Affect of Alcohol (Beer) on Soaring and Soaring Racing

I know Sebastian Kawa and a few others never touch alcohol. Some racing pilots stay away around competitions. Others have a beer waiting on ice when they land.

Is it just a high performance athlete focusing thing - or is there more to it. I did a search and couldn't fined any discussions.


WH

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 6:05:07 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I know Sebastian Kawa and a few others never touch alcohol. Some racing pilots stay away around competitions. Others have a beer waiting on ice when they land.

Is it just a high performance athlete focusing thing - or is there more to it. I did a search and couldn't fined any discussions.


WH

God I love yacht clubs.

Why's that Jonathan?Â* Free beer?

On 2/19/2019 9:03 AM, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 6:05:07 AM UTC-8, wrote:
I know Sebastian Kawa and a few others never touch alcohol. Some racing pilots stay away around competitions. Others have a beer waiting on ice when they land.

Is it just a high performance athlete focusing thing - or is there more to it. I did a search and couldn't fined any discussions.


WH
God I love yacht clubs.

--
Dan, 5J

Very important for landouts. One for the pilot and one for the farmer.

Several things.......
Some is, no alcohol ever.
Some is, "I believe beyond the 8hrs bottle to throttle".....no, most sailplanes have no throttle. Alcohol is also a negative way to lose fluids, we can get dehydrated enough just from flying and then have to work harder to be physically ready for the next contest day. So what a person does at home is not what they may do at a contest. Even beyond 8hrs, senses are dulled a bit, so maybe part of the performance aspect.

Curious to see other replies.

As an aside, decades ago, for a contest finish, a call to the crew may be, "ice the beer" so the pilot knew they had home made and wanted a cold one. A contest for me (1996?) I called, "ice the baby bottle" (I had a several month old kidlet, wife was crew with said kidlet). I landed and was handed a baby bottle full of beer......sheesh, I love my wife....;-) this was at HHSC.....

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 1:43:00 PM UTC-5, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Several things.......
Some is, no alcohol ever.
Some is, "I believe beyond the 8hrs bottle to throttle".....no, most sailplanes have no throttle. Alcohol is also a negative way to lose fluids, we can get dehydrated enough just from flying and then have to work harder to be physically ready for the next contest day. So what a person does at home is not what they may do at a contest. Even beyond 8hrs, senses are dulled a bit, so maybe part of the performance aspect.

Curious to see other replies.

As an aside, decades ago, for a contest finish, a call to the crew may be, "ice the beer" so the pilot knew they had home made and wanted a cold one.. A contest for me (1996?) I called, "ice the baby bottle" (I had a several month old kidlet, wife was crew with said kidlet). I landed and was handed a baby bottle full of beer......sheesh, I love my wife....;-) this was at HHSC.....

Just watch 'The Sun Ship Games'! There are several scenes where the pilots - after successfully making it home - were greeted by their crews with a cold one. Other scenes show chain-smoking pilots in the cockpits - not only in the glider but everywhere else! And these were the top pilots of their days... :-)

Uli
'AS'

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 9:05:07 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I know Sebastian Kawa and a few others never touch alcohol. Some racing pilots stay away around competitions. Others have a beer waiting on ice when they land.

Is it just a high performance athlete focusing thing - or is there more to it. I did a search and couldn't fined any discussions.


WH

Are you kidding me!!! Why even fly if you cannot have a few cold brews after a good day. Down here in Florida we certainly enjoy our beer, calling it an early day to final glide home and open the cooler is always refreshing. Now we most always have a cold ice packed cooler with some excellent beers awaiting the thirsty pilots. Our favorite brands would be Becks, Stella, Pacifico and a few yuenglings. We are always careful to recycle the glass bottles, we want to keep the greenies like OAC happy.

I used to carry home brew in my truck for just such a purpose.

On 2/19/2019 10:08 AM, George Haeh wrote:
Very important for landouts. One for the pilot and one for the farmer.

--
Dan, 5J

On Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 9:05:07 AM UTC-5, wrote:
I know Sebastian Kawa and a few others never touch alcohol. Some racing pilots stay away around competitions. Others have a beer waiting on ice when they land.

Is it just a high performance athlete focusing thing - or is there more to it. I did a search and couldn't fined any discussions.


WH

I don't recall seeing any data that shows that alcohol consumption improves performance.
I have seen some examples of the opposite.
I know I sleep better when I don't drink.
Others may have different experiences.
UH

Thanks - UH

It actually was a serious question - I just watched Free Solo - a guy focused on a extremely technical sport. Doesn't drink.

I also have been around several people with Olympic medals - it varies but most only drink at the very end of the competition season - for the reasons of better rest/recovery, focus and no desire to relax.

I have seen a few Kawa interviews and heard him say "If I see a competitor go for a beer, I know I can beat them" - I believe he thought it was more physiological.

I just thought it was an interesting topic and given that many Contest pilots read this - thought there may be data/information on the subject.

WH