The first part of the route led at a fairly low altitude towards the south-east, close to the Botswana border. From there, the route headed back to the northwest, past Mariental, to the striking convergence in the west. The last leg ran south along this impressive weather line until shortly before Helmeringhausen, before returning to Bitterwasser.
The idea of celebrating outstanding flights by planting palm trees dates back to 1972, when Peter Kayssler, the founder of the Bitterwasser gliding center, established this unique tradition. Initially, palm trees were planted for diamonds flown and world records. Later, from 1984, achieving the 1,000 km FAI diploma also became part of this honor. Since 2019, there have also been palm trees for flights over 1,250 km in accordance with FAI diploma rules. Today, more than 250 palms line the famous allée.
We congratulate the two of them on their great success and wish them many more unforgettable flights in Bitterwasser.
Although the season in Bitterwasser seems to be coming to an end in mid-January, the weather is at its best. Pilots from all over the world enjoy impressive thermals, breathtaking cross-country flights over 1000 km and a unique community.
The last season 2023/24 ended with a spectacular highlight for Dmitry Borovyk and Anton Minskii: on the very last day, they managed to fly around three declared turning points that cover an impressive distance of 1250 kilometers. This extraordinary achievement earned them the privilege of planting a palm tree in Bitterwasser - an honor only bestowed on the best pilots. One year later, the two are now returning to Bitterwasser to plant their palm tree in a festive ceremony in keeping with the old Bitterwasser tradition.