Is this the future of our sport?

On Nov 11, 10:28*pm, "Sean F (F2)" wrote:
It should be but almost certainly will not be within the SSA.

IMO, Grand Prix glider racing is the only "true" test of competition glider pilots. *It is a pure race. *No compromise or luck involved. *Everyone flies thru the same air at the same time essentially. *No conditions improving or declining. *No picking the best time to connect the clouds ahead, etc. *No excuses. *Very much like one design sailboat racing. *In other words, A REAL RACE.

The typical US task consists of an assigned area task (aka AAT or OLC task) and the "start whenever you want" concept. *The good guys ideally start 5-15 min behind the "pack" (they refer to them as markers) with the goal of leeching back up to and thru this pack. *Pretty difficult to describe this as a "race." *More like a hunt. *It is easy to catch gliders ahead generally. *They have to find the lift. *You can fly right to it as they mark it once centered. *It is about as "un-pure" of a "race" as you can get really. *This is actually part luck, part planning and strategy and park skill. *It can only loosely be described as a race. *I think a hunt or a draft is almost a better description.

Grand Prix RACING would be alot more fun that even FAI rules (assigned tasks). *Again, the game with FAI is to start behind your competitors and leech up to them, then stay with them or pass them.

I suspect that Grand Prix would be alot safer as well. *The start would have everyone keenly aware of the proximity of the other gliders (spread laterally over a 3-5 mile start line). *The pilots ability to time themselves into the start line accurately (not to early, or late) at the maximum altitude would separate the pack naturally from the very beginning. *After that it would further string out naturally as the superior pilots pull ahead as they should. *The leaders would have earned the lead and have an opportunity to get ahead, stay ahead and have that lead "ACTUALLY MEAN SOMETHING..." *Large gaggles would be smaller to non-existent as the task progressed.

It would be very exciting to have our "race" result in the first pilot home being the winner. *How much fun would that be? *Maybe a spectator could enjoy (understand) the finish for once? *Maybe spot tracking would matter. * In fact, the "finish" of a glider race (FAI or US) more than often means absolutely nothing. *To me, without the opportunity to finishing first the experience feel less enjoyable. *We are always wondering if we managed the course well, or missed something. *Seeing another glider along the course means very little as to how well you are doing at that point. *In fact, one typically has no idea how one is doing during the AAT task up until the scorer runs his complex software which results in a score (not a time...!). *Racing is typically a time comparison, no? * We don't really have that concept in glider racing. *Its average speed...over widely random distances, paths, etc.

I am sure someone could organize a Grand Prix contest in the US. *Just may not be SSA sanctioned. *I wonder how many might want to try something like this? *Email me if you are smfidlerATgmailDOTcom.

It would be pretty easy to set this up. *And potentially alot of fun. *Handicaps would work fine as well really.

Sean

The Arizona Soaring Association ran GP races a couple of years, but
early in the spring. Even though conditions weren't great yet, the
contests were FUN! SPOT could be watched by spectators, family,
friends at the airport.

Bob