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van Dyk, Tony; glider pilot
Biography
BiographyTony's father, Arie van Dyk, was a founder of the Upper Valley club, from their days in Whiteman's Valley, and had won the national club-class championship. Tony's mother, Cor, was a flyer too.
Tony first represented New Zealand at the world championships in Austria in 1989.
The earliest pictures found so far date from February 1991; in one, he was pictured with three trophies won in the last twelve months; the Bob Connor Memorial Cup presented by Piako Gliding Club for standard-class sailplanes. When he won this at the end of November, Tony was the first competitor from outside the Auckland province to do so. Also picture is the Court Trophy of the national gliding movement, for the annual national standard-class championship. Tony won the event at Matamata in February. At right in the picture is the Doug Yarrall Trophy for the Central Districts' standard-class championship. Tony had won this five times. The trophy commemorates an Upper Valley pilot who also represented New Zealand overseas. Tony would be in the New Zealand team for the world championships, to be held in Texas. The glider pictured was a Rolladen-Schneider LS4.
He did not compete in 1993, as he was focused on buying a new German glider; it cost $120 000 , and was almost certainly a Rolladen-Schneider LS8. It was equipped with GPS, which would be used in competition for the first time in 1995.
In January 1995 Tony came fifth in Standard class in the world championships, held in Omarama. He also won the national standard-class championship for the second time in three years. A club-mate, Ben Flewett, won the club class in a glider which had been Tony's father's.
Tony first represented New Zealand at the world championships in Austria in 1989.
The earliest pictures found so far date from February 1991; in one, he was pictured with three trophies won in the last twelve months; the Bob Connor Memorial Cup presented by Piako Gliding Club for standard-class sailplanes. When he won this at the end of November, Tony was the first competitor from outside the Auckland province to do so. Also picture is the Court Trophy of the national gliding movement, for the annual national standard-class championship. Tony won the event at Matamata in February. At right in the picture is the Doug Yarrall Trophy for the Central Districts' standard-class championship. Tony had won this five times. The trophy commemorates an Upper Valley pilot who also represented New Zealand overseas. Tony would be in the New Zealand team for the world championships, to be held in Texas. The glider pictured was a Rolladen-Schneider LS4.
He did not compete in 1993, as he was focused on buying a new German glider; it cost $120 000 , and was almost certainly a Rolladen-Schneider LS8. It was equipped with GPS, which would be used in competition for the first time in 1995.
In January 1995 Tony came fifth in Standard class in the world championships, held in Omarama. He also won the national standard-class championship for the second time in three years. A club-mate, Ben Flewett, won the club class in a glider which had been Tony's father's.
Details
SexMaleEthnicityEuropean
EthnicityEuropeanloading google map....
van Dyk, Tony; glider pilot. Upper Hutt Libraries, accessed 13/09/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/25868