Emerald Casino ICE BLOCK 2009

Pilots:

Tony Gibson, Riaan Struwig, Sheraz Sulleman, Allen Kennedy, Reaan Swanepoel, Dawie Roodt. 

Assisted By:

Bary Clark

Photos

Saturday morning the 13th June 2009 was a cold and fogged in start for the very brave and rather good looking bunch of Pilots from Gauteng (unlike some other scruffy bunch we know). You see we were all kitted out in your Flying Unlimited Flightsuits and dragged along our OZONE wings. Except for Dawie with his Dudek Synthesis. The PPG's were a variety of PPG's from a Modified Castelluccio Frame, Fly Products Power house, the Mamba super duper beast, Elegant Nirvana and 2 Superbly constructed local home builds. WOW what a turn out of brilliant pilots, that took the time to come experience an event full of hype and adrenalin. The ICE BLOCK 2009 is a power boat race from the Emerald Casino boat launch way out into the Vaal Dams direction and then back for 3 laps. The classes are mixed up from Rubber ducks, High speed racing boats, Jet ski's and the slow moving Celebs in there sponsored craft.

Well we arranged to meet at the Block house for a coffee and some breakfast and then head off to the event for some cruising. The trip there was rather slow because the fog/mist was like pea soup in a refrigerator, thick and cold. Breakfast was great and we followed Allan to the Casino area. Dawie was eagerly waiting for us and look pretty important all dressed in his sponsored kit for the Celeb Race later in the day. Again we chatted up a storm of Bull &$#@ like all Paraglider types do while waiting for the weather to be suitable for flying. Jan Harem the weather man on Dawies 'Ontbytsaake' TV program was going to be his co-pilot in the boat was standing by chatting as much Bull as as because there was not much else to do. Ah Coffee again in the VIP House boat this time. We really looked the part, all of us in our flying Unlimited Flight suits, looking dashing if i must say so again, made the ladies week at the knees trying to serve us coffee and get our VIP arm bands to us. The Weather started showing signs of light streaming in from above, so the preparations began. Laying out wings and walking through the field to make sure of any holes that might trip us and destroy our day, warming motors and then taking a step into the Blue yonder; No reality check. Actually running your but-off and flying towards a tennis court fence and if you miss that then out over the car park full of cars and boats. No not that bad really. Just a left turn up the hill and between the tall trees and then over the chalets and then out over the game park. Then back into the area of the event. Good stuff, but all these brilliant pilots made easy work of these obsticals either practesing a few slaloms through the trees or hopping over the barrier tape and then setting up for a nice restful cruise up over the river and above the clearing mist. WOW stunning. We all got up and just flew all over the place not doing anything exciting, later after Dawie landed he headed down to the crowd line and to the PA System and briefed the Crowds about our sport and who we were. I was then requested to do a demonstration for the crowd over the river area. Dawie organized a rescue boat to be on standby and then i came through kick the pylons and doing a few slalom type runs through the pylons as if i was in a comp. The Viper 2 from Ozone was behaving really well and the Nirvana Rodeo was delivering the thrust required for all this flying.

After my demo we sat back and enjoyed the race from the Deck of the VIP boat surrounded by the family's of the celebs racing in the event. This was an experiance and a half. So the 'Good Looking Guy's' again had their day. After a second demo using Dawies Synthesis this time i had a chat to the comentator of the event, a very big name in the airshow circuit in South Africa. He said we really must get onto the Airshow calender and come demo our skills. All he kept saying was WOW, Awsome flying really, exiting and must do it again. Ok he said a lot more about how good it looked but i don't want to sound like we are that good.
Fun Fun Fun and a great event. Thanks to all the fantastic and great pilots who flew this event with me and safe flying for the next event.

 Photos by: Dawie Roodt & Reaan Swanepoel

Tony