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Event info

We're back at the Francisco Grande Resort in Casa Grande, Arizona for the eleventh Santa Cruz Flats Race. Come on out and join us from September 16-22 for some unique technical flying and loads of fun in the desert.

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Flying site

The Francisco Grande Golf Resort is hosting us for the 11th year. The resort allows us to park fully assembled gliders in the green grass under the shade of many trees just adjacent to the "tower" where all of our rooms are.

Expand page for more details
Go to Pilot List
  • left before start of event

Prize funds and scoring categories

  • Open Class
  • Sport Class
  • Class 2
  • Class 5

Event info

We're back at the Francisco Grande Resort in Casa Grande, Arizona for the eleventh Santa Cruz Flats Race. Come on out and join us from September 16-22 for some unique technical flying and loads of fun in the desert.

Flying site

The Francisco Grande Golf Resort is hosting us for the 11th year. The resort allows us to park fully assembled gliders in the green grass under the shade of many trees just adjacent to the "tower" where all of our rooms are. You can sit in the comfort of your balcony and see all the gliders below.

Towing takes place a few hundred meters past the driving range at a dusty paddock with crossing runways created just for our event. There is a short walk from where you rig your glider to where we stage for towing.

The flying in this area is highly technical. Towing is normally reasonably smooth and lift often goes from being somewhat light to solid and strong and then back to light again. The taskable day is relatively short compared to some other flatland sites like Forbes or Big Spring, but the pilots seem to really enjoy it.

Francisco Grande Hotel, the legendary Arizona golf resort, is located halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, and is just 45 minutes from the Phoenix airport and an hour drive from Scottsdale. The site is located on the border of famous Sonoran desert and Santa Cruz mountain ridge. It offers high thermal activity and fine flying conditions with up to 10,000 ft cloudbase.

The hotel has got all possible resort facilities a pilot may need after a flight.
The launch field is located next to the hotel.

Launch method - aerotow by dragonfly.

Launch field coordinates: 32.882694, -111.847021

Selection and entry fee

Entry Fees: The entry fee for the competition is $275 (does not include tow fees) and is required in full to complete your registration and to secure your entry. If you want to save a few bucks, early entry is $250 and must be paid by February 16. If you would rather contribute to the crew's beer fund, late entry is $325 and applies to anyone paying after September 1st.

Aerotow fees: will be announced approximately one week before the start of the meet, but we expect they will be in the $350-$375 range depending on the number of entrants, fuel costs and other factors.

Remember, this is an aerotow launch competition, therefore it is absolutely necessary that you are thoroughly skilled at aerotowing and capable of aerotowing the glider you plan to fly in competition conditions. If you are unknown to the organizer/meet director, you may be asked for proof of your aerotow expertise when you pre-register. During the competition, the meet director/safety director reserves the right to remove (without refund) any pilot who does not demonstrate appropriate aerotowing skills.

Refund Policy
If you cancel at least two months before the start of meet there is a $75 cancellation fee. Between July 16 and August 16 there is a $150 cancellation fee. After August 16 there is no refund. There are no exceptions so please be certain you can attend before you register.

Payment Method

If a check, US $ dollar account only. Must be received within 10 days of registration to guarantee entry. Complete and submit this form then send a check payable to: Jamie Shelden, 1760-F Airline Highway, PMB 220, Hollister, CA 95023.

If PayPal or Dwolla click the BUY NOW/PAY button back on the website http://santacruzflatsrace.blogspot.com.

Prize fund and scoring categories

Class 1 Open, Class 1 sport. Class 2 and Class 5 (if there are at least 3 competitors in these classes).

General schedule

September 15, 2018
9am - 11am On Site Registration

September 16 - 22, 2018
Competition days

September 22, 2018
Prize giving ceremony

Daily schedule

11:00 - Pilots' briefing / Previous task official results / Task definition
12:00 - Take-off window opens
18:30 - Scoring office opens
22:00 - Provisional results

Accommodation and Activities

Francisco Grande Hotel and Golf Resort http://www.franciscogrande.com/

The hotel has set aside a block of rooms for our group at a discounted rate. You must call and mention the hang gliding competition to book your room (don't book online or you will not get the discounted room rate). Book early because the discounted rooms may fill up before the start of the competition.

How to get here

By Plane: The nearest airports are:

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Web: https://skyharbor.com/

Tuscon International Airport
Web: http://www.flytucson.com/


By Car:
From Sky Harbor International Airport:
Head East on East Sky Harbor Boulevard and merge onto AZ - 153 South towards I-10/AZ-143. Merge onto I-10 East via exit number 1A towards Tucson. Stay on I-10 East for 32 miles and exit AZ-387 South (make right at top of ramp) for 9 miles. Turn Right (West) onto AZ-84 (Gila Bend Highway). Head West for 5 miles until Resort on right.
Total driving distance is 46 miles and 50 minutes.

From Downtown Phoenix:
Merge onto I-10 East via exit number 1A towards Tucson. Stay on I-10 East for 32 miles and exit AZ-387 South (make right at top of ramp) for 9 miles. Turn Right (West) onto AZ-84 (Gila Bend Highway). Head West for 5 miles until Resort on right.

Total driving distance is 47 miles and 52 minutes.

From Tucson International Airport:
Take I-10 West to Casa Grande exit 194 Florence Blvd. Make a left onto Florence Blvd. Take Florence approx. 10 miles and we are on the right hand side.

Total driving distance is 78 miles and 1 hour 16 minutes

Casa Grande, AZ, USA
Casa Grande, Arizona United States

Downloads

Waypoint files

Organizers

Jamie Shelden
naughtylawyer@gmail.com
Mitch Shipley
Assistant Organizer
Jamie Shelden
Meet Director

Contacts

Socials

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# Name Nation Sponsor Glider Status
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# Name Sponsor Glider
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Category Tagline Participant Email Phone Description Price
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Tasks and results

Task 1

16 Sep, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 72.3 km — Race to goal

Task results:
Overall results:

Task 1

16 Sep, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 32.6 km — Race to goal

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Task 1

16 Sep, 2018

Class 2 — 84.6 km — Race to goal

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Task 2

17 Sep, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 89.5 km — Race to goal

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Task 2

17 Sep, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 42.5 km — Race to goal

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Task 2

17 Sep, 2018

Class 2 — 103.5 km — Race to goal

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Task 3

18 Sep, 2018

Class 2 — 90.2 km — Race to goal

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Task 3

18 Sep, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 81.1 km — Race to goal

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Task 3

18 Sep, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 43.0 km — Race to goal

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Task 4

20 Sep, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 33.8 km — Race to goal

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Task 4

20 Sep, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 66.2 km — Race to goal

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Task 5

21 Sep, 2018

Class 2 — 109.2 km — Race to goal

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Task 5

21 Sep, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 33.4 km — Race to goal

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Task 5

21 Sep, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 76.2 km — Race to goal

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Task 6

22 Sep, 2018

Class 2 — 70.2 km — Race to goal

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Task 6

22 Sep, 2018

Class 1 Sport — 35.5 km — Race to goal

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Task 6

22 Sep, 2018

Class 1, Class 5 — 70.4 km — Race to goal

Task results:
Overall results:
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