I have just returned from Rieti where I participated in the Mediterranean International Gliding Competition (CIM) from August 3rd to the 13th in the 15 mt. class.

Unluckily the weather was very bad and we o­nly flew 4 tasks over 11 days.

As usual when I compete in Italy, I was the o­nly woman and my results were not very satisfactory, especially due to the weather that was characterized by many thunderstorms which makes the competition based very much o­n chance, more than skill.

I think that gliding is o­ne of those sports in which both men and women are equal, but in spite of this, I don't feel completely at ease when I compete o­nly with men because I think that they are running many more risks than the o­nes we want to run.

After flying the European Women Gliding Championships in Prievidza 1997, I realized that female gliding in Italy has never been popular. Apart from Adele Orsi Mazzucchelli, who was an outsider, no other Italian woman ever participated in any international gliding competitions.

Competing abroad and being alone is quite difficult. The first time I competed my crew was composed of 3 people: my team captain/crew, my son who was then 9 years old and myself. Nobody had told me anything apart from some suggestions I got from Adele Orsi Mazzucchelli, whom at that time was very ill.

It has always been very hard and this is the reason why I’m now trying to involve other women glider pilots and encouraging them to grow, trying to pass forward to them my experience and hoping the Italian team can improve in number and results in the near future.

The first outreach meeting was in March 2006 and we were 7.

Unfortunately, Giulia Incisa della Rocchetta, a very good pilot that could have become a very strong o­ne, had died in an outlanding accident in June 2005.

At the end of June 2006 we met again and flew together at "Adele Orsi" Airfield in Calcinate. We regularly keep in touch.

I think that we’ll get more female participants and for sure we’ll obtain some good results.

The most important thing is to believe in what we’re doing !!

Photos and competition results o­nline soon

Margot Acquaderni
Italian Glider pilot