OzHover Events

All the craft assemble out on the water and attempt to form a straight line, craft abreast, then proceed past the main event area.

It doesn’t happen more than it does but it showcases the pilot skill to control their craft and work as a group

Another group event. Typically all the craft set off for a circuit of the lake of the event. Craft need to manage their speed and fly in close proximity

An on-water event, the craft will participate in teams., three craft to a team using the Sprint course.

Just like a classic end-to-end relay, the craft will begin behind a line marked by buoys, two at the starting end, one at the other. 

When the flag is dropped, the first craft moves off, taking a baton to the other end. There, the baton is passed from one craft to the other.

The new craft heads back to the other end (the start line) and gives the baton to the third craft.

The third craft takes off and the relay is continued.

Just how many laps will be run will be decided in the briefing.

Failure to finish with the baton means disqualification (don’t drop it). Throwing the baton from craft to craft will result in disqualification.

First team to finish the required amount of laps is the winner.

Approximately 100 floats made of environmentally friendly Portuguese Cork each numbered from one to one hundred will be dispersed by a stewards craft.

The dispersion pattern will be a large letter L and the aim of this is to prevent convergence of craft involved in the cork collection. When the stewards craft has returned, the start flag will be waved to begin the event.

Participating craft will travel at a safe speed out over the lake and literally hand-collect the floating corks.

No scoops or nets are allowed. 

Many hands improve the chances; however, too many passengers may be a disadvantage. Some skill is required in estimating the best hand and finger count. Too many and the craft will be slow to manoeuvre, too few and valuable corks will be fumbled and left behind as your craft glides past what at first seems to be an easy target.

When all the visible corks are rounded up, the crafts are to return to base for counting.

Note: 

Although speed and agility is an advantage on reaching the corks, remember that a collision with another craft will reduce your chances significantly and furthermore;

It’s not a race to return to base. There are No points for speed. This is not a timed event.

Points are allocated for each cork collected, so maximise your collection.

There is a consolation prize for a predetermined ‘lucky numbered’ cork.

The Point to Point Time Trial is a ‘competitive timed event’ where craft individually make their way from a starting point, to a series of checkpoints, and then return back to the starting point. The challenge is to complete the event with your closest ‘estimated’ time versus the ‘actual specified time’ given to each craft for the duration of the event.

Details: 

Each craft participating will be told how long they have to complete the entire event (from start to finish). One craft at a time in a staggered start from the home point, you will be given the location of checkpoint 1, and roughly how long you have to get there. Your ‘total event time’ starts when you cross the start/finish line at the home point. Then, counting in your head (somehow); proceed to checkpoint 1. When you arrive at checkpoint 1 at what you think is the correctly specified time you were given, approach the checkpoint 1 person to ‘sign in’ and ‘receive the next set of instructions’ for the next leg (to checkpoint 2). The checkpoint 1 person will now give you the location for checkpoint 2 and roughly how long you have to get to that checkpoint. You then depart for checkpoint 2, counting in your head.

Each of the legs continue in this fashion until the very last checkpoint, where this last person will direct you to return to the home point and roughly how long you have to get there. Arriving back at the start, your ‘total elapsed time’ for the event stops when you cross the start/finish line.

Note: 

The decision of the checkpoint personnel, timekeepers and event coordinator ‘is final’ in determining all placings and resulting outcomes.

Because this is an event that requires you to estimate the total event elapsed time in your head, strictly NO timepieces of any description can be used to help you determine this (i.e. watches, stopwatches, phones, navigation systems, electronic sources etc).

It is not a race or a sprint to get to each checkpoint. Each checkpoint will have a different allocated time that is designed to help you keep track of the total time for the event. Remember; each leg is only a guide though. Ultimately, YOU are responsible to complete the entire event in the time that you think is closest to the actual time given to you.

The checkpoints are a mandatory stop for each craft, and you must sign in to ‘prove’ that you were there. It’s also important to stop there because it’s also where you get the next leg’s time and location information.

At the events conclusion, please be patient as it takes a while to collate the timekeepers and checkpoint persons data to determine the overall placings.

The Sprint event will be held approx 50 metres out from, and parallel to, the shore line.

• A line of buoys will be moored approx 100m end to end and 50 metres out to define the “course”.
• The event will be held in 3 “rounds”.

Round 1.

• Competitors (2 at a time) must begin with thrust engines at idle and off hump with  “noses” either side of and in line with the first buoy.
• In line with this buoy will be the “Starting Marshall” who will raise their hand and then drop it to signify the start but only when satisfied that competitors are in their starting positions (and the time keepers are ready)
• A “timekeeper” marshall will be stationed “in line” with the “finish line” buoy. This person shall measure the time (using a stopwatch or stop watch app) of both the “winning craft” and the “losing” craft.
• Losing craft are not totally eliminated but will not participate in round 2.

Round 2.

• Winning craft repeat the above procedure until provisional 1st, 2nd and 3rd place are determined. However, this time, pairs with be formed in descending order of the fastest winning times with fasted times running first. 
• If an odd number of craft compete then the driver with the lowest time will be given the opportunity to challenge the winner of the last run.

Round 3.

• “Losing drivers of rounds 1&2 ,who’s times fall in the range of (1st to 4th positions) of the fastest times recorded in the event so far will be given the opportunity to challenge  the provisional place getter(s) who’s time is immediately faster than theirs. 
• Should their challenge be successful then they will then they will be placed above the loser of this run. (Also, if their time is also faster than the driver provisionally placed higher again then this time will stand BUT then the displaced driver will have the final opportunity to challenge the driver who just displaced them.)

Note:

The “Chief Marshall’s” decisions shall ultimately determine the place getters. 

All of the above will be adjudicated by the events “Chief Marshall” who will stand next to the event timekeeper in line with the finish. This person shall record the times of each run (as dictated by the timekeeper) and indicate who should participate in each run as the events progress. This will be communicated to the starting marshal via UHF radios.

The Slalom event will be contested by 2 craft at a time; starting off cushion and behind the start/finish line and on the right-hand side of the starting marker. After the start signal, the craft will then zig-zag along the marked line to then round the end buoy and then zig-zag back down the line to cross the finish line to the right of the last marker.

Caution: The next set of contestants will be lining up on the start/finish line on the opposite side of the markers.

Note:

Should any/all contestants fail to finish, the timekeeper/scorers will nominate a driver from the previous round as the winner.

1^5t jumped start = 5 sec penalty,

2^nd jumped start = 5 sec penalty,

Your craft must not touch the markers or the end buoy = 2 sec penalty,

If a marker is missed (i.e. passed on the wrong side initially) craft will be required to do an immediate 360° loop around that marker or incur an automatic 10sec penalty,

Times will be recorded from the starters signal to when each craft first crosses the finish line,

The fastest 4 times (including any penalties) will then re-run the slalom course again (3rd vs 4^th, and 1st vs 2nd) to determine final placings. Previous run times will not be aggregated and all timekeeper/scorer and starter decisions will be final.

Orienteering is an activity that requires navigational skills using a map (and usually) a compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain whilst moving at speed or in a competitive minimal time scenario. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points or markers.

After the briefing, each craft commander to register at the official’s desk (Marshalling marquee) and receive the following;

• the first piece of the map,
• and, a complete map of the lake (which has now been included due to popular demand for those who do not carry a Global Positioning System on board).

There are 4 yellow pickets with a yellow paper flag located at the 4 extremities of the lake.

At each picket, you will find a glass jar with jigsaw pieces of the map. These are your GPS positions for the next picket.

The last picket will give you the GPS coordinates for home base.

After you have collected all 5 pieces of the map, return to the official’s desk, show your completed jigsaw map of Lake Bonney and have your (completed total) time recorded.

The prizes will be awarded for best time/s to return with all 5 segments.

If nobody returns with a complete jigsaw map, then the most complete map eg with 4 pieces will take precedence over someone else with a faster time but fewer pieces of the map.

The judge/s and event coordinator decisions will be final.

A simple challenge to measure pilot and machine working together.

Held on a course similar to the Sprint but about 100m long, the added challenge is to perform 2 spins while going from end to end. It begins with an off cushion start and ends when crossing the finish line at speed.

Do the spins after crossing the starting line or  in the middle or do them at the end: it’s what suits the driver and your craft.

Failing to complete 2 spins completely before crossing the finish line is a no-result.

Fastest time wins.

The simplest event of them all.
The craft line up on the shoreline, the starter says go and it’s first and fastest to the finish line approximately 150m offshore.

The winner gets the Gold Shirt for the event.