Sunday 16 November 2014

First Round of the SWSA F3F Winter League - Results

Its Winter League time again!

The first round of the SWSA Winter league has always been susceptible to difficult weather conditions. Managing to get a few hours out on Saturday for a quick practice started to raise my fears as this was suppose to be the better of the two days and that was spent dodging clag on the Wrecker.

So when I got to the slope Sunday morning I was welcomed by blanket of clag I feared the worse. Once on top to check the wind direction it was clear that the wind strength was much higher than Saturday and was also smack on the wrecker.

Now would the clag clear? After presenting Mark Abbotts with his trophy for the Fastest Time for the Welsh Open we wondered over to the Wrecker and the clag was starting to lift. It was good enough to set a course up, although the clag was still to low to fly but we would be ready if it lifted.

As the course was up, pilots started move to the pits area and rig up ready to fly. All the time this was going on the clag was lifting more and it was starting to look hopeful that we would get a competition in. Joel West was persuaded to put his Freestyler up to check cloud base and see if it was high enough to get to the landing area safely!

Seeing as he had negotiated this challenge we decided to let him get the 2014-15 Winter League underway and Joel flew a 39:89 to win the round. This was closely followed by Simon Thornton who flew a 40:05. The Dark Lord, Mr Greg Dakin had made the journey to South Wales and collected third place in the round with a 42:85.

Greg was now getting the feel of his new model which was a Jiri Baudis cocktail of a Pit Bull and Fosa Lift a sort of Pit Lift or Fosa Bull I suppose, you get the idea! Anyway Greg flew a 35:54 to win the round with Simon second again with a 39:17 and Graeme Mahoney took third with a 40:39.

Simon consistence was rewarded in round three which he won with a 39:65. Martin Newnham was now starting to find his feet as he was having a slow start following an evening in Bridgend with Mark Abbotts and Clayton and took second spot with a 43:05. Greg took third spot with a 43:83 with the Pit Fosa!

Simon was in there again to win round four with a 37:25, closely followed by Joel and Martin with 38:62 and 38:90 respectively.

The fifth round was won with the fastest time of the day by Joel with a 33:42. Mark was starting to recover from the night before and clocked a 39:95 for second spot and Mr Consistent, Simon was third with a 41:33.

The six and what turned out to be the final run as the clag had returned with a bit of rain thrown in was won by Mark Abbots with a 38:14. Gary Harrison had also made the journey with John Phillips and a changed to his Needle for the final round promptly a second place with a 40:68 just beating Greg who flew a 40:97 with his Lift Bull!

With the Clag descending which brought the curtain down on the first winter league of the series all that was left to do was pack up. Thanks to everyone who helped get the course up and down and especially Dave Rumble who helped out in the center and John Treble who volunteered for the worse job of them all, Buzz Supremeo.

So who had taken the honours for the first league event?

It was Simon Thornton who was first with 4824 points. Joel West was second with 4730 points and Greg Dakin was third with 4690.

See you all in a month’s time and the full results are below, all the best

Andrzej


1
Simon Thornton
4824.81
2
Joel West
4730.96
3
Greg Dakin
4690.31
4
Martin Newnham
4524.78
5
Mark Abbotts
4393.67
6
Graeme Mahoney
4351.53
7
Andy Burgoyone
4282.94
8
Tony Livingstone
4261.67
9
John Phillips
4260.37
10
Gary Harrison
4234.75
11
Mark Treble
4214.14
12
Mike Evans
4199.97
13
Stuart Wallace
4080.02
14
Dave Rumble
4067.67
15
Martin Drewett
3986.72
16
John Treble
3858.75
17
Paul Stubley
3736.30
18
Andrzej Tabero
2305.01

Friday 14 November 2014

First Round of SWSA F3F Winter League is ON

Hi All

Condition are looking reasonable for Sunday so the competition is ON

The wind forecasts have been flipping between Wrecker or the Crest so we will meet at the Wrecker Car Park with a view to heading to the slope at 09:30.

The names I have to date are below. If you intend flying and your name is not below can you please let me have your names by Saturday lunch time. That not to say you can't enter on the morning but it will slow things up and as a result you might well find yourself very early in the flying order!

So looking forward to seeing you all Sunday and all the best

Andrzej

1
John Phillips
2.4 GHz
2
Tony Livingstone
2.4 GHz
3
Simon Thornton
2.4 GHz
4
John Treble
2.4 GHz
5
Gary Harrison
2.4 GHz
6
Andy Burgoyone
2.4 GHz
7
Graeme Mahoney
2.4 GHz
8
Clayton Landells
2.4 GHz
9
Dave Rumble
2.4 GHz
10
Andrzej Tabero
2.4 GHz
11
Martin Drewett
2.4 Ghz
12
Mike Evans
2.4 GHz
13
Joel West
2.4 GHz
14
Stuart Wallace
2.4 GHz
15
Paul Stubley
2.4 GHz

Tuesday 11 November 2014

First Round of the 2014-15 SWSA F3F Winter League

Hi All

This Sunday 16 November will be the first round of the SWSA F3F winter league. I will make a call Friday if the competition is on and if so more details of meeting times.

If I can have entries by Saturday I would be grateful as it helps with or organising the flying order and get things running on the day. However, if you wake up Sunday morning and decide at the last minute you want to fly you will more than welcome, but you might find yourself early in the flying order!

If you are thinking about having a go in F3F the winter league is a great place to start, it's all pretty informal and don't worry if you haven't got the latest state of the art carbon fibre dream machine to have a go.  Sure it nice to have but it is more important that you have a go at standing in the centre of a course and trying to fly a kilometre as fast as you can with what ever plane you have got.  Better to find out flying a foamie that F3F is for you than spending thousands only to find out you have made an expensive mistake!   

Looking forward to seeing you all Sunday


Andrzej