https://ozreport.com/22.222

Earlier I asked:

Sport Class pilots, have you asked
CIVL
to allow us to run the 2020
Big Spring Sport Class Nationals as the 1st 
FAI
Pan-American Sport Class Championship?  We will be running the 1st
FAI Class 1
Pan-American Championships at that time (along with 2020
Big Spring Nationals).

Goran dimiskovski <<dimiskovskigoran>>;

Jamie Shelden <<naughtylawyer>>;

Mitch Shipley <<elektratow>> ;

Stef-CIVL <<stefmalbos>>;

Eduardo Fonseca from Colombia wrote to Stephane Malbos:

With this note I want to express my desire for the 2020 Big Spring
Sport Class Nationals to be recognized as the 1st FAI Pan-American Sport Class
Championship.

As a hang glider pilot entering the competition world in the Sport class, I do
appreciate the effort that Mr. Straub and Ms. Boulter have put into preparing
great competitions in USA for 2019 and 2020, and having the 1st FAI Pan-American
Sport Class Championship here in the USA (and here in Texas) will strengthen the
outreach of this sport on this side of the planet.

Additionally, I am beginning to coordinate increased participation of pilots
from Colombia (my country) to come to Big Spring. Making it the FAI championship
will most likely increase pilot participation.

Stephane Malbos, the CIVL President, wrote back:

I believe that a pan-American and World the same year and just a
few months apart is not a good idea. It favours local pilots and rich pilots too
much. We’ve never done it, it bends the FAI rules a bit too much to my liking.
Why not organise one in 2021?

Eduardo Fonseca's response:

Thank you for your reply.

I have analyzed some data from the FAI website, and I have the following details
to share and discuss:

· I used the comps that currently count towards pilot ranking in the sport class

· You will notice that comps are located mostly in Europe and America. Some in
Australia and very few in Asia. See map
here

· For 2018 and 2017 the number of comps in Europe was larger than the number of
comps America

· The participation of pilots tends to be larger in America, with Mexico comps
having the largest number of pilots (~30+) while the largest in Europe has 10
pilots (Monte Cucco International Trophy 2018 Class Sport)

Can you direct me to where the FAI rules state the limitations of the comps?

I believe the fact that for the past two years most comps having been in Europe,
as you stated, favors European pilots more than American pilots. Thus, having
the 2020 Pan-American Sport Class Championship in Big Spring would serve at
least two purposes:

· Balance the number of comps between Europe and America

· Potentially have a larger number of pilots, thus promoting the sport to a
larger audience.

In the end, all I want is for the pilots in my category (Sport Class) to have a
great event where we can all learn and continue growing the sport.

Let me know if you would like to discuss further.

Stephane Malbos, the CIVL President, wrote back:

General Section of the Sporting Code states…

4. 4.5 FREQUENCY AND LOCATION OF EVENTS: each ASC shall determine the frequency
and location of its events in accordance with the following principles:

4. 4.4.1 World and Continental Championships should be held approximately every
two years in any discipline or class in accordance with the provisions of the
Specialised Sections of the Sporting Code.

4. 4.4.2 As far as possible World and Continental Championships should not be
held in the same calendar year

I think that a Pan-American is a great idea in all disciplines and especially in
Sport, as you underline. But why the same year as the World ? I see only
disadvantage. Do it in 2021 and get into the rhythm: World in 2022, Sport in
2023, and on and on…

Sport Class at the highest level (Cat 1) is still to be built. The criterion of
selection of pilot is crucial. They were very different in Annecy 2014 World
from what is planned in Big Spring. Tasks are still the same but maybe we should
think outside the box and see what we get (maybe nothing, XC still being the
favourite game). Big Spring 2020 can help us define better rules, to be used in
2021 and further… Step by step long-term development.

I wrote back to all:

1. The rule that Stef cites allows for us to do exactly what we
want to do, which is run the 1st FAI Sport Class Pan-Americans in 2020 at Big
Spring.

2. The point being that the focus on Texas and the Americas represents a
particular reason to have this competition in 2020 without consideration of the
2020 Worlds in Florida. CIVL still has not fully realized what it means to the
American countries to have this Pan-American Sport Class Championship.

3. These meets are extremely expensive to run. We have budgeted $19,000 for CIVL
personnel in Big Spring in 2020 (hopefully it won’t be that much). Running the
Sport Class along with Class 1 in 2020 means that we don’t have to incur that
expense twice. Frankly, we would not do it again.

4. The Worlds in April of 2020 allows us to refine any rules.

5. We certainly understand Stef’s point. I believe that we rarely have these
opportunities. Obviously, there hasn’t been a Pan-American Hang Gliding
Championship at all. Period. We are taking the risk of making it happen. This
helps us make sure that it is successful. Everyone wants meet organizers to be
successful.

We ask CIVL to go with what the pilots want.

Stef responds:

I will take your proposal of a Sport Pan-American to the Bureau.

As soon as you call a competition other than ‘championship’, you can do what you
want. PanAm Cup is fine with me. But if it is a ‘championship', it is a Cat 1,
the rule applies, and Bureau will have to agree that ‘as far as possible’ the
championship could not be held another year

I write back:

Thanks.

We all appreciate your flexibility and thoughtfulness. We know that you are
trying to do the right thing by the pilots.

Stef will contact the American NAC's to see how they feel about
this.