SkyScraper International Challenge
May 31/June 1, 2008

  The conditions were difficult with much wind both days and some rain Saturday.  The weather was not as good as we usually experience. Nevertheless, a reasonable number of competitors came and rose to the challenge.  Sunday we were able to start with a 240 second max and then after two rounds of 180 we dropped the max to 150 seconds, and moved further west for the launches, landing primarily on the sod. As far as I am aware, none of the models landed in the line of trees downwind.

  I mention first some highlights.  One is junior team flier Michelle Radziunas's near perfect performance winning F1B ahead of nine other fine competitors. An amazing level of flying given the conditions. Join with me in congratulating her! (You can reach Michelle via her mom at koradz@sbcglobal.net).  Also note the fine efforts by first time F1B fliers Jon Carothers and Brede Doerner from Connecticut!  They are certainly sticking with it -- Friday at the weekly W&O building session Brede and his mom were making up many new motors!

  Another highlight was the competition with California flier Brian van Nest, in his second meet in Wawayanda, NY.  In very challenging conditions (needing a last round max to win) he was edged out by Bob Sifleet in F1H (congrats Bob!). While in F1A, when the tough turbulence caused every flier to experience attempts in tow, Brian closed with steady non-max flights (he said at the time that they were the hardest he had to work for) sufficient to pull out the victory among 11 competitors. (Both of these flights came after attempts, and the threat of second attempts leading to zero were very much present).

  Also impressive where the max outs in F1G and F1Q by Bill Buss and Rich Ivers respectively and the steady flying by Dave Rounsaville in F1J and F1P.

F1B (Wakefield Rubber):
1. 184 180 180 150 150 150 150 1144 Michelle Radziunas (Jr)
2. 208 180 180 120 150 150 150 1138 John Clapp
3. 169 143 180 150 133 150 150 1075 Tom Vaccaro
4. 240 135 086 150 150 150 086 0997 Aram Schlosberg
5. 085 122 180 141 131 117 150 0926 Brede Doerner (Jr)
6. 081 157 088 150 149 150 150 0925 Carrol Allen
7. 180 126 122 150 150 044 150 0922 Sarah Radziunas
8. 076 180 131 038 150 071 150 0796 Jon Carothers (Jr)
9. 240 180 086 150 092 --- --- 0748 Tom Ioerger
10 204 --- --- --- --- --- --- 0204 Jerry McGlashan

F1A (Towline Glider):
1. 240 180 180 150 150 124 107 1131 Brian Van Nest
2. 240 180 180 150 085 081 150 1066 Andrew Barron
3. 140 180 180 125 107 150 150 1032 Peter Barron
4. 118 180 145 150 150 101 150 0994 Ben Thomson
5. 165 067 158 130 150 150 150 0970 Tzvetan Tzvetkov
6. 240 117 180 150 077 150 055 0969 Omer Erguner
7. 164 170 131 150 150 121 039 0925 Oliver Cai (Jr)
8. 172 127 180 080 056 060 150 0825 Michelle Barron (Jr)
9. 056 065 000 150 058 150 150 0629 Timothy Barron (Jr)
10 086 139 108 150 129 000 000 0612 Ranan Lachman
11 209 180 180 035 --- --- --- 0604 Bob Sifleet

F1G (Small Rubber):
1. 120 120 120 120 120  600 Bill Buss
2. 120 092 120 116 050  498 Caroll Allen
3. 120 081 120 120 009  450 John Clapp
4. 056 087 120 055 ---  318 Dave Lacey
5. 108 120 --- --- ---  228 Bob Hatscheck
6. 065 069 --- --- ---  134 Tom Ioerger

F1H (Small Towline Glider):
1. 120 120 120 115 098  573 Bob Sifleet
2. 120 120 120 094 115  569 Brian Van Nest
3. 120 120 120 068 084  512 Jean Pailet
4. 120 --- --- --- ---  120 Dennis Phelan

F1J (Small Gas Power)
1. 120 120 109 120 120  589 Dave Rounsaville
2. 032 067 038 --- ---  137 Jean Pailet

F1Q (Electric, used 15 second engine run)
1. 120 120 120 120 120  600 Rich Ivers
2. 109 --- --- --- ---  109 Dick Ivers

F1P (Another Small Gas Power)
1. 186 180 180 150 150 136 126  1108 Dave Rounsaville
2. --- 084 --- --- --- --- ---  0084 Brian Pacelli

Thermals!

Andrew Barron