Chris Cox of Delta, B.C., was recognized by the Flying Lines newsletter as the Northwest's Competitor of the Year in 2001. He returned to the winner's circle in 2012 with an electrifying -- and electrified -- performance in Expert Precision Aerobatics. All of Chris's 76.5 points were scored in Precision Aerobatics, using the electric-powered Crossfire design; he was tops in both Precision Aerobatics and Overall Stunt.
The prestigious annual title recognizes the flier who scored the most points in Northwest control-line competition standings as compiled by Flying Lines.
Second in the 2012 overall standings was Expert Precision Aerobatics flier Paul Walker of Deer Park, Wash., with 57 points, and Combat flier Robert Smith of Roy, Wash., was third with 51. Bob topped both the Speed Limit and Overall Combat standings.
The number of people or teams scoring points in competition in 2012 was up significantly from 2011, with 80 people scoring points, compared with 67 in 2011. 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 distrbution of people scoring points, with 45 people, up from the the 41 in 2011. Navy Carrier came next with 13 people scoring points, up from seven in 2011. Combat and Speed each had 11 scoring points; Combat was down from 13 in 2011 and Speed was up from eight in 2011. Six people scored in racing, down from seven the previous year, and one person scored points in Scale.
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 newsletter publication. Here is the history, giving the top three finishers each year:
Competitor of the Year, 1980-2012
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: Green, John Hall, Mel Lyne
1986: Green, Mel Lyne, Dick Salter
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, 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
2008: Hunt, Walker, Johnston
2009: Rein, Hunt, Robert Smith
2010: Hunt, Rein, Walker
2011: Alan Resinger, Smith, Pete Peterson
2012: Chris Cox, Walker, Smith
Current standings are on the NW Standings Page
Below are the final 2012 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. Chris Cox -- Stunt -- 76.5 (Flying Crossfire, at right.)
2. Paul Walker -- Stunt -- 57
3. Robert Smith -- Combat -- 51
4. Jeff Rein -- Combat -- 50
5. Don McKay -- Combat -- 48
6. Alan Resinger -- Stunt -- 43.5
7. John Thompson -- Combat, Racing, Stunt -- 39
8. Dane Covey -- Stunt -- 38
9. Scott Riese -- Stunt -- 37.5
10. Mel Lyne -- Combat -- 37
11. Tom Strom -- Stunt -- 31
12. Buzz Wilson -- Combat -- 29
13. Howard Rush -- Stunt -- 28.5
14. Pete Peterson -- Stunt -- 26.5
15. Mike Potter -- Carrier -- 25
16. John Leidle -- Stunt -- 23.5
17. Bruce Hunt -- Stunt -- 21
Richard Entwhistle -- Stunt -- 21
Gene Pape -- Combat -- 21
20. Mike Massey -- Stunt -- 20
21. Steve Helmick -- Stunt -- 19
22. Mike Haverly -- Stunt -- 18
23. Louie-Louie Team -- Speed -- 17
Dave Royer -- Stunt -- 17
25. Daniel Johnson -- Carrier -- 14
Mike Conner -- Carrier, Stunt -- 14
Rex Abbott -- Stunt -- 14
28. Scott Johnson -- Carrier -- 13
29. Greg Davis -- Combat -- 12
Dick Salter -- Carrier, Speed -- 12
Jim Green -- Combat -- 12
32. Jim Booker -- Speed -- 11
Lloyd Marohl -- Carrier -- 11
Geoff Christianson -- Carrier, Stunt -- 11
Rick Cochrun -- Stunt -- 11
36. Ron Anderson -- Carrier -- 10
37. Chris Sackett -- Speed, Stunt -- 9
Bill Darkow -- Carrier -- 9
39. Mac Ryan -- Racing -- 8
Mark Scarborough -- Stunt -- 8
41. Nathan Johnson -- Carrier -- 7
Pete Ferguson -- Stunt -- 7
Gordon Rea -- Stunt -- 7
Mike Hazel -- Stunt -- 7 * Speed Team 17
45. Mark Winz -- Stunt -- 5
Steve Walther -- Speed -- 5
Bob Parker -- Carrier -- 5
Robert Ladd -- Stunt -- 5
Kelly Crozier -- Combat -- 5
50. Tim Strom -- Stunt -- 4
Doug Knoyle -- Stunt -- 4
Loren Howard -- Speed -- 4
Roy DeCamara -- Stunt -- 4
Tim Wescott -- Stunt -- 4
Russell Shaffer -- Stunt -- 4
Dave McCheyne -- Stunt -- 4
Ken Burdick -- Combat -- 4 * Speed Team 17
58. Henry Hajdik -- Stunt -- 3
Pat Johnston -- Stunt -- 3
Rich Salter -- Carrier, Speed -- 3
Mark Hansen -- Carrier -- 3
Jim Harper -- Stunt -- 3
63. Scott Newkirk -- Speed -- 2
Floyd Carter -- Scale -- 2
Jack Mullinix -- Stunt -- 2
Glenn Little -- Stunt -- 2
67. Bruce Tunberg -- Speed -- 1
Dean Singleton -- Speed -- 1
Craig Bartlett -- Speed -- 1
Dave Denison -- Stunt -- 1
Colton Lutz -- Stunt -- 1
Bob Baldock -- Stunt -- 1
Jerry Olson -- Stunt -- 1
Doug Powers -- Racing -- 1
Mike Denlis -- Stunt -- 1
Dave Shrum -- Racing -- 1
Bruce Duncan -- Racing -- 1
Randy Powell -- Stunt -- 1
Bob Emmett -- Stunt -- 1
Todd Ryan -- Racing -- 1
Flying Lines keeps track of standings in all AMA rulebook and Northwest official events, in all Northwest sanctioned contests.
This page was upated Dec. 4, 2018