On Monday, August 29, 2016 at 4:04:11 PM UTC+1, Tony wrote:
Standard advice:

Something that fits in your budget of course. Leave reserve for some instruments, insurance, andoney to buy tows.

Make sure you fit comfortably. You'll be wanting to sit in the seat for 5-8 hrs.

Automatic control hookups are a deciding factor for many. Decide if it is for you.

That will narrow it down to maybe a half dozen types. From there, find what's available at the price you like, and pick the one with the nicest trailer.

I agree with the above. Also, although I am an older current pilot flying a flapped 18/21m glider, I would suggest that an older slightly rusty pilot should fly a 15m unflapped glider for a couple of years before moving up. Presumably you aren't going to be going straight into high level competitions so the comments about the standard class dying out are not very relevant. The original Discus (along with the LS4) is the one of the most useful, benign and salable gliders ever made. The Discus 2 and ASW28 are also fine standard class gliders (I have owned A Discus B and a Discus 2c) and newer so more likely to come with better gelcoat or optional PU paint finish.

The 15m flapped gliders are have little performance advantage until you are happy flying them ballasted and are at the stage where your cross country speed is not limited by thermal selection and centering issues.

The ASW20 is a classic of its time but the lack of automatic control connections on this (and other) designs, particularly for the elevator, is a serious, literally killer, deficiency.

John Galloway