With the 40th FAI World Gliding Championships entering its final days at Częstochowa-Rudniki in Poland, Task 8 on 27 May produced competitive racing across all three classes.
Open Class
The Open Class flew an Assigned Area Task set for 3 hours 30 minutes, with a nominal distance of 361.63 km over a course taking the field north and then turning at Ostrzeszów, Panoszów, Krzynno and Maluszyn before returning to Rudniki.
David Jansen (Australia, JS5) took the day win with a task speed of 118.25 kph over 420 km, collecting the maximum 1,000 points. Sebastian Kawa (Poland, JS5) was close behind in second place at 116.94 kph, with Britain's Russell Cheetham third at 116.70 kph in another JS5. The top four were all flying JS5 gliders, with Laurent Aboulin (France) fourth at 114.17 kph. Germans Felipe Levin (EB 29R) and Michael Sommer (EB 29R) rounded out the top six, both averaging just above 113 kph.
The overall championship standings after eight tasks tell a different story. Levin leads on 7,084 points, with Sommer second on 7,061. Kawa lies third on 6,988. Today's winner Jansen sits fourteenth overall on 3,242 points having missed several days due to technical problems with his new JS5. Cheetham is eighth overall on 5,958 points.
18 Metre Class
The 18 Metre Class had the largest field of the day, with 42 gliders completing the task. Their course ran for a nominal 3 hours over 301.45 km, turning at Kobylczyce, Stare, Panki, Beresie and Kotfin.
Stefan Langer (Germany, AS 33 Es) won the day with a speed of 117.52 kph over 352.96 km, claiming 1,000 points. Thies Bruins (Netherlands, JS3 TJ) was second on 987 points at 116.73 kph, having covered a slightly longer distance of 359 km. From France Victor Mallick (JS3) came 3rd and Hungarian team Geza Toth (JS3 RES), and Kornel Negro (AS 33 Es)shared fourth position speeds of around 116.4 kph, with also tied on 980 points.
The championship standings after eight tasks show Mallick leading on 6,522 points, with Langer — despite his day win — sitting second on 6,498. Christophe Abadie (France) is third on 6,337 and Mario Kiessling (Germany, Ventus 3T) fourth on 6,221. The class is closely contested through to around tenth place, with Kornel Negro and Thies Bruins both on 5,909 points
The JS3 in its various forms dominated the class numerically, though the Schempp-Hirth AS 33 Es also featured prominently at the front of the field.
20 Metre Multi-Seat Class
The 20 Metre Multi-Seat class flew a 3 hour 30 minute task over a nominal distance of 348 km, routing through Wloszczow, Stare, Panki and Swietaanna.
Polish pairing Grabowski and Czyż (Arcus M) took the day win at 109.21 kph over 391.87 km for the maximum 1,000 points. Australian crew Woolley and Gateley (Arcus M) were second on 977 points at 107.89 kph, a close result that will be well received back home. The French pairing of de Péchy and Duboc (Arcus T) finished third at 105.03 kph, while Cronjäger and Blum (Arcus T) were fourth at 106.27 kph.
The overall championship standings show German crew Leucker and Omsels (Arcus T) leading on 6,535 points despite finishing eighth on the day. Today's winners Grabowski and Czyż moved into second overall on 6,474 points. Woolley and Gateley's solid second place today has them third overall on 6,355, while Kassai and Mészáros (Hungary) are fourth on 6,344 only nine points behind. With two tasks remaining in the competition (weather permitting), the fight is on for the finalpodium positions.
