Jim! We have been here before :-) !! It IS a "Yes" / "No" ; on the surface of it, considering your disclaimer, equal skill-different bods (i.e. age+-fitness) you appear to have an argument.
OTOH, IF you had made the trip to The World's IHLGF of late and particularly 2001 you would have seen two virtually identical "Hitchcock" profiles, well aged :-) & fitness !? (the inspiration for DHL), on the field competing, Dick "Turning HLG Around" Barker and Jerry Kraineck, who would win Eagle Class and place 7th over all; the last year they allowed any Eagles to stay in the running in the flyoffs! Wonder why :-) !!??
Well, if you want to fly with the Eagles you have to stay with the Eagles--I wish they would raise the bar, raise the age :-) !! It is getting tougher every time I show up !! Over the last years of the IHLGF a number of the RCHLG pioneers have been showing up and most are flying in the Open Class and all are in the challenge over their flying skills and restored launch capability :-) --with at least the top FORTY (out of 80+) at the IHLGF it is all about knowing your bird/s reading the air and flying skill !! Launch height is NOT the issue !!
Joe simply said, "XC, and F3K, are the most pure soaring events that we have today." and in light of the plethora of information provided by the perennial debate here over contests how can you disagree with that :-) !! Seems "most" is the better disclaimer here :-) !! I would say F3K, period, but I will give Joe the benefit of the doubt as he is intense about both, I am a retard as a pilot and have never flown cross country. No debate about it!!
Now for the gainsayers, Jim and I are and will remain best of friends (I am one Hobie Hawk indebted to him)--and this thread will NEVER, NEVER die :-) !! Come out and time for me, Jim, I am planning on being at IHLGF 2003 for the FUN--and to hold up the Eagle Class, but I do have the first year Eagle Plaque (don't I Ron :-) !!).
http://www.kcat.zaq.ne.jp/skypilot/ (dated)
SKY PILOT'S HANGAR--RCHLG-DHL AFICIONADO
