Western Port Model Aircraft Club – Q500 and Sports Pylon Race – May 21, 2023

Unfortunately, our next event at Warrnambool Nov 5-6 has been cancelled due to extreme saturation of the field and no let up in wet conditions between now and the event.
The next event is Munro Dec 3-4 where we will also hold our AGM.
WARRNAMBOOL Event rescheduled – May 4-5
The VMPRA was back at Bazza’s Munro pylon field for the last of the F3D Team trials as well as the usual F400 and Q500 classes.
At the end of the Saturday, the F3D class had completed 8 rounds on the FAI (10 lap) course. The final results for the F3D 2017 WC team was as pictured below: Daniel Arapakis (Junior member), Beau Murphy, Leigh Hocken and Tyler Mees.
After F3D had finished, 4 rounds of F400 were raced before it became too late to continue. Unfortunately weather conditions on the Sunday again prevented any further racing for the weekend meaning that F400 only flew the 4 rounds from Saturday afternoon and there was no Q500 flown at all.
Check out the event photo gallery>>>
Places:
1st Leigh Hocken
2nd Beau Murphy
3rd Tyler Mees
Fastest Time: 55.67 – Glenn Matthews (10 course)
No. of competitors: 13
Class – F400
Places:
1st Beau Murphy
2nd Ranjit Phelan
3rd Glenn Matthews
Fastest Time: 62.97 – Beau Murphy (10 course)
No. of competitors: 12
Leigh Hocken has remained in top spot, Beau Murphy has jumped up from 5th to 2nd position and Daniel Arapakis moved up from 4th to 3rd position.
1st – Leigh Hocken
2nd – Beau Murphy
3rd – Daniel Arapakis
Gary Davidson has moved up from 3rd to 1st position displacing Andrew Davies and Jim Orenshaw who are now in 2nd and 3rd position respectively.
1st – Gary Davidson
2nd – Andrew Davies
3rd – Jim Orenshaw
Check Out Season Championship >>>
There has been some changes in the committee from those elected back in July at the AGM. James and Gary resigned from the president and treasurer positions. Luckily for the VMPRA, there have been some members step up to take these positions. We also had not elected a secretary at the AGM and I have been doing this work until a replacement was founds. The new (acting) committee are:
As most of you will know we had to cancel the November event due to adverse weather conditions. Therefore, the next event will be again at Munro on December 3-4 which will also be the last event for the calander year. Hopefully the weather will be kinder to us and lets make this a good one.
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Event Report – John Schmidli
Photos – Andrew Arapakis
The written content in this post is accurate to the best of my/our knowledge at the time of publishing. It is written from my/our perspective and reflects how I/we have experienced this event.
Photos published as feature images are selected purely for their quality, general interest or topicality. They are chosen from a pool of photos taken by myself and others when time permits.
If a perspective is not being represented, I am more than happy to publish any written content or photos that are supplied to me provided it is fair and reasonable.
Quick ReferenceEvent Result |
Unfortunately, the race event planned for this weekend has now been cancelled due to predicted poor weather forecast for Warrnambool on Saturday & Sunday.
This decision has been made in consultation with the VMPRA committee and the Warrnambool Club.
John Schmidli
The second F3D team trial for next years World Championships to be held in Sweden, saw competitors arrive on the Friday from South Australia, New South Wales and regional Victoria. Baz Murphy’s much loved Munro field, a purpose built, immaculately presented and maintained pylon racing facility, was set for a show down. This the pinnacle of the highest speed, pilot and plane combinations all with the passion for precision racing would test the very best to achieve their rightful place on the Aussie F3D team. Results over the past few months have been chequered and pilot placings in probably one of the hardest teams in the world to get onto would be up for grabs this weekend.
Just as impressive as the first day us southerners met the Jacobsens’ from SA, Shauny mixed with the best in his usual perfect style that will prove out his competitiveness and future success. With only a hand full of F3D races under his belt, Shaun flew his PB of 59.28 seconds and while carrying a cut, Shaun averaged a 61.1 seconds to place him in a very good position for the 3rd team senior member on the Aussie Team.
As F3D team trial selection takes priority, 8 rounds were flown on Saturday with Dannmann finishing in 1st place and recording the fastest time for the event and his PB of 57.21 seconds, Beau in 2nd place and Shaun taking out 3rd. Well done to all pilots and to a great F3D event and State Championships.
With the unfortunate weather conditions closing in on Sunday, F400 was not raced and the State Championships Trophy for F400 will be competed for at the next event which will be run at Munro on October 15-16.
Many thanks to all the pilots and helpers that turned up and participated and made the event one to remember.
Check out the event photo gallery>>>
Places:
1st Daniel Arapakis
2nd Beau Murphy
3rd shaun Jacobsen
Fastest Time: 57.21 – Daniel Arapakis (10 lap course – won’t be recorded)
No. of competitors: 10
Class – Q500
Places:
1st Gary Whitbourn
2nd Ian Rickard
3rd Alan Whitbourn
Fastest Time: 96.13 – Jim Orenshaw (10 lap course – won’t be recorded)
No. of competitors: 7
This was only the 2nd event for this Season Championship.
F3D
Leigh Hocken has popped up into the top position, pushing Brian Steele and Andrew Davies down a position respectively.
1st – Leigh Hocken
2nd – Brian Steele
3rd – Andrew Davies
Q500
Jim Orenshaw has remained at the top and the father son team of Gary and Alan Whitbourns have popped up into 2nd & 3rd positions.
1st – Jim Orenshaw
2nd – Gary Whitbourn
3rd – Alan Whitbourn
Check Out Season Championship >>>
Season Fastest Time
As this was a team trial and racing on a 10 lap course rather than our usual 10.5 laps, fastest times for this weekend won’t be included.
Check Out Complete Calendar >>>
Event Report – Andrew Arapakis
Photographs – Shaun Jacobsen
The written content in this post is accurate to the best of my/our knowledge at the time of publishing. It is written from my/our perspective and reflects how I/we have experienced this event.
Photos published as feature images are selected purely for their quality, general interest or topicality. They are chosen from a pool of photos taken by myself and others when time permits.
If a perspective is not being represented, I am more than happy to publish any written content or photos that are supplied to me provided it is fair and reasonable.
Quick ReferenceEvent Result |
Back on September 13, a group of us headed to Lilydale (LDMFA) to compete in a Q500 and Sport racing day. We had a good turn out of regular participants but didn’t get any rookies and only a couple of non regular racers in Maddison Lang and Jarrod Tatham.
The weather was great and we all had a great day. James Hurley also did a fabulous job of being contest director for the day. Thanks LDMFA.
Check out the event photo gallery>>>
Results
Places:
1st Daniel Arapakis
2nd John Schmidli
3rd Glenn Matthews
Fastest Time: 72.11 – Daniel Arapakis
No. of competitors: 8
Course – 10.5 Laps (shorter than usual – not measured out)
Class – Sports
Places:
1st George Angelov
2nd Gary Davidson
3rd Maddison Lang
Fastest Time: 93.99 – George Angelov
No. of competitors: 5
Course – 10.5 Laps (shorter than usual – not measured out)
Next Event
The next event is the VIC State Championships at Hamilton to be held on October 24-25, 2015.
Check Out Complete Calendar >>>
Event Report & Photos – John Schmidli
The written content in this post is accurate to the best of my/our knowledge at the time of publishing. It is written from my perspective and reflects how I have experienced this event.
Photos published as feature images are selected purely for their quality, general interest or topicality. They are chosen from a pool of photos taken by myself and others when time permits.
If a perspective is not being represented, I am more than happy to publish any written content or photos that are supplied to me provided it is fair and reasonable.
Quick ReferenceEvent Result |
This will be a short report. I’ve been told to pretend that the weekend went off without a hitch but this was not quite the case. With already lower numbers than usual due to the many members that were in or on the way to Holland for the World Champs, the forecast of rain all weekend wasn’t very encouraging.
The reality was that we only flew 5 rounds of F400 on Saturday morning and 1 round of FA1 on Saturday afternoon before rain stopped proceedings and that was it for the weekend. There was no Q500 flown at all.
This meant that F400 was the only class that could be counted as a result.
1st place – Andrew Davies
2nd place – James Hurley
3rd place – Daniel Arapakis
As a result of the washout, only F400 was awarded championship points with the exception of all entries for FA1 and Q500 being awarded 1 point each for entering.
This was the first event for the 2013 – 2014 Championship Year.
As I write this, all the Australian and New Zealand competitors are in transit to Holland.
There are several ways of keeping in touch with what is happening.
We expect to run the VMPRA AGM and general meeting at the local motel on the Saturday night and this will take place following a spit roast dinner (TBC). VMPRA members will be notified when this has been confirmed. It is important to come along to the meeting and support pylon racing in Victoria
John Schmidli
We are racing at the Bendigo club at Marong on July 13-14.
Andrew Davies has been in contact with the club and has confirmed that it is fine for those interested in camping at the field to do so. Campers need to contact Andy Thomas (Bendigo President – see http://www.brcac.asn.au) so he can advise where to setup and of any other requirements. It’s great that so many clubs allow us to do this. There is also camping nearby at the Marong caravan park.
It was originally envisaged that we would hold our AGM at this event which has been the tradition but as there will be a significant group away at the F3D World Championships, we will hold it at a later date to be advised.
On the subject of the F3D World Championships which is to be held in the Netherlands between July 23 and 28, 2013. We wish our members who are travelling to Europe and participating in this great event, all the very best for the trip and the competition.
Beau and Barry Murphy and Ranjit Phelan and Rick Townsand are VMPRA members representing Australia. Matt Young is also representing us as a junior with the help of Bruce DeChastel as caller and supplier of models and engines.
Team New Zealand is being represented by VMPRA members, Tom Wetherill and Jim Orenshaw. Toni and David Axon are also travelling to the Netherlands and I would imagine, will be involved in some way. I hope I haven’t missed anybody out.
Also from Queensland, Chris and Kevin Callow and Tyler and Warren Mees are represnting Australia.
We can’t wait to hear news of how you all go.
I’ll try to post any information that becomes available during the Champs.
John Schmidli