Finally, some glider-friendly weather at WGC2025. Morning forecasts didn't agree in all details, but the general indication was for a good – and largely trouble-free – thermal day, with cumulus markers. All three classes were given Racing tasks (in three different directions). These seemed rather on the short side (around 250 km) for a day on which lift was confidently expected to last past 17:00.
The result was 100% completions – not a single outlanding. Tasks did prove too short: nearly everyone was back home by 16:00, and in no class did the top score reach 700 points. (Scores are devalued below 1000 points when the winners' time on course is less than 3 hours.) But it was a welcome change from yesterday's endless parade of trailers leaving the airfield.
It was not a fast day for US Team pilots, with the exception of Mike Sorenson. He managed 12th in 15-Meter class: after a good start, he caught up to a number of earlier starters and flew in their company around the remainder of the task.
The score lists* show a surprising number of warnings and several penalties applied to pilots for their landings. The scheme at Tabor is to land on the long & wide runway in a straight line, then roll to the far – today, the west – end without turning to either side (so as not to cut in front of a glider landing behind you, which you certainly wouldn't see). This sounds simple – but the runway is fairly long & somewhat uphill to the west, and the finish procedure (it happens 5km from the airport and ~ 700' above runway elevation) doesn't guarantee any excess arrival energy, especially when landing into wind. This was the first day that lots of landings happened in a short time; obviously, the scheme needs some practice.
The city of Tabor – at least the southern part of it, where the airfield is located – uses an interesting scheme for vehicle traffic. On busy & important roads, left turns are prohibited – and for the most part, impractical (road junctions & business entrances are arranged like exit ramps). To accomplish a left, you proceed past the point where you'd like to turn and then to the next traffic circle (it won't be far – they are plentiful). At the roundabout, you accomplish what amounts to a U turn, then proceed back to your chosen turning place, which is now a right turn. This seems a trifle awkward until you get used to it, but does a good job of keeping traffic flowing.
* Find them at www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/39th-fai-world-gliding-championships-tabor-2025/
-John Good