New Zealand Nationals
28thDec 2000 - 2ndJan2001

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F2D Combat
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Well this is a new year and the same opening paragraph for last year is still appropriate for this year!
However this year had a little twist! Instead of wet, windy and cold it was wet, sunny, windy and hot all at the same time! The wind was so strong that it blew the rain over us from the Tararua mountain range behind us while we were in clear blue skies! Sun block, sun glasses and wet weather gear all at once, now that has to be a first!

Day one was arrival, registration day and setting up the various sites and getting back in touch with all your mates from around the country.
The weather was wet, windy and warm and for the most part this was the case for the whole Nats which meant many would struggle and for the Free Flight guys I can only guess what their comments were!!!! The last 2 days of the Nats were to some degree the best 2 days we have had at Nationals for a few years but this was in vain as many had gone home in disgust with the weather forecast looking no better. This meant that a few events were cancelled due to the lack of entries.

29th Dec 2000

Sportsman Aerobatics

This was a well supported event yet again this year with 17 contestants. The rain vanished and the wind increased as the event was run. Scores were very close and the flying skills were excellent in trying conditions. Steve Biggins was unfortunate to crash after leading round one. Glen Lewis crashed in round one with a low pull out at the bottom of the dreaded dive removing the outside wheel leg but was still able to ROG for the remaining two rounds. Glen, with some excellent flying in rounds two and three went on to win. Owen Rogers and Laurie Chrystall were the judges with Dave Wright efficiently directing the contestants to the circle.

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Results

Slow Combat

High winds made for minimal line tension at times but all contestants handled the conditions well. The best bout of the day was Glen Lewis vs Chris Renton with four full minutes of combat. Chris won 2-0. Kim Webby made a return to combat and departed smiling and enthusiastic. The final came down to the two Auckland flatmates, Bryce Gibson and Chris Renton. Bryce took the first cut then relaxed too soon, Chris taking three cuts and then a mid air saw Bryce struggling to remain airborne. Chris had a well deserved win in this new to the Nationals event.

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Results

30th Dec 2000
FAI F2B Aerobatics

This was a very trying contest in bizarre weather conditions. All the competitors are to be congratulated on completing the contest with their models in one piece. The only casualty was Kevin Morgans model, a strong gust of wind caught his model in the pits and threw it along the ground breaking off the nose and then one more gust saw to the fuselage being broken in half. This was before he had even had a chance to fly round one!
The weather was a mixture of wind, strong gusts, calm patches, thermals, 180 Deg direction changes, rain and sun. The first round commenced at 9am and was flown in turbulent and gusty wind. The second round began at 11.30am and after the wind calmed down at around mid day so the remainder of the round was quite good and hence several good scores resulted. There is a name for this phenomenon - it's called 'Lottery Stunt' or 'Casino Aerobatics'.
The final result was determined by those who had a calm patch of air to fly in, rather than being a true test of piloting skill. Thanks to the judges Andrew Robinson and Frank Visser for there work in the inclement weather.

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Results

FAI F2D Combat

With only four entries we were able to get through the contest in short time, taking into account the amazingly gusty winds. Although the wind played a major part, the standard of combat was excellent. The result was a deserving winner.

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31st Dec 2000
FAI F2A Speed

The morning opened as it closed the day before. Rain, sun, wind and a need for sunglasses and a hat all at the same time! This weather pattern is the strangest I have ever seen in Carterton or indeed anywhere at all! First up was F2A speed and Niel Lickfold led the way in round one with a personal best time of 13.31 secs, closely followed by Norbert Schmitz from Germany. Round two saw Bill Bell lower the NZ F2A record to snatch first place from Niel and Norbert.

Results

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Class 1 - 5 % Speed

The weather was slightly better for percentage speed with the rain having stopped. Some good times were recorded but the stand out flight was from 11 year old Jay McFadden in class 1 who flew to a new junior record of 27.4 secs (131 kph) but as the contest is an open event he was unable to claim a place with his 116.42% ! Callum Agnew with a class1 model won the event with 94.64%. Well done to all in these most bizarre conditions.

Results

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Goodyear Team Race.

Goodyear Team Race was supposed to be flown on the 30th but due to the weather it was postponed until the 31st and even then it was not until the late afternoon that the green light was given. Occasional strong gusts still kept the pilots on their toes. There were only a couple of minor piloting 'memory lapses' during the races and all had a good degree of fun and enjoyment. There were a couple of new pilots flying Team race and I'm sure that they gained a little with flying with the 'big' boys. The Final was not raced to it's potential with the final record still very 'soft' and still safe! The Lewis / Bolton team again were out in front but the mid race pit stop again being the weakness of the Stels 21.
Then it was the turn of the time keeper to intervene and told Robert that he had finished the race only to find that only 190 laps had been completed! The race was then decided on laps and this left Glen and Robert the winners.

Results

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1st Jan 2001

1/2A Team Race

At last the weather improved and some good racing was enjoyed. Several mishaps during the first round saw the rule book out and some of us learned a bit more about the rules! Glen Lewis / Robert Bolton Team had a great setting for all races and recorded some very good times despite having had no flying since Easter and flying with yet another new test prop! Alan Barnes pitted for Brendon Robinson but a few little problems arose. Barney was out after a line tangle and this simplified the heats allowing us to finish with three up heats. Don and Andrew Robinson had a good first heat but had to withdraw from their second heat due to the motor not wanting to stay running in the warm up.

Their time was good enough to get them into the final so they went to work and stripped the motor / model and fixed the problem just in time for the final. The final was a real beauty, the Lewis Bolton team were away on the gun and a lap or two up on the field before they got started. Several slow stops for the Robinson team saw them fade further into second place while Glen and Robert flew a near perfect race (Robert had two stops with two flicks!) to shatter their own final record by about 10 seconds. Brendon came home in third place and had a big smile on his face from a job well done. Well done to you all.

Results

* New Zealand Record

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Phantom Racing

The heats of Phantom were held in the afternoon of the 1st of Jan. Only seven teams fronted from an entry list of some eleven teams, I think the weird weather conditions may have had an effect here with some of the contestants flying in other events on the catch up trail due to the wind problems. Again this year we had an international flavour with two overseas contestants, namely return visitor Norbert Schmitz from Germany and Gabriel Honnert from Luxembourg. They were a little surprised to see that our rules had been changed from the 'World' Norm of 80 lap heats to 100 laps but soon adjusted to the new distance.
After two rounds of racing the top three teams stood out from the pack and in that top three there was just one lone 'Kiwi' that being Brendon Robinson with our two visitors making up the final.
The final was run on the last day of the Nationals after all the heats of Classic 'A' and Classic'B'. We then had a finals bonanza. Starting with Phantom followed by Classic 'A' and Classic 'B'. This was a great way to finish up the Nationals and in much more acceptable weather conditions.
A big thank you to all the helpers during the Nats and we look forward to seeing you again next year.

Results

Place	Name	Club	Heat (100 Laps)	Final (200 Laps)
1st	Gabriel Honnert	Luxembourg	4-18.92	8-45.55
2nd	Brendon Robinson	NPMAC	4-19.0	8-55.56
3rd	Norbert Schmitz	Germany	4-10.37	9-05.59
4th	Richard McFadden	Auck	5-01.27
5th	Graham Main	WRMAC	5-10.65
6th	Steve Biggins	WRMAC	5-14.72
7th	Gus Tapper	?????	7-28.45

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