Captains Reports

This is a Team shot at the Opening Ceremony, taken with Australia's Ambassador to Germany, Ian Kemish and his wife Roxanne

9th August

There is a Team Cup awarded to the highest placed Nation, based on Rieti and Luesse results. After Day 4 here, Australia is running 7th.

3rd August

The Official Team Captains meeting was well organised with some major changes requested (this late !), but few agreed. Meeting is not much of an avenue for change, with experience so far that direct contact with the relevant official is the way to get results.

Opening Briefing (55minutes-well done ) was an impressive affair with all officials and all Teams introduced. Avery good cheerful spirit all around and a pleasure to be there.

Opening Ceremony in Belzig was a big show and quite exciting. Only upset was the crews were separated off from participation. Presumably because of total numbers, but still a shame. Show pretty well organised.

Ian Kemish and Roxanne are a charming couple who did the official bit then spent an hour or so with the Team having a beer afterwards. Australia's Ambassador was the only one of the Diplomatic Corps to turn up !

First Comp day today, with our pilots on task as I write. Unfortunately John continues to have niggling troubles with his (borrowed ) glider, including this morning. His crew are dealing with this, but hopefully all is OK now. 

Daryl

First Official Practice Day, and a good flying day. It is good to get down to the "fair dinkum "parts of the exercise. Task for the day is a 300km plus with about 100 gliders launching in a clear sky with.

With a forecast chance of bush fires, as I write this the harvesting of the adjacent crop has turned in to an early, unplanned stubble fire. The fire is running down the airfield boundary and passing about 30 m from our Team hut. Very exciting for the locals and very fortunately the wind is blowing in the safe direction. Otherwise ?

All the Team are well and in good spirits.