15/09/2001 Final Day, last round of Schedule B

Today was what most were waiting for, the final round of final.  After yesterday's rounds, there were four contenders that could claim World Champion title this year.  Although Curtis had 2,000 in his hands, he was followed closely by Dobashi and Kobayashi, who were only 22 and 23 points behind Curtis.  Hashimoto's chance to re-claim World Championship title would be slim at 48 points behind, but its not impossible.  Due to the normalized score system, a difference of a few raw scores would be magnified to two or three times difference in normalized score, so if Curtis could not get 1,000 tomorrow, a last minute win by either Dobashi, Kobayashi and Hashimoto were not impossible.  Today's flying would also be judged by a panel of 10 judges like yesterday.  The run down of today's schedule would be to have the final round, then awards presentation, then banquet at the night.  

Flying started around 9:00am, with mild winds blowing from right to left of the flight line.  With this weather, competition would be very tight.  Kobayashi was the first amongst the four highest score contestants to go to the flight line.  Kobayashi did a marvelous round and put him on the top after his flight.  Hashimoto's flight was to follow Kobayashi, but he did not do good, and ended up in the third after his flight.  After Hashimoto's flight, he knew he would not re-claim his World Championship title this time, and not even in the top three.  Dobashi was the next to go after Hashimoto, and even though he did executed some text book flight maneuvers that draw applause, he was penalized in the hovering rectangle that he did not do good, and that placed him second on the list after Kobayashi.  Curtis was to follow Dobashi, and all attention was on him.  If Curtis could not top Kobayashi's score, and did bad, then there would be a chance for Kobayashi to take over his position.  Curtis' flight was not good, that ended up placing him in the fourth at that moment.  However, after the raw score of Curtis came out, he was still about 2 points ahead of Kobayashi, and even if other flyers could get 1,000 in this round it would not affect Curtis' top position.   Later, even though Sensui did a marvelous flight that took over Kobayashi's leading position and scored him 1,000, Curtis was still the World Champion this time.

Other pilots also flew great today.  First flight was flown by Cliff Hiatt, who keep the heat on other finalists and scored sixth overall.  Scott Gray and Mark Christy were always good with their JR Vigor.  Wayne Mann woo spectators by his great moves with his Caliber.  Stefano Lucchi's flight were almost as good as Hashimoto's, and if you just pay attention to the helicopter itself you would thought its Hashimoto flying his helicopter, not by Stefano.  Johann Hoenle and Wolfgang Worgas were head to head in the preliminaries in their flight group, and both did well in the finals.  Both Frenchman Laurent Lombard and Pascal Brianchon displayed finesse and grace in their flight too. 

The final results were as follows:

Looking at the scores, compared to yesterday there was not much change in position, except for Sensui who did a great round and put him in the fourth position.

After the final round, I asked Hashimoto why he was not good in this World Championship.  According to him, he had been very busy testing the Freya, Freya EX and Shuttle Sceadu during the last year, and that took a toll on his time for practice.  In fact, he began his practice on August this year, but it seems too late for this World Championship.  He hoped to regain this title again next World Championship. 

I hoped you like my report for World Championship this time.  Congratulations to Curtis Youngblood, and hope to see you again in the next World Championship in Japan at 2003.  Tomorrow the IRCHA Jamboree would begin, I would continue my report for actions in the Jamboree in my Jamboree page starting tomorrow.

Anxious atmosphere present in the flight line	Cliff Hiatt began the day of final round competition
Cliff Hiatt and David Harkey	Kobayashi from the start box
Kobayashi and helper	A very anxious Hashmoto in the start box
Hashimoto from the start box	Hashimoto's Freya EX leaped forward for aerobatics
Not a happy Hashimoto after his flight	Curtis in the start box
Curtis hovering his JR Vigor	Curtis after flight, still unsure if he had win
Dobashi from the start box	Dobashi hovering his Kyosho Caliber
Japanese team manager Abe Shin pumped his fist for Dobashi's marvelous auto	A very happy Dobashi with Takayanagi
Mark Christy in the start box	Mark Christy with his JR Vigor
Scott Gray hovering his JR Vigor	Scott Gray with his JR Vigor
A very anxious Sensui waiting for his turn	Sensui fired up his JR Superio
Sensui Hovering his JR Superio	Sensui on approach for autorotation
Abe Shin was happy after Sensui's flight	Sensui scored top this round
Lucchi Stefano in the start box	Lucchi Stefano hovering his Freya EX
Lucchi Stefano with helper	Wayne Mann with David Harkey
Participants waiting for final results	The flight line officials
Finalists posed for pictures	3D demostration after competition
3D demostration after competition	Team awards presentation, with Japanese first, USA second and UK third
Crowning of the World Championship to Curtis Youngblood by Horace Hagen of FAI	Curtis Youngblood holding the World Champion trophy, with second place Kobayashi and third place Dobashi besides him
Curtis Youngblood happily holding the World Champion trophy	Curtis Youngblood was once again the World Champion

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