Alpine Mastery: Sean Churchill Conquers the Three-Border Challenge in Race 2
Lesce-Bled 24/01/2026 – The 3rd FAI World Virtual Sailplane Grand Prix Final continued its high-octane tour of the Alps today. After a tactical opener in Slovenia, Race 2 raised the stakes with a spectacular cross-border task. The route took the 18-meter fleet on a scenic but technically demanding journey from Slovenia, deep into the Austrian Alps, and finally across the border into Italy, testing the pilots' ability to adapt to rapidly changing terrain and weather systems.
The Start: A crowded exit from Lesce-Bled
The race launched from the iconic Lesce-Bled airfield, a spiritual home for the Condor simulator community. As the countdown hit zero, the gaggle exploded across the start line. Jannes Stahf led the charge, with David Redman (Australia) executing another aggressive start, immediately pushing and flying at high-speed to establish position.
The Route: To Detour or Dash?
The first leg to Turnpoint 1 (Bohinjska Bistrica) presented the first major strategic split of the day. A direct line seemed obvious, but the smartest pilots looked at the energy potential of the ridges.
A massive split occurred: while Santiago Lopez opted for the direct route, a large group took a significant detour to fly below the mountains, intending to utilize the ridge lift to slingshot towards the turnpoint. The gamble did not pay off for the "detour group," as Santiago Lopez (Colombia) successfully rounded TP1 at 1900m QNH, taking the lead of the race. A clever move!
The Middle Game: Austria and the Climb
Crossing into Austria towards Turnpoint 2 (Radenthein) and Turnpoint 3 (Pyramidenkogel), the vertical battle intensified. Yuki Kazama (Japan) flew a brilliant middle sector, leading the pack at an average speed of 127 km/h and reaching TP2 first.
However, the race was decided on the transition to Turnpoint 3. Sean Churchill (UK) made his move here, reading the sky perfectly to take the lead.
The crucial moment came after TP3. The fleet faced a wall of mountains blocking the path to Italy. The "straightforward" route required a high energy state to clear the pass. While Churchill and Norbert Kiss (Hungary) found the right lines and maintained altitude, several top contenders (including early leader Yuki Kazama) found themselves stuck low on the ridges, desperately scraping for lift in a "low save" scenario that cost them the podium.
The Climax: The Italian Job
The final glide into Rivoli (Italy) was a high-speed descent through the mountain passes. Having navigated the "trap" in the Austrian sector, Sean Churchill emerged in the Italian valley with a commanding lead. Managing his final McCready setting to perfection, he crossed the finish line to claim his first victory of the finals.
Norbert Kiss chased hard to the very end, crossing the line just over 20 seconds later to take 2nd place. It was a race where route selection trumped raw aggression, shaking up the overall standings significantly.
What’s Next?
With two different winners in two days, the 3rd FAI Virtual SGP Final is wide open. The fleet returns to the virtual skies tomorrow at 19:00 UTC for the final race of this weekend block. Can Churchill make it a double, or will the "Spring" thermals deliver another surprise winner?
