2013 Competitor of the Year

John Thompson tops standings -- after 33-year gap

John Thompson of Eugene, Ore., captured the annual Flying Lines Northwest's Competitor of the Year title in 2013, a title he first captured in its inaugural year, 1980, and not again until this year.

The annual title recognizes the flier who scored the most points in Northwest control-line competition standings as compiled by Flying Lines.

Thompson's 76.3 points were scored in the Combat, Racing and Stunt categories, with first-place finishes in 1/2-A Combat, Northwest Sport Race and Overall Racing. One factor in the return to the standings was that, after 1984, all racing points by the Nitroholics Racing Team of John Thompson and Mike Hazel were counted separately as team points; the two members began racing under their own names again in 2012, though continuing to race as a team.

Second in the 2013 overall standings was Expert Precision Aerobatics flier Paul Walker of Deer Park, Wash., with 75 points, which topped Precision Aerobatics and Overall Stunt. Precision Aerobatics flier Howard Rush of Bellevue, Wash., was third with 64.5.

The number of people or teams scoring points in competition in 2013 was down slightly, with 74 people scoring points, compared with 80 in 2012. 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 47 people, up from the the 45 in 2012. Speed came next with 12 scoring points, up one from 2012. Ten combat fliers scored points, down one from 2012's 11. Ten also scored in racing, an increase of four from 2012. Eight scored in carrier, down from the 13 in 2012. 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, 1980-2013

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
2013: Thompson, Walker, Howard Rush

Click here for 2013 final event standings

Current standings are on the NW Standings Page

Below are the final 2013 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.

2013 OVERALL STANDINGS

1. John Thompson -- Combat, Racing, Stunt -- 76.3 (Flying Scrub J, at right, Rex Abbott photo.)
2. Paul Walker -- Stunt -- 75
3. Howard Rush -- Stunt -- 64.5
4. Chris Cox -- Stunt -- 49.5
5. Jeff Rein -- Combat -- 48
Pete Peterson -- Stunt --48
7. Robert Smith -- Combat -- 47
8. Buzz Wilson -- Combat -- 41
9. Alan Resinger -- Stunt -- 39
Mike Haverly -- Stunt -- 39
Tim Wescott -- Stunt -- 39
12. Mike Potter -- Carrier -- 36
13. Tom Strom -- Stunt -- 34
14. Mel Lyne -- Combat -- 32
15. Daniel Johnson -- Carrier, Racing, Stunt -- 29 * Racing Team 4
16. Don McKay -- Combat, Speed -- 28.3
17. Dave McCheyne -- Stunt -- 28
Rex Abbott -- Stunt -- 28
19. Gene Pape -- Combat -- 26.3
20. Mark Scarborough -- Stunt -- 25
21. Bill Darkow -- Carrier -- 23
Mike Hazel -- Racing, Speed, Stunt -- 23
23. Dave Royer -- Stunt -- 18
24. Bruce Hunt -- Stunt -- 17
Nathan Johnson -- Carrier, Stunt -- 17 * Racing Team 4
26. Doug Knoyle -- Stunt -- 16
27. Jim Booker -- Speed -- 14
28. John Leidle -- Stunt -- 13.5
29. Mark Hansen -- Carrier -- 12
30. Ken Burdick -- Racing, Speed -- 11.5
31. Bruce Tunberg -- Racing, Speed -- 11
Rick Cochrun -- Stunt -- 11
33. Jim Harper -- Stunt -- 10
34. Rich Salter -- Carrier, Speed -- 9.5
35. Dane Covey -- Stunt -- 9
Scott Newkirk -- Speed -- 9
37. Floyd Carter -- Scale, Stunt -- 8
38. Tom Brightbill -- Stunt -- 7
39. Greg Davis -- Combat -- 6
Jim Green -- Combat -- 6
Keith Varley -- Stunt -- 6
Marc Winz -- Stunt -- 6
Ron Howell -- Racing -- 6
Russell Shaffer -- Stunt -- 6
45. Dave Gardner -- Stunt -- 5
Dave Shrum -- Carrier -- 5
Kelly Crozier -- Combat -- 5
48. Bob Baldock -- Stunt -- 4
Chris Sackett -- Speed -- 4
Jerry Eichten -- Stunt -- 4
Jerry Olson -- Stunt -- 4
Joe Yau -- Stunt -- 4
Johnson Team -- Racing -- 4
Pete Ferguson -- Stunt -- 4
Richard Entwhistle -- Racing, Stunt -- 4
Steve Helmick -- Stunt -- 4
57. Alice Cotton-Royer -- Stunt -- 3
Lloyd Marohl -- Carrier -- 3
Mike Denlis -- Stunt -- 3
Paul Bedford -- Stunt -- 3
Steve Walther -- Speed -- 3
62. Colton Lutz -- Stunt -- 2
Gordon Rea -- Stunt -- 2
Henry Hajdik -- Stunt -- 2
Hube Start -- Stunt -- 2
Iain Dowling -- Stunt -- 2
Loren Howard -- Speed -- 2
Scott Johnson -- Carrier -- 2
69. Bob Emmert -- Stunt -- 1
Craig Bartlett -- Speed -- 1
Dean Singleton -- Speed -- 1
Glenn Little -- Stunt -- 1
Mike Massey -- Stunt -- 1
Oliver Lawrence -- Stunt -- 1

Flying Lines keeps track of standings in all AMA rulebook and Northwest official events, in all Northwest sanctioned contests.

2018 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2017 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2016 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2015 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2014 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2013 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2012 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2011 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2010 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2009 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2008 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2007 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year

2006 Final Standings and Competitor of Year

2005 Final Standings and Competitor of Year

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This page was upated Dec. 4, 2018