31/01/2026
International Slope Race (ISR) Davenport, California
The World Championship MoM Race – May 15~17 2026
ISR? So what is it?
Held for over fifty years, this is the International Slope Race – the de facto World Championship of man-on-man slope racing. Guys, if you have ever seen, or better yet, competed in an MOM race, especially the Davenport ISR event, you will know there is no greater thrill than hundred-mile-an-hour screaming passes, four up, bumping wingtips and only feet or inches apart.
Where is it?
The event is held at “Las Trancas”, the Big Creek Lumber airstrip near Davenport. There is good accommodation in the nearby city of Santa Cruz, and competitors and their significant others usually make at least one trip to the city to enjoy a meal together, which is always a great way to unwind.
The course;
The course is 209 yards long – roughly twice the length of an F3F course. This may be challenging for those used to shorter races, but it makes for a great visual spectator event, where it’s easy to see who is in front and by how far. Cheer for your champion! The lumber-jacks soon became separated from the lumber-jills.
The races:
This is not solo F3f – it’s effectively the one and only World Championship MOM race. It’s flown in 4-up heats and a 4-up final. Make no mistake, unless you are good, the risk of mid-air collisions is high. I kid you not, MOM is a genuine adrenaline-pumping, stomach-lurching, nerve-jangling physical and mental race against the other HUMANS, and there are three of them out to get you, too, not a cold stopwatch. The close-proximity flying and the feeling while racing are impossible to describe – my advice? As a competitor or spectator, buy a new pacemaker battery! The fastest pilot across the line wins, and the feeling of winning is utterly fantastic.
Our benefactor: Homer (Bud) McCrary
This year's event will be the biggest and best in every way and will be dedicated to Bud McCrary, a pioneer aviator, advocate for sustainable forestry, and owner of Big Creek Lumber Company. Bud owns the “Las Trancas” airstrip above Waddell Beach, which is home to the ISR, and where he and the McCrary family have kindly supported us over many decades. Bud’s benevolence is the reason this event has been held and supported so well and successfully over the years, and it’s impossible to express how grateful we are for his support.
Our sponsors:
Both Aloft Hobbies and Aeroic Composites, and, of course, the host club NCSS, have been prime movers in this year’s competition and will support with the organisation, officials, the running of the event, and the prizes for the hard-working helpers.
On the fun side, there is one award that nobody wants to win: The (Dreaded) “Baskem Trophy”, awarded for the best and most spectacular crash of a perfectly good aeroplane!
We will be waiting to welcome you.
The welcome will be, as it always has been, warm, with lots of like-minded flyers and a friendly, non-pressure, but happily competitive atmosphere. Trophies will be awarded to the winners, and of course, there is the great honour of becoming the World MoM Champion
Are you a highly competitive pilot? Do you think you have what it takes?
It’s good to be king – so do you want to be the MOM racing Champion of the World?
