The reality of a Gliding Championship

The National Gliding Championships has just been held in Taupo, New Zealand, with some of the most tricky conditions seen in a championships for a long time. Ride along on two of the contest days to see what it's like to race gliders hundreds of kilometres.
Glider Photos credit: Brian Gray
Contest results: www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/202...
Flight one: www.weglide.org/flight/360215
Flight two: www.weglide.org/flight/360558
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00:00 Airshow?!
02:03 Flying to a landout
06:18 The awesome convergence task
11:15 Convergence analysis
14:17 PureTrack.io

[@SteFly]

This convergence line was incredible. With nearly no sun on the ground it would have been very hard to finish the task.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah exactly right! Let’s just say the tasking team was very relieved the convergence was there as predicted :)

[@GC987]

I reflect how your commentary and graphics are far, far superior than in your early videos. Now it's possible to feel we are with you as you describe things like : "at this control point you're about to see me turn left". Great stuff & well done !

[@PureGlide]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

[@aim2helpU]

A bit of nostalgia for me. I flew hang gliders in the North Island and had an old hot 15-meter glider in which I occasionally won the open class in the nationals at Omarama. ZK -ES Lots of memories of flying with Ray Lynskey and Terry Delore. I also had share in a twin Astaire ZK-KX which used to hold the world distance record for a twin-seat glider. I often did 1000 km plus flights in her while training students in the art of racing gliders. Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[@PureGlide]

Glad you enjoyed it! Terry actually flew up in his Dynamic to visit during this comp

[@davidnickisson2555]

KX is now our club glider at the Marlborough Gliding Club!

[@utbdoug]

I used to love following cloud streets when I was in England. No ridges and no wave around there, so it was just purely what scrap you could find! Great video, was really good to see some soaring!

[@PureGlide]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

[@Indecisive7337]

Great stuff, I’ve not been Gliding for some 35 years now so watching your flight was smashing! Many thanks for sharing.

[@PureGlide]

Glad you enjoyed it! Cheers

[@Johan-ex5yj]

I wrote a (very basic) poem with some of the phrases and situations in your video. Hope you like it >> Jeepers, Oh *No!* Just don’t get too *Low* To get over the forest, *Tim-O* Convergence is the way to *Go* PureTrack is how you *Know* Where the mates are going up, Ho *Ho!*

[@PureGlide]

haha that's awesome

[@rikibruner2126]

What a delightful flight! Thank you for bringing us along for a delightful tour of the scenery you call home. 🦊Riki2Tails

[@PureGlide]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@D0539]

Loved the Ka8 comment 😂 I always loved flying the Ka6 E my club used to have. I flew my silver C in it in 2002.

[@PureGlide]

yeah whoops it was a K6

[@davidallan9624]

I really enjoy you discussing your decision making. Challenging conditions.

[@PureGlide]

Thanks for watching! glad you enjoyed it

[@kiwiryker]

On my feed , cool

[@brushitoff503]

Yeah nice, thanks Tim! See ya on the next one.

[@PureGlide]

Thanks!

[@brushitoff503]

No wukkas.@@PureGlide

[@bkailua1224]

2nd or 3rd behind UC is not bad. Looks like a lot of fun. I had a chance to fly out of Taupo a few years ago but we couldn't get anywhere. The B team could get ahead of UC if he flew 90 KPH in Minden.

[@PureGlide]

Yeah it can be a tough place to fly sometimes! We found that this comp, we had to get away from the lake breeze a few times

[@kaihorstmann2783]

ET with the red rudder on the thumbnail picture is clearly a Ka 6, not a K 8. The contestant lists on Soaring Spot agree: It is a Ka 6E. And John made the 6. rank!!! Congrats from another Ka 6 owner. From the results the support teams were busy picking up out-landed gliders.

[@PureGlide]

Yip K6 sorry not K8 :)

[@ronaldglider]

Ka6e was my favorite wooden glider at the time...

[@ashwinrajpurohit1090]

What a flight excellent learned and enjoyed each moment. Appreciate sharing wonderful information. Thxs from India / Bharat 🇮🇳

[@PureGlide]

Glad you enjoyed it! Cheers

[@shydncrumph8119]

+1 for the k8

[@ronaldglider]

Thanks for this great report! Best part: Heh, Heh, hehhhh at 3:20

[@PureGlide]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ash26e]

No music, lot‘s of explanations/decisionmakings 👏

[@PureGlide]

Shot I forgot to add the music! Haha

[@CLdriver1960]

Great video! I’m curious to know how well your K-8 competitor did.

[@PureGlide]

Sorry it was a K6, ET! Results: www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/2023-24-multi-class-national-championships-taupo-2024/results/racing

[@CLdriver1960]

@@PureGlide Very respectable, thanks!

[@glideslopeza924]

That convergence must be one heck of an experience ☁️☁️

[@PureGlide]

It really is awesome!

[@glideslopeza924]

​@PureGlide would you beable to help me share a fundraiser to help me finish my glider training?

[@sharemyjoys]

Canopy is open! I know it's cloudy and light but it doesn't feel right to leave it open unattended 😂

[@PureGlide]

Yip! Standing beside it is fine, I wouldn't walk away and leave it that's for sure :)

[@JMannus65]

Well it certainly has been a while since I was in a glider. I didn’t recognise a “brand” until you said Libelle

[@PureGlide]

if only I could fit in one!

[@plane_simple]

1:56 looks like a Ka 6E there. Always been my dream of a glider. Unfortunately, this dream never came true...

[@PureGlide]

Yip K6 sorry not K8 :)

[@vladtudorache3933]

Hello, I'm trying to start flying. I've been watching your videos for about 3 years now, during which I've completed the theoretical courses for both gliders and ultralights. Due to my height (196 cm) I was unable to start flying at my national aeroclub (Romania) as their fleet is entirely composed of IS- 28 and IS-29 gliders. The canopy would just sit on my head, no parachute, no seat pads. I would like to ask your opinion on which gliders I would fit in. I am currently looking at aeroclubs in other countries and would like to know if its worth the trip to go and sit in their gliders by first checking their fleet. Or, is there a way to find out the maximum pilot dimensions from the manufacturers? Thank you for taking the time to read my inquiry.

[@PureGlide]

Hi yeah I'm 193cm or 6'4", and I wouldn't want to be taller. Most rear seats for twins have a bit more space and I fit with spare room, e.g. Puchacz, DG-1000 (with parachute), Twin Grob. Most front seats I only just fit, and knees hit things. Usually we train people in the front seat first, but you might need an exception. For single seat gliders, the only ones I've not had to put the pedals full rear is the Discus 2 and I believe Ventus 2s etc all cope with longer pilots. Avoid the A cockpits (e.g. Ventus 2a or Discus 2a), they are narrow and way too short for me. Maybe ask on www.reddit.com/r/Gliding/ for other tall pilot's experience

[@shelleyclow]

Any McCaws in the vicinity?

[@PureGlide]

No don’t think there were this time!

[@shelleyclow]

@@PureGlide oh well, maybe next time. They would have just hogged the leader board anyway. Hehehe.

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

How long does it take to launch 30 gliders? Did you have more than 1 tug?

[@PureGlide]

4 tugs, just under an hour. We have two classes so half an hour wait for the first people to launch which isn’t too bad

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

@@PureGlide That is incredibly fast. Cheers.

[@davecollins1222]

When it comes to gliding competitions only pure gliders should be allowed, this is my opinion.

[@PureGlide]

That would be tough, as over half the contest pilots now have engines. Keep in mind if you use the engine, you contest ends where you start it… so it’s arguably not much advantage except you get home in time for dinner!

[@davecollins1222]

@@PureGlide that's the argument by the power community, but they do have a psychological and physical advantage the pure glider pilot will reach a decision to land where the power glider pilot will push farther taking a chance that the pure glider pilot doesent, knowing that if he dose'nt hit that lift he can use his engine to keep flying and get back. They defiantly have an advantage.

[@sharemyjoys]

It's a fine idea but I think they need to make the competitions as inclusive as possible to make up the numbers!

[@Rasta8889]

I couldn't find the K8 in the task results, did he not enter the contest? P.S. I've just now done the paperwork for my gliding club, I'll be flying starting march. I need my medical and a hat still...

[@PureGlide]

Sorry it was a K6, ET!

[@Rasta8889]

​@@PureGlide 8th place in the racing (!) class, respectable. Was wondering if the bad conditions that day would be beneficial for an older glider with low wing loading.

[@wrinkledm]

A 666 contest number... wouldn't mind knowing the story behind that choice.

[@PureGlide]

haha yeah it's a goodie, not sure of the story myself

[@glennwatson]

I didn't realise NZ had a airforce. Thought you guys decided to rely on allies.

[@PureGlide]

Well, we have some aerobatic aircraft for displays! that's about it, no fighter aircraft...

[@charlieirvin5898]

FIRST!!!

[@PureGlide]

😂