This was exactly my understanding until I read Brigliadori. On pages 359
through 364 they make a pretty good case for flying a bit faster into wind
on task due to the slope of thermals and vice versa, all with worked
examples.

Jim

At 07:35 11 January 2014, Chris Rollings wrote:
If you are gliding from one thermal to another, optimum speed is the same
whether you are going into wind, downwind or no wind, it just depends on
the rate of climb achieved in the next thermal. If you are gliding to a
point on the ground, final glide or round a turn-point, then optimum
speed
will be higher into wind than downwind.