July 11th 2011

NZ model fliers took the Team and the Individual Gold Medals at the inaugural World Championships for hand launched Radio Controlled gliders held in Sweden from 4 to 6 July.

The Kiwi Team of Joe Wurts, Kevin Botherway and Peter Williams, completed ten rounds of completion fights over two days against twenty six other teams to take the team gold medal.

The top twelve scoring individual fliers then flew six additional rounds for the individual place honours and Joe Wurts came out ahead to secure the individual Gold medal. Kevin Botherway came 8th with Peter Williams just missing the cut at 13th.

Kevin Botherway reports “The other teams had very large contingents and a very professional approach, ours was low key but with walking computer/mathematician (Joe) we managed to put together enough good flights at the right times to stay in touch and ultimately come home with the two gold medals.

The Gliders are launched by the pilots with a “discus” style throw to gain the maximum altitude and have to stay aloft for set times. So pilots need a strong launching arm, good “discus” technique, piloting skills and the ability to “read the air” to make use of rising currents to keep them aloft for the set times.

The World Championship event, organised by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the world body responsible for aviation sports, was fiercely contested by seventy seven fliers from twenty seven nations from all parts of the world. This form of glider competition is very popular with NZ fliers and competitions are held around the country every month, through MODEL FLYING NZ, the national body responsible for Model Flying.

Last year Joe Wurts was also part of the NZ team which won NZ’s Team first ever Gold, in France, in a another gliding class: “Thermal Soaring”.

ENDS

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