On Dec 13, 4:31*pm, wrote:
On Dec 13, 10:05*am, Tim Taylor wrote:





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.

You gotta be ****in me.......... So, 50 voters on 5U's page, of which
32 (64%) (which is less that 5% of all the seeded pilots in the US)
now requires all of us to make major changes in our present system?
They have really studied our present system and understand the
design? *Who were these 32 voters? *Have they even been to a regional
or national event? *How long have they even been in our sport?
Ok, you got me, as your really gotta be ****in me................. 711.

Tom,

No one says we "have" to change it, but many of us would like for it
to be explored. For you the current systems works fine, for others
the weeks, miles and cost required to race in our respective classes
is a limiting factor in participation. As JJ said the question is how
do we get participation in contests to a level to make them
sustainable. Providing a good site and great competition makes a site
more attractive to pilots. Providing the incentive of national level
points makes it even more attractive.

Contests have evolved in the US over the last forty years, so saying
"it has always been that way, why change it?" is not a valid
argument. Forty years ago we had one class, today we have at least
seven.

I think having contests in each half of the country has the potential
to increase numbers and racing skills for the entire country. We
won't know until we have a good discussion about it. So far I have
not seen a real discussion on the topic. I have been approached and e-
mailed by many people that are interested in a change. While the one
survey is not a large representation, it is a start to say there is
interest in the idea.

We already combine classes at contests so why would it be so hard to
imagine contests in the east and west that allows the top 20 to 30
seeded pilots in each class to participate and earn national team
points. We would likely be able to get 60 to 65 planes to make a
contest worthwhile. If we consider reducing the contest to 7 days we
will likely find more sites willing to host the contest and more
pilots willing to participate.

I am not set on any particular set of charges, but I would like to see
the number of participants and the level of competition improved in
the US. I don't think using Sports class in alternating years is a
good substitute for flying in Std, 15m or 18M classes.

I am glad that BB has been willing to start thinking about the idea as
a representative of the SRA Rules committee and look forward to a
thoughtful discussion that tries to look at the advantages and
disadvantage of the possibilities as well as addressing the concerns
about how a National Champion is selected (or if we need a national
champion). The current system is not very good for team selection.
It is based only on finish postion in a single class. Look at any of
the classes and team selection is based on only a few that are willing
to travel.

http://soaringweb.org/US_TEAM

In 15M only John Seaborn has flown in the last 3 contests out of 98
pilots on the list.

Many of the pilots that have talked to me have been around the sport a
long time. My first contest was about 1989 and my first nationals was
1992 if I remember correctly. It is easy to get in a game of who has
been here longer, etc, but the real question is what is best for the
sport long term.

Tim
TT