USA Soaring Team - Rieti, Italy 2008: July 14, 2008--Competition Day 7

Monday, July 14, 2008

July 14, 2008--Competition Day 7

Yesterday was our rest day. Some of the folks went to Rome and some to Terminillo and some stayed put. I received a text message about 12:30pm from the organizers that there was a strong possibility of thunderstorms and hail in the area that evening. Giorgio, Edoardo, and I, along with Francois and Dottie helped get all of the gliders in their trailers. The hail did not materialize here at the airport, but we had some in the early evening at Contigliano.

Today's weather started out being fairly questionable. Enough so that there were no task sheets until a second briefing at 12:30. We had lingering clouds from the storms yesterday, and the forecast was for cloud bases at 1700 meters. Winds were forecast at 30 knots. At the final briefing tasks were handed out and all pilots were on a 3 hout TAT to the south, then the north..... The launch started at 13:30 and all of our pilots were on course by 15:36. We had reports of 5 knot wave over the end of the runway and I believe everyone got into the wave. Today was one of the first with an altitude start height--2800 meters--and a number of pilots exceeded that altitude prior to the start. We have no speed limit through the start gate, so as you can imagine, we had some high speeds crossing the line!

Francois just anounced his finish and it appears he may be several minutes under time. We are awaiting news from the rest of the team. Since the tasks took the pilots across Rieti Valley on more than one occasion, we have heard more talk from the pilots. It appears as if all are doing ok.

The crew members are also working quite hard preparing for tonight's Internatonal dinner. Gigi is making an artichoke dip, Carolyn a cracker dip and I plan on picking up some pizza from Orlando at his Pizzeria. We also plan to have wine and Coca-Cola. Sort of a hodgepodge!!

I just a call from CG who landed just a few miles from the airport. Paul is on his way to get him. Pat and Jonathan have landed and we are just waiting for Manfred and Mark.

More later

Richard

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Richard Maleady - Team Captain

Richard (60) began soaring a bit later in life - in 1989 - but has accumulated 1600 hours in gliders. He soloed in a 2-33 at Bermuda High Soaring in Chester, SC. He is a retired General Contractor in North and South Carolina and operated his own business in Charlotte, NC for 14 years. Currently he flies his Ventus 2cxT out of Bermuda High Soaring (now outside Lancaster, SC) where he served as club president for two years. He is also a member of the New Castle, VA Soaring Club. Richard began competing about six years ago and has participated in numerous regionals as well as 7 National Contests. He served as the US Team Captain for the 2007 JWGC in Rieti.

Chip Garner

Chip Garner (55) got the soaring bug early and soloed at age sixteen at Hemet in California. Since then he has put on over 3500 gliding hours, competed in over 35 national contests frequently placing in the top three. Chip's recent wins include the 1999 Standard Class, 2001 Open Class and 2005 and 2006 Standard Class. Attracted to competitive soaring for the competitive outlet it provides and the intense mental challenge, Chip has represented the U.S. on three previous world teams. Living in Santa Fe New Mexico, Chip's local field of Moriarty provides excellent conditions. Moriarty based Albuquerque Soaring Club is first in the world in the OLC (Online Contest) League and forth in the OLC Classic. Working as a sailplane instrument designer, Chip has been able to develop some of the most compelling new instrument technologies found in most competitive cockpits. Beyond competitive soaring Chip is a member of the Albuquerque Soaring Club and holds a seat on the SSA Board of Directors. Chip will be flying a Discus 2 in Italy. Chip is looking forward to being part of a winning team and the competitive challenge Italy presents.

Mark Keene

Mark Keene started his flying career by flying gliders at age 11 and soloing on his 14th birthday at a small airport near Dallas, Texas. He currently flies the Airbus 320 series aircraft for US Airways. Many of his 2500 glider hours were flown in the Schweizer 1-26 and included 11 nationals (with one win and numerous top three finishes), earning the Barringer Trophy for distance flights, a Gold badge with 2 Diamonds and several state records. Since acquiring his Discus 2 he’s flown 8 Standard Class Nationals, winning in 2004 and placing in the top 5 several times. Mark is a member of The Texas Soaring Association (TSA) and currently flies at Ridge Soaring in Pennsylvania. He lives in State College, PA with his wife Rosalie, (who also soloed on her 14th birthday), and three children, Austin 7, Sophia 6 and Forrest age 3. He’s served on the Board at TSA and is a past Chairman of the SSA Club and Chapter Committee. Mark really looks forward to the highly technical aspect of flying at Rieti. “Flying in the Ridge Soaring and Mifflin area is a good warm-up for Italy”, he says.

Jonathan Gere

Jonathan Gere (48) has been flying gliders since soloing a SGS 2-33 at age fourteen. Since then he has accumulated 3200 hours in the cockpit and flown in eleven US Nationals. As an Electrical Engineer living in Camp Hill Pennsylvania, Jonathan is a former 33 year member of the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association (MASA). Soaring is definitely a family affair with his wife Gigi, sister and nephews all being glider pilots. A good example of give back, Jonathan has served as Regional line crew, operations director, scorer; and as club Director, Vice President and Task Day Chairman. Heading for Italy Jonathan will be flying a Standard Cirrus and competing with pilots from around the world in a legendary contest arena. His wife Gigi will be crewing for him.

Manfred Franke

Manfred Franke comes from a well-known soaring family, his first glider ride was likely pre-natal but try as he might, the controls could not be reached, so this time could not be logged. He soloed in 1968 at the age of 17, accumulating some 2000 hours since then. The Ionia non-club, in Michigan, that well known incubator of cross country and competition pilots been the site of honing skills with and against some top notch pilots for the last twenty five years, all of whom enjoy flying to Mt. Pleasant and wave. He has flown in several National Championships, with top five finishes in three of them, and has had the honor of being a member of the club class team representing the United States in Norway. He holds US Diamond Badge Number 718 and has won Michigan's Ward Mayrand Trophy for the past eight years.

Francois Pin

François started soaring at age 13 in the French Alps. Now 52 years old, he lives in Knoxville, Tennessee where he works as a research scientist at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He was the program chairman of the 1999 SSA Convention in Knoxville, has written several articles for Soaring magazine, owns a PW-5 and an ASW-27, has logged about 3,000 hours in gliders, has flown in 16 U.S. Nationals and has been a member of the U.S. Team four times. He enjoys the particular strategies and challenges of racing in the one-design World Class. His wife Dottie has been an always-encouraging and gracious crew for his long flights on the Appalachian Ridges for several southeastern distance records and his 1000 Km diploma, and for many contests over the World. She is looking forward to crewing at the events in Rieti and to supporting top performance of the Team.

Pat Tuckey

Airline pilot Pat Tuckey has accumulated an estimated 1,700 total gliding hours since his solo at age 16. Now 48, Pat lives in Fort Worth Texas and is a member of the Texas Soaring Association (TSA). Pat has flown in 14 US National Championships including 6 1-26 championships. Pat has been World Class National Champion four times including the last three in a row and a remarkable four time 1-26 National Champion. Pat has held both World and National speed records for 100k and 300k in the World Class. Pat is looking forward to the World Class competition in Italy. Pat say's it best, "Competitive soaring provides a unique blend of challenges and benefits, which I have not found in any other activity. There is almost no experience as emotionally "high" as climbing out above one of your competition while you fly on to finish the course, and there is no "low" to match watching one of your rivals climb above while you sit in a field in the middle of nowhere wondering how you are going to get home. And yet, no matter how keen the competition in the air, on the ground soaring builds a camaraderie that is second to none. Whenever I have seen anyone have a problem at a contest, one of his or her soaring friends is willing to help out with a loan of equipment, a helping hand, expert advice, or whatever else is needed."