"Todd Smith" wrote...
It seems that finish at 500 ft at 1 mile would work just
as well and be much more simple.

It's worked very well at the contests I've participated in that used it. After
pulling up, I'll have plenty of time to tidy up the cockpit, listen on the gate
frequency for other gliders finishing, listen on the airport frequency for
traffic, double check that the water is gone, get the gear down, make a few 360s
for a visual check of the pattern, and make a nice leisurely landing. All
without feeling like I'm giving up a huge number of points to the speed racers.

I also would prefer 1000 ft to 500 ft. 500 ft is still pretty low.

Don't go there, you'll only start some people frothing at the mouth!

Seriously, 500 feet is actually excessive at typical finishing speeds (80+
knots). If you're going slower, an abbreviated pattern or a straight-in should
still be quite doable. But, there's nothing that says you have to cut your
finishes that close. I don't...

Marc