Class mobility

We merge classes in Italy too, when the number of participants is lowish. And we have rules defining classes with a minimum number of participants for the national title to be awarded to the winner.
So, let's say we have an Open Class national. We setup a handicapped competition, any glider can participate; then we score with handicap. The final result goes to the IGC-ranking system.
At the same time, we create a results sheet, without handicap factors as the Italian definition of the Open Class is such. Based on the final, we have a second prize-giving ceremony and a national champion has the title.

The IGC-ranking will not allow duplication of the results, so this latter results remain in the annals of the NAC but don't affect the IGC Ranking.

Now, surely all participants of the handicapped competition are considered in the Ranking's calculation of the value. There is a completely fair impact on the points awarded by the Ranking. The only ones who can complain are the Open Class pilots, who get handicapped scoring so they might in some particular occasion get less personal points if they're beaten by a lower performance sailplane. On the other hand, they most probably would get much less points if the class was segregated (due to small participation), not to mention they wouldn't get the Title due to less than 6 participants in Open Class only.

Seems fair for all. Of course nothing is perfect.
In my humble opinion, removing the minimum number of participants would encourage participation, rather than the contrary. Mine is a minority position however.
What seems to motivate large participation at our competitions is the expected value for the IGC ranking (more pilots, more highly qualified pilots), combined with a friendly atmosphere, a welcoming region with good food and accommodation, a well-known competition area for easy management of strategies, and lastly a reliable organizing team.

Aldo Cernezzi
(competition director)
www.voloavela.it

Aldo, thank you for your explanation of the way it works in Italy. I believe that it is the same in UK.

You say that the Ranking List does not allow duplicate entries. I take this to mean that Australia may not submit the 18m results separately from the Open Class results from their recent Multiclass Nationals.

In other words, while there are new national champions in 4 classes, the FAI will consider the Australian contest to have been a 2-class comp, for the purposes of ranking.

Can someone from IGC confirm this?

-Pat

“Aldo, thank you for your explanation of the way it works in Italy. I believe that it is the same in UK.

You say that the Ranking List does not allow duplicate entries. I take this to mean that Australia may not submit the 18m results separately from the Open Class results from their recent Multiclass Nationals.

In other words, while there are new national champions in 4 classes, the FAI will consider the Australian contest to have been a 2-class comp, for the purposes of ranking.

Can someone from IGC confirm this?

-Pat “

Pat, that is correct from the Aussie side of things, only 15M and Open class results will go to the IGC for ranking points.
The whole joint classes is to deal with the numbers of gliders, not anything to do with IGC rankings.
Tom
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