New Zealand National Championships Manilla, New South Wales (27 Feb to 6 March 1999)
The New Zealand Open Championships 1999 kicked off under a threatening sky, with over development on course and rain close by. This didn’t prevent the bold and the best from completing the 101km race to goal, but less confident of the 93 pilots scurried away to land part way.
Three days of unseasonal rain followed, which broke 50 year rainfall records for March! Fortunately two more tasks of 50km and 90km were possible on the final days to validate the championships.
The overall results reflect the high standard of competition pilots in New Zealand, especially impressive considering the small total number of pilots in the country.
A lot of hard work had been put in by the NZ comps. committee and Godfrey Wenness in Manilla to provide an extremely well organised and pleasant competition, with excellent maps and even GPS downloads to verify startgates.
One innovation was the DHV 2 sub-competition which gave pilots on intermediate wings a chance of recognition and prize money. An idea which deserves to catch on elsewhere.
RESULTS
1st Angus Tapper NZ
2nd Craig Collings NZ
3rd Enda Murphy Aus
Female
1st Ali Maddock GB
2nd Britta Steude NZ
3rd Nina Brummer Ger
DHV 2 Class
1st. Richard Naylor NZ Swing Astral
2nd Phil Bibby GB Edel Saber
3rd Nigel Leigh NZ Nova Axon
