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SAC Gauteng Regionals and Judges Trophy – Vereeniging Airfield


By Garth Calitz



The Sport Aerobatics Club of South Africa kicked off the year with a very hot competition held at Vereeniging Airfield, the only thing hotter than the competition was the weather. Gauteng was in the grips of a nasty heatwave. Temperatures climbed close to 40° pushing the Altitude density well up over 9000ft making flying aerobatics very difficult.

The morning competition kicked off with the Sportsman Class, Bernard Botha in Decathlon was first to take to the blue skies for his known sequence, he was followed by Mitchell Wright. Mitchell is one of ten pilots who took advantage of the 1/10 share in a Yak 52 that was made available by the SAC to encourage pilots to join the wonderful world of competition aerobatics.

Tristan Eeles then took to the air for his Free Known sequence, not because he was flying in Intermediate, but because both he and his father were flying in Unlimited Class in the same Extra 330SC and it would create a bit of a delay if they flew at the normal Unlimited time slot.

Trevor Warner was next up in a Game Bird GB1 for his Free Known Intermediate sequence. Aldo Naude, also competing in the Intermediate Class was next up in his Slick 540, it was great to see this aircraft back in aerobatic competition. The late Neville Ferreira competed in ZU-TNT in the World Aerobatics Championships held in Malelane before his untimely death.

Advance Class was next up for their Free Known sequences, Andrew Blackwood-Murray was first up in his Extra 300 followed by Pierre Du Plooy in his Giles 202 and Warren Eva in his Yak 55. The Advanced Class was the only class that attracted more than two competitors hopefully this will improve over the year and aerobatics will get back to the numbers seen a few years ago when each category was hotly contested by at least five competitors.

The morning rounds were closed off by Barrie Eeles in the Reclam-sponsored Extra 330SC. One had to spare a thought for the judges who had to brave the uncharacteristic heat to ensure each competitor was judged fairly.

After a short lunch break, it was once again time to get aircraft in the sky, the same order was followed for the Free sequences in the case of the Sportsman and Unknown for all the other classes.

Sadly after the competition most of the pilots were in a hurry to get back to their home bases as quickly as possible, this was due to the dreaded afternoon thundershowers that were brewing all around the province so no official prize-giving was held.

Sportsman Class was won by Bernard Botha with Mitchell Wright in second place.

Trevor Warner managed to edge out Aldo Naude to take the win in the Intermediate Class

Advanced Class was a close affair with Pierre Du Plooy beating Andrew Blackwood-Murray and Warren Eva to take the win by a rather small margin.

I have been keenly following the career of Tristan Eeles and his accomplishments in all the junior classes are nothing short of extraordinary. Tristan won the 2020 National Sportsman Class and since then has progressed a class almost every year and finished in either first or second place every year. Barrie Eeles his father and coach managed to take top Unlimited honours in this competition but Tritan, if true to past performances, will soon be snapping at his heels.


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