World Champs Control-line

Gyula Hungary 2010

23 & 24 July: Carpathia Cup and Opening Ceremony page2

The Carpathia Cup is a warm up competition in F2A (Speed) and F2C (Team race) for the World Championships and gives competitors the chance to sort out their models and engines. It is a world cup event which is open to anyone as well as the teams who have qualified for the World Championships.

	Day 1 – Thursday 22 July. The aerobatics field area is framed by the flags of competing countries. There are 44 countries competing in the four championship categories of speed F2A, team race F2C, aerobatics F2B and combat F2D.
	Tent City at the World Championships.
	Day 2 – Friday 23 July – Practice for stunt, combat and the start of the Carpathia Cup for speed and team race. Murray Wilson (Vic) is waiting for the start of his practice team race session.
	The Australian aerobatic flyers are checking out some of the competition and the models. A stunt plane is practicing in the circle behind them.
	Murray Howell (on the left) and Frank Battam eat lunch under a shady tree as the temperature and humidity become more unpleasant. Both had been practicing for aerobatics.
	The combat guys find a shady spot as well. From left: Peter Kranski (Qld), Andrew Linwood (dad), Tom Linwood (NSW) and Bruce Bellis (WA).
	A friendly heat of the Carpathia Cup team race. Rob Fitzgerald (SA) is having a very close encounter with the French competitor.
	Grant Potter (NSW) has just pitted the team racer in a heat of the Carpathia Cup. Grant and his pilot, Hugh Simons are the defending world team race F2C champions.
	Murray Wilson in the blue bib is battling it out for a place in the semi finals in the Carpathia Cup. Two of the three models in the air can be seen here.
	Local team, Trevor Letchford (pilot) and Steve Walton (pit man) did a fine job in this heat and completed the race in 3 minutes 18 seconds. This was Trevor’s personal best.
	Day 4 – Saturday 24 July. The opening ceremony was held shortly after 7pm. Here Ferenc Orvos, the organizer of the championships, obligingly unfurls the Federation Aeronautic International (FAI) flag for me to take this picture.
	As part of the opening ceremony, there was a 15 minute demonstration of aerobatics by this aircraft. There were vertical climbs, stall dives, wing waving and much more. The teams were very appreciative of the pilot’s skills.
	Australia has one of the largest teams of competitors and supporters. They stood out in their uniforms and their happy attitude was very audible.
	This picture shows many of the teams lined up on the tarmac for the opening ceremony.
	Jim Stivey catches up with Vernon Hunt after 32 years. They flew combat at the World Championships in 1978. Vernon Hunt is the Centre Judge for Combat at this World Championships.

Day 5 – Sunday 25 July – Processing day

The weather has changed and it is cool and wet. Most of the Australian team returned to the hotel as soon as processing was done and prepared lines, fuel etc. in the hotel passage way. Those who did practice returned early and very wet.

Day 6 – Monday 26 July – World Champs starts

Lorraine spent most of the day at the combat (my favourite) so the photos are mainly combat today. There are four combat flyers from Australia because Tom Linwood (NSW) is a junior. The others are Mike Comiskey (NSW), Peter Kranski (Qld) and Bruce Bellis (WA).

	Young Tom is going out to practice for the competition. In the background is an Antinov. We are not sure if it was this one which did the spraying for mosquitos over the town of Gyula.
	Andrew Linwood (Tom’s dad) pits and launches for Bruce Bellis in the first round. Unfortunately, Bruce lost today.
	Bruce in action! Yes he is wearing the knee brace and shoes!! (The shoes are size 12 so he has a good grip on Mother Earth!)
	This is Natalia Dementieva from Moldova. She won this round in style. Yes, girls can be good aero-modellers!
	Mike Comiskey went down fighting in this round.
	Vernon Hunt, the Centre Marshall, can be seen here physically supporting these combatants who were in a line tangle. Vernon is doing a great job!
	The cheer squad at the team race!! From left: Jenny Walton with the camera; Fiona Wilson (mum); Karen Poschkins; Becky Wilson; Graeme Wilson (dad); Jim Stivey with the camera.
	Trevor Letchford (pilot) and Steve Walton (pit man) did quite well in this heat. They did 3.22.0 and will try for a better time tomorrow. The best of the Aussie times for the day was Fitzgerald/Ellins with 3.14.9 and they also will try for a better time tomorrow.

Day 7 – Tuesday 27 July – Day 2 World Champs.

There were some good and bad events today. In combat, Mike Comiskey lost for the second time so is out of the competition. Peter Kranski won on the first day and lost today. Both Bruce Bellis and Tom Linwood lost yesterday and won today. In team race, Fitzgerald/Ellins did a great time of 3.02; Wilson/Poschkins were disqualified for a mis-catch; Letchford/Walton team was disqualified for Trevor’s indiscretions and Simons/Potter did 3.14.

	Frank Battam calmly performs the aerobatic pattern.
	Frank’s model can be seen inverted in this photo. The team race circle is in the background and the competitors/supporters tent can be seen flying the Australian flags.
	Mark Ellins pits the model for Rob Fitzgerald in their epic event which has placed them at the top of the competition. Time was 3.02 for 100 laps which is equivalent to 10 km. This means the model was travelling at 186 km/hour (110 mph).
	Rob Fitzgerald is in full action mode and takes the model off the ground after a one flick pit stop.
	Grant Potter is starting this model for the heat. The camera caught this action and when I looked past the view finder the model was airborne.
	Hugh Simons is the pilot of the Simons/Potter team. His concentration and determination is etched in his face. Standing at the fence line is proud dad, David Simons. The team managed 3.14 for this race.
	Mark Poschkins of the Wilson/Poschkins team is in position to catch this model as it lands for a pit stop. These models are slowed down by the pilot to about 60 – 70km/h but it is no mean feat to catch them, refuel them (refuelling pack is on Mark’s arm with a fuel lead to his index finger), one flick restart and release them.
	Andy Kerr (NSW) is our speed entry in the World Champs. He was just going to put his model away after his first speed attempt and kindly posed it in the dolly for me to photograph. He achieved a speed of 279 km/hr. The leader so far has achieved a speed of 302 km/h. Any guesses why I haven’t got still photos?
	Wake up Geoff!! The supporters’ role can be very tiring and by late afternoon some of us nod off and hope that we are not seen or photographed! Jim Stivey holds the Australian Team Standard up behind the sleeping Geoff Potter. Rosa Fitzgerald looks on with a wicked smile.
	Not content with the mischief played on Geoff Potter, Jim Stivey then sneaks behind sleeping Stuart Sherlock. Just look at that cheeky grin on Jim’s face. I’m going to make sure that I don’t fall asleep in the supporters’ tent again or it will be me they set up!

Day 8 – Wednesday 28 July – Day 3 World Champs.

Sigh! The weather has turned wet and cool/cold today. Team race and speed heats have been cancelled because it is too slippery in the circles and the models/lines could be badly affected by the rain. There goes our free day tomorrow as they will be flying to make up for the lost day. It is supposed to be stormy on Friday which means that they are likely to lose more time.

Aerobatics and combat continued today because there are so many entries that it is not possible to cancel the day’s events. Aerobatics is over grass, the models are slow moving and there is less danger of injury/crashes. With combat, a carpet has been put down in the centre circle to decrease the slip possibility and the models are designed to be expendable so the competition continued.

	Murray Howell (NSW) puts his aircraft through the aerobatic pattern.
	Joe Parisi (Qld) can be seen here with his plane inverted. Results for the stunt competition are slow to be released. After the first round on the 26 July, Joe was at 33^rd position; Murray Howell was in 30^th position and Frank Battam was in 53^rd position.
	Tom Linwood (centre) stays alive in the competition by winning this heat. Peter Kranski won his heat also so the two of them progress to the next round. Unfortunately, Bruce Bellis left the competition today after a great heat where the winner used the legal tactic of landing his plane to prevent Bruce from getting a winning cut.

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