Sport
10 February, 2025
Pilots impressed by Gliding Week
The Horsham Gliding Week concluded on Saturday, February 8, and all pilots were impressed by the competition and what Horsham and the Wimmera have to offer.
Michael Strathern from the Nelson Lakes Gliding Club won the club competition, Jack Hart from Bendigo won the 15m-Standard, and Ryan Driscoll, the junior world champion, won the Open 18 competition.
Pilots came from all over Victoria, as far as Gippsland, and from other states, such as Bathurst in NSW and Millicent in South Australia. One pilot even came from New Zealand to compete.
Horsham Flying Club president Michael Sudholz said everyone was impressed.
"We had a great week, and the pilots went home happy," Sudholz said.
"They had some excellent days, but we spent three days on the ground due to non-flying days and bushfire smoke.
"They enjoyed each other's company, and when they didn't fly, they ventured around the Wimmera."
32 gliders entered the competition, and the biggest day the pilots did was close to 380km, and the smallest was around 260km. They flew to Jeparit one day, St Arnaud the next and also flew out over Little Desert.
Sudholz said the pilots that hadn't been here before loved it.
"All the new pilots were quite impressed with the country and how flat and landable it was," Sudholz said.
"The pilot from NZ couldn't believe how flat it was. When he flies home, he never has a flat country to deal with.
"All pilots enjoyed the area, and on the days they didn't fly, some would go to Dimboola, the Stick Shed at Murtoa, visit the Arapiles, and dine out in Horsham.
"When they first arrived, they also didn't realise how bad the fires were."
"We had a lot of comments about how well the competition was run, and a lot indicated they would come back next year."
Speaking of 2026, the competition will celebrate 60 years on February 7.
Results
Club
1st: Michael Strathern (Nelson Lakes Gliding club) - 4,359; 2nd: Terry Cubley (GCV) - 4,109; 3rd: Jarsolaw Mosiejewski (Geelong) - 3,927.
15m-Standard
1st: Jack Hart (Bendigo) - 4,428; 2nd: Neil Campbell (Horsham) 3,704; 3rd: Tim Shirley (GCV) 3,419.
Open 18
1st: Ryan Driscoll (GCV)- 4,213; 2nd: Michael Durrant (Bendigo) - 3,574; 3rd: Thorpe & Vagg - 3,010.