I have attended many competitions over the years in Australia and have learned much from Australian pilots, meet organizers and meet directors. I have attempted over the years to take these lessons to America to help improve the running of US competitions, and fortunately I have found quite a bit of success in these cross fertilization efforts.

Sometimes though I find areas of the Australian competition system as detailed in their competition manual and in actual practice to be at odds with the reality of the situation. For example, this year (and the last two) I have found the NSW State Titles to be a high level and challenging competition with good international pilot attendance (thereby increasing its level of competition). But according to the HGFA Competition calendar it isn't even graded (in the HGFA system) and doesn't have CIVL Category 2 Sanctioning. This does not seem to correctly rate the actual competition, as least when it comes to the high quality of competition found at the meet.

I believe that the NSW State Titles is graded as a B level competition but that is unclear as the HGFA Competition Calendar doesn't give a grade for the competition.

This year the NSW had eight straight days of first class flying. The Bogong Cup, which is given a AAA rating, had three days. It is hard for me to square the ratings with the outcome. Perhaps the HGFA competition committee doesn't know the value of the meet before the meet happens and perhaps shouldn't give it a rating before the meet happens.

With good international attendance at the NSW State Titles, the least that they could do is encourage the meet organizer to get CIVL Category 2 sanctioning. I mean 200 meets around the world  each year do this.

The NSW State Titles is well attended and I believe should warrant some better placement with the HGFA (I would get rid of the whole grading system) to encourage more high level Australian competition pilots to attend (and dethrone Jonny :-)). I understand that there is one personal issue re. one pilot, but I say that we can't let one personal issue stand in the way of the greater benefit of the sport (especially as there is fault on both sides).

I love the Gulgong Classic but why is it rated AA when the NSW State Titles gets nothing or a B? Again three days of flying at the Gulgong Classic in November 2008.