SAC Gauteng Regionals Judges Trophy Vereeniging 2016
By Willie Bodenstein
Sunday morning at Vereeniging Airfield and the wind was pumping and for a while it seems as if the contest, originally scheduled for two days, might have to be cancelled.
Contest Director Elton Bondi during the pilot's briefing
The competitors
Elton Bondi, Chairman of the Sports Aerobatic Club and the contest director, made it clear that it was up to each individual pilot to decide whether to compete or not. Chris Joubert volunteered to go up and test the conditions. Needless to say Chris, flying his known sequence, was closely watched by the rest of the competitors.
Upon landing Chris declared the conditions marginal but flyable and the ten pilots that had entered started preparing for their slots, walking and committing their sequence to memory.
Gary Glasson
Adam Pucjlowski
Eugene Du Preez
Known sequence
Conditions remained marginal throughout the day thought it improved slightly after lunch. The wind fortunately stayed on the nose but all pilots agreed that flying an aerobatic sequence in marginal conditions was at best challenging.
Despite the marginal conditions no incidents were reported and, fortunately, the services of Bekumuzi Moqhedlana and Petrus Harmse of Parys Medics were not required.
The fate of the contenders is in the hands of the judges who sat with craned necks and watched each sequence with eagle eyes. The scores of each contestant were recorded by judges Johnie Smith, Brian van der Merwe, Cindy Weber, Geoff Sprenger and scrutinise by Chief Judge Quintin Hawthorne.
Elton Bondi with 76.66% in the Extra 300
Gary Glasson with 75.44% in the Pitts
Chris Joubert with 74.95% in the Zlin 50
Barrie Eeles with 74.68% in the Sbach
Adam Pucjlowski with 74.50% in the Zlin 50
Ivan vd Schaar with 73.55% in the Pitts S2A
Eugene du Preez with 65.63% in the Extra 300
Roger Deare with 63.67% in the Extra 300
Andrew Fletcher with 60.82% in the Zlin 50
Neville Ferreira with 52.93% in the Slick 540
The next SAC competition is the KZN regionals Ladysmith, scheduled for 22-23 October followed by Ace of Base at Vereeniging on 3-4 December. For more information email Annie Boon at chunge@mweb.co.za
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