n 1987, together with my friend Stéphane Gras, we decided to participate in the first towed glider competition in St Sauves d’Auvergne, called the “Challenge Européen.” This event, organized by the Châteaudun club, aimed primarily to bring together pilots of large gliders from various countries. The coordination of this event, like many others to follow, was handled by Didier Neveu and his team.
It was on this wonderful site that we had our first contact with those who would become our friends: ‘Papy’ and his team of tow pilots. Among the pilots were Grégoire Patrick, Lalaurie JP, Neveu Laurent, Gahide François, Dufour Silvain, Krebs Yvon, Fouju Daniel, and the Gourdet family. From abroad, we had the participation of a German, Uwe Wagt.
Personally, I knew little about large gliders, and together with my friend Brigitte, we spent evenings repairing in a fantastic atmosphere. On the first day, during training, I had a memorable crash, breaking both wingtips of my glider. That’s when I met JP Lalaurie, who said with his Southern accent, “Don’t worry, it’ll fly tomorrow.”
After a fantastic week in St Sauves, I had the idea to develop the concept in Belgium. I took care of the coordination, and Stéphane was responsible for finding pilots. At first, it wasn’t easy (“yet another new section”), but many of the early pilots who still fly remember it. Our first meeting was in Oreye, and the photos taken that day are still in the clubhouse. Then came the first international in Bauffe, which wasn’t a great success, but it helped us get started. Later, we held “inter” competitions under the title “Coupe Européenne F3I,” a title we received during our first contact with the FAI.
I coordinated for ten years in Belgium. We had up to 20 pilots per contest, but gradually the section dwindled. I think this is mainly because gliders are hard to find on the market. However, having resumed this season, I was pleased to see that the level had improved (in the first year at St Sauves, we talked about breathtaking speeds of 35 seconds). We had decent participation compared to other sections, and next season we hope for even more participants.
For this past season, I reintroduced the trophy bearing my name. It is awarded to the pilot with the best average speed. This year, it will go to Jacques Wouters for one year, with an average of 33.58. It must be won three times to be kept permanently.
As I write these lines, I realize that fifteen years have already passed…
Looking forward to seeing you all again on the field.
Yves Bourgeois