And now on to the competition
itself.
As 2 years
ago we got on the team managers meeting a paper with F2D
rule explanation and interpretation for the EC'99. This
is a very good idea and hopefully this will be done in
the future as well.
One of the explanations was about 'flagrant breach of the
rules'. It said: For example such as tampering with the
streamer ( additional knots on the string, soaking
the paper with fuel, etc). From now on I am talking as TM
for the Dutch team. Monique had to fly and knew that her
opponent is making an additional knot on the string and
therefore she decided not to attack at all. Shortly
before the bout she told the circle Marshall about the
double knot. Once the 2 pilots were in the air there came
no start signal. The circle Marshall said he had asked
Monique whether she was ready to battle or not. Monique
said 'NO'. In the end the result was that Monique was DQ
for being not being ready to battle. Even a protest
against this decision was useless and we didn't get
answers to all our questions. Maybe you readers can help
us. What is a 'knot' and what is meant with
'additional'??. I would say that every knot more than 1
is additional.
One of the questions was: how many of these additional
knots are we allowed to make??? No answer. Monique had a
DQ and we had to live with it. A very bad start for the
Dutch team.
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The 'double knot'
situation.
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Mats and Boris
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What about the others?? The junior Gussev from
Russia (number 2 in 1997) lost in the first round.
Another strange thing: the Polish junior didn't show up
for the first round. His TM had told him he didn't have
to fly this round. I must say that I was surprised that
some TM's only showed up at the first TM meeting. Later
on in the week when it was possible to get things like
the draw and time schedule some TM didn't show up at all.
We e.g. brought the Austrians the draw and time schedule
for combat.
What I
remember was a very good flight between Mikael Sjoland
(Junior, I guess 13 years old) and Stanislav Chorny.
Chorny had to defend the last 2 minutes and Mikael was
having a very good chance to win over Chorny. A nerve
breaking flight with the end result: reflight.
The reflight was won by Chorny and Mikael was very sad
about his loss. The Ukrains named Chorny a
"Monster" when he came out and smiled. Once
Mikael will smile!!!
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Above the bout between my E-mail friend Mats
Bejhem and Boris Faisov. Boris is the most sportive
Russian pilot I know. I have real problems with the
tactic of the Russian and/or former Soviets. If they make
the first cut the only target from than on seems to be
the opponents model. They know that they are in general
better when it's about pitwork. They don't do anything
that's not allowed according to the rules but it is not
my idea about combat.
Second thing (a bit risky) is when they cut the whole
streamer they try to give their own streamer away. Good
tactic because than the result will be a reflight.
Sometimes
this tactic doesn't work. The flight between Igor Milenin
and me showed that you have to be very sure. After a 1
minute battle I didn't have a streamer anymore and I flew
level. Igor took my complete streamer. Suddenly Igor
overtook me and gave his streamer away. I didn't
understand this tactic because I knew I had made 1 cuts
myself. So, he lost. The information he got from outside
was wrong. An easy win for me.
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Loet and Stanislav
Talantsev
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I got this picture from
Pavel Kucera.
Explanation about why my engines have 2 mufflers??
I've no idea.
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Things I have learned on this
competition:
One of my engines broke in the flight against Beliaev and
my mechanics were so nice to inform me but off course
also the opponent was informed. Result: my spare model
was flown out off the air immidiately.Mistake.
In my flight against Garcia I was 3 cuts in front and
lost. Maybe I should have landed like lots of others do.
Just land and win. With 3 cuts more you can land approx.
2 minutes and 25 seconds before the end of the bout. I
have a bad feeling about this tactic.
I have outlived 1 generation Beliaev's and have to deal
with the second generation. Once ..........
To make a
long story a little shorter here to most important data.
The final was won by the European Champ, Andrei Beliaev.
The junior Alexandre Gussev was second, as 2 years ago.
Juan Garcia number 3. I know Juan maybe 20 years and
didn't know he was still flying, The revelation of the
competition.
If you are
interested in more details I am sure that Mats is willing
to write an additional article which I can include in
this article. Well Mats???
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