Misael Lopez gets ready for his Freestyle Flight.
By Kevin Garland
Day 3 of the 2026 IMAC Nationals is officially in the books, and it was another full day of great flying and fellowship. Today's flying schedule included two rounds of Freestyle, one Unknown round, and one Known round. The pilots continued to showcase outstanding precision and consistency as we move closer to crowning our 2026 National Champions.
Following the day's flying, everyone gathered for our annual IMAC Nationals Banquet. Texas Roadhouse provided another excellent meal, giving pilots, families, volunteers, and supporters a chance to relax and enjoy the evening together.
After dinner, we handed out several pilot raffle prizes before recognizing three individuals whose contributions have made a lasting impact on IMAC. The first award presented was the Sportsmanship Award, which will now officially be known as the BK Award in honor of Brandon Kent. Brandon's dedication, generosity, and sportsmanship have had a tremendous impact on our organization, making it only fitting that this award carries his name moving forward.
The Contest Director Award was presented to Brandon Rosenquist in recognition of his outstanding service and commitment to helping make IMAC events successful. The evening concluded with the presentation of the Order of the Diamond Award, the IMAC President's Award, to Kyle Stewart for his continued dedication and countless contributions to the IMAC community.
To wrap up the evening, the final Unknown sequences were distributed to the pilots in preparation for tomorrow's competition. Friday will be the final day of the 2026 IMAC Nationals. The schedule calls for one final Unknown round followed by one final Known round to complete the contest and determine our National Champions.
No official scores were posted today as we await the completion of the final rounds tomorrow. We look forward to an exciting finish to what has been an outstanding week of competition.
