16th FAI European Gliding Championships: a contest day at last!

With no flying since Tuesday of last week - you cant count the 40 minutes or so that some were in the air on Sunday - there has finally been a contest day at the 16th FAI European Gliding Championships in Nitra this 26th July. The World Class was sorely in need of a second day having one less than the other three classes and today, with 7 out of 11 home, that has been achieved. Most of the Club Class are back too. All of the two seaters made it home from their 126.5km three-point polygon. The weather window was very small indeed, starting with dark overcast in the morning, cool temperatures too. Then a gradual opening of the clouds to reveal a glimmer of sun and some rich cumulus. By the time the startlines opened though, rain was spitting on the starters with the best conditions just beyond reach. Tasks were short and winners collected only around 300 points of the perfect 1000 but in a summer like this, you have to snatch what you can and everyone is pleased to have had a chance to run off some energy doing what they came for - flying a task. Those who landed out foundered very early and so retrieves were mercifully brief. The results are still being fine-tuned so please refer to the competition website later.