Results: 2025 FAI F5J World Champions for Electric Powered Thermal Duration Gliders
Congratulations to Joe Wurts of New Zealand, and junior competitor John Bradley of USA, whose outstanding performances in the final rounds have rewarded them with gold medals and world champion titles at the 2025 FAI F5J World Championships for Electric Powered Thermal Duration Gliders in Córdoba, Argentina.
Team Argentina were delighted by a Junior team category overall win, aided by Agustín and Pedro Goldenzweig's silver and bronze individual medals, as well as becoming Vice-Champions in the Senior team category, just behind Czechia who claimed the Senior team world champion status for 2025.
A total of 60 senior and 12 junior competitors from 18 nations competed in the event, which was hosted by the Argentine Aeromodelling Federation. This may be Joe Wurts' first F5J gold medal, but it is not the first time that he has achieved world champion status in aeromodelling. A seasoned competitor in F3 categories, he was awarded a CIAM Legend medal at the 2023 FAI Awards Ceremony in Dayton, Ohio, USA.
Senior champion: Joe Wurts from New Zealand
World Champion Joe Wurts commented:
"I am still a bit gobsmacked that I have once again become a World Champion. Especially at the age of 64! The first time I attended a world championship event was back in 1991 for category F3B. I became the World Champion. In 1998, I attended the first F3J world championship event, and became the first F3J World Champion. In 2011, I attended the first F3K world championship, and became the first F3K world champion. The trend was broken with the first F5J world championship in 2019, as I finished fourth there. I have now remedied this failure of mine! :)
"This year's F5J world championship in Argentina was well organized and very well run. The contest officials adapted nicely with the sometimes uncertain weather. It was an ideal world championship event, with a wide variety of conditions to test the pilots. Even the flyoffs had a wide variety of conditions in the space of just a few hours, which really challenged the pilots. The hospitality of the Argentinians has been superb for our time here in Cordoba.
"I have to give huge thanks to my teammate and friend Kevin Botherway, who called me throughout the preliminary and flyoff rounds. Without his expert help, I would not have done nearly as well. Our team manager, David Pratley was also instrumental in our results.
"Two days after the flyoffs have been completed, I still feel like I am in a dream world. Despite my more youthful successes, I was not expecting this result at all. I am proud of my air reading for the full week of flying. A hint of things to come was winning the Tango Cup prior to the world championship event. At that point I could have returned home a very happy person.
"For the world championship itself, the New Zealand team worked together very well and put forward a great effort in trying to defend the team trophy (which we won for the first two F5J world championships). It was very nice to see Pete McEvoy step up during the world championship event. He improved markedly during the weeks flying."
Final Results
Senior individual
- Joseph Wurts (New Zealand)
- Gabriel Bartoli Leon (Argentina)
- Olaf Starmanns (Germany)
Senior teams
- Czechia
- Argentina
- Croatia
Junior individual
- John Bradley (USA)
- Agustín Goldenzweig (Argentina)
- Pedro Goldenzweig (Argentina)
Junior teams
- Argentina
- USA
- Germany
John Bradley (left) - the new junior world champion in F5J
FAI Aeromodelling Commission (CIAM) President and Jury Member Antonis Papadopoulos said:
“These FAI F5J World Championships were concluded successfully. On behalf of CIAM I would like to thank the organising team from Argentina for their effort in preparing and running the event and of course for their warm hospitality, with special thanks also to the volunteers for sharing their time in ensuring the event went smoothly. Congratulations to all the winners and all those who participated. We are looking forward to the next world championships in 2027 in the USA!”
Three female pilots competed in total. In the seniors, Beth Loveday of Australia came ahead of Amanda Anabela Gonzalez from Argentina in points. In the junior category the female pilot was Charlotte Mahmoudi of Germany.
Charlotte Mahmoudi (Germany): junior female competitor
more NEWS articles on THE competition
- FAI interview with Joe Wurts in 2023
- Competition heats up in Argentina
- Opening Ceremony: FAI World Championships for Electric Powered Thermal Duration Gliders
- Competition overview article
