A third-generation pilot, Erik started flying gliders in 1986 and won his first regional contest at age 16. He flew on the U.S. Junior Soaring Team in 1989, 1991, and 1993, then took a hiatus from contest flying during medical school and residency. Since returning to the sport in his thirties, he has won several regional contests and achieved multiple podium finishes at the Nationals. He finished second in 15-meter at the Pan-American championships in 2015, and flew in the World Championships at Benalla, Australia in 2017 and at Hosin, Czech Republic in 2018, as well as the Pan-Americans at Rockville, Ontario in 2019. He flies a Ventus 3 with the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association in Fairfield, PA. He works as a musculoskeletal radiologist and lives in New Hampshire with his wife Sarah and daughter Tenley.

In the fall of 2020, teammate Jae Walker and I were able to meet on weekends at Mid-Atlantic Soaring in Fairfield, PA to train with racing tasks in satisfyingly varied and challenging conditions. We look forward to continuing these sessions in the spring of 2021.

This winter, we’ll fly tasks together using the Stendal landscape on the Condor simulator, and cooperate on analyzing the task area based on previous races and cross-country flights from the site.

In the spring, I’m looking forward to flying the Region 5 North contest at Perry in April, the Sailplane Grand Prix at Bermuda High in May, and the Region 2 contest at Mifflin later that month. The soaring at those sites should be good preparation for northern Europe. June will be more weekend training, then we’ll head over to Germany for a week of practice and acclimatization.

It takes enormous concentration, sustained throughout the entirety of the flight, to be competitive at the international level. A single mistake, or being just a little late in appreciating a change in conditions, can undo hours of winning flying. Preparation for that is difficult; learning what keeps you dialed in, and what impairs your focus, is a big part.
First, it is a sincere honor to represent our country, and I am humbled by the opportunity. Second, the camaraderie and sense of shared purpose on previous teams have been exceptional, and an absolutely unique experience in this sport. Last, I think JW can win the darn thing, and I can’t wait to help him do it.

NEWS ABOUT ERIK

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