Great conversation. I am not challenging the details, flexibility. I think the USRC, although I criticize the power they wield, wield it in the true belief that rhey are making soaring safer and therefore better attended. To a certain extent that may be true (maybe not).

I am only trying to shake loose from the cage we US pilots are held in and make some level of FAI rule soaring available in the USA. I also wish to shake the stigma of FAI rule soaring being flat out dangerous or irresponsible by sighting regularly that the rest if the world uses these rules and have equal safety results and perhaps better attendance (via better racing and tasking).

Nobody is bad here. We all want growth and prosperity for our sport. I am simply trying to carve out a choice for US/Canadian pilots and it appears that may happen although the USRC, for example, wants to impose its will by only approving the bid for a major US based FAI contest if we use US starting rules in lieu of FAI rules. This is an example of the dictatrial nature I dislike. The reason for this was their belief that FAI is "unsafe." Those are rather bold and important assumptions.

I vote for letting the US pilots have a choice!

Sean