F5D World Championships Grand Finale

Well, the championships are over and it was a great contest.  The best F5D flyers in the world are here and I'm proud to be among them.  Gunther Mayr of Austria smashed his world record yet again today with a new world record of 55.09 seconds.

Today we flew three rounds but these were the longest and hardest fought rounds I think I have ever raced.  The setting for today was the race for second place.  Team Austria had first place tied up so it was between USA and Canada for second.  Then there were the "races within the race".   Several individual competitors were having their own little battle for individual placing among themselves within the standings.  So everyone was watching how today would unfold.

We started the day with Team Canada 20 points (seconds) ahead of Team USA.  Our strategy was clear.  Fly clean without cuts, fly consistent, keep doing what has been working.  No cuts, no cuts, no cuts.  Fly fast enough that three of the best pilots in the USA would not catch us....   Not an easy task.

Team USA strategy had to be an aggressive one.  They needed to take the offensive and go for our throats.  They could not sit back.   They had to push it and try to take points away from us.  Our position was defensive.  Theirs was one of offence.  In the first round this morning Roy posted a 64, Randy a 64 and Delbert a 62.  No cuts.   That was good but not really fast.  USA came on strong with two 62's and a 60.  So in one round they narrowed the gap by six points.  Two rounds to go....  If they continue to do that and we continue with our times we may only win by two points or they may beat us entirely if we mis-calculate on propellors for 10 lap run time.

Team Germany, Team Canada, Team USA

In my second round, I was up against Travis Flynn.  One of the best pilots in the USA.  We launched first and Travis second.  The race was on and Travis was chasing me.  Around lap six or seven, Roy said "Travis cut !".   Wow !  I couldn't believe my ears.  Now to finish clean and bring it home.  We finished and landed.  I felt the weight of the championships come off my shoulders a bit.  Team USA now had to count a 72 score.  As long as we continued to fly clean and not cut we had it in the bag.  As round three began, the final round of the contest, I could hear the "Fat Lady" entering the stadium and she was singing the Canadian national anthem....   :o)

Roy and I and Delbert each flew our final flight in the last three heats of the contest.  This dragged out the drama to the end.  Roy posted a 62.  Randy a 63 and Delbert came on strong with a 60 !!!   Team Canada takes the Silver !!   Wow.  What pressure.   I have never felt this before, to this level, in pylon racing.  I was glad it was over.

Gunther Mayr, Daniel Mayr, Delbert Godon

The race within the race was Danny Kane of USA, Delbert, and Marcel Schlage of Switzerland.  This battle was tight for the last two days but Marcel finished yesterday in third place (pretty cleanly).  It looked like Danny and Delbert would fight for fourth place.  Today in Marcel's last round, he DOUBLE cut out and had to drop this 200 score but carry his next highest score.   OMG !!!   We couldn't believe it and nor could he.  Now the race was between Danny and Marcel and Delbert for third place.  Now it was anyone's race for third place.  As I mentioned, Team Canada flew at the end of the last round and Delbert was in the FINAL heat.  Delbert needed a 63 to take third place.  Based on Delbert's flights, this was well within his capability and he did with the 60 score.

So Delbert climbed the podium for Canada in third place individually.  Second was Daniel Mayr of Austria and first of course was brother Gunther Mayr.   Marcel Schlage fourth, Danny fifth, Dirk Belting of Germany sixth and I finished seventh.   Roy finished 11th.  Complete standings in photos below.

Handshakes and beer all around.  Everyone agreed it was a great contest.  Pete Bergstrom, Ed Smith and all the crew did a great job.   Tomorrow we go to Dayton, Ohio to visit the air force museum there.  Apparently one of the best in the world.

Thanks for following my blog.   Thanks to everyone who sent me feedback that you enjoy reading it.  I like doing it - it is part of my excitement in the game.    Tonight I sleep.

Cheers,


Randy

The whole group.  30 pilots, 11 Countries

Final Team Standings

Final Individual Standings