I am entering my fourth season of Soaring. I was a student for most
of my first season. I learned a ton about cross-country flying (and
actually started doing it) in my second season (buying a DG-300 part-
way through the season). In my third season I flew at 1 Regional,
helped out at a National Championship, and flew in a small 3-day
contest for newbies. This year I'll be flying at 2 Regionals _and_ a
3-day contest!

I have one BIG problem with contests: Their name. People hear the
word "Contest" and they start thinking that its this high-stakes cut-
throat NASCAR-like atmosphere (and the legends surrounding great
contest pilots do nothing to reduce this impression). I've had many
glider-guiders tell me that they like cross-country flying but don't
want to risk their aircraft and don't want to engage in stiff
competition against their fellow pilots.

That impression of Contests is totally wrong - at least on a Regional
level! Contests are much more akin to a weeklong cross-country camp
where you live and breathe soaring. The big difference is that you're
given very specific goals every day, you can't just go fly to whatever
corner of the sky looks nicest. You learn a TON when you fly in a
contest, you meet really interesting people, and I've never had
trouble getting good advice and support from my fellow pilots.

I think if people considered basic contest-flying as a challenging
"Cross Country Workshop", it would be far less intimidating and far
more appealing.

--Noel