Andy,

see my notes earlier in the thread. There's not much penalty for
pulling from high speed so long as you don't go to too quickly to high
AOA (bigger penalty in induced drag). 2g to 30 degrees nose up is
typical. The you ease off to 1g until you start push gently to
attitude at your desired exit speed.

Did your calculations include the losses to friction throughout the
manuever? Your altitude difference seems a little too low. I would
expect about a 20 to 30 foot difference for a pull from 100 knots to
60 knots, ie, a normal "test the strength of the core" pull up.

At any rate, if we get any decent weather, I'll be sure to make some
runs with a lighter glider and tender the real world results.

The original poster was looking for some real world feedback. Right
now all I can offer is that when ridge soaring, if I have water and
another 27/V2 is empty, I'll outpace him by at least 10 knots on a
hundred mile-per-hour day. Roughly 10 to 12 percent more speed at the
same sink rate/drag. A big spoonful of pure, sweet hubris.