FAI, soaring and Olympic Games

Hows this for a format.

84 gliders release a set distance and height from the venue all at the same
time.
They final glide to the finish line which is on the boundary fence. Extra
bonus points for using ground effect for the last three kilometres. Tall
trees and power lines for added skill test.
They can either land straight through or pull up for a dodgy circuit, then
attempt to land next to their trailers which are lined up down one side of
the runway with tops up and fuse dollys in place. Trailers are spaced six
meters apart. Their 3 man/women crews then have to clear them off the runway
or if the pilot is skillfull enough he boots on some rudder and tries to
park on the fuse dolly. Extra points for this. Then as pilot extracts
himself the crew set to work derigging the glider and storing in the
trailer. The winner is the one whos trailer top is down the fastest from the
release time and has the least penaltys. Penaltys are for hitting other
crews while landing and groundlooping.

Good crowd appeal. Everything happens within sight of the stands. Don't need
soarable weather so could be a winter games event as well. ( Ice lake would
really turn up the excitment ) Team event as well as individual. It is the
best part of the whole contest thing as far as spectator appeal goes.

I saw this once at the German nationals and its very entertaining.






"Liam Finley" wrote in message
om...
I see the problem now. We are too obsessed with the 'flying' aspect
of the sport, where the real potential is in the assembling and
disassembling aspect of the sport.

Assembling and disassembling gliders is physically strenuous, and is
fascinating for spectators who are amazed that an airplane can be fit
in such a small trailer. It can be done in any weather and location.
And it can be a team effort.