I think the original point here was that if a pilot flys the task
set for the day and is the first finisher, his points should not rely
on the performances of other contestants.

Devaluing a day because the other contestants were unable or unwilling
to fly the task doesn't make the flight of the pilot who does
fly the task less worthy of points.

When the rules make it sensible to take a start and land back so the
day is devalued, reducing the points difference you risk in the contest,
rather than attempting the task, there's something wrong.

The current rules make that behaviour advisable if the class is
small, and the day marginal. A few start and land backs will
devalue the day dramatically. The land back pilots don't risk
a landout, and they don't risk their competitor getting 1000 points.

I've seen a task set and the entire field land back except one pilot.
He flew the whole task, with updates coming over the radio with his
ops normal calls like 'ops normal, 1500ft, scratchy', 'ops normal,
getting low'. This went on all afternoon. Then he lands and gets the
reward for the day, 0 points. All the other pilots landed back, so
not enough completed the minimum task scoring distance.

He flew the task set and deserved the full points.

--
Philip Plane _____
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Glider pilots have no visible means of support