2023 Competitor of the Year
Mike Hazel wins fourth Competitor title
Mike Hazel is seen at the 2023 Fall Follies in Portland, Ore. with his Ringmaster, flown in Old-Time Stunt. Flying Lines photo.
Scores points in Navy Carrier, Racing,
Speed and Stunt
Mike Hazel of Mehama, Ore., captured his fourth
Competitor of the Year title by participating in several
control-line competition categories in 2023. His 66 points
in Carrier, Racing, Speed and Stunt secured the title by a
16-point margin over Bob Welch of Federal Way, Wash., who
scored 50 points by flying in all the Aerobatics events
and in Scale. Third place was Chris Cox of Delta, B.C.,
who garnered 40 points, all in Expert Precision
Aerobatics.
Hazel also the Competitor of the Year title in 2016, 2018
and 2021.
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 2023 was slightly below 2022 season. Forty-one fliers scored points in 2023, compared with 47 in 2022.
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-five fliers scored Stunt points. Nine scored Racing points; eight scored Combat points; eight scored Navy Carrier points, five scored Speed points and five 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, 1980-2023
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
2023: Hazel, Welch, Cox
Click here for final 2023 standings
Current standings are on the NW Standings Page
Below are the final 2023 Competitor of the Year rankings, along with the categories in which points were scored.
2023 OVERALL STANDINGS
1. Mike Hazel -- Carrier, Racing, Speed, Stunt --
66
2. Bob Welch -- Scale, Stunt -- 50
3. Chris Cox -- Stunt -- 40
4. Jim Schneider -- Carrier, Stunt -- 29
5. Mark Schluter -- Carrier, Racing,
Stunt -- 28
6. Kris Millard -- Carrier -- 27
7. Randy Ling -- Stunt -- 26
8. Paul Walker -- Stunt -- 25
Fred Underwood -- Stunt -- 25
10. Gene Pape -- Combat -- 24
11. Leighton Mangels -- Racing, Speed -- 23
12. Robert Smith -- Combat -- 20
John Thompson --
Combat, Racing, Speed, Stunt -- 20
14. Howard Rush -- Stunt -- 19
15. Russ Hester -- Combat -- 18
John Leidle --
Stunt -- 18
17. Greg Machen -- Combat -- 16
18. Jerry Eichten -- Stunt -- 15
Pat Johnston --
Stunt -- 15
20. Rod Claus -- Stunt -- 13
21. Mike Haverly -- Stunt -- 10
Dane Covey --
Stunt -- 10
23. Orin Humphries -- Carrier, Scale -- 9
Tony Huber -- Combat -- 9
25. Jim Cameron -- Stunt -- 8
Alan
Resinger -- Stunt -- 8
27. Jess Walls -- Scale, Stunt -- 7
28. Jim McCartney -- Carrier, Stunt -- 6
29. Gary Harris -- Combat, Racing -- 5
30. Tim Wescott -- Stunt -- 4
31. Chris Nicolls -- Carrier, Racing -- 3
Niels Madsen -- Racing -- 3
33. Jim Green -- Combat -- 2
Scott
Newkirk -- Speed -- 2
Doug Powers -- Racing,
Speed -- 2
Gary Dowler -- Scale -- 2
37. Geral Godfrey -- Scale -- 1
Gary
Weems -- Stunt -- 1
Steve Holt -- Carrier -- 1
Jeff Cohen -- Stunt -- 1
Darrin Bishop -- Racing -- 1
Flying Lines keeps track of standings in all AMA rulebook and Northwest official events, in all Northwest sanctioned contests.
2022 Standings and Competitor of the Year | 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