Max Distance - it is a long course - bollards on the fence at the end

Friday, 1st December 2017

Another 7.30 am first lift and Max Distance is underway.  Soon we will know who our medal winners are.  Following the judges video review yesterday evening, there is a change in the Standings for Zone Accuracy and this affects the top three medal placings for the Overall positions.  Cornelia Mihai is now in third place with Mohammed Baker in 4th.  Once the  max distance round is  complete there will be a short break whilst the course is  reset by Jasper Williams and his team for the two rounds of Freestyle.  Although this is not part of the World Cup the organiser has requested it - and put up money prizes for the top three places.  Of the 92 (final figure) over 70 have put their names down  to take part.  Exciting!

9.00 am and the Max Distance event is complete, apart from the Judges finally validating the scores.  Our winner of the gold medal is Cédric Veiga Rios (FRA) :  Nicholas Batsch (USA) second and Cornelia Mihai (UAE) in third place and this secured her the Silver Medal Overall behind Nicholas Batsch, and CONGRATULATIONS to her UAE colleague, Mohammed Baker for his third placce on the Overall podium.   

10.00 am  The results for all events have been signed off by the Chief Judge and we now have 2 hours for any Protests to be made before they are final.  Curt Bartholomew (USA) missed the entry gate on his last jump on Max Distance round - which has put him out of the Overall medals for this World Cup, although he secured the Gold Medal in Accuracy and Silver Medal for Speed.  Final CONGRATULATIONS must go to our hosts- UAE - Gold Medal winners of the Overall Team event, with USA second and France third.

Cornelia Mihai(UAE) weight check	Cédric Veiga Rios interviewed by Regan Tetlow
Cornelia Mihai - Max Distance flight	Cornelia Mihai - Max Distance Landing - 132.83m
Curt and Jeannie Bartholomew	Abdulbari Qubaisi celebrates - UAE Gold  Medalist in Team Event

After the 20 minutes to clear the course and refuel the aircraft the Freestyle event began.  Finally a total of 68 competitors entered and there followed a fun filled two rounds - which were completed by 11.20 am, but as with all subjective disciplines, the scores were a little slower that we have got used to this week.  Whilst the judges finalised the scores there was a Competitors' Meeting hosted by the Canopy Piloting committee.

12.20 pm - we now have final scores and Curtis Bartholomew  gets his Gold Medal and USD $1,500 - Silver  Medal goes to Nicholas Batsch along with USD $1,000 and third to one of the South African team, Matteo Pagani, Bronze Medal and USD $500.  ***  CONGRATULATIONS ***

A selection of photographs of the Freestyle Event:

CP Committee Chair/Jury Member and Course Technical Director	Freestyle Judges

The Competitors' meeting went well with a strongly felt signal from the competitors to the committee that they would prefer to keep the % scoring system rather than move to simple ranking.  Overall they are content with the way the committee is developing the discipline.  There was a positive discussion around Freestyle.

Now it was a rush for the buses to go back to the Hotel, change and return for the Closing and Awards Ceremony here on the Drop Zone for the 17.30 assembly - once the ceremony is over there will be a Gala Dinner served here on the Drop Zone in the warm evening air.