AEROCHRIS: Ed Levin Speed Gliding Wrap Up

A great weekend was had with some really skilled flying by all participants of the speed gliding event...

Day one we were able to run the regular course and each pilot, 18 total, was able to get in a run on the speed course before conditions became too windy...

Day two, Brian and I decided to alter the course due to the building southerly wind conditions both at launch and in the LZ...We opted to forgo the altitude gates, told pilots to stay high, and ended the course at the 300' hill wind sock to allow for a safe approach in the LZ...Our plan worked very well with the 12 pilots able to make it for the second day of the event...

Results:

Rookie Class:
1st, John Hollander, Falcon 3, 2:55.78, DNF, -----
2nd, Mark Suttie, Falcon 225, DNF, DNF, -----

King Post Class:
1st, John Taylor, Ram Air, 1:53.2, 1:36.6, 3:29.8
2nd, Jason French, WW U2 145, 2:03.8, 1:57.7, 4:01.4
3rd, Mark Mulholland, Freedom 170, 2:19.8, 2:25.5, 4:45.3
4th, Robert Booth, Sport2 155, 2:08.2, DNF, -----
5th, Johnny French, Sport2, 2:14.8, DNF, -----
6th, Jim Bowe, Litesport, 2:26.9, DNF, -----

Open Class:
1st, Brian Horgan, Combat, 1:28.6, 1:18.6, 2:47.2
2nd, Kenny Brown, Litespeed, 1:38.9, 1:14.1, 2:52.9
3rd, Eric Froehlich, T2C 154, 1:43.2, 1:25.6, 3:08.8
4th, Ben Dunn, LS RS 3.5, 1:41.6 (+2 gates X 10 sec = 2:01.6), 1:13.8, 3:15.5
5th, Diev Hart, Litesport, 1:52.6, 1:38.2, 3:30.8
6th, Wayne Michelsen, Laminar Z8, 1:54.5, 1:39.6, 3:34.1
7th, Dirk Moris, U2 145, 1:47.3, 1:49.8, 3:37.2
8th, Zac Majors, T2C 144, 1:35.9, DNF, -----
9th, David Royer, Litespeed, 1:44.2, DNF, -----
10th, Pete Welch, Laminar MR2002, 2:12.1, DNF, -----

Here are some pictures I shot over the weekend...it is the people we fly with that make hang-gliding so much fun...looking forward to next year's speed gliding event in 2012!