Théo de Blic – 3-times champion of Acro GAME

Thanks to the support of the Organyá municipally the takeoff is now entirely rebuilt, bigger than before and all covered with artificial grass. It is the perfect location for the event and with all the developments now the visitor's experience is also dramatically improved.

Due to the weather forecast, for the first time in the history of the event the entire competition took place on the same day with perfect flying conditions. Starting with the general brefing at 12:30 held by event organizer Horacio Llorens and head judge Pál Takáts, then pilots headed up to launch. The qualification started at 15:30 and took about 2 tense hours. Then all pilots landed back on take-off to take a short break before the finals. The winner pilots landed back on take-off around 8 in the evening!

The level of the competition was incredibly high as usual. From all previous podium finishers only Horacio Llorens and Francois Ragolski did not participate this time. With more and more new combinations being invented the job of the - one and only - judge of the event Pál Takáts is getting more and more difficult: „We never before had such a tight and difficult qualifying round in the Acro GAME. It took 11 tricks to select the 8 finalist out of the 13 invited pilots. Surprisingly I had to give many letters even to some top candidates. The tension was high on both sides and considering the level I had to give out letters mercilessly for the smalles mistakes. It is crazy hard. especially because we are all friends. With all the new cabslide, double flip, hardcore, etc. moves, many times I had to use a binocular to make sure that I can actually see the smallest but most important details. Every year these guys are getting into new depths of technicality, it is very inspiring!”

The qualification manoeuvrers announced by Pál Takáts were:

Heli to Heli to Heli

Twisted Misty to Twisted Misty

Twisted Cork

Twisted Joker Reverse

Opposite MacTwist Reverse

Heli to SAT Reverse

Twisted Stall with Twisted Exit

Infinity to Heli

After Rafael Goberna voluntairly leaving the qualifiers due to pain in his arms the last man standing were Raúl Rodriguez and Mael Porret: after additional 3 maneuvers (Heli to SAT to Mactwist to Heli, Twisted Cork Reverse, Twisted MacTwist Reverse), Raúl made it into the finals with a very tight margin.

Qualified for the cuarter finals:

Tim Alongi (FRA - 1 letter)

Egor Posokhin (RUS - 2 letters)

Luke de Weert (NL - 2 letters)

Bicho Carrera (CHL - 2 letters)

Théo de Blic (FRA - 3 letters)

César Arevalo (COL - 3 letters)

Andres Villamizar (COL - 3 letters)

Raúl Rodriguez (ESP - 4 letters)

For the final battles the strongest qualifiers were paired up with the weakest. During the final briefing prior to the event the pilots voted that the rest of the pairings should be decided randomly and not by the standings of the FAI World Ranking.

During the battles the pilots announce their own tricks to challenge their opponents. Strategy plays a big role and the pilots need to be well prepared to know their opponents strength and weaknesses. As usual there were some new and highly technical tricks, for example.

Hardcore Infinity – a twisted Infinity entry where the pilot twists to the opposite side during the very first turn of the entry. Invented by Egor, this move caused some headache and letters to his opponents. Egor only failed the maneuver once out of four. Definitely a must train for the next edition.

Superstall to Infinity – developed by Théo and Egor in November 2018 this impressive connection is still rather exotic and rarely performed with only around 5 pilots in the world to ever successfully perform it. Théo (Agility 14m2), Egor and César (Joker 16m2) were the only ones to pick this tricks and in all occasions their opponents has safely chose to take a letter instead of trying it.

Twisted Infinity Exit – presented by Tim Alongi during last year's Acro GAME, twisted stall exits are not becoming a new standard.

Double Back-Flip Dynamic Stall – Tim Alongi performed it twice of which once it came out perfectly.

Twisted Dynamic Stall Cabslide – a twisted dynamic stall where the pilot changes the twist to the opposite side during the entry.

Twisted Misty to reverse SAT to reverse Heli – from the semi-finals also combinations are allowed and this was Bicho's move to surprise his opponent.
Flat Joker Reverse – Joker entered from straight flight, by Théo de Blic, then heli to the opposite side.

Twisted Inside Misty Flip and Twisted Inside Misty to Heli – Raúl's surprise move with which he put a letter to last years's Champion Tim Alongi. 'Inside' means that the maneuver is entered with the front hand rather than the rear hand of the twist. Doing so the glider will be turned to the 'wrong' side of the twist – with the danger of causing further twisting in.

4^th Acro GAME 2019 – battles

CUARTER FINALS:

Group A

Tim Alongi (won: A)

vs

Raúl Rodriguez (lost: ACRO)

César Arevalo (lost: ACRO)

vs

Victor Carrera (won: AC)

Group B

Théo de Blic (won: A)

vs

Luke de Weert (lost: ACRO)

 

Andres Villamizar (lost: ACRO)

vs

Egor Posokhin (won: AC)

 

SEMI FINALS:

 

Group A

 

Tim Alongi (won: AC)

vs

Victor Carrera (lost: ACRO)

 

Group B

 

Théo de Blic (won: no letter)

vs

Egor Posokhin (lost: ACRO)

 

FINALS:

 

Battle for 1^st

Théo de Blic (won: AC) - 1^st place

vs

Tim Alongi (lost: ACRO) 2^nd place

 

Battle for 3^rd

 

Victor Carrera (won: ACR) 3^rd place

vs

Egor Posokhin (lost: ACRO) 4^th place

 

 

 

PRICE FOR BEST TRICK:

 

Egor Posokhin: Hardcore Infinity