Nominations for SDP positions
In accordance with MOSP 4, each year, prior to the Gliding Australia Annual General Meeting, the following positions are made vacant and nominations are sought from the general membership:
- Chair of the Soaring Development Panel
- Deputy Chair of the Soaring Development Panel
- International Teams Manager
- National Coaching Manager
- FAI Coordinator
- IGC Representative
- Chair of the NCC
The current incumbent for each of these positions is willing to stand for another year, however, in accordance with the provisions of MOSP 4, further nominations are now sought. Any member having an interest in these positions is encouraged to nominate themselves. Please contact me at
Also, the sections of MOSP 4 relating to the National Competitions Committee (NCC) and in particular the number of and election of committee members is being updated to clarify both the term for each committee member and the election process. The updated MOSP 4 requires Board approval, which should occur prior to the AGM. The existing committee will continue to serve until the new MOSP comes into use.
The SDP has decided to reduce the number on the NCC from 6 to 4 members, to ensure that members are current competition pilots and to have a nomination process (to all members) and that, where an election is required, to have members of the SDP vote. Members of the committee will serve a 4 year term with 2 positions being changed every 2 years.
National Competition Site Selection
Unfortunately, site selection for next season's National competitions has not yet been finalised. This has resulted from a combination of late requests for bids and a shortage of bids from Australian clubs.
The Multiclass Nationals will be held at Narromine in January, though we are awaiting some formalities before we can confirm Narromine as the host. Joey Glide will be at Temora; however, the bid recently received for the Club Class event does not include the Two-Seat Nationals. The NCC is still evaluating options for the Two-Seat event, which we hope to hold in February.
Going forward, the NCC will work to settle the Nationals calendar further in advance, and will begin arranging the 2027/28 season shortly.
The NCC will also direct competition organisers to run a pilots' meeting at each competition. Members are reminded that suggestions for rule changes can be made at any time by emailing the Chair of the NCC (
The Road to Lake Keepit: Your Pathway to the 2029 Junior Worlds
In January 2029, the Junior World Gliding Championships come to Lake Keepit. A home-soil Worlds is a rare thing, and for any junior pilot in the country it represents the opportunity of a flying lifetime – the chance to represent Australia in front of family, club mates and a home crowd. The good news is that the pathway to selection is now clearly mapped out, and the work that gets you there starts this season, not in 2028.
The Australian Junior team will be up to six pilots - a maximum of three in Club Class and three in Standard Class. Selection is built around JoeyGlide, so if you are a junior with cross-country ambitions, JoeyGlide is where you will want to be.
The pathway, season by season
The journey runs through a sequence of milestones. Between now and the end of 2026, the focus is on building cross-country and competition skills through club and regional coaching and as much state-level competition experience as you can get. The first major gateway is JoeyGlide at Temora in December 2026 — results here begin the formal selection process, so it is the event to aim for.
From those results, a Junior Squad of around ten pilots (roughly five for Club Class and five for Standard Class) will be selected in early 2027 for additional focused coaching. Each squad member will be paired with a coach or mentor in their own region for one-on-one development, and the squad will come together for a Squad Week around the Easter break in 2027.
Team selection is weighted across two JoeyGlide seasons – 40% from 2026/27 and 60% from 2027/28. JoeyGlide 2027/28 will be held at Lake Keepit in January 2028, on the same ground and at the same time of year as the Worlds itself, with international pilots invited. The final team – three pilots plus a backup in each class, eight in all – will be confirmed in early 2028, followed by a Junior Team Week in mid-2028 and high-level national competition flying through the 2028/29 season as final preparation.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for the squad, a pilot must be born after 31 December 2002 (IGC has moved the cut-off date to 31 March to accommodate southern-hemisphere events, which effectively means 25 or younger in the competition year). You must also meet the minimum entry criteria for JoeyGlide and, in the ordinary course, have flown JoeyGlide 2026/27 — though your Regional Soaring Development Manager (RSDM) can nominate on an exception basis where circumstances warrant.
Joining the squad is a genuine commitment, and it is made with eyes open: pilots, and parents or guardians for those under 18, complete a short application confirming they understand the program and sign up to a training plan that includes attendance at Squad Week. The Soaring Development Panel oversees and confirms the selection process throughout.
A Note for Parents
For pilots under 18, parents and guardians are part of the journey from the outset — you'll co-sign the squad application and, where funding is allocated, sign for and manage those funds on your junior's behalf. The commitment is real in terms of time and travel, but it sits alongside a structured support framework rather than leaving families to shoulder it alone.
Funding Support
Some Gliding Australia funding is provided for squad development on a matching basis, with pilots funding half the cost of entry fees, glider hire and tows, and accommodation and transport. Available funding may be capped depending on numbers and aims to help eligible juniors get to JoeyGlide 2026/27 where cost is a real barrier, to fund Squad Week and to support development across the 2027/28 and 2028/29 seasons. State and national competition entry and approved high-performance coaching are the kinds of activities eligible for assistance, subject to RSDM approval.
Start now
The single most important message is this: the pilots who make the 2029 team will be the ones who started building competition mileage early. Talk to your club coaches, get along to your state competitions, and make the most of the coaching on offer at club and state level. Every cross-country flight between now and Temora 2026 is a step towards Lake Keepit. If you have ever wondered whether competition flying is for you, this is the time to find out – there may never be a better one.
Juniors and parents wanting more detail on the squad and selection process should contact their Regional Soaring Development Manager.
Craig Ninall
Chair Soaring Development Panel
