On Thursday, January 9, 2014 12:17:57 PM UTC-6, John Carlyle wrote:
I didn't comment since the GP start is described as "optional". I don't know, but I would suppose its proposed use would be mentioned prior to the contest, or at least in the first pilot's meeting. That way someone like myself could either avoid going to the contest where a GP start was contemplated, or lobby for a long time between gate open and last start time so I could do a normal, un-congested start.



It is definitely "optional." It's an experiment for sure and no requirement for anyone to call it.

It's also something that the CD can call on some days and not others. It might be fun to have a "grand prix day" thrown in with the task mix in regular regionals. In a grand prix focused contest, it might be a very good idea not to call grand prix on marginal days, and call regular TAT or MAT on such days

The last start option allows a lot of additional flexibility beyond traditional grand prix starts. For example, the CD might use a short (15 min) gate open interval to get more head to head but without all gliders tightly packed together. Or use a longer gate open interval (1+ hours) simply to make sure everyone gets out on course in time to get home and head off start gate roulette on days where it appears likely to happen, without really doing any sort of "grand prix"

John Cochrane