jean-Marc Caillard (F) 2108
2nd Baer Selen (NL) 2079
3rd= Guido Achleitner (A) 2048
3rd= Peter Hartmann (A) 2048
5th Jean-Claude Lopitaux (F) 2014
19th John Coutts 1720
24th Graham White 1683
25th Tony van Dyk 1656
15M - Day Results
1st Regis Kuntz (F) 128.98 kph 866 pts
2nd= Thomas Gostner (I) 128.95 kph 866 pts
2nd= Fridolin Hauser (CH) 128.95 kph 866 pts
4th Eric Napoleon (F) 128.76 kph 864 pts
5th Gilles Navas (F) 128.69 kph 863 pts
15M - Cumulative Results
1st Gilles Navas (F) 2004
2nd Eric Napolean (F) 2003
3rd Fridolin Hauser (CH) 1999
4th= Michael Grund (D) 1981
4th= Werner Meuser (D) 1981
Open - Day Results
1st Robin May (GB) 124 kph 1000 pts
2nd Daniel Thut (CH) 118 kph 893 pts
3rd Ingo Renner (AUS) 116 kph 862 pts
4th Philip Jones (GB) 114 kph 842 pts
5th Gerard Lherm (F) 112 kph 805 pts
Open - Cumulative Results
1st Uli Schwenk (D) 2125
2nd Robert Schroeder (D) 2087
3rd Didier Hauss (F) 2037
4th Jan Anderson (DK) 2024
5th Ingo Renner (AUS) 2018
The points for the World Cup are rather confused at the moment as not all classes flew on the last three days and the results after today have not yet been computed.
And so, as France and Germany consolidate themselves at the top of the scoresheets we now look forward to three days of good flying.
Bob Henderson
WGC.97@wanadoo.fr
Internet pages:
The NZ Team Page is at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/NZ.html>
The Full Results are at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/>
and the NZ homepage is: <http://www.netli
This morning dawned with promise that quickly turned to concern as thunderstorm developed just east of St Auban. Fortunately we were only treated to the light and sound show and not the accompanying rain or winds.
Briefing at 10:30 was short with a re-brief called for 12:30 after the Met briefer described the frontal lines crossing us were expected to provide a brief opportunity to fly during the afternoon.
At 12:30 the satellite picture showed a clearance approaching from the west followed by more frontal activity. The Standard Class was cancelled for the day and the 15M and Open Classes told they would receive a task, on the grid, at 13:15 with first launch at 13:45.
The tasks were set to the south-west, then east, north and wets to St Auban; 188 Km for the Open Class and 170 Km for the 15M Class.
By the time launching started it was apparent that the launch was already at least 30 minutes late. By the time the 15M gate was open the sky was booming. Now the choice became one of how long to wait to use the very best of the conditions for a very short race.
Most started together and in no time they were racing back through the Finish Gate in a steady stream of fibreglass and waterballast. Except for Sebastian Kawa (PL), flying an ASH25 - competition no. 'LOT' who elected to not finish, but to restart and chance his arm at flying faster in a powerful, Cu filled sky.
The unofficial results show, for the Open Class:
1st Gilbert Gerbaud (F) 128.9 kph 383 pts 1 hr 28
2nd Didier Hauss (F) 128.4 kph 380 pts
3rd Robert Schroder (D) 127.3 kph 374 pts
4th Uli Schwenk (D) 126.5 kph 369 pts
5th Gerard Lherm (F) 125.9 kph 365 pts
with Cumulative points being Schwenk 1330, Schroeder 1291, Anderson (DK) 1271, Tabery (USA) 1260, and Hauss 1232.
And for the 15M Class:
1st Michael Grund (D) 138.8 kph 290 pts 1 hr 13
2nd Werner Meuser (D) 138.1 kph 287 pts
3rd Justin Wills (GB) 137.9 kph 286 pts
4th Patrick Stouffs (B) 137.5 kph 285 pts
5th Ake Pettersson (S) 137.1 kph 283 pts
with Cumulative points being Galetto (I) 1153, Grund 1149, Meuser 1147, Gourdriaan (SAF) 1146, and Ittner (USA) 1144 and Raimond (NL) 1144.
Today was a day for the team flyers, and of course hindsight - being perfect - says that the day was seriously undercalled with the good weather continuing until dark!
There are no Team Cup scores for other than the first day.
Other gossip -
Yesterday at the OSTIV Opening Dave Ellis of Cambridge was awarded a special OSTIV Prize for the development of the sealed flight verification GNSS system for sailplanes. In his acceptance speech Dave specifically acknowledged the support, encouragement and assistance provided by John Roake and Bernard Smith.
And Team USA have a 'Sports Psychologist' with them. Bob Leve (his team jacket says 'Crazy Bob') is a clinical psychologist, specialising in Child psychology, and with a background in cycle racing.
For tomorrow the weather looks good, and it looks even better for Sunday and Monday.
Bob Henderson
WGC.97@wanadoo.fr
Internet pages:
The NZ Team Page is at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/NZ.html>
The Full Results are at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/>
and the NZ homepage is: <http://www.netlink.co.nz/~gliding/>
1 July 1997
Saint Auban Newsletter No. 8
Competition Day No. 2
A fine start to the day with low cloud on the high terrain rapidly burning off. By launch time there was some overdevelopment in the Durance valley, where St Auban lies, and even a few spots of rain to wash the dust off the wings of those at the back of the grid. Good thermal conditions were present all afternoon with areas of over-development around the task.
Of interest around the field are the number of people wearing gear from Omarama 1995, including the Stewards, Tapio and Hannes who are wearing their Omarama uniforms. Team Austria are also very obvious in their Omarama T-Shirts. Team NZ look good in their uniform, as do the other eleven teams who have uniforms. The most colourful must be South Africa who have the colours of their new National flag as the basis for their track suits. The French do not have uniforms for any of their staff.
The Unofficial Results for yesterday (after analysis of the GNSS data and addition of penalties) give:
1st John Coutts Discus A 94.90 kph 694 pts
2nd Tony van Dyk LS 8 92.90 kph 669 pts
3rd Guido Achleitner (A) ASW 24 92.36 kph 662 pts
4th Graham White LS 8 92.16 kph 660 pts
5th Peter Hartman (A) LS 8 90.80 kph 643 pts
6th Doug Jacobs (US) LS 8a 90.50 kph 640 pts
7th Asko Pankka (FIN) Discus A 90.38 kph 638 pts
8th Dominique Bonniere (CDN) ASW 24 89.44 kph 623 pts
9th Ole Aske (N) LS 7 WL 89.07 kph 622 pts
10th Martyn Wells (GB) LS 8 89.03 kph 621 pts
Achleithner has 1 penalty point for overspan and Bonniere 2 penalty points for overspan.
Graham was, unfortunately, 18 seconds slower than Guido on the GNSS times and so moved from his initial 3rd to 4th.
Briefing started at 10:30, and was finished at 11:00. John Coutts was welcomed to the front of the briefing hall to generous applause from all present to claim his first place award.
A few matters of house-keeping and then, to the disbelief of the assembled pilots, the air traffic co-ordinator stated that a 2.5 Km no-fly zone had been established around Gap airfield 40 Km north of St Auban and that, if a pilot was to land there, they would "be out of the competition!".
The sensitivity with Gap is because of the intensive parachuting there and the fact that a fatal accident involving a mid-air between a parachutist and a glider occurred last year adjacent to Gap. The glider pilots have been charged with 'accidental manslaughter' and the case went in front of the Magistrate last week. Jacky Clairbaux, amongst others, presented evidence in defence of the glider pilots. The Magistrate has reserved his decision on whether a case has to be answered.
The air trafficker's statement was overturned by the Championship Director as meaning that the pilot would have landed out for the day - which of course is the result of landing!
And to overturn a couple of my comments yesterday - firstly Tony van Dyk is from Lower Hutt not Upper Hutt, and secondly, in my enthusiasm I overlooked the performance of our Open Class pilots at Omarama during the 1995 Worlds. My apologies to Ray, Theo and Grae - the oversight was not intentional.
So to the weather situation - the low pressure system still persisting over north France, but the upper level flow is reducing to 30 kts and a window of relatively fine conditions will cover the Immediate St Auban area for the day with thermals to 6000 ft and broken Cu clearing to scattered Cu during the day.
Task A only was set for each class - all going about 70 Km south-east, then 60 Km west, 100 Km north and finally south-east again to the final turning points 20 to 30 Km to the east of St Auban for a finish towards the south-west.
The actual distances being: Standard - 274 Km, 15M - 312 Km, and Open - 350 Km.
Briefing was over at 11:00 and the first launch started exactly at 13:15 with the 15M Class followed by the Standard and then Open. The launch took exactly 61 minutes and there were three landbacks with gliders being caught in localised showers at their drop point.
Timing proved to be the order of the day - and like all things - a great leveller. All three tasks were completed in under three hours with the fastest finishers in the Standard Class coming home in 2 hours 26 minutes. In such short tasks missing one climb or getting held up for even a few minutes has a very adverse effect - and all Classes points were devalued.
And so today Team New Zealand was gently nudged down the scoresheet as a steady stream of gliders came home between 17:30 and 18:30. The preliminary scores for the day show:
Standard Class
1st Baer Selen (NL) 112 kph 778 pts
2nd Doug Jacobs (USA) 112 kph 778 pts
3rd Herbert Weiss (D) 110 kph 748 pts
28th Tony van Dyk 96 kph 562 pts
29th Graham White 95 kph 560 pts
37th John Coutts 83 kph 394 pts
15 M
1st Laurens Goudriaan (SAF) 113 kph 905 pts
2nd Giorgio Galetto (I) 113 kph 902 pts
3rd Eric Napolean (F) 112 kph 881 pts
Open
1st Uli Schwenk (D) 120 kph 966 pts
2nd Robert Schroeder (D) 117 kph 918 pts
3rd Jan Anderson (DK) 117 kph 918 pts
Despite the conditions, not all made it safely home with Ole Aske (N), Standard, landing out after 90 Km andDick Bradley (SAF), 15M, landing out after only 24 Km
On the cumulative scores (Standard Class only of course) the results are now very close.
1st Doug Jacobs 1418 pts
2nd Baer Selen 1396 pts
3rd Peter Hartmann (A) 1371 pts
15th Tony van Dyk 1231 pts
20th Graham White 1220 pts
26th John Coutts 1088 pts
At this stage there have not been any points produced for the World Cup scores - maybe tomorrow.
Bob Henderson
NZ Team Page is at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/NZ.html>
Full Results are at <http://wwwperso.hol.fr/~wgc/>
Visit Philippe de Péchy's "Vol à Voile" (Soaring) server : infos, ad's, glider pictures, GPS turnpoints coordinates, competitions results and an unofficial ranking of all glider pilots in the world.
| Other sites of soaring interest :
|
 |
| Web page by Denis
Flament (from Nogaro
aeroclub)
consulted updated : Jun-97 |