07/11/2026 - Bona Bona - The final preparations are complete. Today marked the official practice race for the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix of South Africa, giving competitors their last opportunity to test the demanding local airmass before the points officially start counting.
The practice task challenged the fleet with a 325.4 km routing featuring four turnpoints. Navigating from Bona Bona through Dudfield, Kraaipan, and Regina, the pilots experienced workable but uncompromising conditions. Ten of the seventeen pilots on the grid flew the race today, successfully bringing their gliders home to the southbound finish line.
Practice Race Results
The top of the leaderboard offered a preview of the high-speed tactical battles to come, with average race speeds between 110 and 135 km/h.
The top performers from today's official practice session include:
1st Place: Attie Jonker (AJ), securing the top spot with a blistering speed of 135.1 km/h.
2nd Place: Arne Boye-Møller (EL), finishing closely behind in second place.
3rd Place: Oscar Goudriaan (OG), rounding out the top three for the day.
4th Place: Björn Gintzel (RT), showing strong pace to claim fourth just 10 seconds behing Oscar.
Looking Ahead to Day 1
The warm-up is officially over, and the first official race of the Grand Prix commences tomorrow. The pilots are ready, the gliders are tested, and the stage is set for an incredible week of racing over the South African bushveld.
Please note that due to the lack of antennas & weak coverage in these remote flying areas, it is unfortunately unclear if the livetracking platform will function reliably throughout the event. To ensure you do not miss any of the action from abroad, following our official social media channels (especially Facebook and Instagram) will be key to staying updated on race results, daily highlights, and pilot interviews.
Stay tuned for more updates as the battle for Bona Bona begins tomorrow!
