[MT-ALES] F3J World Championship

[CURTIS SUTER]

The weeklong World Championship for String Launched Gliders just ended in Slovakia.
Congratulations to them all!
Great representation for the USA!!!




Team USA F3J<https://www.facebook.com/TeamUSAF3J/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZUkARLf9qrLSZGZy50PZHWwBV3rXhDn99EylSQ0AogVdjSG1rbFFli9OFA_e32BpO0vn5L52Xxb2_z80-9FXAKcLrtehM0DjEpF-ELzUKOK_YvJSjTpJOb_Sd17nHis6iWh7DRVkZK7fwynAC0TlaDqDAp62nUDupD21hE5gEr4fqqjs_uQ5sB5EmW8ziZevk8&__tn__=-UC%2CP-R>
Gold Team USA Seniors
Gold Team USA Juniors
Silver Individual Senior Neal Huffman.
Gold Individual Junior Sean Summers
Silver Individual Junior Charleston Thomas

An amazing team of pilots and helpers pulled off the best result for USA in a decade of soaring Worlds. Conditions were quite difficult in the Seniors first round which set the tone for the foowing 5 rounds. The order of survival in Round 1 became the winning score order 5 rounds later.
Same applied to the juniors rounds as the first round being difficult also and the order of finishing in Rd one became the final positions 5 rounds later.
Thermal lift was very limited in breezy conditions for that first round and everyone hung out on the treeline trying to stay up for the small lift bubbles coming through. No idy got high but those that came through with the longest flights did so by taking turns back when they had air and those who stayed on the trees eventually failed.
In the Junior first round we saw Charleston in trouble early and relaunched him before everyone else. The highly skilled CZech pilot decided to keep his first flight and did not relaunch. Charleston got about 9 minutes on his second flight which was enough to finish 2nd behind Sean Summers in the lane beside us. He achieved a longer flight time and that set the scene for the rest of the final as we all launched high and helped the boys get their air and a landing to protect their leads.
Very similar situation for the seniors as we protected Neals lead holding second place from round one. Neal was a masterful pilot throughout as his turns were the smoothest most accurate I have ever scene any pilot produce for 6 rounds in a row. His taking a thermal back deep from the treeline in round 1 earned him his Silver medal. Only one other pilot managed to beat him on the trees and that was the Gold medal winner Martin from CZ.
Amy Pool was our first women pilot and took Gold in the first women's category at a soaring Worlds. She was consistent throughout and represented so well she beat many senior men to a spot in the final. Herodels didn't launch well in the flyoffs and a few restarts spoiled her chances but she made us all proud.
Commiserations to Josh Glaab dropping time in the flyoffs in the first round after a low launch and to Jeff DuVal who missed the fly-off this time round. He will be back.
Flying 6 x 15 Senior and 6x 15 junior rounds consecutively was very tiring and a special shout out to our helpers all week who did the most awesome job Steve Luck and Chris Burns. We also had Charles Thomas working his butt off retrieving throughout the flyoffs. Having Dave Bradley senior doing the water , ice, and supply's for the team was huge and Candi (Sean's mum) was also fantastic providing transportation , iceblocks and running errands.
Phenomenal team effort.
Thanks to all of you.
Gordon Buckland

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