2012 Provence Glide

2012 Provence Glide, preparation event for the 2013 European Gliding Championships, was held recently, concurrently with France’s 15m National Championship at Vinon-sur-Verdon in south east France. As well as French contenders and foreign pilots hoping to be selected next year, there were a number of well-known names getting in some practice before setting off for next month’s World Gliding Championships, in Uvalde, Texas, USA.

This capricious Spring, Vinon, like everywhere else in Europe, got a very mixed bag of weather that made task-setting tricky.

Puzzled Met man

Some pilots even landed out before the start lines were opened, which takes some explaining.

DID he or DIDn't he ?

Director Régis Kuntz and his staff nevertheless managed to achieve 6 competition days

And lent a hand where necessary

Top 3 in the 15m Class: Christophe Ruch (F), Louis Bouderlique (F), Sebastien Kawa (PL).

18m Class: Kilian Walbrou (F), Didier Hauss (F), Gilles Navas (F).

The Open Class was won by Bostjan Pristavec of Slovenia, with Stephan Bech (Germany) second and dual pilots JM Savoie and B. Jonery (Lyon, France) third.

Full daily and overall results may be found here.