Here are the most current rules for the Summer Soaring Series.

Year
1998	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score
1999	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score
2000	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score
2001	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score
2002	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score
2003	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score
2004	Flight Stories	Longest Flights	Overall Score

Need the series entry forms? 

Summer Soaring Series

Rules 2006

The purpose of the Summer Soaring Series (SSS) is to promote cross-country soaring for members of all abilities and to select a club champion. A handsome trophy is awarded to the winning pilot of each division.  

Rules 

The competition will run from 1 April to 30 October (It’s an endless summer in Colorado) unless extended by the competition committee. 

All SSB members are eligible to compete.   

Pilots will compete in one of three divisions depending on the SSA badges they hold at the start of the series. 

Pilots may opt to compete in a higher division when they submit their first flight. The organizer reserves the right to place an entrant in any division. This may be appealed to the competition committee. 

Flights in multi place ships will score points for both pilots provided both pilots are in the same division. If the pilots are in different divisions the pilot in the lower division will have their score reduced by 75%.   

Gliders will be handicapped based on the Sports Class CH handicaps that were in effect on April 1.  

GPS/Data Logger tracks must be used to document turnpoints.

Any undeclared turnpoint must be at least 10 statute miles from the previous turnpoint.

Turnpoints are considered completed if the pilot enters the FAI turnpoint photo sector (a 90º zone past the turnpoint) or they may use a racing turn (1.0 sm circles).   

Either the take-off or landing must be completed in the state of Colorado unless the flight is made at an SSB camp.   

Turnpoints fall into two categories: 

• Undeclared - Where the pilot photographs/logs turnpoints of his or her choice that were not pre-declared.

• Declared - Where the pilot pre-declares a set of turnpoints in order or using the Three Turnpoint Rule. Pilots competing in the gold division may only pre-declare a maximum of 3 turnpoints. The start and finish points do not count as turnpoints.
  
  The Three Turnpoint Rule.  You declare up to three unordered turnpoints. You may use each turnpoint once or not at all. The distance is measured from the tow release point to the first turnpoint visited and from there to the second turnpoint visited, etc, and finally back to the airport. After returning to the start point you may then add undeclared miles, if conditions permit.  You must declare you are making a 3 turnpoint task prior to the flight. As most loggers do not electronically allow you to specify you are making a 3 turnpoint declaration, a verbal declaration of your intentions to an SSB member is allowed. The name of this member should accompany your flight claim.

Any declaration must be witnessed. The declaration can be in any form including verbal if made to another SSB member. The declaration must be made before take off and the last declaration made will be the one that is used. On flight completion the observer should certify that any turnpoints claimed were completed using the GPS documentation. If you are claiming undeclared turnpoints the documentation must be reviewed and witnessed by a SSB member.  

Subject to the limits on the number of turnpoints you can complete in your division on each flight, the contest organizer may attach  goldfish icons to your flight if he arbitrarily deems your turnpoints to be too close.

After completing a predeclared task a pilot may then complete additional undeclared miles that will be scored at 1 point/sm.  

Pilots will be awarded bonus points for completing SSA badge legs of the level Silver C or greater. 

Flights must be submitted within two weeks of their completion unless the competition committee agree there were exceptional circumstances.

Scoring  

Points will be awarded for each statute mile flown as follows:  

The best three flights of the season will accumulate towards the pilot’s total points.  

Example: A pilot flying a SGS 134 (Handicap 1.31) declares a triangle flight of 150 statute miles. She completes two turnpoints but lands five miles short of the finish point. She would score as follows:  

            Points = Distance x Points per Mile x Glider Handicap  

            189.95  = 145 x 1 x 1.31  

If in the process the pilot completed the Silver C duration she would score an extra 25 points for a total of 214.95 points.  

If the pilot completed the task she would score as follows:  

            614.5 = 150 x 3 x 1.31 + 25 

If she completed the task and then an additional undeclared out and return of 40 miles she would score  

            666.9 = 614.5 + (40 * 1 * 1.31) 

 Example, Three Turnpoint Rule:  

On Saturday a pilot, also flying an SGS 1-34 (handicap 1.31), declares three unordered turnpoints: Carter Lake N. Dam, Twin Sisters N. Peak, and the Kossler Lake Dam. He releases at Gold Hill, turns only Kossler Lake and lands back at the Boulder Airport. The straight-line distance from his release point to Kossler lake Dam and then to the Boulder Airport is 13.9 sm, so he gets:  

            Points = 13.9 sm x 2 pts/sm x 1.31 = 36 points  

On Sunday, conditions are stronger and he declares the same three turnpoints. He again releases at Gold Hill, but this time he turns Twin Sisters first, then Kossler Lake, and then Carter Dam, finally landing at the Boulder Airport. The straight-line distances from his release point to Twin Sisters, Kossler Lake, Carter Lake Dam and the Boulder Airport add up to 88.0 sm, so this time he gets:  

            Points = 88.0 x 2 pts/sm x 1.31 = 231 points 

 2000 Sailplane Handicaps  

 Full list available at http://www.ssa.org/contests/ContestHandicaps.asp 

Documentation

 Flights should be documented and claimed by e-mailing or snail mailing details of the flight to Webmaster. (Remove anti spam feature). Please supply accurate distances and a brief description of any turnpoints or goals and indicate if the turnpoints or flight were predeclared. A brief description of the flight is also required. 

 Disputes  

A committee of Phil Ecklund, Webmaster and John Seaborn will adjudicate any disputes. The decision of the committee will be final.  All scores will be considered final four weeks after publication.

  CJB 

Entries should be e-mailed to Colin Barry.

Colin prefers email entries. 

Rules Ver 1/07

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