Dear John...( I've always liked that line)

It sounds like you have this all thought and planned out...why don't you
just proceed and get your contest going...? I mean, it's not as though you
need permission from us to do it. Plan the event and go to town. It's sort
of an "If you build it, they will come" type of approach. Setup the contest,
and then start inviting everyone who qualifies to come participate. It could
work out well.

Of course I won't be able to participate because you've excluded me, due to
my extra few meters of wing and a bit more L/D...so I'll just sit and sulk
and apparently not get laid...

I guess my real thought, is that there is no single thing that's going to
change our sport, because there's no one single draw to the sport. For me,
it's time alone in the mountains, enjoying my sailplane and the majestic
scenery that is all mine. I don't expect you or anyone else to get it, but
for me it's enough to keep me coming back again and again. For others, it
clearly is about racing. Maybe by not frowning on the status quo, quite so
much, but offering alternative venues, you would have a positive impact,
without offending the die hard purists who will always have their own vision
of soaring. In my opinion, it's all good...just let's get guys butts in the
seats and work to reduce the hassle of accomplishing that goal...I really
believe growth will come in incremental ways.

I do agree with you wholeheartedly on one thing and that is that soaring is
more of an extreme sport, than an old fuddy duddy sport. We don't tout
enough, it's adventurous side...I know there's a million reasons for that,
but I think we should share a bit more of what it CAN be...than what it
isn't.


respectfully,


Steve.