I've never met a first timer at a competition that wasn't feeling embarassed or even angry with themselves at the end of the first contest, yours truly included. You come to your first competition because you think you've been doing everything by the book, only to find out that the standard is really high. But as you continue to practice and compete, you find that your standards continually rise. Eventually you learn that flying IMAC is a completely different set of skills than you've been practicing on Saturdays and Sundays throwing the plane around. I hate to think how many times I've been out practicing, thinking to myself how bad my figures look, only to have the unpracticed spectator comment on how good it looks! I say thank you, and then keep working on the errors I know I'm making.

The 924 on your simulated unknown means that you were doing pretty close to how the other basic pilots were scoring - not bad at all for a first time out. Find those experienced pilots, listen to the coaching, and keep competing. Don't move up quicker than your ready. A couple years in Basic, then Sportsman is time well spent. And as Bill said - HAVE FUN!

Brad