2009 Swiss Championships: F3B Gliders Take to the Skies in Winterthur

On the weekend of July 18–19, 2009, the Swiss F3B Championship took place at the Hegmatten glider airfield near Winterthur. For the first time, this event was combined with a Euro Tour competition. Thanks to the participation of pilots from Germany and Italy, the number of participants doubled compared to previous years. Forty-one participants enjoyed an exciting competition amid changeable weather conditions.

It is thanks to Ruedi Schaub that an F3B Eurotour competition was held again in Switzerland after a few years’ hiatus. There used to be a Eurotour competition in Emmen, but unfortunately it disappeared from the tour calendar because fewer and fewer volunteers could be found. This led to the idea of combining the Swiss Championships with a Euro Tour competition that has a limited number of participants; this way, volunteers only need to be called upon once and, thanks to the additional revenue, can be adequately compensated. For the competition, Ruedi was able to secure the glider field in Hegmatten, which offers an ideal site for F3B flying and already has the necessary infrastructure (clubhouse, hangar for shelter, etc.).

On Saturday morning, we were greeted by rainy weather and a brisk crosswind. Nevertheless,

The timed flight began immediately and turned out to be very challenging. Quite a few pilots failed to reach the landing zone, and one model even had to be retrieved from a tree. During the subsequent cross-country flight, the wind picked up further, and pilots had to add a fair amount of ballast to avoid being blown off course. Due to the changeable weather, no speed flight was held on Saturday, as the onset of rain would have required splitting up the groups. Instead, the cross-country flight and the timed flight of the second round were completed.

On Sunday, the weather was more favorable, though a strong wind was still blowing. We flew a third timed flight in the morning, and afterward, the scheduled speed flights were held. This proved to be a good decision for two reasons: First, the weather was consistent, ensuring fair conditions. Second, it provided some excitement for the numerous spectators who began arriving after noon. The times in the speed flights were quite fast, with many pilots flying in the 15–16-second range. Around 3:00 p.m., the competition ended after the third speed round to allow participants who had traveled from far away—from Germany and Italy—to head home early. Most

Swiss participants would have liked to fly one more discipline—such as a speed round in reverse order—but that was simply the trade-off for a combined Swiss Championship/Eurotour event.

Andreas Böhlen won the Eurotour standings for the Mörsburg Cup in commanding fashion, ahead of Michael Wohlfahrt (Germany) and Hanspeter Götz (Germany). Andreas Böhlen also won the Swiss Championship standings, followed by Roland Hoffmann and Thomas Kübler, who also performed very well in the “international” competition (4th and 5th place in the Eurotour standings).

Holding the Swiss Championship with a new format was a successful experiment. Fortunately, we were also able to attract some new participants to the Swiss ranks. This is very important for the sport of F3B, which has produced several top international pilots in recent decades. To ensure this positive trend continues, we need young talent as well as attractive competitions like this Swiss Championship/Eurotour. On behalf of all the pilots, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ruedi Schaub and the many volunteers for their dedication; they made it possible for us to enjoy a smooth and exciting Swiss Championship with a touch of international flair.

Text: Reto Fiolka,
Photos: Ruedi Schwald,
Reto Fiolka