JGWC 4th Consecutive Competition Days – Junior World Gliding Championships Really Pick Up Speed

The 14th Junior World Gliding Championships have completed its fourth consecutive competition day on Thursday, August 6th. The young pilots are experiencing ideal weather conditions, a circumstance which is anything but a given at world championships.

Michael Kost August 07, 2026

World Championship- and Sports Director Bernd Schmid together with meteorologists from the German Weather Service once again made the right decision. The chosen weather window allowed for exciting and challenging competition flights for both classes.

Challenging Tasks for Both Classes

In the Club Class an Assigned Area Task (AAT) was set. The route took the participants from the Aalen-Elchingen airfield to Mudau (Odenwald), then on to Gramschatz near Wuerzburg and back to Aalen.

The day’s victory went to Eliott Daniel of France flying an LS 4. He achieved an average speed of 107.73 km/h on the 320.22 km task. He was closely followed by Michael Hayter representing the USA in an LS 4. Gael Pischedda also from France came in on third place on an LS 7.

The Standard Class also completed a challenging cross-country task. The polygon route led through the Schweinfurt area, continuing on to Ebern-Sendelbach, Geiselwind, the Rauhe Wanne transmitter and back to Aalen-Elchingen.

Phillip Jonker from South Africa won that race with his LS 8. With an average speed of 109.81 km/h, he finished the 343.57 km task ahead of Jesse Mathlin from Finland and Lasse Edslev from Denmark.

“Four consecutive competition days are great for the atmosphere in the camp and among the teams. Anyone who wants to become world champion has to prove they’re the best under all conditions,” emphasized Sports Director Bernd Schmid.

Results after four competition days

Currently leading in the Club Class are:

1. Nicolas Caudrelier (France)

2. Gael Pischedda (France)

3. Max Scutchings (Australia)

After four days of competition, the standard class is led by the following pilots:

1. Antoni Zawirski (Poland)

2. Barna Hadi (Hungary)

3. Lasse Edslev (Denmark)

Good Vibes on the Ground, Too

There is currently not only good mood during the competition. Many participants are also taking the opportunity to network besides the competition.

In the evening, a presentation on the world-famous Bitterwasser glider airfield in Namibia drew a lot of interest.

The speaker was three-time gliding world champion Stefan Langer, who, together with Rainer Hog, director of the Bitterwasser Center, presented the unique features of this extraordinary flying center. Many young pilots took the opportunity to learn more about one of the world’s most famous gliding region.

Air Sports Day on Saturday

On Saturday, August 8^th, the World Championships will be even more in focus by the public. On that day not only the JWGC will compete but also the Luftsportring Aalen will celebrate its 75^th club anniversary. The “Air Sports Day – Experience the World Championships Live” will take place at the Elchingen Airfield as well.

Starting at 11 am visitors can look forward to a varied program featuring aircraft christenings, flight demonstrations, aerobatics as well as an atmospheric balloon glow in the evening. Admission is free. It will be an ideal opportunity to experience world-class gliding up close and get a behind-the-scenes look at an international World Championship.