Marion C. Cruce Trophy: Ron Schwartz
Bob McNiell/Fred Cuny Memorial Team Trophy: Charles and Jo Shaw
The President’s Trophy: Ron Schwartz, 56.5 mph
The Old Goat Trophy: Ron Schwartz
The Old Toad Trophy: Bill Vickland
David Johnson Memorial Trophy: Ian Cant
The Old Buzzard Award: Del Blomquist
Yardstick Award: Neil Palmquist, 7.4 ml
Turtle Award: Neil Palmquist, 18.3 mph
The Spiffy Award: Ron Schwartz, 480
02Start A - 08Beaver Muni - 12Cedar City
- 01Finish
Task length 32.6ml/135.1ml
Number of Finishers = 10, Number Achieving Credited
Distance on Task = 11, Number Achieving Distance Greater than Minimum for
Contest Day = 10, MTT = 2 h, StR = 5 ml, Valid Contest Day
03Start B - 26Pole Mountain - 13Chalk
Hollow - 12Cedar City - 01Finish
Task length 82.0ml/144.8ml
Number of Finishers = 5, Number Achieving Credited
Distance on Task = 14, Number Achieving Distance Greater than Minimum for
Contest Day = 11, MTT = 2 h, StR = 2 ml, Valid Contest Day
Bill Vickland won Practice day one on June 26th in #236. Ron Almquist won
Practice day two yesterday in #234.
We (Charles Shaw, Jo & #196) arrived several days ago, wondering what we would
find here - more than a bit concerned about the terrain and safely landing off
airport. The wide valley is landable with large irrigated fields. One just
doesn't land in the mountains.
The Parowan area is a land of extremes - the soaring is terrific or terrible.
17,500 MSL is frequently obtainable. Several of our pilots have discovered it
is hard to stay below 17,500 in powerful lift that goes considerably higher.
George Powell, Contest Manager has done an amazing job of organization. Ralph
Kolstad, CD, took the reins firmly in hand. He is a seasoned pro who tolerates
no nonsense - the only way to run a good contest. But he is fair and highly
knowledgeable.
We have all the ingredients for a super contest - weather gods willing.
Number of Finishers = 10, Number Achieving Credited
Distance on Task = 13, Number Achieving Distance Greater than Minimum for
Contest Day = 11, MTT = 2 h, StR = 5 ml, Valid Contest Day
The afternoon weather here wasn’t pretty. Pretty scary would describe it more
accurately. There was rain and thunder to the east even before the first
launch. Overcast here doesn’t automatically mean no lift – it is just a lot
harder to find the best air going up. Obviously Ron Schwartz #480 did. He is
the unofficial winner (at this time) of a Turn-Area-Task with a minimum
distance of 74.7 sm; max of 165.
A full score sheet may be found on SSA’s web site under "Contests" Ron was
followed by Harry Baldwin, team 144, in second place; followed by Vern
Hutchinson # 390. There were several landouts, and at least four contestants
did not attempt the task.
All who tried to fly the task flew in rain. Those who got high enough had
snow/slush coming in their air vents if they had been left open.
The contest has an excellent weather man who has forecast more rain for the
next several days. Why should we be surprised? We schedule contests at sites
that haven’t seen precipitation in months – and then the rains come.
Stay tuned
Jo team #196 from Parowan
Thursday, June 29, 2006 17:00
Ah, the weather gods frowned on us. The sniffer couldn’t stay up, so the CD
sent up number one in the launch line, Bob Hurni. He climbed up impressively,
so the launch began. I didn’t find workable lift, so returned immediately,
somewhat mortified. Others found snippets and prolonged their glide back to the
airport. Thunder showers were east with blow off covering nine-tenths of the
sky.
Within an hour, the whole field was safely back on the ground at the airport.
Not willing to give up until all possibility of a task had passed, the CD,
Ralph Kolstad, delayed scrubbing the day until 14:30. The annual meeting of the
1-26 Association was quickly scheduled for 15:00. Of course the sun returned
later during the meeting.
President, Norm Miller, conducted a fine meeting. Thirty-eight members were
present. Norm recapped recent Association activities, and then opened the floor
for nominations to fill all Association executive committee positions. Norm was
nominated again for the president’s office. Chip Johansen was nominated for
Eastern VP. Nominations remain open until Oct. 10. Please be sure the person
you nominate agrees to serve and communicate ACTIVELY if elected in November.
Then send her/his name to Lisa to be placed on the ballot. Full minutes of the
meeting will be posted on the 1-26 Association after the contest. Informal
discussion on several topics ensued both during the meeting and after.
Stay tuned
Jo team #196 from Parowan
Friday, June 30, 2006 15:30
Still only one Contest Day has been completed, for non-soarable conditions
continue.
Today was a replay of yesterday – same song, second verse. The sniffer didn’t
stay up, so the CD sent up Bob Hurni and Bob von Hellens to assess. Bob Hurni
was back from the hills to the east at on a dead glide, for that area had been
in shadow for almost an hour. Bob von Hellens was towed south to where sun was
still hitting the hills south of town and found very weak lift to 11,000. He
attempted to cross the valley on a northwest heading, hoping to find it working
or be able to contact overdeveloping cu, and was disappointed. There was no
option but to delay launch. Thunderstorms to the east produced blow off that
merged with thunderstorms to the northwest. At three PM, CD Ralph Kolstad threw
in the towel.
Hope springs eternal, although the weather man didn’t seem terribly optimistic
about tomorrow. The moist tap seems centered on Parowan with nothing to the
west to move it out for several more days.
Stay tuned
Jo Shaw team #196 from Parowan
Day 2, 7/1/2006, Final results
Modified Assigned Speed Task
Number of Finishers = 17, Number Achieving Credited
Distance on Task = 18, Number Achieving Distance Greater than Minimum for
Contest Day = 18, MTT = 2 h, StR = 5 ml, Valid Contest Day
Number of Finishers = 9, Number Achieving Credited
Distance on Task = 15, Number Achieving Distance Greater than Minimum for
Contest Day = 13, MTT = 2 h, StR = 5 ml, Valid Contest Day
"Houston, We have a contest!!" We can all start breathing again, for the
criterion (three contest days) has been met.
It depended where you were today and when, for it certainly was not a
slam-dunk. The task was essentially the same as yesterday: 2 hour MAT, but no
mandatory turns. One could go to any and as many turn points as one wishes –
except the one where a fire was burning about thirty-five miles west of Parowan
(TFR).
Several contestants really struggled to get a start. One was tenacious enough
to take three tows. At least six landed away from Parowan: Harry Baldwin, team
#144, landed up in the mountains near Cedar Breaks in a lovely meadow.
Approximate elevation close to 10,000 MSL. An example of 1-26 camaraderie: Milt
Moos #578 relayed Harry’s coordinates and location to his crew. Tom Barkow #264
landed at the Junction Airport in the next valley east. There is no telephone
at the Junction Airport. There is no cell phone tower close, so his cell phone
was useless. An overflying contestant relayed, but the message didn’t get to
his crew. So he waited over five hours for retrieve.
Winner of the day was Charles Shaw, team #196, current standings have Ron
Schwartz #480 still in first place, Bill Vickland #238 both second for the day
and second overall. A complete score sheet may be found on the SSA website
under Contests.
Stay tuned
Jo Shaw team #196 from Parowan
Day 4, 7/3/2006, Final results
04Start C - 17Graff Point - 08Beaver Muni
- 01Finish
Task length 43.8ml/167.3ml
Number of Finishers = 9, Number Achieving Credited
Distance on Task = 18, Number Achieving Distance Greater than Minimum for
Contest Day = 18, MTT = 2.5 h, StR = 5 ml, Valid Contest Day
Nasty day today. The weather gods took revenge at four-thirty this afternoon
for little birds achieving a bona fide contest with here-to-fore light winds.
CD Ralph Kolstad called a two-and-a-half hour TAT of 102.5 miles,
point-to-point, with the possibility of from 44 miles to 163 miles, if one flew
through to the opposite side of two 15 mile turn radii – Graff Point and
Beaver. It was that two-and-a-half hour length that proved the undoing for the
11 ships that landed out or failed to achieve the last turn area. Most of us
got to the Beaver perimeter at about an hour-and-a-half. The area north and
northeast was black, rainy, intimidating, and progressing southward towards
Parowan. But who could hazard returning and squander so much time?
This chicken (team #196) did and won the day. Only seven decided to throw in
the towel early – the only ones to score speed points. Leader up until now, Ron
Schwartz #480, landed out, putting finisher Bill Vickland #238
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