X-Nico

5 unusual facts about World Gliding Championships


Anthony Deane-Drummond

He was British National Champion in 1957, as well as a member of the British Gliding Team in 1958, 1960, 1963 and 1965 at the World Gliding Championships.

Ayala Truelove

In 2001 Ayala took up gliding and represented Great Britain at the 2009 World Gliding Championships in Szeged.

Great Hucklow

The land rises steeply to the north of the village to Hucklow Edge and at Camphill on the plateau above it there is a popular gliding field, which in 1954 hosted the World Gliding Championships.

Johnson RHJ-6 Adastra

In its original configuration Johnson flew the Adastra in the 1960 World Gliding Championships in Cologne, West Germany and finished in 15th place.

Räyskälä Airfield

Räyskälä Airfield hosted World Gliding Championships in 1976, Junior World Gliding Championships in 2009, and European Gliding Championships in 1996 and 2005.


Diana Sailplanes Diana 2

Sebastian Kawa won first three (2005, 2007, 2010) FAI World Grand Prix Championships in Diana 2.

Glasflügel 604

The 604 prototype, flown by Walter Neubert, came in sixth in the 1970 World Gliding Championships held at Marfa, Texas, even though the pilot was lost overnight after a land-out during the competition and missed the following day.

Helmut Reichmann

Professor Dr. Helmut Reichmann (* 1941; † March 10, 1992) was a German glider pilot, thrice Gliding World Champion and co-founder, with millionaire Barron Hilton, of the Barron Hilton Cup.

Mark D. Maughmer

At the 1991 World Gliding Championships in Uvalde, Texas, the trophy for the highest speed went to a winglet equipped 15-meter class limited wingspan glider, exceeding the highest speed in the unlimited span Open Class, an exceptional result.

MDM MDM-1 Fox

This sailplane was first displayed at the World Glider Aerobatic Championships in Venlo, Netherlands, 1993, where Jerzy Makula flew it to win the World Championship.

Neukom Elfe

In competition, a Standard Elfe that was flown by Markus Ritzi of Switzerland, placed second in the 1965 World Gliding Championships held at South Cerney, United Kingdom.

Schreder Airmate HP-11

Schreder also flew it to third place in the Open Class at the 1963 World Gliding Championships held at Junín, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

Schweizer SGS 1-23

There was only one "C" model built for the designer Paul A Schweizer specifically to fly in the 1952 World Gliding Championships held in Madrid, Spain.

Siren Edelweiss

The two Edelweiss prototypes competed in the 1963 WGC, held at Junin, Argentina and were placed 2nd and 17th in the Standard Class, piloted respectively by J. Lachney and C. Labar.

Victor Tchmal

In the 6th FAI World Glider Aerobatic Championships in Fayence in 1995 he won the team gold medal together with Mikhail Mamistov and Sergei Rakhmanin.


see also

EoN 460

Both the EoN 465s competed in the 1965 World Gliding Championships held in the UK at South Cerney but performed poorly, placed 9th and 41st out of a field of 45 in the Standard Class.

SZD-36 Cobra 15

The aircraft was designed especially for the 1970 World Gliding Championships at Marfa, Texas, where J. Wroblewski took 2nd and F. Kępka took 3rd places in the Standard Class behind a Rolladen-Schneider LS1.