US Rules change needed for devaluation of contest day

I should mention that my protest is more narrowly concerned with the rules as they are now, not as they could or should be.

On Wednesday, August 27, 2014 10:38:03 AM UTC-7, Mark Schmidt wrote:
On Wednesday, August 27, 2014 9:14:50 AM UTC-7, wrote:

Mark,



John's latest post sums up own thoughts very nicely and much better/shorter than I could have expressed:







"My working definition of a "fair" task is that everyone who takes a launch gets the opportunity to start the task at more or less the same time at more or less the same altitude from more or less the same place. It does not necessarily include "all ships have a good chance to finish the task" since on some days the 1-26 will rule on handicap and on others the Nimbus 4. It is the job of the CD to use the advisers prior to opening the start to assess whether a fair start is possible. QT"







I personally experienced (after launching 3 times to make sure) that those opportunities as John mentioned were NOT present during the last day.







Take care,



Bruno - B4



I don't disagree that on many or perhaps most days, meeting this criteria for "fair" seems reasonable. When conditions are not good though, as they often will not be, I think it is too broad. By the same place do we mean the start cylinder, or something smaller? And does "everyone" mean every single pilot (no matter the skill range in the class)?



If this is what we are talking about, I think the incentives need to be thought through. This would create a situation where a pilot, or group of pilots, who preferred that the day's scores not count would have an incentive to not try their hardest, and later claim the start was not fair (I am absolutely not saying this happened at Nephi).



Besides, the specific criteria in the rules for a valid day is that only 25% of starters have to get anywhere -- very weak, uncertain conditions, in which luck would likely be a major factor. The start is part of the race (in many racing sports, the start effectively IS the race). Why such a difference in philosophy?



If it seems unlikely that anyone calling himself a glider pilot would sandbag and whinge for a few crummy points (not Nephi, flamethrowers away please), remember we are busy arguing about 2nd place. Imagine if it were about 1st, to whom the real money, the groupies, and the global fame go... ;