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Tui World Cup of New Zealand Event Report
Tui World Cup of New Zealand Results

Tui World Cup of New Zealand Event Report
From: Mike Fruciano

January 17-18, 2026
Webster Field, Eloy Arizona
CD: Mike Fruciano Assistant CD: K. Peter Brocks

The inaugural Tui World Cup of New Zealand attracted FAI flyers from across the United States and Canada to compete on Webster Field in Eloy Arizona. Many braved wintry travel for the warm and dry desert flying in Arizona. Top Junior competitors raised the competition level to a very high level.

On Saturday, Round 1 opened at 8:30 AM under sunny skies and cool 39 F temperatures. By Round 5 the inversion layer had lifted and a 3 knot breeze from the West brought in 74 F temperatures. Winds shifted to the typical 4-6 knots from the North for the Fly Off rounds.

F1A flyers found the 4 minute max in the first round to be a challenge leading to only 3 flyers of the 15 entered to qualify for the Fly Off rounds. Noa Goldstein needed 3 Fly Off rounds to finish in first place for F1A over second place Brian Van Nest.

F1B competition remained tight for 5 rounds and ultimately was decided in the first Fly Off round. Junior Reema Bharadwaj timed out over Larry Norval in the Fly Off to take home
the first place award. Reema stayed focused in the changing conditions to win by over 50 seconds.

F1Q was another tightly contested class with 7 out of 8 flyers making the Fly Offs. Fly Off rounds used the lower 2 Joule energy level with the winner requiring 2 rounds to become the winner by 31 seconds. Mike Richardson finished first in F1Q in an elite group of competitors.

On Sunday, Day 2 of the competition brought slightly warmer temperatures as Round 1 started at 8:30 AM. A slight overcast built throughout the day with high temperatures reaching 76 F.

F1G featured many of the top men and women flyers in the country. 4 flyers out of 8 made the first Fly Off with Jerry Fitch topping Tiffaney O Dell and Geralynn Jones in some very challenging air.

F1H had two flies but it took to the second Fly Off Round to decide a winner. Clean through six flights, Jim Parker launched into a boomer on the second Fly Off round to best Blake Jensen.

But it was F1S that provided a lot of excitement with 5 out of 8 fliers getting red stars for the first 5 rounds. Local George Morris bested Jack Murphy in the third Fly Off round for first place.

Many thanks to the Southwest Regionals team and Peter Brocks for assisting to run the event safely and swiftly making the Tui World Cup of New Zealand a fun and competitive event.

Mike Fruciano

Tui World Cup of New Zealand Results
RESULTS 2026 FAI TUI WORLD CUP / SOUTHWEST REGIONALS AT ELOY, ARIZONA
Jan. 17-19, 2026 Mike Fruciano, CD AMA Sanction # 19205

F1A 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Noa Goldstein USA 130769 240 180 180 180 180 360 480 600 2400
2 Brian Van Nest USA 25474 240 180 180 180 180 360 480 372 2172
3 Jama Danier CAN 26753 240 180 180 180 180 360 480 269 2069
4 Andrew Barron USA 66982 240 180 180 180 155 960
5 Guy Goldstein USA 114165 240 180 180 180 160 940
6 Jim Parker USA 89827 240 180 180 180 155 935
7 Jason Gersting USA 172439 205 180 180 180 180 925
8 Jim Farmer USA 79476 158 180 180 180 180 878
8 Aarna Appajappa (JUSA 178213 240 180 138 166 125 849
10 John Mah-Gersting USA 172440 240 153 180 94 180 847
11 John Kim (J) USA 172465 240 180 146 180 91 837
12 Risto Puhakka USA 25520 99 180 180 180 180 819
13 Shlomi Rosenzweig USA 16314 240 22 180 180 180 802
14 Peter Brocks USA 25511 215 180 92 13 500
15 Sevak Malkhasyan USA 72143 240 135 DNF DNF DNF 375

F1B 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Reema Bharadwaj (JUSA 173778 240 180 180 180 180 360 480 1800
2 Larry Norval USA 112644 240 180 180 180 180 360 424 1744
3 Dane Jensen USA 178413 240 180 180 180 180 295 1255
4 Blake Jensen USA 25506 240 180 180 180 180 289 1249
5 Jerry Fitch Usa 138155 240 180 180 180 180 257 1217
6 Aurelius Lin (J) USA 182283 240 180 180 180 180 236 1196
7 Charlie Jones USA 25499 240 180 DNF DNF DNF 420

F1C/P 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Mike Fedor F1PNO FAI ID 142 96 118 128 178 662

F1Q 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Mike Richardson USA 115453 240 180 180 180 180 180 272 1412
2 Clint Brooks USA 11078 240 180 180 180 180 180 241 1381
3 Jack Murphy USA 78714 240 180 180 180 180 180 238 1378
4 Kiana Lin (J) USA 182284 240 180 180 180 180 180 227 1367
5 Michael Pykelny USA 72151 240 180 180 180 180 180 212 1352
6 Ben Tarcher USA 126657 240 180 180 180 180 180 177 1317
7 Julie Parker USA 68247 240 180 180 180 180 180 135 1275
8 Meital Jayats (J) USA 182351 240 180 180 148 180 928

F1G 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Jerry Fitch 120 120 120 120 120 180 780
2 Tiffaney O’Dell 120 120 120 120 120 161 761
3 Geralyn Jones 120 120 120 120 120 120 720
4 Mike Pykelny 120 120 120 120 120 88 688
5 Mike Richardson 120 120 120 120 120 600
6 John McGrath 120 100 120 120 120 580
7 Peter Brocks 120 120 120 99 120 579
8 Dane Jensen 102 119 120 50 120 511
9 Don DeLoach 120 120 120 107 DNF 467

F1H 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Jim Parker 120 120 120 120 120 240 360 1200
2 Blake Jensen 120 120 120 120 120 240 136 976

F1J 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 Frank Menanno 120 120 120 120 120 600
2 Faust Parker 120 120 120 98 103 561

F1S 1 2 3 4 5 F/O F/O F/O Total
1 George Morris 120 120 120 120 120 120 180 209 1109
2 Jack Murphy 120 120 120 120 120 120 180 139 1039
3 Lynn Edmonson 120 120 120 120 120 120 146 866
4 Frank Menanno 120 120 120 120 120 120 93 813
4 Charles Morris 120 120 120 120 120 120 71 791
6 Janna VanNest 117 120 120 120 120 597
7 Clint Brooks 120 120 110 120 120 590
8 Ben Tarcher 38 61 120 113 102 434

subject to FAI verification for World Cup

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