Not really a lucky number, the 13. In fact, we wanted to use the coming weekend, but it was blocked. Not really long ago that winter has finished and the date of the Bitterfeld competition came up inresistable.

But the routine was growing: announcement to FAI/CIAM, invitation in the WEB, clarification with the neighbourly dog-club, invitation of the judges, dates with authorities, neverending letters to consulship and embassy in the Ukrain, .... the whole story hanging behind such a competition. Holger was going to perfect the data-processing, the men on site to perfect the lawn. Now we were lurking for the weather forecast: Sun lies ahead of rain, probability is rising ..., perfect weather !

Then a flood of registrations came in pointing to a new record: 128 participants from 18 nations! Although having four circles now we got slight collywobbles. Our dutch friends suggested to have the finals at Monday, the weather will stay stable. I couldn't really laugh about that.

The first people arrived Tuesday, most others Thursday and Friday. Our camping grounds were filled quite well.

The stunt circle was  at last in the conditions we intended. We've got a well in the last year and the regular watering was obviously good.

Due to the enormous number of pilots it was a tight schedule. The discipline for inscription was quite good, therefore the majority of lists and the schedule could be prepared in advance. Exception proved the rule, "Here I am, be happy!" or "Let me look the weather tomorrow, then I will tell you if I will start." Who has ever organised a competition by himself  will know what I talk about. But as I told, the majority registered in advance, by phone, e-mail or via internet-inscription and so helped us a lot. Thank you!

Sunshine on Friday, best training conditions, and this weather would accompany us the weekend !

Sunday early morning we could welcome the District Administrator of Bitterfeld District Mr. Uwe Schulz, the mayor of Bitterfeld town  Dr. Werner Rauball, the Member of Parliament Mr. Lars Jörn Zimmer, the councilwoman Mrs. Dagmar Zoschke and the delegate of our hirer Mr Krüger from ATEC Mitsubishi, the delegate from IKR Mr. Kupferling as well as the chair woman of the district sport society Mrs. Gudrun Dörfler.   

District Administrator Uwe Schulze had some opening Words and punctually 9am the engines started in all categories!

In F2A speed there were 12 pilots. Rather unspectacular, except the 2nd round Saturday evening, when the model of Norbert Schmitz had enough of boring circular flight and decided to explore the wide world. It came through trees and bushes relatively undamped and then the roof of a neighbouring  bungalow was in its way - crash! Winner of this class was Sandor Kalmar, HUN, with 284,9 km/h. Ranked Peter Gründel and free-flight pilot Norbert Schmitz.

Ivo Popov tested his Transitrace speed measuring system. It worked well and we intend to use it next year as offical timing system. 

F2B stunt did finally arrive on the new circle this year, so there was time enough for training and competition. First in the circle in the morning: Richard Kornmeier of course! But our site is beside an industrial park, so nobody can be bothered.

20 pilots in stunt - nice and manageble panel. A powerful team from Czech Republic and from Slovakia, one pilot from the USA and a lot of friends form Austria, Belgium and Germany as usual.

We could convince Cornelius Gehrig to try in the "adult" class - compliments Cornelius! The last rank amongst the experts is surely more valuable then a first rank in the beginners class! There was a high level fight for goblets and certificates. Enjoyable the form of the three German E/C participants Christoph Holtermann, Richard Kornmeier und Gunter Wagner.

Three pilots only in the beginners category: two from the french team and one from Bitterfeld.

We had five judges this time, still with best and least cancelled in the calculation, so nobody could feel handicaped. At the pencils were Louis van den Hout, Rostislav Rozboril, Brigitte Möbius, Klaus Kosmalla and as a former Stunt-pilotress Angelika Möbius.

In team racing F2C a new record: 19 teams on site, first time a team from the UK. As always large attendance from France, Hungary, Austria, Sweden, Ukrain, Netherland and of course Germany. A good panel to determine the form for the coming European Championchips. Bondarenko/Lerner set a mark in their first heat, so they could waive the remaining heats, 3:09 is good for every semifinal! After a smooth Saturday the Sunday races started with a crash. Starting into a landing model by the british team resulted in a reflight for the Germans Göbel/Ölsner, but in lack of a  model they could not start any more. Surprising the heat of Leupold/Engfer with a new German record of 3:21,8 for 100Laps (approval pending).  

Hot semifinals. Bondarenko/Lerner with trouble in the first race, a reflight in the second, so they had a third chance of which they made use to qualify. 

But no luck for them in the final race: a collision after the third pitstop at Lap 103 and that's it. Despite of some 20 seconds delay due to the collision the French team Piccard/Claire Perret could win (6:53) in front of Mohai/Nitsche (7:08)

Beside this 7 teams in F2F, the F2C-light class for newcomers! A rising category for the future, the prerequisites are available to all at moderate costs. And fun and racing feeling pure! 

As usal we did also 1/2A MTR MiniTeamRace ! This time with potential for stress: On one hand it should be pure fun, but at the other side technic develops! Loet Wakkerman's 1.5ccm Diesel is compulsory, Fora would do also, but not to think for an old engine of the box! Better and faster but best without any rules! Gentlemen, please notice: we have a - short - set of rules, but they are there, even if some wise men of MTR are not willing to accept this.

We can repeat here: Whoever wants to organise a contest without any rules - go on, do it, there are free weekends left in the year! But as long as we are the organiser of this competition the minimum safety rules will be respected until anyone give me in writing that he would take the liability for accidents with his private asset. That's it, I state this clearly facing the risk to get some more "friends" due to it!

Combat: 52 chaser and hawked ones, after the first day only the second round was finished. Combat until sunset and again from 7:30am on Sunday. Praise to the team of judges around Andrea Düster, Thomas Dürrfeld, Pavol Barbaric, Erwin Mühlparzer, Harald Hirschfeld, Alfred Karcher and all the unnamed who did their pieces at the combat circle this weekend to finish the battle on Sunday evening.

The German hunters except Jiri were spectators on Sunday, but enjoyed a relaxing Mai 1st. What made me afraid is the high number of fly-aways, there were 7 of them, some impacted in dangerous vicinity. The power of the propellers and materials can cut the lines without problems and so it is a question of time to the first serious accident. We were prepared with additional fences for spectators, installed mobile fences for the judges, but we feel, this is not the solution for ongoing development. One should think about this seriously before something happens. 

The Scale classes were "exported" this weekend to our training circle 500m distant from the site. The competition over there was organised by Alfred Funk. Thanks to Alfred and his judges Wolfram Metzner, Wolfgang Fliegner and Peter Willmer.

And traditionally there was a attempt with the pulse-reaction jet. Peter Lang did the ignition and Peter Gründel was the conqueror.  Möööb, Mööööb, Uuuuuh and on it goes, one lap only, then all-clear and Peter became a fire fighter.  

The catering was - as in the last years - organised by the friends of the neighbouring dog club. There is a lasting tradition connecting this club and ours and lots of competitors are well known over there! Bratwurst, steak, coffee and beer in the evening rised the moods and left people satisfied. Thank you, friends, and further good relationships!

Price-giving was done in a new style this year: separately! Respecting the long ways home the winners in F2A, F2B and F4B were granted in the afternoon, the remaining categories followed in the evening.

Goodby-wishes and then silence. Now the preparations of the next major event are starting - wedding-eve party! Who is the one - better- are the two? Susanne and Holger will marry on Mai 28th. Unfortunately the date of the Grand Prix de France, but Jean Paul did accept this as apoligised absence. We wish all the best to both of them and looking to a wet party  before wedding (detailled date is - of course - club internal secret! ) 

We have to express our gratitude again to all the judges for their sedulous work, clearly knowing that a competition would be impossible without them. 31 friends spent their spare time to allow us our sports. This is one judge per four competitors! This fact should be realized by all participants, especially those who quarreled with some decisions. So this time we establish a "hall of fame" to honor the judges at this web-site and we want do this for the past competitions, too. May be I can get some support from the one or another, because some relating documets did sink in the 2002 flood.

Thank you also to the employees on site for the first class preparation of the grounds.

We thank all the participants for coming to Bitterfeld, for the high discipline and we hope you all enjoyed Bitterfeld 2005. If something was not to your pleasure, please excuse us. And if it was o.k. then please tell it to the others and come back! To blame all rumours: There will definitely be our competition in 2006! We'll have three days then: April 29th to Mai 1st, what is a Monday then. So please mark you calendar with the motto:

 If we dont meet around this world, we surely meet 2006 in Bitterfeld !