Resilience on the Grid: A Demanding Day 4 at the Italian Grand Prix
30/05/2026, Varese, Italy - Yesterday marked a quiet shift on the grid at the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix of Italy. After dedicating our initial return to the skies purely to the memory of our dear friend Jon Gatfield, the fleet continued to navigate the complex emotions of the week. Yesterday brought a return to focused flying, requiring deep concentration and resilience from every pilot on the grid.
A 219 km Test of Patience
Race 4 presented a 219km task threading through the Swiss-Italian lakes, taking the fleet across Montevaltra, M Ceneri, Teglio, and Gurone before the final glide into Varese. It proved to be a highly technical day that demanded not just finding lift, but finding it at the right moment. By the end of the afternoon, only four pilots managed to complete the task.
Luka Žnidaršič (LZ) delivered a remarkably precise flight to take the win, posting an average speed of 96km/h. The telemetry shows Luka secured his lead through careful decision-making on legs two and three. While the rest of the pack navigated the difficult Ceneri-to-Teglio leg at between 47 and 48 km/h, Luka found lines that allowed him to move ahead at 65.5 km/h. He maintained this momentum on leg three, averaging 142.0 km/h to safely distance himself from the group.
A Close Finish in Difficult Air
Behind Luka, the timing was incredibly tight. Steffen Schwarzer (L7) and Michael Reiner (MR) crossed the finish line in the same second, finishing exactly +34:09 behind the leader. David Bauder (DC) followed closely, crossing just 18 seconds later to secure fourth place.
Further back, Jernej Lokovsek (NL) demonstrated immense persistence to become the fifth but unfortunately did not complete the task. Averaging 39.9 km/h and circling in 80 thermals (nearly two and a half times the field average) Jernej's flight required quiet determination in a difficult valley. Unfortunately, the complex terrain between the Swiss foothills and the Valtellina prevented Ulrich Messmer (LR) and Maciej Walasek (M1) from reaching the Teglio turnpoint, bringing their flights to a close.
Official Race 4 Results
The demanding conditions highlighted the incredible patience and skill required simply to complete a task on such a challenging day. Congratulations to the pilots.
As we look toward Race 5, the pilots prepare for one final flight in the Varese skies, continuing to honor Jon's memory through the sport we all share.
