Page 15 - MFW March 2024
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76th NATIONALS 2024
       76    Clareville REPORT
             th
             Model Flying New Zealand
             NATIONALS
              Jan 1st-5th
                2024











     Radian action
    The 76th Model Flying New Zealand Nationals are over
    and  done,  to  the  general  satisfaction  of  competitors,
    officials  and  the  organising  team.Once  again,
    Competitions  Manager  Kevin  Botherway  and  Nationals
    Manager  Frazer  Briggs  along  with  the  great  efforts  of
    Hamish Galloway had arranged a terrific array of flying
    fields  around  Clareville.  This  is  becoming  increasingly
    difficult in the region as farming trends in the area change,
    and  pressure  on  the  land  increases.  Farmer  Hamish’s
    relationships with land-owners was once more invaluable
    and the paddocks were sorted and groomed, ready to go.
    Also, Dave Griffin and Chris Jackson made sure that the
    official  notifications  for  the  fields  were  in  place  and
    accurate. The fields were a bit more spread out this time  place again. This year we had our own EFTPOS service
    with Freeflight & RC Vintage some 20 minutes away from  which  made  life  much  easier  for  the  Office,  the  great
    Clareville, west of Masterton on a massive farm, but what  majority of payments were made this way. Maurice had the
    a field !                                                  office open at midday and a steady stream all afternoon
                                                              saw about 70 fliers ready to go for the Monday morning.
    The usual RC1 was moved up to the Rayners Farm, the  Contestant numbers overall were down a tad on last year,
    site where FF has been for the last 30 years, with Pylon  some  118  registered  fliers  across  84  events  actually
    and Aerobatics flying right off the traditional Aggy site. RC  contested.
    Scale was at another location on the same farm, and the
    journey to reach that site was a 10 minute roller coaster  Sunday evening saw the contestants’ briefing from Comps
    ride  through  the  shire.  RC  Soaring  was  on  a  new  site  Manager  Kevin  Botherway  and  Nats  Manager  Frazer
    adjacent to the old RC1 !! So everything except control line  Briggs.  We  welcomed  three  international  competitors;
    had moved to a new site.                                  Andrew Green from the United Kingdom who flew Vintage
                                                              placing 3rd in Freeflight Precision; and Jason Arnold and
    The morning of Sunday 31st was spent setting up and as  Andrew Meyer from Australia. Jason flew Aerobatics and
    usual at the start it all seems a bit chaotic but soon enough  Andrew  flew  in  Soaring  placing  well  in  several  classes
    computers were running, and everything began to fall into  including 3rd in F5J.

    Top left:
    Radian launch.
    Top right to bottom:
    The very technical art of Freeflight.
    The  future;  fathers  and  sons.  Hamish  Galloway  with  sons
    Sean (in front) and Cormac.
    Aggy action.

















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