There's no downside to training in higher performance unless the instructor
THINKS there is. If the instructor is afraid of high performance gliders,
he will pass that fear on to his students.

Bill Daniels
With all due respect I am not sure that this portion of the debate is
meaningful until the participants clarify and agree upon what it is they
are "training" for. If we are training for advanced cross country,
competition, or step up to high performance single seats then the
observation is correct. If we are ab initio training in hope to solo the
student in the subject glider then we need something robust, insurable for
student pilots, and economical for the typical club. Higher performance
rarely serves those needs - so there is a downside.

Roy B.