FAI, soaring and Olympic Games

For Example John Smith wrote:

Are the differences between current model 15 meter ships really so great
that they don't constitute a 'single class'? It seems to me that this is
the fallacy that is tripping us up and pushed the sport into developing the
PW5 WCG.

Maybe not - remember the concept started 20 years ago, when things
seemed different. I sort of recall gliders coming out then with
noticeable improvements, and I think there was a feeling among many that
we were on a treadmill of increasingly expensive gliders (but not better
contests) if we didn't do something. Judging the start of the WC by what
you see today will lead to a bad analysis.

When the differences are so minor--this one's .05% better on the
run; this one a .0237% better climber--why not just declare them for
purposes of the sport to be a single class and 'run whatcha brung' w/out
handicapping?

As I've mentioned in another posting, I agree with the argument that we
already have at least two de facto one-design classes: the Standard and
15 meter.

--
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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA