The 2013 USA F3B Team was selected on October 29th 2012 to represent at the Worlds in Nardt Germany in the fall of 2013. A very successful three day event was held at the Perris field in CA due in part to the incredible effort of event organizer and CD Mike Lee and his band of helpers. The Inland Soaring Society, in cooperation with the Southern California Soaring Clubs, and courtesy of the Southern California Antique Model Plane Society (SCAMPS) and the Riverside RC Club ran the 2012 AMA F3B Team Selection Event. The location was adjacent to the City of Perris, California, and held over the weekend of October 27, 28 and 29, 2012. Many helpers came out to assist with the selection event and the F3B community will be forever in their debt.
The contestants were: Kyle Paulson, David Klein, Mike Lachowski, Tim Traver, Paul Sherman, Tom Kiesling, Mike Smith, Don Scegiel, Reto Fiolka, Mike Murphy, Darrel Zaballos and Thomas Cooke
Kyle Paulson had only just returned from Germany where he proudly represented USA in the first ever F3F Worlds and returned home with an excellent 4th place trophy. Kyle is probably the hardest working pilot in the country and really has no peer when it comes to driving a sailplane fast. Kyle practices incessantly both on the slope and off the F3B winch and may be the most consistent F3B speed pilot out there.Mike Lachowski (an avid F3B afficionado) has kept F3B alive on the East Coast where the numbers of competitive F3B soaring pilots has dwindled alarmingly in recent years. Tom Kiesling is probably the most rounded soaring pilot in the country and has represented USA as an F3J Team Member at this years Worlds in Sth Africa. He has been a member of many US Teams in the past and continues to excel at the highest level. Mike Smith has also represented the USA before and is a member of the current USA F3K soaring Team. Recently at the World Soaring Masters he came a very close second to Joe Wurts and also excels at all soaring disciplines. David Klien was the winner of the inaugural GatorF3B and continues to impress in classy company with a very high placed F3K finish at “The Bruce” this year. David has burst onto the soaring scene in a very short space of time and is testimony to the fact that if you really want something and are prepared to work hard at it you can be as good as the best. Darrel Zaballos did a fabulous job of managing the 2011 F3B Team in China and has the F3B skills to keep everyone on their toes.
At the end of the Team Selects contest Kyle Paulson once again showed his class with a commanding effort to finish in first place. Tom Kiesling flew steadily all contest to fill the 2nd position while the third place was won by Mike Smith. Darrell Zaballos came fourth with David Klien emerging in fifth place and Mike Lachowski 6th. With Kyles trip to Germany for the F3F Worlds last month he has decided not to compete at the F3B Worlds in Germany and Mike Smith also has declined to take his place on the Team due to his prior commitment as an F3K team Pilot in Denmark in the same year.
For a full read including video and photos of the entire Team selects event you can go to the RCGroups thread.
The USA F3B Team will be a very strong unit with such experienced talent, as well as having the sort of dedication that winning a worlds requires.