The Züri-Cup: A New Type of Competition for Model Glider Pilots

From various conversations, I gathered that quite a few pilots participated in such an event primarily with the mindset that “taking part is more important than winning.” Certainly a reasonable attitude, but unfortunately, the resulting consequences of such massive turnout are somewhat frustrating. In 1975 and 1976, the F3B Series A Regional Championship for Region 5 was decided by just one round. The same was true even for last year’s Swiss Championship. The only real advantage of large numbers of participants is the corresponding participation rate for the Swiss Championship. In this regard, a revision of the rules would certainly be desirable. I do not believe that the following competition format is a panacea, but I am convinced that it can offer many model aviators an opportunity to enjoy a bit of that competitive atmosphere without necessarily having to participate in regional competitions. Conversely, a pilot can earn the credits for the high-launch program here without any pressure.

To further foster camaraderie, I structured the competition so that it would be based not on individual best performance but on that of a team of four pilots. Discipline B—the distance flight—was chosen as the task. Performance in the distance flight depends not only on the skill of operating the control stick, but also on the perfect construction of the models.

I set up a system consisting of 9 teams. Over the course of 4 flying days (rounds) spread throughout the year, each team will now compete against every other team. This means that on any given flying day, 3 teams will always face off against each other at 3 different sites.

Management—that is, the organization, evaluation, and any necessary communication—is handled by a single person, referred to as the OC.

After the registration deadline has passed, the OC sends all teams—or rather, the designated team captains—an envelope at the beginning of the year containing the following:

• 1. A directory of addresses and phone numbers for all team captains
• 1 schedule with alternate dates and corresponding opponents

Approximately 2 weeks before the first round, each team captain will receive the roster. Enclosed will be an evaluation form and a pre-addressed and stamped return envelope.

To cover expenses, the Organizing Committee charges CHF 20 per team upon registration.

The team leader is now responsible for contacting the other two team leaders to finalize the flying area (group area), measuring equipment, meeting point, and other details. Afterward, the team members must also be informed of these details. If one of the team members is unable to attend for any reason, he or she may, of course, be replaced by any other group member who is not involved in the competition. On the day of the competition, the three teams meet at the airfield. Together, they will mark out the flying field and make other preparations. The teams are responsible for launching their own models. The timekeeper—a pilot or helper from an opposing team—records the results on the score sheet. Fair play during the competition is determined by all participants on the field itself.

After the competition ends, each pilot confirms his results with his signature. The team captains of the opposing teams also sign off on the form, thereby confirming its validity. The form is placed in the prepared envelope and dropped into the nearest mailbox.

The organizing committee evaluates the results received and compiles a preliminary ranking. The scoring system is simple: of the three teams that competed against each other, the one with the highest score receives 3 points. The second-best performance receives 2 points, and the worst receives 1 point.

Approximately two weeks before the start of the second round, each team captain will be sent this ranking, another roster, and any additional information.

After the completion of the fourth round, the final standings can be determined and the awards ceremony held. In our case, this took place on December 16, 1976, in Herrliberg. A large number of participants attended the event.

Before the actual awards ceremony, there was a lively discussion about the issues raised at the beginning. The members of the Mörsburg Model Flying Club commendably submitted a written proposal, which our RC specialist Paul Pfenniger will now present at the next technical meeting. Of course, the Züri Cup system was also open to criticism. Fortunately, this cup seems to be well-liked, as no fundamental changes were proposed. In commanding fashion—namely, by scoring the maximum 12 points—Team Mörsburg A claimed victory and thus the challenge trophy.

In closing, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in the 1976 Züri Cup for making it such a success, and I am already looking forward to seeing you all again at the 1977 Züri Cup.

Best regards

P.S.

For information on the tournament rules or any other questions, please feel free to contact me at the following address:

Peter Aeberli
Erlengutstrasse 7
8703 Erlenbach
Tel. 01/90 81 53

1. Mörsburg
A – 2.a
Bachtelfitzer – 2.b Mörsburg
B – 4.a
Dietikon – 4.b Bülach
– 6. Erlenbach
– 7. Lachen
– 8. Alpenblick
– 9. Männedorf