jdobleman 0 #1 July 13, 2009 Clay Bonavito became the First (yes he bought beer) 3-time winner of the Annual Byron Tracking Contest by narrowly edging out Kevin Townsend (Tall Guy) who opened at 4K and watch Clay track past. Everyone who knows Tall Guy is encouraged to give him shit until next year, he'll really appreciate it. Eric Bustos came in third. Chaovalai Chulasawan (nickname Chavi) became the first woman to win the novice category and joins Renatte Otto and Lisa Ewald as female winners. For historical records, Renatte Otto was the only skydiver to win the Tracking Triple Crown by winning the Lodi, Lost Prairie, and Byron tracking contests. Dave Filippo came in 2nd for the second time and newcomer Stevie (sorry, can't find his last name, began with a G) came in 3rd. Always work on your tracking skills, besides pulling and flaring it's the best way to save your life. madjohn Main goals in life: Be on the "Jumpers Over Eighty" (JOE) World Record and attend the Lost Prairie Boogie once after I'm gone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eightate8at8 0 #2 July 20, 2009 What exactly is a tracking contest? What criteria/objectives are judged..? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TallGuy 0 #3 July 20, 2009 A tracking contest is basically a race for distance. Typically the plane will set up jump run offset and parallel of the landing area. Skydivers then exit single file with about a 1-2 second gap between each one. Each skydiver then tracks perpendicular to jump run towards and if possible past the landing area. The jumper will stop, check their airspace for other skydivers and when safe, wave off and pull at a predetermined altitude. The skydiver covering the most distance in their track wins. If a skydiver is believed to have pulled below the established safe altitude they are disqualified, reprimanded, and must buy beer. The purpose of the competition after all is to help us become safer skydivers. Judging is done by people on the ground, typically along the edge of the landing area who record color of canopies and relative position. Participants are also expected to provide HONEST details of where others opening relative to them. It's great fun. I'd strongly encourage all dropzones to hold their own contest. As Mad John says, it's one of the few freefall skills that can actually save your life and more importantly the lives of the people you are jumping with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaryRay 0 #4 July 23, 2009 GPS is also used to judge in a lot of the tracking competitions, besides distance there is tracking for speed too.JewBag. www.jewbag.wordpress.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eightate8at8 0 #5 July 24, 2009 The distance competition sounds like a fun spin on things. If I understand this correctly, everyone has to agree on a set alti to throw at, correct? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
