Um, let's not be so quick to write off those retired guys with time and money at hand.

Pro sailing and pro driving are different. Sailboat racing takes a lot of the same sort of thinking machinery that soaring requires but sailing also takes a high level of strength and endurance. The strength and endurance part does favor the younger player in sailing; yet strength and endurance are quite minor factors in soaring. In auto racing, fast reflexes are key; younger is certainly better for that. Soaring doesn't require super fast reactions.

I think soaring greatness is achievable by young ones and old ones alike. History has proven that to be the case. What seems to matter is a learnable set of somewhat mechanical skills combined with experienced soaring smarts involving the ability to accurately weigh the importance of multiple factors simultaneously.

Sufficiently motivated old guys can do all that. I suggest it wiser to find ways to motivate those old guys with new ships on the way to practice their collective asses off rather than write them off as unfit for the job. In glider racing, motivation and willingness to work hard is a lot more important than youthfulness per se.

Steve



Time or money pick one. If we really want a US world champion getting together and sponsoring a talented Jr or just aged out of jrs is the way to go. They have the talent and potentially time if they haven't gotten married or careered yet. Someone just needs to loan them a new racing machine. If soaring was a pro sport(I'm glad it's not) most of the people now racing would be coaches. The racing would be done by younger pilots. If a country wants to win that's how to do it. Champion pro sailors don't own the boats, Champion pro drivers don't own the cars.