Club Class Nationals/MSC contest, Centennial Park

As early as last Friday the camping ground at Centennial Park was starting to fill up, so now trailers are lining the fenceline, and visitors are taking to the air to familiarise themselves with our Central Plateau playground. One visitor in particular is creating more interest than most, as we are privileged to be hosting the World Gliding Champion, Sebastian Kawa from Poland. Sebastian flew a famil flight with Trev Terry in the Duo Discus on Friday, and finished up doing what very few of the locals can do – flying right around the great Lake Taupo, and around Mt. Ruapehu! Sebastian has very kindly offered to take aspiring competition pilots with him during the contest, so hopefully some of his magic can be passed on, and more pilots will be inspired to fly cross-country.

On Saturday, the first official practice day, the weather was not so good, but it was flyable and several more pilots had a good shake-down flight.

Today, Sunday, again the weather is somewhat average with quite an extensive cloud cover below 4000’, winds gusting quite strongly on the ground and up to 30 or 40 knots aloft, so flying is on a personal preference basis. David Hirst, our brilliant weather-man, pointed out that there could well be wave setting up over the Paeroas, but the wind is starting to shift from the West more towards Southwest which would make it less likely. However he is optimistic about the predicted weather pattern for the next few days, with anti-cyclonic conditions and rising temperatures.

Bring on Day One tomorrow!