National STOL wrapped up yet another first-year event this past weekend in Isle, MN. SKOL STOL was a smashing success and was met with rave reviews by pilots and spectators alike.
Isle Airport Association President and event host Tony Brumm organized a full weekend of events, starting with a fishing excursion on Thursday evening. Friday’s National STOL practice session was bookended with aerobatic practices by Britt Lincoln and Craig Gifford, followed by a cookout and free community concert by Rhett Walker. Then, the annual Isle Airport Pancake Breakfast took place on Sunday morning.
Saturday’s competition was intense, with the calmest winds National STOL has seen so far this season. 15 pilots, a mix of veterans and local newcomers, flew six rounds of competition to achieve their best take off and landing scores:
In the Rookie Class…We welcomed first time competitors Patrick McInteer, Dakoda Hudak, and Tony Effenberger to the National STOL family. McInteer in his Rans S7 won the class and must now register in a standard class in his next competition.
In the Touring Class…Warren Grobbelaaar took home his second straight victory, while Kurt Leaders and Brandon Corn swapped placements from the Wayne America Fly In. New competitors Luke Strandlund and Christopher Olson took 4th and 5th.
In the Backcountry Class...Local favorites Micah Lindstrom and Jeff Pohl duked it out, with Lindstrom placing ahead of Pohl for the first time this season. Newcomer Scott Sweet rounded out the class.
In the Adventure Class…Lone competitor Keith Lange gained experienced and added to his season points total.
In the Sport Class…Rick Boardman regained the top spot, with Collin Caneva close at his heels. Jeff Daly competed in this class for the first time, having previously appeared in the National STOL series in a different aircraft.
Lindstrom also took home the awards for both Most Consistent and Pilot Performance Index (handicapped score) for the event. Boardman took home Grand Champion with the shortest overall run of the day.
As the sun set on SKOL STOL, pilots, staff, and volunteers enjoyed a lakefront luau at Appeldoorn’s Sunset Bay Resort. As always, this event would not have been possible without the incredible community support and team of volunteers who give of their time and efforts to ensure the success of SKOL STOL!
For full National STOL results from SKOL STOL, including updated season standings, visit https://nationalstol.com/2023-season-standings/
Visit the National STOL social media pages for plenty of photos and videos from the event. Livestream recordings of National STOL’s practice, qualifying, and finals competitions can be viewed in their entirety on YouTube.
Join us at our next event! The midwestern STOL action continues at Sodbusters, less than two weeks from now in Hartford, WI. Located just 54 miles south of Oshkosh, kick off your AirVenture plans with SODBUSTERS STOL on July 21-22! For event details, click here.
Photo Credits: Ryan Dembroski and the National STOL Broadcast Team