Model glider pilots compete
FORTY international model glider pilots from 10 countries competed for the Mustafa Vehbi Koç F3J and F5J Geçitkale Cup 2018 organised by the TRNC Air Sports Federation over the weekend.
The glider event took off last Thursday night with a glitzy opening ceremony and banquet in central Lefkoşa followed by a concert featuring TV singing star Lütfiye Özipek.
The F3J team winners were the TRNC national squad consisting of Erel Cankan, Salahi Tezel, Mehmet Serden, Mehmet Kofalı, Mehmet Gökşah and Haluk Akyol.
Runners-up in the same category were a mixed team, with members from Finland, Sweden and Japan, while third were the Ukrainian national team.
In the solo category F3J Adults, Lubos Nemcek from Slovakia came first followed by Oleksandr Petrenko from Ukraine and Thomas Rossner of Germany third.
All the top three in the F3J Junior category were Ukrainian, with Andrii Lagodzinsky first, Roman Klyemenko second and Dmytro Hrhoriev third.
In the F5J Adults category, Russia’s Aleksandr Volkov was first followed by Josef Giergich from Germany, then Tuomo Kokkonen from Finland. The TRNC’s Erel Cankan was fourth. In F3J Junior category, Ukrainians Dmytro Hrhoriev and Andrii Lagodzinskyi were first and second respectively, with the TRNC’s Hasan Tezel third. TRNC Air Sports Federation president Zeki Ziya said: “It was a fantastic event that saw 40 sportsmen take part from 10 different countries, despite attempts by Greek Cypriots to get it cancelled.”