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Task 1, Precision takeoff & landing

Task 2, Pure Navigation

Task 3, Speed triangle and out & return

Task 4, Fast / Slow

Task 5, Kicking Sticks

Task 6, Navigation, precision & speed

Task 7, Endurance

Task 8, Kicking Sticks

Final scores

Summary

Comment & pix Task 6

The navigation part of this task was supposed to be loaded towards speed but in the consistent absence of any weather information the Director put a 2 1/2 hour time limit which would have been better set at 2 hours as it stayed relatively calm for the task. The result was that most pilots completed all points without coming anywhere near a time penalty.

One problem, later to be of crucial importance to the team scoring was that some of the Czech team took off from the wrong decks.

Initially the pilots concerned were given a 20% overall penalty. This is the Director's reply to the subsequent complaints from the Czech team;

TASK 6, 28 July 1999

In response to your complaint received 30 July, 15:40

It is true there is no written description of the exact penalty for taking off in the correct deck, but the procedure was described in detail for use in Task 1, and the same procedure has been used throughout the competition. Generally this has been in the task sheets as "takeoffs from decks x & y, odd and even as usual", and indeed it was briefed that this task should start from decks 2 & 3, odd and even as usual shortly before the task window opened at 06:00.

The Director has however applied the penalty wrongly. In task 1, the penalty for takeoff in the wrong deck was against takeoff score only, NOT the whole score.

The scoring of task 6 has therefore been amended to reflect this.


In response to your second complaint of 30 July, 16:15

I have examined the Marshals sheets again and questioned both of them and they are sure they only recorded takeoffs on their own deck. Both sheets record takeoffs of other pilots from before the time either Nos. 34, 36 & 38 took off, so both marshals were there from the opening of the task window. Both marshals are also sure they did not record takeoffs from the other deck. There are no cases on either sheet where a pilot takeoff time is recorded by both marshals.

The scoring of task 6 has therefore not been amended to reflect this.

The Czech team later made an official protest about this (the only one of the competition) but the International Jury voted to uphold the Director's decision.


06:00 takeoffs....


...and the influence of the Czech team's sponsors may have been a contributing factor...