Eric Greenwell wrote in message ...

As I understand the rule, it's not just a matter of popping above the
500' agl floor of the cylinder. You'd have to thermal up, go back to
the outside of the 2 mile cylinder, and fly from there to the 1 mile
cylinder while staying above 500' agl. In the the situation you
describe, would you still be likely to try that weak thermal, or would
you just go ahead and land?

Bad rules proposal!

As they do out on course, pilots will stop trying to get somewhere,
and start trying to get back up to avoid losing their speed points at
some personally determined altitude.

That includes the pilots that could be making a safe, routine rolling
finish for speed points under the present rules!

Some pilots will fly safely whatever the rules. Other pilots will
break their gliders trying to get home just for the convenience (and
safety) of avoiding a field landing. If you think that pilots will
stop trying to finish and outland safely if they have no shot at
getting points, you haven't thought much about the long history of
guest pilots breaking their gliders at contests.

Jonathan Gere