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If the USHPA doesn't really care about fielding teams for the Worlds competition, why do they keep sending approximately $10,000 every year to the NAA/FAI? The only benefit that they get is the ability to send a few "elitists" to the World Championships. And since they (or maybe it is just the Competition Workgroup) don't seem to be all that excited about the National team, why do they keep spending this money?

The USHPA is very reluctant to spend any money for competition, but here is a pot of $10,000 that they could use to support competitions for the ends that they have identified :

The USHPA recognizes the many benefits of hang gliding and paragliding competitions in the United States. These include community and public relations, site retention, marketing our sports, camaraderie among pilots as well as a means to select a US Team to compete internationally.

See, how unimportant the Worlds competition is?  Of course, US hang glider pilots can compete internationally whenever they like, it is just the Worlds that they are talking here.

$10,000/year would go a long way toward supporting competitions. It could train scorekeepers. It could help build a runway in Casa Grande. It could pay for a $5 million event insurance policy at Quest Air (or rent Sheets field for a meet). It could be used in so many ways to help competitions.

Add another $10,000/year from the general fund, and you've got a significant competition support fund, with a very small cost.

I continue to be amazed that the USHPA doesn't grab the money and quit sending it to the NAA if it really wants to use competition locally and nationally to further the goals of the USHPA.