(We will, of course, fill this out more, over time!)
Ever since a young age, John was at the top of the game.
John was admitted to the (US) NFFS Hall Of Fame in 2011.
In 2012, he retired from competitive flying
“Those who left the F/F Nationals early will not have heard my ‘speech’ at the end of Monday’s prizegiving. The gist of what I said is as follows
You all know that I have been flying for a very long time. This, in fact, is my 62nd consecutive F/F Nationals. However there is not going be a 63rd !
It has become ever more difficult to find the requirements (retrieval ability,energy,effort and determination) that I consider necessary to compete ‘properly’. To do otherwise is unappealing.
I have seen many good flyers deteriorate and end up merely ‘going through the motions’. This is not a route I intend to follow. I believe it is better ‘to go with a bang rather than a whimper’.
Topping the Rubber flyoff at this Nationals, added to winning the Gamage a few weeks ago, would seem to me to be enough of a Bang – so –
I am retiring from Free Flight Competition – effective immediately
For me the game is over
John O’Donnell”