My basic thought....winning a nationals/regionals/worlds basically gets you a "pat on the back" and acclaim within a small community......what is that worth versus loss of the pilot to friends or family?
So....maybe your ego gets stroked.....but nothing really more.....thus.....what is your life worth in Soaring?

I basically fly such that I can fly tomorrow.....last day "maybe doing something stupid that breaks the gilder....hurts me" is borderline acceptable....I have yet to be in that position....have yet to break a glider....

Not like winning a worlds is worth millions of US dollars....or any other dollars/Euros, etc......