An Olympics for glider pilots

The World Tethered Flight Championship took place in Landres, France, from July 14 to 19. With around 320 competitors and even more supporters from 45 countries, it was arguably the world’s largest model aircraft championship in 2018. And it was an event of superlatives. Everything came together perfectly: the weather, the ideal flying sites, the record turnout, the organization of the competitions, the supporting program, and the atmosphere. It was like the Olympics for model aviators.

All standard tethered flight categories were contested in Landres: Speed F2A, Aerobatics F2B, Team Racing F2C, and Combat F2D. Five Swiss competitors also took part in the

the starting line: Lauri Malila, Peter Germann, and Dani Baumann in Aerobatics, as well as Gina and Cesare Saccavino in Team Racing. The Swiss competitors were well prepared for the competitions. They all completed countless practice runs beforehand and participated in international competitions whenever possible.

The World Championships kicked off with a bang. The French organizers had chosen the perfect date for it—their national holiday, July 14. This guaranteed a huge celebration, with the absolute highlight at the end: a massive fireworks display—lasting half an hour! The next celebration followed the very next day: the soccer—

World Cup final between France and Croatia. The match was broadcast on big screens at the competition grounds. The jubilation after every French goal—but especially after the victory—knew no bounds, and the honking in the streets continued throughout the night.

But in Landres, it wasn’t just about celebrating—it was also about flying at the highest level. And when no competition was taking place, the pilots trained tirelessly. The performances of competitors from around the world were truly impressive.

The Swiss participants also demonstrated their skills. After some initial bad luck, aerobatics pilots Peter Germann and Daniel Baumann improved with each round and ultimately finished in the middle of the pack.

Lauri Malila missed the top-15 final by just a few points and remained among the top 20 in the rankings. The Swiss aerobatics pilots also achieved a pleasing result in the team competition. They achieved a solid 15th place, placing them in the top half of the standings!

In Team Racing, the Swiss team attracted a lot of attention. A team consisting of a daughter and her father is still a rare sight in the scene. Gina, as a team racing pilot, is currently the only woman who dares to take on this nearly impossible challenge on the international stage. For her, it was her first major appearance at a World Championship. Her father, Cesare, as a team racing mechanic, has been involved in this sport at the highest level for decades. →

The tension before the first race was high, and the international crowd lining the course was rooting for the Swiss team. The race began—and to everyone’s delight, Gina bravely and skillfully prevailed over her opponents. Her race ultimately ended with an incredible time of 3:17.1. It was the fastest race Gina had ever flown—and at the World Championships, of all places. By now, at the very latest, Gina had become the darling of the international team racing scene.

But team racing always takes two. Cesare, too, did his job as a mechanic perfectly. As a former world champion, he hasn’t lost any of his skill. In the end, the time of 3:17.1 fell just short of qualifying for the semifinals of the top twelve. Still, finishing in 16th place left the two of them more than happy.

The Tethered Flight World Championship in Landres is now history. It was an event that will long be fondly remembered and is hard to top. And although the Swiss participants did not finish at the top of the rankings, they all put in very strong performances and can be satisfied with what they achieved —especially, of course, Gina Saccavino, the 19-year-old who, with her spirited and professional performance as a team racing pilot, truly won the respect and admiration of the global team racing community in the blink of an eye.

Link to the final standings:
http://www.f2cml.org/index.php/fr/wc2018

*Ursula Borer,
Team Manager*