Meet the NZ National team 2009 = W&W instructor Team

NZ National Team: Reuben Muir, Evan Lamberton, Jeff Ripley going to Mexico for the Worlds

Our 3 Wings & Waves instructors and Auckland Club members Evan Lamberton, Jeff Ripley and W&W founder Reuben Muir are the 3 male representatives of NZ at the coming World Championships 2009 in Mexico! This is not the first time that the National Team is comprised out of Auckland HGPG Club pilots. (Eva got some stick for NOT representing NZ in this competition. She has done 3 Worlds in previous years and scored as well as 6th in the Worlds. At this stage, she is too busy with kids, teaching and business to compete.)

For Jeff - who is the current NZ Champion - and Evan these are the first Worlds they compete in. Reuben is an old hand at international competition; he has been to the Worlds and Pre-Worlds in Spain in 1996 and 1997 and in Austria in 1998 and 1999. Evan and Jeff have flown in several nationals competitions and qualified for the national team due to their great performance. How Reuben gets in every time is a bit of a mystery: due to his teaching and family commitments he does not enter any competitions other than the Nationals, which are often his only XC flying days of the year. Without any practice, he has managed to finish top ten at the Nationals for the last 15 years, without fail. Twice he has been NZ Champion, other years second and third. Who needs practice when you have talent?!

Off to Mexico in January 2009: Reuben Muir, Evan Lamberton, Jeff Ripley

Because the World's top pilots are mostly professional pilots, and our guys are holding down day time jobs, it will be hard to get into the top rankings. But all of them will surely do well - and have a ball. Go Wings & Waves / NZ National Team!!!