On Dec 13, 8:54*am, wrote:
Hello Racers & Fans
The minutes of the 2008 meeting of he SSA Competition Rule
Subcommittee are now available on the SSA web site under Sailplane
racing/Rules & Process.
Draft rules changes for review and comment will be available 12/22/08.
UH
H Nixon
SSA Competition Rules Subcommittee Chair

Sad the suggestion and issue of an East/West Nationals was given so
little interest by the committee.

From the informal poll by 5 Ugly it was favored by nearly 2/3 of the
respondents, I guess our rules committee knows best.

http://www.5ugly.blogspot.com/

East Coast-West Coast Nationals: (50 voters)
Support: 64%
Against: 36%

From the minutes:

"64 Consider East/West Nationals
According to BB’s review, typically less that 3-4 pilots cross the
Miss to go to nationals on the coast.
Based on this, pilots are already essentially doing this. Lots of
practical problems. This would have to be
coordinated with the US Team committee for team selection. What would
be the effect on overall contest
participation. Who’s the national champion? If combining classes was
necessary for adequate
participation, would we have combined-class East and West champions?
This would be a very large
change from the way we’ve operated Nationals traditionally. It doesn’t
appear that there is a problem of
sufficient magnitude to justify such a change.
No change."

Only 3 to 4 pilots crossing the Mississippi each year, but it doesn't
appear to be an issue; at least for the rules committee.

They raised lots of questions (same ones we have seen before to
protect the current system), but did not appear to be interested in
finding any answers or even looking for them.