What potential the day then had, to the astonishment of the top pilots, only became apparent towards the end of the day. Guy Bechtold with Johannes Beier in the Arcus: "I didn't even had the thousand on my screen." Guy therefore pleaded self-ironically on the radio for the early home course: “Today I want to come home without an engine.” The day before, when the blue thermal conditions were significantly worse he had not succeeded. And then in the evening the computer showed how close the 1000 k was. About 16 kilometers were missing. The EB28 with Klaus Reinhold and Arne Röpling also lacked the small difference.
But the run along the lines was very nice. A good 200 kilometers could be flown at cutting speeds of over 165 kph. It doesn't hurt that much if there is no 1 in front on the distance counter at the end.
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.