John Cochrane wrote:

I've been following all these responses with interest, but I feel we
have lost some of the forest in looking at the leaves on the trees.

The point where a glider race ends is arbitrary. We can end the race
-- calculate speed and give speed points -- for any landing within a 5
mile circle of the home airport. We can end the race as we do now, at
the airport fence. We can end the race 500 feet up. It's the same for
everybody. Where we end the race has no effect at all on the
competitive, soaring aspect. Adjust your arrival margin accordingly.

Now, given this is a totally arbitrary choice, doesn't it make a
little sense to end the race 500 feet away from the cold hard ground?

John Cochrane

Arbitrary, yes. BUT with implications.

I have heard the points about low thermalling with finishing traffic
close overhead, and
find I'm coming to this conclusion:

The most likely way to have thing's turn out OK at the end of the day
(defined as everybody happy, with gliders in one piece and scored)
is to stick with the current finish, along with whatever low-flying-over
the airport
local rule (with penalty) is necessary.

That way, people can non arbitrarily add their safety margin (or not) and
accept
their non ideal finish while enjoying a beer without worrying if they're
10 feet under
the finish gate because of the pressure changing and not wanting to keep
their eyes
in the cockpit as the digits on the GPS tick down (horizontal
AND vertical now!)

Chris (a +1000ft guy out here in the West USA)