The 2026 Jena Cup, spread over five challenging competition days, provided the ideal conditions for top-class cross-country gliding.
Despite some exceptionally strong thermals and challenging conditions, the pilots of the Schempp-Hirth fleet impressed with strong performances and numerous top placings. In the 18-metre class, Philipp Schulz, flying his club’s Ventus-3, confidently prevailed against a strong field of competitors to secure overall victory. Raphael Twardowski rounded off the success with an outstanding third place. The results underline once again that the Ventus-3 combines balanced and comfortable handling with exceptional competitive performance – qualities that have made it one of the most successful and popular gliders in its class for years.
The competition in the two-seater class was equally successful. Tobias Ladenburger and Leonard Krohmer dominated the field, flying their Arcus T confidently to overall victory. Petra Zimmermann-Lauer and Annette Klossok achieved a strong third place with their Arcus M, securing yet another podium finish.
Nils Stengel and Simon Windt impressively demonstrated that the Duo Discus XL continues to hold its own at the very highest competitive level. With a consistently strong performance across all five days of competition, they secured second place and rounded off the Schempp-Hirth fleet’s outstanding overall result.
In addition to the sporting successes, the excellent organisation of the Jena Cup also contributed to the competition’s success.
We warmly congratulate all the pilots on their impressive performances and thank them for their confidence in our aircrafts. Such successes are the result of flying skill, tactical decisions and high-performance technology – a combination that has always characterised competitive gliding.
