I guess the argument would go something like this...

In an AAT (assigned area task) or especially the MAT (modified assigned task), that "point" to which you are "racing to" can (IS) be literally any turn point of choice for each competitor (especially in the case of a one turn MAT, post that turn). Each glider at that point has the freedom to do whatever it wants in terms of turn points in the time allotted. You're not racing the same track as your fellow competitors, you're basically gambling on which routing will be better and the cost of "luck" in those decisions is profound. (Yes...I fully understand that there is skill involved with selecting the best routing and weather ;-).)

In this particular task, if you look at the traces, 2 (or 3) major routes were taken by the various pilots which led them down entirely different ridges and to significantly different turn points. If the ridge had "shut down" for either of these "packs" there day would have been done from a competitive standpoint. They might have, for example, been forced to land out while the others found better conditions and fly their task easily. It just seems odd to some to have a race which attempts to objectively score two gliders that have flown entirely different routes.

The argument would continue by saying that if everyone is flying on the same track (AT or assigned task), pilot skill is more the difference (less luck with weather guessing and random area's of strong lift or weak lift making or breaking individual pilots). But if that pack on the same track is forced into a poor weather situation they all land out!

The reality of this day was that we had a fun regional contest with varying pilot skill (contest beginners to lords of the sky). Not an uncommon scenario. The weather forecast was promising but uncertain. Calling a MAT task was fairly logical (we have had several in Ionia over the years). An AAT backup task was ready to go as well. I will admit I was fairly concerned about the temptation to follow the big boys into conditions that were difficult, etc. At the end the MAT tasking allowed the top pilots to stretch their legs and left the less experience pilots vast options. It was great to be flying a task in October! Everyone had a blast. But overall I still would prefer to fly AT's whenever possible!

BTW - The CD at this contest, Eric Mann, was exceptional to be frank. Highly impressive.