Virginia Schweizer Trophy
The Virginia Schweizer Trophy goes to the woman with the highest average daily score in the 1-26 Championships who flies more than 30% of the total contest days. This criteria enables women flying as a team member to be competitive for this award. The trophy is only awarded when at least two women participate in the 1-26 Championships. The 1-26 Association manages this trophy on WSPA’s behalf.
The trophy is named in honor of Virginia “Ginny” Mayer Schweizer, who earned the first US Silver Badge awarded to a woman in 1947 (#86). Her long soaring career included competition (winning the 1947 US Women’s National Championship), setting soaring records, operating commercial soaring operations (New York, Florida, Minnesota, and Texas), and instructing (National Soaring Museum | Soaring Museum – Hall of Fame – Virginia M. Schweizer).
This unusual trophy was a collaboration between WSPA, the Tucson Soaring Club, and Paul and Virginia Schweizer. The Tucson Soaring Club’s influence on the design includes a large copper nugget as well as a copper 1-26 model.
The 1-26 Championships are a fun, low-cost introduction to both cross-country soaring and to sailplane racing. The 1-26 Association (The 1-26 Association – A Division of The Soaring Society of America (126association.org)) supports newcomers to soaring. The 1-26 Association waives the entry fee for first-time participants in the 1-26 Championships. If you are also a junior, the 1-26 Association will reimburse you for your tows while at the 1-26 Championships. WSPA’s Competition Scholarship can also be used to participate in the 1-26 Championships. If you are still a student pilot under 18 years old, the 1-26 Association offers scholarships for training (1-26 Association Scholarship – The 1-26 Association (126association.org)).
Four of the five women competing in the 2024 1-26 Championships in Hamilton, TX (L to R): Kristin Farry, Cathy Williams, Ashleigh Andrews, and Judith Galbraith. Judith’s 1-26A (#157) is in the background. Cathy Williams barely edged out Judith Galbraith to win the Virginia Schweizer Trophy for 2024. Judith won two of the contest days. Ashleigh was competing in her very first contest in the Hamilton Soaring Club’s 1-26C.
Virginia Schweizer Trophy Winners
| 1989 – Elaine Cutri | 1990 – Joann B. Shaw | 1991 – Gayle P. Lathrop |
| 1992 – Gayle P. Lathrop | 1992 – Gayle P. Lathrop | 1993 – Gayle P. Lathrop |
| 1994 – Joann B. Shaw | 1995 – Luan Walker | 1996 – Gayle Lathrop |
| 1998 – Jayne E. Reid | 1999 – Jayne E. Reid | 2007 – Cathy Williams |
| 2013 – Cathy Williams | 2017 – Cathy Williams | 2018 – Cathy Williams |
| 2019 – Cathy Williams | 2021 – Kristin Farry | 2022 – Sarah Arnold |
| 2023 – Cathy Williams | 2024 – Cathy Williams |