Oh no, not again. My reaction to letters of Bruce Taylor and Jo Davis. I do not understand who is it now that likes to change a good working system for a bad dangerous one. For many years the Australian starting system is simply the best that there is in the World. After having to fly a lot of starting systems that are far worse than the Australian system I am a great advocate of the existing system. Simply because there is no better system. There are a lot of starting systems that were made with the best intentions by people that do not fly many competitions. One of the examples was the Word Champions in Bayreuth Germany. After the fatal accident in the Pre Worlds, the German organisers wanted to show the World the perfect starting system. But it turned out just hopeless: For safety and fairness they also introduced a rule for a maximum height and groundspeed for crossing a very long start line . What happened in reality.: Everybody talks with his team mates to know where the rest of the competitors are. If you get the message that the most gliders started to take the brakes and descend to the start line, the work in the cockpit begins. First you have to find the start line, navigating on your GPS. Then you had to change one of your loggers to see the groundspeed, at the same time you had to keep an aye on your height. And as you cross the start you had to activate at least 2 different loggers( backup loggers) with a mark. And at the same time you have to avoid hitting other gliders that come from all directions and are doing the same. It was scary. I had a few near misses from gliders that were descending a bit faster and came from above and behind me, but of course could not see me. Conclusion: Never change a good working system. I agree 100% with Bruce and Jo not to introduce a system that does not work. If people think somebody has a big advantage in wave if the first leg is into wind they are wrong. See also the World Championship in Benalla, where I got lucky to get in the wave but could see the others started at the same time got a much better groundspeed and we arrived at the about same time at the first turn point. Why make rules that make gliding dangerous? Gerrit Kurstjens 33 Warana Ave Toowoomba 4350 Australia tel. +61 (0)746387850 Fax. +61 (0)746393556 mob.+61 (0)428387850 E-Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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