I was lectured by an instructor years ago that accidents are more likely if you combine unusual activities, such as flying an unfamiliar glider at a field you’re also not familiar with. I very nearly had a similar landing to Steve’s a year ago - in an unfamiliar glider at a new field, although it was rotor that nearly got me rather than open brakes.

I also wonder if many of us use lower pattern altitudes than we should. Certainly for US pilots, likely trained on Gollywompers with their useless spoilers, low patterns seem the norm. I was trained (by Germans) to be at least 500 feet on base leg and there are those who advocate even more - say 700 feet. I know at our club that we’ve had more gliders hit the fence or bushes at the threshold than have ever overrun the other end.

Lately, I’ve been playing with the high approach - 700 feet followed by a descent at 70+ knots with full spoilers. This approach works well in most modern ships and gives you more height and energy to cope with problems in the pattern.

Anyway, hopefully Steve now has the right glider to crack that elusive Arizona 1000 km flight!

Mike