Over the weekend over 20 teams launched themselves into the waterfront in the safety(?) of their homemade flying machines. With over 10,000 people watching and a bunch of celebs judging, contestants did not disappoint.
Teams and their aircraft were judged on three factors: pre-flight performance, creativity, and flight distance. Judges included Kiwi celebs Mad Mike Whiddett, JessB, Tegan Yorwarth, Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck, and Brook Macdonald.
And our very own Brook Gibson was MCing. Talk about a recipe for a good time.
‘Red Barren and Snoopy’ won the Red Bull Flugtag event with their 47-metre flight into the Waitematā harbour, taking home $15,000 for their effort.
Team Captain Andrew Roberts (who also co-owns Longroom, one of the best bars in Auckland) was gracious in victory, saying he’s stoked to take out the event again, having won the 2002 competition, and shouting out some of the competition.
“We’re excited to be undefeated champions,” he told Red Bull NZ. “47 metres was larger than the 28 metres we won with last time so we’re super excited to beat our record.”
“I think the real winners today are ‘The Mo Show’ who raised thousands for the Movember charity, so we need to acknowledge them.”
‘The Mo Show’ had the third longest flight (20 metres) and won $5,000 for that. However, they stole the hearts of the Auckland public in attendance, winning the People’s Choice Award AND Best Performance for getting their boogie on while wearing speedos.
Second place went to ‘AIRNZ DC3’ (18 metres) who also took out Best Build, for replicating the plane model. That plane model holds some sentimental value to the team. Stuff reports that the team pilot “was conceived on this type of aircraft. Touching stuff.
AIRNZ DC3 (left), Red Barren and Snoopy (middle), The Mo Show (right)
The longest-ever Flugtag flight belongs to the US team ‘The Chicken Whisperers’. At Long Beach California in 2013 they flew for 78 and a half metres while wearing chicken suits.
