The Olympics of Soaring

By Eric Tellmann

In July 2024, the US Junior Soaring Team will send four pilots and their crew to Ostrow, Poland, to represent the United States in the 2024 Junior World Gliding Championships. These four pilots—Thomas Greenhill, David McMaster, Jacob Barnes, and Steven Tellmann—are the highest-ranking racing competition pilots in the USA under the age of 25. They will compete against teams from twenty-one other countries.

To qualify for the competition, the pilots must achieve a score within 60% of the first-place score at a national contest. These contests are scored based on various criteria, primarily focusing on who can fly the farthest distance in the least amount of time while completing the daily tasks. The pilots have been training for years and are ranked based on their scores as the top four juniors in the US. They are then selected by the US Team Committee.

Once the US team was selected, they appointed Peter Deane as the team captain. The captain is responsible for ensuring all team paperwork is handled, organizing the crews for the pilots, and managing the support system for the aircraft. He also provides briefings for the pilots on the daily tasks, weather, and strategy.

Thomas Greenhill will fly a Discus 2a in the standard class. Jacob Barnes, David McMaster, and Steven Tellmann will each fly their ASW-20s, competing in the club class. This team flying involves three gliders flying in formation to find thermals; the first pilot to hit a thermal calls it out, and the team decides whether to go to the thermal or not.

The pilots’ crew is a vital resource. Every morning, while the pilots are in the briefing with the team captain, the crew prepares the planes. This includes removing covers, untying the planes, fulfilling the pilots’ requests for their camelbacks and food, and staging the aircraft for launch. The crew’s goal is to have the aircraft ready so the pilot can simply walk out, get in, and go. After landing, the crew helps to secure and clean the glider for the next day.

As the competition approaches, the dedication and teamwork of the US Junior Soaring Team exemplify the spirit of gliding. Their journey to the Junior World Gliding Championships is a testament to their skill, perseverance, and passion for the sport. With meticulous preparation and unwavering support from their crew, these young pilots are poised to make their mark on the international stage, embodying the excellence and sportsmanship that define the Olympics of soaring.