Only 8 teams travelled to Cambridge for the Oakington Centralised partially because of the weather and also because it followed a week after the Luxembourg international at Piennes. In actual fact we were extremely lucky with the weather as, despite a half-hour break in which there was torrential rain, flying was able to continue all day. (far preferable to ongoing drizzle) Temperature was slightly on the cool side and there was a moderate (but steady) wind throughout the day.
Racing got underway at 12:00 and, as per the norm, it was Ross/Turner who set the pace with a 3:18.8 in the first race of the day. Langworth/Campbell also put in a sub 3:20 with 3:19.8 but the were no other teams near the pace with Fry/Whorton on 3:33.6 and Fitzgerald/Thomason on 3:38.2.
In the second round Ross/Turner shaved another 0.6 secs off with a 3:18.2 and Langworth/Campbell put in a superb 3:16.6 but no other team was to affect the standings.
The third round was totally disastrous with on Ross/Turner recording a time at all (3:21.7) and the final round was not that much better with only 3 times being recorded – a superb 3:14.9 by Ross/Turner (2-up) leading the round, 3:27.9 from Fry/Whorton and a 3:55.1 from Dick Miles and Dave Banks to move them into 5th place.
As Andy Whorton elected not to fly in the final the third spot was taken by Fitzgerald/Thomason behind Ross/Turner and Langworth/Campbell. Both teams were away well at the start with Ross/Turner running slightly on the cool side and Langworth/Campbell soon built up a lead running at a good pace. All went well until the 4th stop when Dave Campbell’s model tipped over due to the wheel going down a hole in the now rather poor runway surface. Dave quickly changed the prop and restarted but this had let Ross/Turner through and they won with a time of 7:08.2. Langworth/Campbell finished in 7:28.7 (not bad with a propeller change !!) and Fitzgerald/Thomason came in third with a 7:49.2.
Heat 1 |
Heat 2 |
Heat 3 |
Heat 4 |
Final |
|||||||
1 |
Ross/Turner |
3 |
18.8 |
3 |
18.2 |
3 |
21.7 |
3 |
14.9 |
7 |
08.2 |
2 |
Langworth/Campbell |
3 |
19.8 |
3 |
16.6 |
ret |
51.0 |
ret |
95.0 |
7 |
28.7 |
3 |
Fitzgerald/Thomason |
3 |
38.2 |
ret |
59.0 |
dnf |
dnf |
7 |
49.2 |
||
4 |
Fry/Whorton |
3 |
33.6 |
dq |
ret |
67.0 |
3 |
27.9 |
|||
5 |
Miles/Banks |
ret |
36.0 |
4 |
25.9 |
ret |
99.0 |
3 |
55.1 |
||
6 |
Walker/Peart |
4 |
14.1 |
4 |
07.1 |
ret |
43.0 |
dnf |
|||
7 |
Radcliffe/Yeldham |
4 |
29.6 |
dq |
ret |
91.0 |
dnf |
||||
8 |
Barker/Paffett |
ret |
58.0 |
ret |
28.0 |
ret |
00.0 |
dnf |
League points were awarded as shown below – note that Fry/Whorton were awarded the 3rd placing points but Fitzgerald/Thomason gained the points for flying in the final.
Ross/Turner |
1 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
Langworth/Campbell |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
Fitzgerald/Thomason |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
Fry/Whorton |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
Miles/Banks |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Walker/Peart |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Radcliffe/Yeldham |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Barker/Paffett |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Thanks again to Dave Rudd for running the event for us.