Pat Johnston of Boise, Idaho, for the third consecutive year has captured the prestigious Northwest Control-Line Competitor of the Year Award, which recognizes the flier who scored the most points in Northwest competition standings as compiled by Flying Lines.
Johnston scored 120.5 points in aerobatics competition, putting points on the scoreboard in Precision Aerobatics, Classic Stunt, and Profile Stunt. He was points champ in both Classic and Profile, and also took the Vintage Stunt season trophy for best performance in combined Classic/Old-Time.
Johnston had a big lead in the 2007 race, outdistancing
Paul Walker of Kent, Wash. Pat added considerably to his 2006 total of 92.5
points.
The number of people scoring points in competition in 2006 was down slightly from 2006, with 68 people or teams scoring, compared with 72 the previous year, continuing a trend. Note that this is not the total number of competitors, only the number of people placing first through fourth place in sanctioned competition.
As usual, stunt had the greatest distribution of people scoring points, with 42 people, down one from the the 43 in 2006. Racing came in next with 12, down one from last year. There were 11 speed fliers, down by one from 2006. Ten scored points in combat, down from 11 the previous year. Eight scored carrier points, same as in 2006. One Northwest flier scored scale points.
Again, these totals reflect only placement, not actual number of competitors. The presence of out-of-region fliers in a contest can result in no points, or fewer points, being scored toward Northwest standings.
The Competitor of the Year recognition has been given since 1980, the second year of Flying Lines publication. Here is the history, giving the top three finishers each year:
Competitor of the Year, 1980-2007
1980: 1, John Thompson 2, Bill Varner 3, Jim Cameron
1981: Dick Salter, Thompson, Dave Green
1982: Dick Salter, Thompson, Mike Hazel
1983: Green, Thompson, Glenn Salter
1984: Green, Dick Salter, Gary Byerly
1985: Glenn Salter, Green, John Hall
1986: Not available
1987: Dick Salter, Glenn Salter, Green
1988: Not available
1989-90: Flying Lines not published
1991: Joe Rice, Rich McConnell, Tom Strom
1992: Rice, Todd Ryan, Hall
1993: Ryan, Rice, McConnell
1994: Ryan, Chris Cox, Nitroholics Racing Team
1995: Ryan, Jeff Rein, Don McClave
1996: Ryan, Stephen Cox, Rick Meadows
1997: Ryan, Paul Gibeault, Stephen Cox
1998: Ryan, Mel Lyne, Dan Rutherford
1999: Ryan, Shawn Parker, Mike Conner
2000: Ryan, Lyne, Scott Riese
2001: Chris Cox, Ryan, Lyne
2002: Jeff Rein, Bruce Hunt, Nils Norling
2003: Dan Rutherford, Keith Varley, Lyne
2004: Rutherford, Paul Walker, Chris Cox
2005: Pat Johnston, Riese, Hunt
2006: Johnston, Hunt, Walker
2007: Johnston, Walker, Rein
Anyone who would like a printout of the complete 2006 Competitor of the Year standings can get one by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the standings coordinator. The address is at the bottom of the column.
Click here for 2007 final event standings
Current standings are on the NW Standings Page
Below are the final 2007 Competitor of the Year rankings, along with the categories in which points were scored.
* = also scored points as a team entry. After score is indicated category and team's points, which are not included in individual points.
1. Pat Johnston -- Stunt -- 120.5
2. Paul Walker -- Stunt -- 76.5
3. Jeff Rein -- Combat, Stunt -- 74.5 *Racing team: 3
4. Howard Rush-- Stunt -- 72
5. Scott Riese -- Stunt -- 70.5
6. Bruce Hunt -- Stunt-- 60
7. Mike Haverly -- Stunt -- 57
8. Ken Burdick -- Combat, Stunt -- 47 *Racing team: 3
9. Bob Smiley -- Racing, Stunt -- 42
10. Don McClave -- Stunt -- 35.5
11. Mel Lyne -- Combat -- 32
12. Gary Harris -- Combat -- 27
13. John Thompson -- Combat, Stunt -- 22 * Racing team:15
14. Greg Hart -- Stunt -- 25
15. Pete Peterson -- Stunt -- 22
16. Mark Scarborough -- Stunt -- 21
Ted Gritzmacher -- Speed -- 21
Robert Smith -- Combat -- 21
Dan Rutherford -- Stunt -- 21
20. Dick Salter -- Carrier, Speed -- 20 *Racing team: 3
21. Todd Ryan -- Racing, Stunt -- 19 *Racing team: 3
22. Randy Powell -- Stunt -- 18.5
23. Buzz Wilson -- Combat, Stunt -- 18 *Racing team: 3
24. Rich Salter -- Carrier, Speed -- 17 *Racing team: 3
25. Mike Potter -- Carier, Scale -- 16
26. Nitroholics Racing Team -- Racing -- 15
27. Art Zehner, Stunt -- 14
28. Mike Conner -- Carrier, Stunt -- 13
29. Keith Varley -- Stunt -- 12
30. Doug Wood -- Stunt -- 11
Richard Entwistle -- Stunt -- 11
32. Loren Howard -- Speed -- 9
Mike Foley -- Stunt -- 9
34. Mike Hazel -- Carrier, Speed -- 8.5 *Racing team: 15
35. John Leidle -- Stunt -- 8
Bill Allen -- Speed -- 8
37. Jack Pitcher -- Stunt -- 7.5
Kenny Johansen -- Combat, Racing -- 7.5
39. Dave Gardner -- Stunt -- 7
Guy Laine -- Speed -- 7
41. Don McKay -- Combat -- 6
Mac Ryan -- Racing -- 6
Rick Cochrun -- Stunt -- 6
44. Dave Shrum -- Carrier, Racing -- 5
Lee Powell -- Stunt -- 5
Mark Hansen -- Combat -- 5
47. Dave McCheyne -- Stunt -- 4
Austin Johansen -- Racing -- 4
Laura Beers -- Speed -- 4
David Miller -- Racing, Stunt -- 4
51. Acre-Ryan Team -- Racing -- 3
Walter Russell -- Carrier -- 3
Broadway Bod Busters -- Racing -- 3
Greg Beers -- Speed -- 3
Mike Denlis -- Stunt -- 3
Jenessa Beers -- Racing -- 3
Joe Just -- Stunt -- 3
S&S Racing Team -- Racing -- 3
59. Bob Parker -- Stunt -- 2
Dave Pellerin -- Stunt -- 2
Bill Darkow -- Carrier -- 2
Bryan Carr -- Stunt -- 2
Floyd Carter -- Stunt -- 2
Hube Start -- Stunt -- 2
65. Ken Kortness -- Speed -- 1.5
66. Ron Bennett -- Speed -- 1
Don Phelps -- Stunt -- 1
Logan Just -- Stunt -- 1
Jerry Eichten -- Stunt -- 1
Flying Lines keeps track of standings in all AMA rulebook and Northwest official events, in all Northwest sanctioned contests.
Your FL editors do their best to keep up with the results, but contest directors can help keep the standings up to date by making sure to send the results to FL immediately after the contest. If you spot errors, please let us know.
Results must include the placing in each event through fourth place and the report also must list the number of contestants in the event, in order for the point standings to be counted accurately.
Please include in your report the hometown of the contestants. Only Northwest residents are counted in the standings (AMA Dist. XI and British Columbia). The score of each contestant also should be listed for general reporting purposes and for checking against the Northwest records.
If you flew in a contest that doesn't appear to be counted, contact the contest director or FL.
Special notes: Precision aerobatics expert fliers' scores are multiplied by a factor of 1.5. When an individual is allowed more than one entry in a single event, only the highest-placing score shall be counted.
Send contest results, corrections and other correspondence regarding Northwest Competition Standings to John Thompson, standings coordinator. For a printed copy of complete standings for any event, or for a copy of the rules for any Northwest event, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Flying Lines, 2456 Quince St., Eugene, OR 97404.
This page was upated Dec. 30, 2007