Les Posted March 3, 2024 Posted March 3, 2024 Welsh Open entry list is now open if anyone is going. Entry by the F3X Vault
Les Posted March 7, 2024 Author Posted March 7, 2024 On 03/03/2024 at 10:36, Les said: Welsh Open entry list is now open if anyone is going. Entry by the F3X Vault I can remember probably 6 to 8 years ago the entry list for the epic Welsh Open would nearly be full by now. Have most of you lost your passion for the sport or is there other reasons? Please let us know in the comments below.
Mikeb52 Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 Les, One of the reasons I think, is wind and weather. It seems to be difficult to get the right condition’s on the day/days that a comp is being held. The creeping bureaucracy on our hobby, doesn’t help either, although we now have one of the highest membership counts in our club, so it’s not all bad. The thing is that most have no interest in competing. Also, apart from the Saker, most high end airframes have almost doubled in cost in the last few years. Lead time has go up too, with waiting times up to a year, now common, including Baudis. I don’t compete much, but when I do, the banter, friendship, and laughs make it all worthwhile. Let’s hope that continues for a long while! Mike.
oipigface Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 9 hours ago, Les said: Have most of you lost your passion for the sport or is there other reasons? My personal problem is advancing age, and more specifically, knees. I’ve signed up for the North of England Eurotour to see how the knees manage on the Hole of Horcum, which is generally less physically demanding than the Bwlch. I also have plans to return to my favourite slope overlooking Nant-y-Moel when the weather is suitable, which is relatively easy to get to, and much easier for landings than the other Bwlch slopes. If all that goes well, I may well enter the Welsh Open at a later date. More generally, Mike’s comments are well-taken but omit what I think of as the main driver: the F3F format is struggling in Britain and elsewhere because of the development of other formats that have proven more attractive to people entering model aerosports. I refer particularly to drone-racing which is cheaper; can be held indoors; probably just as interesting for the technically-minded; and has a similar appeal to some video games, which can develop some necessary skills from a very early age. F3F also requires quite a large minimum attendance. Another format that has done well recently that is more directly in competition with F3F is the various classes of triangle racing. In some cases these have been deliberately introduced by some model manufacturers to keep the costs of models down, and the original idea of a competition for large scale gliders has morphed into something almost affordable. (I’ve noticed interest in the planes (if not the competitions) among some stalwarts of the F3F scene in Britain recently.) F3K also seems to be thriving. It has in common with both drone-racing and triangle racing that there have been clearly targeted training campaigns to give new entrants more of an idea of what is involved and how to improve performance. There is nothing like that in British F3F. Enough said. I think it is a pity, but c’est la vie. 3
Mikeb52 Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 Agree with your thoughts John. The only new pilots to f3f down this way, are Bruce, who began in the English open in 2018, I believe, and myself and William in the same comp in 2019. Plus a few others have appeared and disappeared. thats 3 new pilots in about 6 years!!
Ian F3F Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 Thanks for the Saker acknowledgement Mike, part of the objectives of the Saker was to keep 3m moldies affordable. As someone who has more demands on my weekend time than most I love going to F3F races to compete and to have fun more than I ever think I can win. For me the most important part of a race weekend is that it’s a weekend and fun with some mates. The models I fly (yep I know I’m biassed) are equally as good to sport fly in just about all conditions that slope dog and I are willing to go out in. There is no ‘minimum entry level’ for models to race. I’ve seen any number of models on the slope that would be more than capable of an F3F race. I love that there was a typhoon racing the Northern winter leagues this year. There’s a huge amount of fun in all the classes of modelling, I’m too ignorant of electric motors and GPS to start changing classes now. I think that the simplicity of concept that F3F has- fly between 2 posts 10 times, has a purity of attraction. The Welsh open can be thought of as a big scary race but I think its one of the more fun weekends- you’ll probably see more posts about curry/dinner locations than turn techniques. There are definitely more legends of Mark and Scot’s and drinking than flying! Don’t worry about the model you have, just come and give it a go. 2
Ian F3F Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 16 minutes ago, Mikeb52 said: Agree with your thoughts John. The only new pilots to f3f down this way, are Bruce, who began in the English open in 2018, I believe, and myself and William in the same comp in 2019. Plus a few others have appeared and disappeared. thats 3 new pilots in about 6 years!! actually 15 but that's just because I count'em
Phil.Taylor Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 North of England Open F3F has 29 entries Welsh - 15 entries - maybe need more publicity? e.g. F3F facebook worldwide Phil. 2
Phil.Taylor Posted March 8, 2024 Posted March 8, 2024 Direct link to the F3XVault page for the 2024 Welsh Open - below https://www.f3xvault.com/?action=event&function=event_view&event_id=3145
Phil.Taylor Posted March 10, 2024 Posted March 10, 2024 I added a comment to the Welsh Open piece on F3F facebook worldwide - that entry is now open - and with a link to the F3Xvault page maybe someone more "official" can do something bigger & bolder? Phil. 1
Les Posted March 10, 2024 Author Posted March 10, 2024 1 minute ago, Phil.Taylor said: I added a comment to the Welsh Open piece on F3F facebook worldwide - that entry is now open - and with a link to the F3Xvault page maybe someone more "official" can do something bigger & bolder? Phil. Just shared it Phil 1
Les Posted March 10, 2024 Author Posted March 10, 2024 Just now, Phil.Taylor said: Thats got Pete & Joel signed up
Rumbey Posted March 12, 2024 Posted March 12, 2024 Plenty of time to enter. Personally Ive been doing more drone and fpv lately, only because its easier to find a place to fly from and its not wind direction dependant. Once the decent weather returns I'll more than likely be back on it. My names down
Bungolungo Posted March 16, 2024 Posted March 16, 2024 I'd like to enter the Open, but wont be able this year.
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