After seven hard-fought racing days at SGP Netherlands at Terlet, Tijl Schmelzer from Belgium won the final race, putting him in the overall lead. He finished the Grand Prix racing event four points ahead of Dutch pilot Peter Millenar, who took the 2nd place podium position. Fellow Dutchman Roelof Corporaal took the third position on the podium.
SGP Netherlands was the ninth of 10 qualifying SGP competitions in the SGP Series 12. The winning pilots from each qualifier earn a place at the SGP Final, and a chance to be the next FAI Sailplane Grand Prix World Champion. Both Tijl and Peter have now qualified for the SGP Final at St Auban, France to take place 24 – 30 August.
Twenty pilots flew in the contest, including several World Gliding Champions. Among them were Stefan Langer and Michael Sommer from Germany, and Nick Hanenburg from the Netherlands. The races are Grand Prix style, with all pilots crossing a starting line in the sky at the same time. The pilots who get home first are the winners.
The final race at SGP Netherlands was the culmination of a great soaring week at the host airfield at Terlet. The daily races were from 200 to 250km in distance, and the fleet completed the course each day at speeds from 100 to 130 kph. The final race, however, was a long 403 km, which Tijl completed at a speed of 105 kph.
No clear winner was able to push ahead and stay at the front of the table during the contest. Tijl and Michael Sommer won two races each but, as ever, the key to winning a series of races is consistency. Although Sommer proved again his championship racing skills, after a couple of days when he finished towards the back of the fleet, he was pushed into 4th place overall.
You can see the full results at sgp.aero/netherlands2025
The final SPG Qualifying event is SGP Poland at Nowy Targ 24 – 31 May. This contest also has a star-studded list of pilots including multiple World Gliding Champion Sebastian Kawa from Poland, previous SGP World Champions Tilo Holighaus from Germany and Frenchman Didier Hauss.
Full results each day are at sgp.aero/poland2025
See race rundowns and news ther at Gliding News
Race By Race
Race 7
Tijl Schmelzer from Belgium (2x Ventus 3) won the 403.07 km Race 7 at 105.2 kph gaining 11 points and winning the SGP with 42 points. Peter Millenar finished the contest in 2nd place with 38 points and Roelof Corporaal took 3rd place with 32 points. Tijl and Peter have both qualified for the SGP Final a St Auban 24 - 30 August.
Stefan Langer finished in 2nd place on the day at 99.2 kph. He took 5th place overall with 31 points. Fellow German pilot Simon Schroder came 3rd at 98.2 kph. Simon finished the contest in 7th place. Michael Sommer did not gain any points in Race 7 and finished the contest in 4th place with 31 points.
Race 6
Tijl Schmelzer wone Race 6 finishing the 181.43 km course at 111.4 kph. Stefan Langer took 2nd place at 111.3 kph followed by Belgian Dennis Huybreckxat 109.6 kph.
With one race left to go Peter Millenaar is in the lead overall with 32 points. He is closely follower by both Michael Sommer and Tijl Schmelzer on 31 points. Roelof Corporaal and Sebastian Beule are both on 28 points. So it will come down to the final race to determine who wthkes the three podium places at SGP Netherlands and which two pilots will qualify for the SGP Final at St Auban.
Michael Sommer in his Ventus 3
Arjan Vrieze Photography
Race 5
Multiple world gliding champion, Michael Sommer from Germany won Race 5 completing the 272.26 km course in the fast time of 128 kph. From Netherlands, Roelof Corporaal and German Sebastian Beule crossed the line together at a slightly slower speed of 127.8 kph. They are both scored as finishing in 2nd place (at the moment) with German Conrad Hutter in 4th place who finished with a speed of 127.7 kph.
Michael Sommer is now in the overall lead on 31 points. He is followed by Sebastian Beule in 2nd position on 28 points and Peter Millenar in 3rd place on 26 points. Therea re still two more race days to go in this very tight contesst. The winners have been different each race. The pilots who will be on the champions podium at the end of the contest are not yet clear at all. It will be an exciting finish to this hard fought SGP.
Race 4
Sebastian Beule
Race 4 was won by Sebastian Beule from Germany who finished the 189.99 km race at 105 kph. Sebastian now has 20 points. Belgian Tijl Schmezler finished in 2nd place at 104.6 kph now has 21 points. German Kermann Leuker came 3rd at 104.6 kph now has 14 points.
Peter MIllenaar retains the overall lead with 24 points and Michael Sommer is also on 21 points. With three more races to go and the weather forecast to be good it will be anexciting finish to the competition.
Race 3
It was another good soaring day at Terlet with a 218.89 km racing task set. The day was won by Dutch pilot Peter Millenar who crosssed the line at 109.6 kph. He was followed by Jeroen Verkuijl at 109.5 kph and in 3rd place also at 109.5 kph Sebastian Beule from Gerrmany.
After three races Peter Millenar is well in the lead with 24 points. But there are four more races to go. As always, it will be the pilots who can perform consistently in towards the top of the table who will end uip on the podium oon the final day.
Race 2
The 252.18 km race was won by German Simon Schroder in his Ventus 3 flying the task at 107.9 kph. Stefan Langer ccrossed the lind in 2nd plac followed closely by Michael Sommer at 107.4 kph.
Race 1
307.32 km task
1. Michael Sommer in a V3 at 118kph.
2. Peter Millenaar,NED 117.5kph.
3. Tijl Belgium 117.2
SGP Netherlands 11 -17 May
Live tracking at
Full results at sgp.aero/netherlands2025
