The United States team operates at a disadvantage, compared to other
countries, because its contest rules specifically forbid team flying. Most U.S.
pilots have not flown collaboratively with a teammate until they reach the
world competition level, and they cannot adequately benefit from the advantages
of sharing information in flight. This spring
many members of the U.S. Soaring Team met in Chilhowee, Tennessee for
a week specifically to work on team-flying strategies, coached by former 15-meter World Champion Brian Spreckley. The
team met again in Uvalde for the informal practice period prior to the official
practice week.
Absent from both of those training periods were Open Class
pilots Dick Butler and Ron Tabery: Mr. Butler was still finishing his Concordia
glider, and Mr. Tabery had work commitments. While the rest of the U.S. team
pre-practiced in Uvalde, the Open Class team met up in Kerrville, Texas, to
work the tough hill country area away from onlookers eager to catch a glimpse
of the Concordia. They also wanted to work on team flying. Both Mr. Butler and
Mr. Tabery are known for their individualism, and it was a matter of great
speculation as to how well they would take to working together as a team.
All doubts have been put to rest. “Dick is my mentor,” says
Mr. Tabery. “There is no one else in the U.S. I would rather fly with.” As for
his part, Mr. Butler says, “Ron and I think very similarly. I admire his
decision making greatly.” Taciturn on the radio when flying alone, the
Butler-Tabery team has astonished their teammates by the amount of consultation
and conversation while racing. “Those two are like girls at a prom,” says
15-meter teammate John Seaborn. Mr. Butler has joked, “I’m afraid our teammates
are going to kick us off the U.S. frequency if we keep on talking like we have
been.”
Other countries very greatly in the time spent training for
a world championship. The German team is famous for their organization, and
before each championship they spend two weeks training in St. Auban. This year
they spent additional time in Uvalde prior to the official practice period. But
as is true for other countries, not every team member can get away from work
obligations to attend such extended training. And they are flying unfamiliar
aircraft. One team member reports that he had flown his new Quintus M exactly
twice before it was shipped to the U.S.
The entire Australian team flew at Uvalde last year in the
Pre-World competition, and several members of that team had extended practice
periods here before this WGC. David Jansen came to Uvalde at the beginning of
July and spent the entire month flying here. In contrast, the South African
team had no formal training as a team and also have new planes to contend with.
Laurens Goudriaan reports having flown his JS-1 four times before arriving in
Uvalde. However, that team has the advantage of two sets of brothers who have
flown together for years. Similarly the Belgian team does not train, and they
are flying ships they had flown only a few times before this competition.
The British team, also flying new planes, goes through no
formal training. “But we are familiar with each other and have flown together
before. We fly cooperatively,” says Open Class pilot Peter Harvey. The Polish
team has no organized training period, but Open Class pilot Wiktor Kozlik
reports that at their national competition, they are assigned a partner with
whom they will fly at the WGC, and they fly their national competition with
that teammate.
The Italian team does not organize a training period for
their pilots, but their pilots traditionally have flown with their teammates.
Says Katrin Ghiorzio of her husband, 15-meter World Champion Stefano Ghiorzio
and his teammate Thomas Gostner, “Thomas
and Stefano always fly together as a team.” They fly several European
competitions before the WGC. “But this year,” says Mrs. Ghiorzio, “so many of
our European contests had bad weather and rain, and they could not fly. And the
conditions here are so different, the practice was not helpful.”
The French, who appear to have more group cohesion that
almost any team on the field, devote at least one week each spring to training
at the national center at St. Auban. Other than that, says Open Class pilot
Sylvain Gerbaud, “We prepare for competitions by flying competitions.” And when
he says flying, he means team flying.
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