Oh, you just reminded me of a relite I had at Chester, SC one year.
Eleven of us were holding on in a dying thermal a mere 500 feet above
the runway, when, fizzle... no more thermal. All gliders landed
together, all full of water, and all within dozens of feet of each
other. A grand exhibition of a contractor's dozen executing some ad hoc
formation flying. It could have been a mess... but it wasn't. No radio
chatter. No whining. No accusations. Just an orderly arrival.

There's no reason the finish gate can't be equally well-mannered. The
key, then, now, and always, is competence. Not genius. Not the right
stuff. Just simple competence. Too slow, break off and land. Too high?
Don't be so conservative on the next final glide. Not sure which way to
go through the finish gate? Ask. Not sure you have enough energy to
clear the finish line and execute a 180? Key the mike, say you're
landing straight ahead, and do it. Never thought about this stuff
before? My-oh-my... what else haven't you thought about?

OC

This has been fun. God I love the odd dose of rancour. I'm looking
forward to the day I turn full curmudgeon and jump, with equal rancour,
to the other side of this issue!

JJ, looking forward to the 15m nats in Montague next year. Will you
have a glider?