I fully agree with the comments and conclusions. Thermalling low (especially in significant wind) is enormously risky. Anyone who says it is not is part of the problem. It is far more risky if you are subconsciously incentivized to resist landing out via competition. I have saved in a contest once from 225 ft. My first time flying away from Ionia actually. Completely stupid.

Thermalling low is like being above 26,000 ft. on Mt. Everest. "The death zone" as they call it in the mountain climbing world. In gliding, you know once you get down below 1000 ft. AGL that you are putting yourself into considerable danger. Below 600 that danger is now extreme, especially when windy. Every time you do this you are accepting a much higher likelihood that a mistake will result in a crunch. There is little chance of spin recovery here.

After Tim's Ionia accident & Derrick Mackie's (Canada) accident I realized that I was very capable of making the same mistakes they did. I knew Tim and knew Derrick very, very well. I was very, very nervous about the sport for awhile. I eventually set a limit of 750 AGL. Below that level I will land, period. I have been very disciplined about it so far. This has resulted in many more landouts than before but a feeling of inner peace after I am on the ground (safe and controlled manner) in that I have respected my limit and mitigated the risk.

I also have a wind limit that I consider in regards to launching. For example, one day at Sports Class Nationals in Parowon there were winds of 25-35+ basically coming almost right down the runway. Large mountains run alongside the airport. Gusts were huge! Porta potties blew over and downwind at the end of the runway and crews being forced with hold the gliders down. Wings were shaking, etc. Dust was limiting visibility, etc. The idea of launching was debated. Eventually, I simply pulled my glider to the side and waited until the grid was gone and went back to the trailer. 2 or 3 others did the same including some highly experienced contest pilots. During the "debate" phase, the soaring "players" were upset that a previous high wind day had been "called" for safety although a pilot later took a launch and was able to get up into the higher altitudes where conditions were solid.. He flew the task and the players were upset that a day had been lost. This next day, the one where I pulled off, the winds were actually stronger than the cancelled day... Great pressure was put on the CD to go... Something else to think about perhaps. I found this whole subjective process to be highly questionable in terms of making the decision to fly.

Sean