I don't have any aeromodelling first place trophies. Although since I started flying Beginner CLPA, I have finished last in every contest I've entered, and gotten a trophy for it (including an indoor free flight contest last winter).
I entered two events at Puyallup this year, though. So even though I ended up last place in both Profile and Beginner, I only took had to take home one trophy for a last-place finish. I'm kinda thinking of moving up to Advanced just to dodge that bullet, but at Puyallup there were few enough competitors that I would have been at risk there, too.
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE ALWAYS GAINED SKILLS FASTER BASICALLY FROM SIMPLY "GOING TO SCHOOL" OR LEARNING" BY SURROUNDING THEMSELVES WITH EXPERTS AND GIFTED HUMAN BEINGS.
(THESE REAL TIME TEACHERS!) MUCH MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD!
What better teachers...especially in CLPA are the consistant top three expert class flyers and then Entering ABOVE your skill level should REWARD YOU WITH FAR AND AWAY MORE CHARISHED ITEMS THAN ANY 1ST PLACE AWARD.....
Simply hangin around "going to flight school" in a staging area...shoulder to shoulder, taking notes and watching close up and personal just how these EXPERTS of fellow and new found friendship of PEERS and then carefully watching just how they go about the task of preparing and performing their rountines and GAMESMANSHIP.
Begin by making MENTAL NOTES...From the very first moment they sit their flight boxes down to the last minute that they pack up to leave for home.
"CLPA MONKEY SEE...MONKEY DO!"