22 Aug 2025

Hiroki Ito claims eighth title at 2025 FAI F3CN World Championships for Model Helicopters

By Stefan Wolf, Chair of the CIAM F3 RC Helicopter Sub-committee

Ito and Pescante crowned champions
Team gold goes to Japan (F3C) and the United Kingdom (F3N)

The 2025 FAI F3CN World Championships for Model Helicopters took place in Pitești, Romania, from 4 to 9 August 2025. The venue was the Pitești Aerodrome, an airfield for sport aircraft and gliders, which provided ample space for two flight lines, one for F3C and one for F3N. The airfield also contained several buildings used for team registration, model processing, and team manager meetings.

A total of 37 pilots from 11 nations competed in the Championships, including two Juniors. Unfortunately, two F3N pilots were forced to withdraw at short notice as they had not received visas.

Full results

Opening and Qualifying Rounds

Following registration, model processing, and official practice, the Championships were formally opened on 4 August by Stefan Wolf, Chairman of the F3 Helicopter Subcommittee and Jury President. The qualifying flights began on Tuesday, 5 August, with four preliminary rounds completed in both classes, two on each day.

F3C Competition

In the F3C class, reigning seven-time World Champion Hiroki Ito of Japan demonstrated his supremacy. He won all the preliminary rounds, as well as the subsequent semifinal and final rounds, securing the F3C World Championship title for the eighth time.

He was followed by Ennio Graber of Switzerland in second place. Yasuichi Sawamura, Masatoshi Iso, and Kazuhito Onizawa of Japan placed third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

In the team rankings, Japan took first place, ahead of France in second and China in third.

F3N Competition

The F3N class was affected by a scheduling clash with the IRCHA Jamboree in the USA, one of the world’s largest model helicopter events, resulting in a reduced number of participants. Ultimately, only nine pilots competed, but the standard was no less high.

Italy’s Luca Pescante and the UK’s Duncan Osbourn battled for the lead, with Pescante eventually pulling ahead to secure his first World Championship title. Osbourn took second place, while junior pilot Gabriel Gundner of Austria, competing in his first World Championship, was delighted to take third.

In the F3N team rankings, the UK claimed first place, followed by Austria and Italy.

Organisation and Atmosphere

Despite the smaller number of competitors, the World Championships, organised by the Romanian Model Flying Federation (FRMd), were an outstanding success. The competition rounds saw constant flight activity on both lines.

The organiser, who admitted to having no prior experience in model helicopter events, showed remarkable dedication and assembled a team that handled the challenges of staging a World Championship with enthusiasm and energy. Their efforts created a warm and welcoming atmosphere, which was greatly appreciated by both teams and guests.

Closing and Looking Ahead

After the awards ceremony on the afternoon of 9 August, the Jury President officially declared the championship closed. The closing banquet, held that evening in an elegant venue at the Officials’ Hotel, marked a fitting end to the event.

The next World Championship in the F3C and F3N classes will take place in Germany in 2027.