Open Class

Actually, it is not all about wing loading. It is the magical mix of the right aspect ratio, wing loading (high or low depending on the day), laminar flow wetted area...etc. Since I have been away from soaring I did notice shorter wing open class are making a splash, instead of just longer and longer wing birds. So what I was hoping for was an intellegent discussion among those that fly open class as to the merits and demerits of short wing birds, vs long wing birds. I loved flying the nimbuses, but are the newer shorter wing birds better? Any pilots out there than fly or have flown both the newest generation and the birds from one generation ago where it was thought long and long span would increase performance?