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This section is in draft format and a good deal of research will have to be done to obtain a complete record.   We would appreciate it if any reader who has details or photos from any of the meets held at Labertouche would get in touch with us and let us have whatever they can.   All photographs will be returned by overnight mail the day following their receipt.   Stories about people should be common knowledge or we will need to obtain permission of the subject before publishing.

Follow the links below to view the details of the activity events held at the Labertouche Sport Parachute Centre.

COMPETITIONS, BOOGIES AND JUMPATHONS

1965 Victorian Championships (23-24 October)
1966 Labertouche Cup (24th - 29th January)
1966 Labertouche Moomba Meet (March)

1966 Labertouche Spectacular (Australian Team Fund Raiser 27-29th May)
1966/67 Australian Nationals Meet (December 26th - January 1st)
1967 Labertouche Cup (29th to 30th January)
1967 5th Victorian Championships (11th and 12th November)
1968 Labertouche Cup
1968/69 Australian Parachute Championships

1969 Labertouche Cup (26th January)
1969 Labertouche Queen's Birthday Meet (15-16th June)
1969 Gypsy Moths Meet (27th September)
1969 Victorian Championships (1st - 4th November)
1969 Australian Parachute Team Jumpathon (21/12/69)
1970 Labertouche Cup (25th February 70)
1970/71 Australian Parachute Championships (30/12/70 to ??/01/71)
1971 Labertouche Cup (12th to the 14th June)
1971 Labertouche Silver Bounty Accuracy Meet (11-12 December)
1971 Victoria Championships (27th - 28th November)
1972 Labertouche Cup (28th - 30th January 1972)
1972 1st Australian Collegiate Meet (5th and 6th of February 1972)

1972 Monash University Jumpathon (10th of May)
1972/73 Australian Parachute Championships (26th December 1972)
1973 1st Australian 10-Man Star Championships (3rd January 1973)
1973 Labertouche Cup (28th January 1973)
1973/74 Australian Parachute Championships (26th December 1973 - 3rd January 1974)
1974 Labertouche Cup
1975 Labertouche Cup
1975/76 15th Australian Parachute Championship (Dec. 26th 1975 to Jan. 1976)
1976 Labertouche Cup
1977 Victorian Championships (5th November )
1978 Labertouche Cup (11th to 13th March)
1978/79  Australian Parachute Championships
1979 18th Victorian Championships (1st-9th December)
1980 Labertouche $1,000 Bullion Meet (31st May)
1980 19th Victorian Parachute Championships (27th-29th September)
1981 1st Pops Downunder Meet (2nd-3rd May)

CONFERENCES & COURSES

APF Instructor Conference 1967
Centre Instructor Course 1/1970
Dropzone Management Seminar 1971
APF Rigger Conference 1974
Centre Jumpmaster Course 1981

Competitions

On the weekend of the 23rd and 24th of October 1965, the 4th Victorian Parachute Championships were held at the Centre and were a great success.    Spectators went away content that they had their moneys worth.   Mostly because of the natural grandstand which overlooked the target area where you could park your car, set up the picnic table and cold box, unfold the chairs have a wonderful view of the competitors landing right in front you.    

Tom Darlington’s spirited commentary also helped.   Tom was an original 2 Commando Company Skydivers member, then jumped with the Victorian Parachute School and was foundation Chief Instructor with the Victorian Parachute Club.   He was a railway guard then a truck driver.  He is now living the life of a retired gentleman in Hallam, Victoria.

Placings in the Championships were:
                                                

Competitors:

David Millard	Warren Hutchings	Bill Molloy

Officials

Meet Director: Rick Meerkin	Chief Judge: Graeme Grigg
Judges: Harry Pugsley, Bill Sparke, John Rietveld and M. Thompson

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On Australia Day weekend, January 29th – 31st 1966, the first Labertouche Cup was held with magnificent trophies donated by local farmers Alcorns and Hines.   The weather was less than could be desired but by rising at 4.00 am on the Monday all events except the baton pass were completed. 

Baton Pass with Accuracy Event weathered out

Competitors:

Neils Asche, Bernie Brosnan, Mike Booth, B. Carey, Jim Cox, Tom Ennis, John Fraser, Geoff Hunter, Len Hunter, David Lock, Bill McGhie, Doug Nokes, Ron Pearsall, Bob Ranney, Candy Ranney, Clive Smith, Geoff Thomas and W. J. Walker.

1966 Labertouche Moomba Meet                                 March 
An accuracy competition ran as part of the Melbourne Moomba Festival, there was a reasonable number of spectators and the results were:

Bob Ranney	Serge Witte	Bernie Brosnan	Gordon Steven

 

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Australian Team Fund Raiser
A novelty competition with lots of ground entertainment such as marching girls, a brass band, etc.   results were:

Dave Lock	Daryl Smithwick	John Fraser

 

Meet Director:	Chief Judge: Claude Gillard
Judges:              John Johnson, Mike Thompson
Steward:           Joh Chitty

 

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1966/67 Australian Nationals Meet    December 26th - January 1st
Organised as the 7th Australian Parachute Championships, the competition became a National Meet because only two State Teams turned up and the rules required three to be a legal National Championships.

Judging was still being conducted using complicated weighted tables rather than direct measurement.   The winners were those with the highest scores.

There were 18 Competitors, 17 men and 1 woman.

The competition had three events: Accuracy, Style and Team
Accuracy:  Seven jumps with one "throw away" (worst score) jump.  From 3,300 ft. 
Style:        Three jumps, one of each of the then three style sets.      From 6,600 ft.
Team:       Team baton pass with accuracy from 6,600 ft.

Results

Sherdy Vatnsdal	John Fraser	J. Bob Reid	Marshall Power	Candy Ranney

Competitors: 

Men:  Sherdy Vatnsdal, John Mahaffy (Sth Aust), Bob Ranney (USA), Dennis Clarke (USA) John Fraser, Bob Reid (UK), Richard Whitney (UK), Marshall Power, Phil Edwards, Trevor Burns (Sth Aust), Arthur Littlemore, Dick Reeves  (UK), Ron Pearsall (Vic "B"), Michael Rose (Vic), and Robin Letts (UK).

Women:    Candy Ranney

Laurie Trotter (Sth Aust) and Claude Gillard (Vic "B:)  withdrew injured

Officials

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1967  Labertouche Cup

29th to 30th January 1967

 

Overall:
1st    Bob Ranney	2nd   Art Littlemore	3rd    Candy Ranney
Accuracy
1st   John Walker	2nd   Candy Ranney	3rd    Bob Ranney
Team Accuracy
1st   Candy Ranney, Bob Ranney and Laurie Trotter
2nd   John Walker, R. Paterson and Basil Hadley
3rd   John Fraser, Tom Ennis and Ron Pearsall
Hit and Run
1st  Tom Ennis	2nd   Bob Ranney	3rd   John Fraser
Novelty - Hit and Hop
1st  Bob Ranney	2nd   Clive Rumney	2nd   Sam Clarke
Overall Team
1st  Bob Ranney, Candy Ranney & Laurie Trotter
2nd John Walker, Bob Paterson & Basil Hadley
3rd Sam Clark, Geoff Hunter & Clive Rumney

Bob Ranney	Art Littlemore	Candy Ranney	Laurie Trotter	Tom Ennis

Competitors: 
Bob Ranney, Arthur Littlemore, Candy Ranney, John Walker, Laurie Trotter, John Fraser, Clive Rumney,  Basil Hadley, Geoff Hunter, Sam Clarke, R. Patterson, Rick Meerkin, Claude Gillard, Tom Ennis, Ron Pearsall, 

Officials:  
Meet Director: Anne Jessop      Chief Judge: Alan Eden         Judges: Don Pearson (Canada) and Les Boddy (UK), 
Assistants:      Jack Jessop,  Glynn Witcombe (WA), Dennis Steinfort and Mort Gosset (USA)

Cloud prevented the Style Event from being run and as there was Accuracy height available, a novelty event was run.   Wheat sacks were placed on the ten metre circle, the jumper landed, got into one of the bags and hopped to the target. Score was the time from landing to touching the target disc.     It was so much fun, it was adopted as a regular event.

Ron Pearsall was injured and withdrew from Hit & Run. Claude Gillard withdrew from Accuracy

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1968/69 Australian Parachute Championships

December 26th 1968 to Jan 2nd 1969

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Cannot find the competition file in my filing cabinets.

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Competitors:  Bob Courtenay, John Fraser,  Golden, Jan Melrose, Denis Steinfort, ???

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Run in conjunction with the release of the film "Gypsy Moths".  It included skydiving stands in the big supermarket chains and lots of TV advertising.

Competitors

Serge Witte, James (Jock) Moir, Doug Falconer, Geoff Thomas, David Millard, Bill Bell, Russell Jones, Steve Filak, Barry main, Bob Courtenay, Dennis Steinfort, Yo Weber, Jan Melrose, Tony Curl, John Parker and Tim Martin. 

Officials:    Meet Director - Gene Bermingham
                  Chief Judge - Claude Gillard

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1969 Victorian Championships

1st - 4th November 1969

  29 Competitors

Fastest Style Time   10 seconds Geoff Thomas 

Closest Accuracy  0.00s  Gene Bermingham x 2,  Jock Moir, Ian Leslie & Ian Handley one each.

Competitors: Gene Bermingham, Allan Eden, Doug Falconer, Steve Filak, John Ginniff, Ian Handley, Bill Kenny, Ian Leslie, David Millard, Jock Moir, Brian Quinn, Geoff Thomas, Jo Weber 

David Millard	Jock Moir	Geoff Thomas	Bill Kenny

Officials

Meet Director:  ??/Tony Hillman                         Chief Judge:  Claude Gillard
Judges:  Alan Jay, Trevor Burns and Alan Eden

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A fund raising exercise for the Team to compete in the 1970 World Championships at Lesce-Bled, Yugoslavia.   All jumps except the last one were from 2,200ft.   Jumpers had sponsors pledge $1 donation for each jump made by the jumper they sponsored.

Placings:      1st:      Tony Curl                           43 jumps
                       2nd      Gene Bermingham              40 jumps
                       2nd      Bill Kenny                            40 jumps
                       4th       Claude Gillard                     34 jumps

                       5th       Bob Corenay                       21 jumps

Tony Curl	Gene Bermingham	Bill Kenny	Claude Gillard	Bob Courtenay

Partiicipants:  Tony Curl, Gene Bermingham, Bill Kenny, Claude Gillard, Bob Courtenay 21,

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1970  Labertouche Cup

23rd January 1970

Overall Individual

Style with Accuracy

Accuracy

Hit and Run (Score was the time from landing to touching the disc)   

Hit and Hop (Accuracy scored) then time from landing to get in chaff bag and hop to the disc                                          Photo

Competitors: Jock Moir, Robin Rose, Geoff Thomas, Jill Leyton, Jan Melrose, Bruce Towers, Serge Witte, ?, ?, ?, ?

Robin Rose	Jill Leyton

Officials: Meet Director, Gene Bermingham
               Judges:  ??

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1970/71 Australian Parachute Championships

30th December 1970 - ? January 1971

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1971  Labertouche Cup

12th to the 14th June 1971

                            

Overall
1st	Hugh Martin-Levorsen	2nd	Steve Filak	3rd	Colin Holt
Style
1st	Hugh Martin-Levorsen	2nd	Steve Filak	3rd	Bruce Bramhill
Accuracy
1st	Steve Filak	2nd	Roy Taylor	3rd	H. Martin-Levorsen
Team Accuracy
1st	Bob Courtenay	2nd	?	3rd	?
	Steve Filak		?		?
	Hugh Martin-Levorsen		?		?
	Ron Pearsall		?		?

Hugh Martin-Lev.	Steve Filak	Bob Courtenay	Ron Pearsall

 Officials

Meet Director:		Chief Instructor:
Judges:

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Accuracy competition with a cotton bank money bag full of silver coins as first prize.

Steve Filak	Bob Courtenay	Bob Barry

Competitors:  Steve Filak, Bob Courtenay, Bob Barry, Dave Tapp, Ron Draper and Andrew Kerr,  ?  ?  ?  ?

Officials

Meet Director:	Chief Judge:  Claude Gillard
Judges:  Joe Finta and Tony Hillman

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 9th Victoria Championships   1971                27th - 28th November

 32 competitors from Victoria, NSW, New Guinea, New Zealand & South Africa

Victorian Overall Champion
Tony Curl (Vic)		2nd	Geoff Bingham	3rd	Colin King (NSW)
Victorian Style Champion
Tony Curl  (Vic)		2nd	Ian Handley (NSW)	3rd	Geoff Bingham
Victorian Accuracy Champion
Warren Searell		2nd	Colin King (NSW)	3rd	Geoff Bingham

Competitors:  Gene Bermingham, Geoff Bingham, Bruce Bramhill, Dick Coyne, Tony Curl, Steve Filak, Ian Handley, Tony Holtham, Bill Kenny, Colin King, Alistair McCreath, Dave Millard, James Moir,  Warren Searell, ? Smith,  David Tapp, Geoff Thomas, Bruce Towers, Colin Trezise and 13 more.

Tony Curl	Geoff Bingham	Colin King

Officials

Meet Director: Richard (Tug) Molony                 Chief Judge: Trevor Burns

Judges: Ted Harrison, Jan Petty and Clive Smith.

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Competitors: Ian Handley, Steve Filak, Tony Curl, Clive Smith, Yvie Fregon, John Turner, Colin Parsons, Donna Berthelsen, Trevor Burns, Bill Nicol, Ron Pearsall, Ian Stewart, Bruce Bramhill, Roy Taylor, Peter Cloak, Bruce Thompson, Greg Lane, Barry Main, Feges Lopos.

Ian Handley	Steve Filak	Tony Curl

Officials

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Melbourne, Monash and Latrobe Universities

Organised by Bob Courtenay with the aim of establishing a Collegiate National Parachuting Championships.    Unfortunately that did not happen.

Results

Competitors: 

John Parker	Bob Courtenay	Andrew Kerr

Monash:      John Parker, Bob Courtenay, Andrew Kerr and Geofff? Thomas

Melbourne: Greg Lane, Peter Hogan and Craig Brownridge

Latrobe:       Les Wilson and Lothar Satzke

Officials

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Bob Courtenay 52 jumps

John Parker 52 jumps

DZSO:  Steve Filak                Scrutineers: Steve Filak, Leslie-Anne Martin and Frank McCulloch

Bob Courtenay	John Parker

New Australian Record of 52 jumps in one day shared by Bob Courtenay and John Parker.      
Previous record of 50 jumps was held by Ted Harrison

 

1972/73 Australian Parachute Championships

26th December 1972

Looking for a copy of results                                                    

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1973  1st Australian 10-Man Star Championships

3rd January 1973

10-man speed star: Scored on the time from the first man leaving the aircraft until completion of a 10 person star formation.

Placings

                                                             Check Team Members

Other competing Teams

Fastest 10-Man Star:  39 seconds  Gully Cats – Round 5

Officials

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1973  Labertouche Cup

28th January 1973

 

Accuracy
1st	Bruce Towers	2nd	Skip Dew  (USA)	3rd	Steve Filak

Competitors: Sue Rademaekers, Rod Whyte, Kerry Tucker, Bruce Towers, Skip Dew, Roy Taylor, Steve Filak, Andrew Kerr,
Tony Duckworth, Bruno Klissner, ?, ?, ?,

Officials:

Meet Director:	Andrew Kerr, ?	Chief judge: Claude Gillard
Judges:

Aircraft: VH-EYF Piper Navajo    VH-FRE Cessna 180   

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1973/74 Australian Parachute Championships

26th December 1973 - 3rd January 1974

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1974  Labertouche Cup

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Results 

Competitors

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1976  Labertouche Cup

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Placings

			If you have a photo of Ian Nelson Please send it.
Roy Taylor	Tony Curl	John Dash	Ian Nelson

Competitors
Roy Taylor, Tony Curl, John Dash, Ian Nelson, Tony Duckworth, Rod Wilson, Ian McDougal, David Tapp, J-C Kurtz,
Gary Leth, Ray Patton, Bernie Shaw and ?. ?,

Officials 

Meet Director:	Ruth Grantley.	Chief Judge: Ray Williams
Judges:	Claude Gillard & Steve Filak

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We have only pre-competition registrations for 4-Way FS and the participants in the Style and Accuracy Events.   Can anyone add to this?

4-Way Relative Work Teams

Classic Event Competitors

 

1979  17th Victorian Championships

1st-9th December  1979

 Style and Accuracy Only

Competitors

Men:        Laurie Sams, Bill Kenny, Noel Rath, Greg Graham, Philip O’Bryan, Rodney Wilson, Rodney Cullen, Richard Stewart.

 Women: Maggie Taylor, Sue Henderson.

Maggie Taylor	Sue Henderson	Laurie Sams	Bill Kenny	Noel Rath	Rodney Cullen	Rod Wilson

 

 Officials

Meet Director:		Chief Instructor:
Judges:

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 3 accuracy jumps, one throw away, no protests, DOT Wind Limits, $25 entry.  Jumps free.   Also, a round canopy event, no entry fee, pay for jumps.   
 Public admission $2.50 per car.

Photo

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Competitors:  Bill Kenny, Max King, Bernnie Shaw and Roy Taylor, plus, plus, plus.

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Conferences & Courses

Participants were:   ???

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In an effort to share the management experiences of the Centre's development over the first six years, jumpers interested in dropzone management were invited to participate in a Seminar. 

In the eleven years since sport parachuting began, it had become obvious that there were many problems associated with hiring aircraft from third parties if the operator did not give exclusive use of the aircraft to the dropzone operator and the need for each dropzone to aim to put enough working hours on its aircraft to make the purchase of an aircraft possible, this also makes it possible to modify the aircraft to meet the specialised needs of parachuting.

The trials and tribulations suffered by early aircraft purchases by dropzone operators needed to be shared to give all operators the value of the experience gained by the pioneers.   This was the main theme of the Seminar, other matters discussed were:

The need for a permanent location and the advantages of owning the airfield in comparison with even a very long lease.   Those with vision saw the development of an airfield on which the necessary buildings could be put in place as the sport grew and maybe it could eventually develop into a resort dropzone.   Good thinking, just take a look at Toogoolawah.

The financial breakdown of parachute equipment hire.    At that time most dropzones were not recouping the costs of depreciation and maintenance on the equipment and this led to cases where maintenance was not as professional as it should have been.

Marketing was discussed and most of those present agreed with the Centre's policy that it should make the public aware of how it could contact the organisation should they have the desire to engage in such an adventurous sport and not to sell anybody on the idea that they should make a parachute jump.

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APF Rigger Conference	2nd of January 1974
Chairman:  Allen Jay	Secretary:  David Smith

Riggers attending in alphabetical order were: 

P. Bramall, Joh Chitty, James Czerwinski, Paul Dempsey, Claude Gillard, Allen Jay, John Lahiff, David Smith, A. Williams, Raymond Williams and Daniel Wright.

Alex McQuibban and Noel Weckert were consulted and agreed with the recommendations made to the APF Board.

Aim of the Meeting:   To advise the APF Board on steps to be taken to recognise rigger qualifications within the Australian Parachute Federation.

The meeting made the following recommendations:

	That the APF should initially recognise four grades of parachute parachute rigger: Parachute Packer, Parachute Packing Instructor, Rigger and Senior Rigger and detailed the responsibility and duties of each of these grades.
	That those applying for the above ratings must qualify under requirements of Air navigation Order 29.1
	Gave an outline of the how to categorise parachute assemblies
	Supplied a draft of suggested training courses and examinations to be used.
	That the following persons to develop the paperwork for the structure of the Rigger Certification System: Joh Chitty, Claude Gillard, Allen Jay, Alec McQuibban, Ross Millard, David Smith, Noel Weckert and Raymond Williams.
	That initial references used for the development of the APF Rigger System be: The Parachute Manual by Dan Poynter Canadian Sport Parachute Association Rigger Manual United States Navy Rigger 2 and 3 Australian Army Parachute Manual PAM-1 Relevant Manufacturer's Packing Manuals

The recommendations were accepted by the APF Board and the present APF Rigger System grew out of it.

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Centre Jumpmaster Course	September 1981
Instructor In Charge:  Colin Holt

 Course participants were:  Phil Allen, Wayne Fowler, ??  ??  ??

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