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.
In early September, the containers holding the gliders for the 2026/27 season were loaded in Waghäusel. Transported by trailer, truck, and cargo ship, the gliders are now on their long journey to Namibia, to the Bitterwasser Flying Lodge.
The Bitterwasser Flying Lodge was the main sponsor of the Junior World Gliding Championships, where from August 2 to 17, 2026, around 80 pilots from 22 nations competed for the titles in the Standard and Club classes. The grand prize for the JWGC winners was a one-week stay at the lodge, including travel and an airplane.