PRIBINA CUP 2008
INTERNATIONAL GLIDING COMPETITION
March 21-30 2008 NITRA, SLOVAKIA

Competition - 26th Mar 2008

2008-03-26 17:58:52

Nitra airport was busy this morning earlier than usually. Very simple reason. Pribina Cup is getting shorter and we have no other way than using any possible the smallest ever chance to fly. The briefing was held already at 9:00 and everybody had to be ready on the grid at 10:45. All our sympathy with pilots, teams, helping stuff ... anybody who was there in strong wind, rain or snow showers and cold. Another group of people was anxious about what was going on behind the windows. Director, task-setter, meteoman, they all were about to make the crucial decision. Gliders ready, all around showers. Monitoring radar, calling meteorological station, consulting. First launch postponed several times. Vladimir decided to let our DG 1000 to make a testing flight. “Hills completely covered… Strong shower west from Nitra, I cannot see the situation behind… Here I have 1200m.” So what should we do? Small window seemed to reach us. Now or never. We let them go. “For all pilots, the first launch at 12:15 confirmed”. Within one hour all gliders were up there, undergoing unpleasant 8m/s cross wind. Some did not believe we did let them up, some did not believe they are really flying. Within less than 2 hours the first finals were announced. And all indicated they did complete the tasks. The tower was crowded; we wanted to observe the heroes approaching the airfield. They made us busy, arriving in bigger clumps. Aaaa, yes, sure, that was not an easy day, freezy, tricky, again demanding to be inventive, to dig deep into the knowledge. But we have the results. If no major change, all classes should be valid. And there the light of chance that Pribina Cup did not finish yet is still here!