2022 Competitor of the Year

Howard Rush wins Competitor of the Year title

Howard Rush flies his electric Impact at the 2022 Fall Follies. Flying Lines photo.

Scores all his points in Precision Aerobatics in first full post-pandemic season

Howard Rush of Olympia, Wash., turned in strong performances in the Expert class at all of the Northwest's Precision Aerobatics contests during 2022 to post 60 points and take the Competitor of the Year title by 9 points over second-place finisher Chris Cox of Delta, B.C., who also scored all his points in Expert PA. Third place went to Jerry Eichten of Newberg, Ore., who scored points in Expert Profile Stunt and Classic Stunt.

This was the first outright Competitor of the Year title for Rush; he tied with Cox for the title in 2015.

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

The number of people or teams scoring points in competition in 2022 bounced back from the pandemic-restricted 2021 season. Forty-seven fliers scored points in 2022, compared with only 23 in 2021.

Note that the number of people scoring standings points is not the total number of competitors; it is only the number of people placing first through fourth in sanctioned competition.

Twenty-four fliers scored Stunt points. Fourteen scored Racing points; 10 scored Combat points, eight scored Navy Carrier points, six scored Speed points and three 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 for some events.

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, 1980-2022

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, 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
2014: Thompson, Walker, Smith/Buzz Wilson (tie)
2015: Chris Cox/Rush (tie), Dave Royer
2016: Hazel, Smith, Mike Haverly
2017: Thompson, Walker, Mike Rule
2018: Hazel, Chris Cox/Walker (tie)
2019: Russ Hester, Chris Cox, Walker/Rush/Thompson (tie)
2021: Hazel, Smith, Bob Welch
2022: Rush, Cox, Jerry Eichten

Click here for final 2022 standings

Current standings are on the NW Standings Page

Below are the final 2022 Competitor of the Year rankings, along with the categories in which points were scored.

2022 OVERALL STANDINGS

1. Howard Rush -- Stunt -- 60
2. Chris Cox -- Stunt -- 51
3. Jerry Eichen -- Stunt -- 41
4. Bob Welch -- Stunt -- 40
5. Paul Walker -- Stunt -- 38
6. Russ Hester -- Combat -- 37
7. Mark Schluter -- Carrier, Racing, Stunt -- 35
8. Jim Schneider -- Combat, Carrier, Racing, Stunt -- 31
9. Leighton Mangels -- Racing -- 30
10. Robert Smith -- Combat -- 28.5
11. Fred Underwood -- Stunt -- 24
Rod Claus -- Stunt -- 24
13. John Thompson -- Combat, Racing, Stunt -- 23
14. Mike Hazel -- Carrier, Racing, Speed, Stunt -- 22
Greg Machen -- Combat -- 22
16. Kris Millard -- Carrier -- 16
17. Gene Pape -- Combat -- 15
18. Randy Ling -- Stunt -- 14
19. Mike Haverly -- Stunt -- 11
Mike Potter -- Carrier -- 11
Marshall Palmer -- Stunt -- 11
22. Gary Harris -- Combat, Racing -- 10
23. Jim McCartney -- Carrier, Stunt -- 9
Jim Green -- Combat -- 9
Ron Howell -- Racing -- 9
26. Ken Burdick -- Racing, Speed -- 8
John Leidle -- Stunt -- 8
28. John Knoppi -- Combat, Speed -- 7
Orin Humphries -- Carrier, Scale -- 7
30. Walter Hicks -- Stunt -- 5
Chuck Jenks -- Stunt -- 5
32. Scott Newkirk -- Racing, Speed -- 4
Jess Walls -- Stunt -- 4
34. Pat Chewning -- Racing -- 3
Pat Johnston -- Stunt -- 3
Jim Booker -- Speed -- 3
Chris Nicholls -- Carrier, Racing -- 3
38. Doug Powers -- Racing -- 2
Will Naemura -- Racing -- 2
Jim Cameron -- Stunt -- 2
Gary Byerly -- Stunt -- 2
Fred Gordon -- Stunt -- 2
Dave Baxter -- Stunt -- 2
44. Buzz Wilson -- Combat -- 1.5
45. Steve Lindstedt -- Speed -- 1
Geral Godfrey -- Scale -- 1
Gary Dowler -- Scale -- 1

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

2021 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year | 2019 Final Standings and Competitor of the Year | 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 updated Dec. 19, 2023