Slim gliding lead

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 48

Slim gliding lead

NZPA staff correspondent London

Mistakes or extreme bad luck were the only things standing between the New Zealander, Ray Lynskey, and victory at the world gliding championships in Rieti, Italy yesterday. With one day’s competition remaining, the Christchurch pilot led the 17strong field in the open class by 136 points. But the margin was not large enough for him to relax, a cautious Lynskey said from Rieti.

“It’s a handy little lead, but I still have to fly well, although, of course, everyone else has to fly better. It’s not a comfortable lead, it’s just a lead,” he said. A maximum of 1000

Joints goes to the first pilot ome each day, with other pilots being allotted points according to how well their performances compare with the winner’s.

The danger-man for Lynskey is the second-placed Australian, Ingo Renner.

“If I make a mistake here or there, I could easily lose so I’ve got to fly well,” he said.

Although Lynskey is yet to win a day, consistently high finishes have seen him out front for most of the championships. After the eighth day’s flying on Thursday, he led by 225 points but he lost ground with a fifth placing on Friday. His lead was whittled down further on Saturday, when he was the fourth of six pilots to complete ‘a

519 km course. The American Ray Gimmey was an easy winner ahead of Renner and a West German. Terry De Lore, also from Christchurch, made ground on Saturday when he finished a close second in the 15m class. The performance pushed him up to 12th overall out of 44. Another Christchurch pilot competing in the 15m class, Bruce Drake, had less luck, having to land about 35kms from home. Peter Lyons, of Hastings, flying in the standard class, also stopped a similar distance from the finish. However, generally unfavourable conditions meant few pilots in either class completed the course, Lynskey said.