Branko,

As I understand FAI rules, at least a 50/50 ratio (AT/TAT) mandated by FAI. This may just be for WGC or category one events. But I think a mandate for a 50/50 ratio is very smart. It is at least an excellent guideline.

We cannot allow CDs to call this MAT/HAT US crap and no racing tasks. Especially at Nationals.

Better yet, with FAI, if the conditions warrant, we could see 70-80% Assigned Tasks called at the upcoming WGC, Australia. Beautiful!!!! Proper racing. At least some racing!

Think about Uvalde for example. Or anywhere strong and dry or on any great soaring day. Why waste that kind of weather on a TAT or MAT (or a HAT)? Tasks designed to deal with poor weather. Great soaring days are days to race. Flying a TAT in Uvalde or Hobbs on a strong, zero storm chance day is a complete waste of weather. A waste of the day! We all know we have plenty of poor weather days to guess the weather.

Just look at the Canadian Nationals this summer. 100 kph speeds day after day after day! Legendary, steady soaring weather in beautiful flat farm field terrain. But this still resulted 7 100% TATs. 7 in a row were called for the best Canadian flying conditions EVER EXPERIENCED! Zero assigned tasks. In fact, the conditions at the 216 Canadian Nationals (Aug 2016) were literally WAY BETTER than Uvalde's soaring conditions which were held at the exact same time. One the 8th day of the Canadian Nationals, they even went for the HAT task. They almost ruined a great contest by trying to desperately squeeze in any of four (yes 4) one turn HAT options. This was going to, potentially, decide their National Championship? One N, one S, one E, one W. A complete "roll the dice" task. Ridiculous. Shameful. Unsporting.

This is why US tasking stinks. And I mean stinks bad. We must have higher standards. Quality matters. AT is high quality racing. TATs are for questionable weather. MATs and HATs are crap beneath the sport of sailplane racing.

We need to disarm this foolishness and get back to sanity and stability with FAI rules and FAI tasking. There is a good reason why they are successful with it. It works. Sure nothing is perfect. But US rules and US tasking is awful.

Sean