Some observations on the effect of U.S. glider handicaps on SC Nationals

Some observations on the effects of the current Sports Class handicaps
on Sports Class Nationals results. I looked at the final results for
the SC Nats from 1997 to 2006 (all the ones available on the SSA site)

1997: 37 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
VentusC (2)
VentusB (1)
Mosquito (1)
ASW-20 (1)
Discus A (1)
LS-6C (2)
Pik-20 (1) 8th
LS-4 (1) 10th

Highest placing Club Class: 8th

1998: 45 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
ASW-27 (2)
ASW-24 (1)
ASH-25 (1)
ASW-20 (1)
Discus A (2)
VentusB (1)
Genesis (1)
LS-8 (1)

Highest placing Club Class: 23rd (Erik Mann, LS-4)


1999: 30 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
ASW-27 (3)
ASW-24 (1)
ASH-25 (1)
Discus (1)
VentusCB (1)
Ventus2B (1)
Nimbus4 (1)
LS-6 (1)

Highest placing Club Class: 13th (Erik Mann, LS-4)


2000 (Ephrata, Wa): 26 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
LS-8 (2)
LS-6 (1)
ASW-24 (1)
Mosquito (1)
DiscusA (1)
VentusB,C (3)
Ventus2A (1)

Highest placing Club Class: None


2001 (Montague, Ca): 23 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
LS-8 (2)
LS-6 (1)
ASW-24 (1)
HP-18 (1)
Ka6E (1)
VentusA,B,C (3)
Ventus2A (1)

Highest placing Club Class: 7th (Scott Gradwell, Ka6E)


2002 (Lubbock, Tx): 44 entrants.*
Top ten gliders:
LS-3 (1)
Libelle (1)
ASW-20 (2)
Mosquito (1)
Discus2B (1)
VentusA,B (2)
SZF24 Foka (1)
Mosquito (1)

Highest placing Club Class: 1st (Dave Stevenson, SZF24 Foka)


2003 (Elmira, NY): 44 entrants.**
Top ten gliders:
LS-3 (1)
Libelle (1)
ASW-27 (1)
ASW-24 (1)
DiscusA (2)
Discus2A,2B (2)
Ventus2A,B,C (2)

Highest placing Club Class: 1st (Tim McAllister, Libelle)


2004 (Ionia, Mi): 28 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
LS-8 (1)
ASW-28 (1)
ASW-27 (1)
ASW-24 (1)
ASW-20 (1)
Ka6E (1)
Nimbus3 (1)
SZD-55 (1)
Ventus2B,C (2)

Highest placing Club Class: 3rd (Dave Stevenson, Ka6E)


2005 (Parowan, Ut): 48 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
LS-6B (1)
LS-3 (1)
Duo Discus (2)
ASW-27B (3)
Ventus2B,C (2)
Discus2A (1)

Highest placing Club Class: 6th (Manfred Franke, LS-3)


2006 (Mifflin, Pa): 49 entrants.
Top ten gliders:
LS-8 (2)
Nimbus3 (1)
Duo Discus (1)
ASW-27 (2)
ASW-20 (1)
SZD-55 (1)
Ventus2B,C (1)
Discus2A (1)

Highest placing Club Class: 34th (Tim Welles, Std Cirrus)


So, in the last 10 SC Nats, there have been exactly two contests in
which a 'Club Class' ship has won the SC Nats.

In 2002 at Lubbock, Tx, Dale Stevenson won in a SZF24 Foka. That year,
there were very few top line ships entered because the Std & 15m Nats
dates were very close to the SC Nats so they had to choose one or the
other. The 18m Nats coincided with the SC Nats, so they had to choose
as well. Consequently, this one time in the last 10 years, we actually
had a SC Nats attended mostly by SC pilots and SC ships.

In 2003 at Elmira, Tim McAllister won in his Libelle. Again with
apologies in advance to Tim who flew a great meet, I point out that the
average daily score of the winner was less than 500 points, meaning
that on average, each day was severely devalued due to the number of
landouts and less-than-min-distance flights. In fact, there were no
1000 point days, and on at least one day, the top score was something
like 250!

From the above, I conclude the following: If you are a Sports Class
pilot with a Club Class ship, your chances for doing well in a SC Nats
depend on two factors. First, if the SC Nats conflict with the 15m,
18m and Std Nats, you might stand a chance. Secondly, if you can
arrange the weather so that at least half the fleet lands out every
day, then you might stand a chance. Otherwise, forget it.

The LS-4, by some estimates the most popular CC ship in the world has
only been in the top ten once (10th place overall), and that was 10
years ago. Manfred Franke, a world-class SC pilot by any measure, has
managed three top 10 placements in 10 years, but has never been a SC
Champion. Two of his three top 10 placements were in 2002 and 2003
(see above).

I'm not making these numbers up, they're right from the SSA site. IMHO
the actual record of the last ten years shows a consistent handicap
bias toward top line glass. I understand that a lot of work and
analysis went into generating the current handicap numbers, and I
appreciate that. However, I think it might be time to revisit these
numbers in the light of actual performance.

Just my $0.02,

Frank (X3)