Death of the 13.5m class?

At 17:28 24 December 2017, Tony wrote:
For the 2019 13.5m WGC, all gliders participating will be required
to have
=
electric motors and be capable of self launching. Potentially being
allowed=
to use some of the electric energy in flight will lead to some
interesting=
tasking and flights I think. I would not consider it to be "Soaring"
thoug=
h.


13.5m WGC may not be 13.5m WGC.


The IGC are currently working on a set of ‘E-concept’ rules for
gliders equipped with electric means of propulsion (MOP) in
competitions.

The idea is to allow use of limited amounts of electric power to
improve the glider's performance or to gain altitude. The first test
event will be at Pavullo in Italy in September 2018.

If the proposal is accepted, a new event will replace the 13.5m
World Gliding Championships in 2019, opening the competition to
gliders with up to 15m wingspan with electric power units. The 2019
WGC will provide an opportunity to experience the concept in action,
allowing the IGC to consider how it can be developed for the future.

Currently, several gliders are manufactured with electric MOP
installed. These include the 13.5m mini Lak and 15m Lak, and the
prototype GP14, which has a 13.5m span. The Silent, constructed as
a microlight, is another example, and the Ventus 3 from Schempp
Hirth and JS3 from Jonkers Sailplanes are also available in FES
versions.

Without a doubt, interest in the MOP concept is growing. More
information will be available after the 2018 IGC meeting.