Don Bentfield Memorial (Sat & Sun), Minneapolis

LAST EDITED ON Aug-17-04 AT 11:19 PM (CDT)
 
Here are the results of the Don Bentfield Memorial Stunt Contest, sponsored by the Minneapolis Piston Poppers.

SATURDAY, the 14th. 75 degrees, clear to PC, winds calm to 3 knots and a bit variable. Tough conditions but we lived with it.

Beginner:
1st: Bob Cheney, 258.5
2nd: Norm Anderson, 252.5
3rd: Jim Jorganson, 182 (Jim is a newly reformed veteran free flighter)

Intermediate:
1st: Sina Gourdarzi, 490.5
2nd: John Christensen, 463.5

Classic:
1st: Bob Baldus, 522.5
2nd: Keith Sandburg, 514.0
3rd: John Christensen, 453.0

SUNDAY, the 15th. 80 degrees, clear to PC, winds 10-20 early and gusts higher after noon. We expected the winds since the local Free Flight club was having a contest the same day......you can only tempt fate so far.

P-40:
1st: Phil Cartier, 497.0
2nd: Bob Baldus, 495.5
3rd: Bob Brookins, 485.0

Advanced/expert:
1st: Bob Baldus, 525.0
2nd: Pete Plunkett, 519.0
3rd: Keith Sandburg, 516.0

Event judges: Jeff Welliver, Keith Sandburg, Sina Gourdarzi, Glen Peterson and John Christenson.

Bob Baldus was the big winner of the weekend with two 1st's, one 2nd, and a slug of raffle prizes to take home!

The boys did some really great windy weather flying sunday. Every one of those points was well earned with some amazingly smooth and precise patterns. Nice to see Phil Cartier in from PA, Bob Brookins, Larry Anderson, and Bob Baldus up from Des Moines. Also, Pete Plunkett from Austin Mn is back at it after a long layoff. His 519 was on maybe his tenth flight in as many years. Look out when he get's some practice!

Keep us in mind for your 2005 travel plans. Good competition, handy accomodations, and one of the nicest grass site's around. We'd love to see you.....and it almost never snows in August here.

With all my stuff in a basic state of semi-repair and a work schedule which isn't allowing much repair work or flying, I was once again a spectator for this one.

What amazed me in the windy conditions on Sunday was how well Mikey's Primary Force design did with not a whole lot of horsepower. Brookins was using a hopped up Fox 35 & I forget what the other one ran.

Of course, they were all put to shame by Cartier's LA25 powered Gotcha Streak (the one he manufactures). It was a pure hotrod with combat-type turning radius - perfectly suited to Phil's one-hand-in-the-pocket flying style.

More than a few flyers were going with a leaner needle for more power to penetrate the wind on Sunday but wound up overrunning.

Jeff W. - you took digital pictures... we're waiting!

Steve:

All I shot pix of were the award ceremonies.