Handicapping

We have an internal competition designed to promote cross-country
flying and increase the level in the club. The scoring is kept as
simple as possible to make it understandable even by newly certified
pilots. We use glider coefficient. We allow two waypoints between
start and end. The handicapp based on bonus (free kilometers are
offered to those pilots who have not succeeded yet to achieved one the
following milestones: 50km, 300km, 500km) has been dropped two years
ago because the bonus could be excessively generous in years with poor
weather, and unsufficient in hot years.

In 2007, we reverted to the following system: those pilots who have
not achieved 300km in the preceding season can count their 8 best
flight in the current season; 5 best flights for those who didn't get
their 500k; and 3 best flights for the best pilots in the club. With
this system, it may prove difficult for a very good pilot to compete
with 3 flights (and a high glider coefficient) against a fairly good
pilots who can score 5 flights. This scoring tends to advantage pilots
who are in a progression phase just before they pass the 500k mark.

In 2008, we hesitate between keeping last year's scoring not to
confuse the participants and inventing a new handicap system that is
more fair, i.e. offering a levelled playground.

Any experience out there at club level (simplicity and user-
friendliness are essential)?

Pascal

Groupe Genevois de Vol à Voile - Montricher, Switzerland
www.gliding.ch

The current rules in French:
http://www.planeur.ch/customs/conline/conline_index.php