Victorian Championships 1965            
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 a foundation 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:
Victorian Overall Champion:     David MILLARD   
2nd Bill MOLLOY                       3rd Claude GILLARD

Victorian Style Champion:         Warren HUTCHINGS   
2nd Claude GILLARD                3rd William KENNY

Victorian Accuracy Champion:  Bill MOLLOY   
2nd Laurie TROTTER               3rd David MILLARD

David Millard	Warren Hutchings	Bill Molloy

Labertouche Cup 1966
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. 

Results were:
Overall:                            1st     Bob RANNEY  (USA)
                                           2nd   James COX      (Qld)               
                                           3rd    Bill McGHIE       (Qld)

Accuracy:                        1st    Bob RANNEY  (USA)

Style:                                 1st    John FRASER (Victoria)

Hit & Run:                         1st    Len HUNTER    (Victoria)

1st Team:                Bob RANNEY - Candy RANNEY - Len HUNTER

2nd Team:                 Jim COX - David LOCK - Bernie BROSNAN

Fastest Style Time:   John FRASER    (12.0 seconds)

Closest Jump:           Geoff HUNTER   (10cm)

Meet Director:            Bill Molloy

Judges:             Claude Gillard, Louis Johnston, Danny Wright,    
                                     John Rietveldt and Ron Colbourne.

The only injury was Niels Asche who broke a leg horsing his PC.   Mike Booth (NZ) knocked his head pretty hard with no ill effect, must have a head of steel.

Labertouche Moomba Meet - March 1966
An accuracy competition ran as part of the Melbourne Moomba Festival, there was a reasonable number of spectators and the results were:
Seniors:
1st       Bob Ranney
2nd      Serge Witte
3rd       Bernie Brosnan

Juniors:
1st       Gordon Steven
2nd      Rob Johnston
3rd       Allan Eden

		Does anybody have a photo of Bernie?	Does anybody have a photo of Gordon?
Bob Ranney	Serge Witte	Bernie Brosnan	Gordon Steven

Labertouche Spectacular  27-29th May 1966
Australian Team Fund Raiser
A novelty competition with lots of ground entertainment such as marching girls, a brass band, etc.   results were:

1st             Dave Lock
2nd            Daryl Smithwick
3rd             John Fraser

Judges:     Claude Gillard and Mike Thompson
Steward:    Joh Chitty

	Does anybody have a photo of Daryl?
Dave Lock	Daryl Smithwick	John Fraser

1966/67 Australian Nationals Meet    December 26th - January 1st
Organised as the Australian Parachute Championships, the competition became a Nationals 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.

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

Other competitors:   Trevor Burns (Sth Aust), Dennis Clark (USA), Robin Letts (UK), Arthur Littlemore, John Mahaffy (Sth Aust), Ron Pearsall (Vic "B"), M. Reeves  (UK), Michael Rose (Victoria), Laurie Trotter (Sth Aust) and D. Whitney (UK).  Claude Gillard (Vic "B:)  withdrew injured

Officials

1967  Labertouche Cup                        29th to 30th January
Placings
Overall:                     1st     Bob Ranney
                                  2nd    Art Littlemore                   4th John Walker
                                  3rd     Candy Ranney                 5th Laurie Trotter

Overall Teams:        1st      B. Ranney, C. Ranney & L. Trotter
                                  2nd     J. Walker, R. Paterson & B. Hadley
                                  3rd      S. Clark, G. Hunter & C. Rumney

Bob Ranney	Art Littlemore	Candy Ranney	Laurie Trotter

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

Officials:  
Meet Director: Anne Jessop      Chief Judge: Alan Eden
Judges:            Don Pearson (Canada) and Les Boddy (United Kingdom)
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.        Photo

11th and 12th November

Placings:
Victorian Overall Champion:     James (Jock) Moir  
2nd John Fraser                        3rd David Millard

Victorian Style Champion:         John Fraser   
2nd james Moir                           3rd Claude Gillard

Victorian Accuracy Champion:  James Moir   
2nd Clive Rumney                      3rd David Millard

Jock Moir	John Fraser	Jock Moir

Style:          1st:   Jim Cox

Accuracy:   1st:   Colin King
                    2nd: John Fraser
                    3rd:  Serge Witte

Hit 'n Run:   1st:   John Fraser

Colin King	Jim Cox	John Fraser

1969 Labertouche Cup                                  February?

Gus Gutshall 3rd Place?

1968/69 Australian Parachute Championships

Gypsy Moths Meet               27th September 1969
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.

Results:               1st             Serge Witte
                             2nd            Jock Moir
                             3rd             Geoff Thomas

Competitors: Serge Witte, Jim 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

1969 Victorian Championships       1-4/11/69

Placings:
Victorian Overall Champion:     James (Jock) Moir  
2nd                                              3rd 

Victorian Style Champion:            
2nd                                              3rd 

Victorian Accuracy Champion:     
2nd                                               3rd 

Jock Moir

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

Tony Curl	Gene Bermingham	Bill Kenny	Claude Gillard

1970  Labertouche Cup                       February 1970

Overall Individual


Style with Accuracy


Accuracy


Hit and Run (Score was 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)


Relative with Accuracy (Three Way Star then Accuracy)
               1st    Robin Rose, Jill Leyton and ????
               2nd  ???
               3rd   ???

Robin Rose	Jill Leyton	?

Officials: Meet Director, Gene Bermingham
                  Judges:  ??

1970/71 Australian Parachute Championships   1971

1971  Labertouche Cup    12th to the 14th June

Placings

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     Hugh Martin-Levorsen

Winning Team:    Bob Courtenay, Steve Filak, Hugh Martin-Levorsen
                                Ron Pearsall

Hugh Martin-Lev.	Steve Filak	Bob Courtenay	Ron Pearsall

Labertouche Cash Bounty Meet  11-12 December 1971
Accuracy competition with a bank money bag full of silver coins as first prize.

Placings:         1st          Steve Filak
                         2nd         Bob Courtenay
                         3rd          Bob Barry

Steve Filak	Bob Courtenay	Bob Barry

1971 Victoria Championships        27th - 28th November 1971

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

Results

Overall:	1st Tony Curl	2nd Geoff Bingham	3rd Colin King
Style:	1st Tony Curl	2nd Ian Handley	3rd Geoff Bingham
Accuracy:	1st Warren Searell	2nd Colin King	3rd Geoff bingham

Tony Curl	Geoff Bingham	Colin King

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.

Officials

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

Judges: Ted Harrison, Jan Petty and Clive Smith.

1972  Labertouche Cup                    28th - 30th January 1972

Placings

Ian Handley	Steve Filak	Tony Curl

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

1st Collegiate Meet                                       5th and 6th of February 1972

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

Team Accuracy

Competitors: 

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

Melbourne: Greg Lane, Peter Hogan and Craig Brownridge

Latrobe:      Les Wilson and Lothar Satzke

1972/73 Australian Parachute Championships
                                                                                        26th December 1972

1973  1st Australian 10-Man Star Championships
                                                                                            3rd January 1973

1973  Labertouche Cup                           28th January 1973
Placings

Accuracy	1st
	2nd
	3rd

Competitors: Sue Rademaekers, Rod Whyte, Kerry Tucker, Bruce Towers, Skip Dew, ??  ??  ??

Officials: Meet Director    Chief judge: Claude Gillard   Judges:  Andrew Kerr

1973/74 Australian Parachute Championships 
                                          26th December 1973 - 3rd January 1974

1974  Labertouche Cup

1975/76 Australian Parachute Championships

Officials:
Meet Director: Colin Holt

1976  Labertouche Cup

1977  Victorian Championships         5th November

1978  Labertouche Cup                11th to 13th March

Placings
Overall:     1st      Roy Taylor
                    2nd     Tony Curl
                    3rd     John Dash 

Style:         1st      Ian Nelson
                     2nd    Ian McDougal
                     3rd     J-c Kurtz 

Accuracy:  1st     Roy Taylor
                      2nd    Tony Curl
                      3rd    John Dash 

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

If you have a photo of Ian Nelson Please send it.

1979  Victorian Championships?   1st-9th December

1980                                           27th-29th September

1981  1st Pops Downunder Meet           2nd-3rd May
Competitors:  Bill Kenny, Max King, Bernnie Shaw, Roy Taylor and Rod Wilson

Activities Photo Gallery

John Dash about to score a dead-centre in the Bullion Money Meet

1981  1st POPS Down-Under Meet              2nd May

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.