The 2009, 11th annual Kathy Jaffe Challenge hosted another round of the Northeast regional aerobatic series on August 14th through 16th at the Flying W, Lumberton, NJ.
Chapter 52's Jay Tesauro swept a field of five Primary competitors, gaining 81.5% of possible points in his Decathlon four one alpha charlie. Jason Flood, Grant Russell, and Aaron Ham, all from Fifty-two, grabbed first, second, and third from a field of seventeen Sportsman. Jason had 85.6% of all possible points, and cleanly captured the Grass Roots in his Pitts S1S. Best first time Sportsman went to Lise Lemeland with Executive Flyers.
Intermediate found the perennial Larry Bashore in first, followed by Fifty-two's Kirill Barsukov in his Yak 55 and John Fellenzer in the dart-like Giles 200. Lucky thirteen competitors battled in Intermediate. Larry's first place standing required 81.4% of points against Kirill's 80.36%.
Advanced went to Fifty-two Sergey Prolagayev. Who else? Dave Watson from California and Dan Salcedo from Florida took second and third in a field of six, flying borrowed airplanes.
Four Unlimited competitors finished in order, Bob Cipoli, Dennie Thompson, Brett Hunter, and Kendal Simpson. They flew a four minute free on Sunday in which Fifty-two's Dennie and Kendal prevailed.
