Soaring Association of Canada – Decentralized Soaring Contest (SAC-DSC) Competition Rules

1 General Rules

1.1 Purpose

The SAC-DSC promotes cross-country soaring and supports the development of competitive pilots within Canadian soaring clubs. Along with the WeGlide Free contest, it determines the recipients of SAC's Canadair, BAIC, and 200 Trophies.

1.2 Organizer

The contest is organized by the Soaring Association of Canada (SAC).

1.3 Competition Period

The scoring period runs from October 1 to September 30. Only flights conducted within this timeframe are eligible. The SAC-DSC is a decentralized competition.

1.4 Clubs and Participants

Any SAC member club may participate. Eligible pilots must hold current membership in SAC or a participating club. Pilots may submit flights for up to two clubs in a season. Pilots are considered Juniors if their 25th birthday falls within the competition year or if they are younger.

1.5 Rules

Pilots are responsible for compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing glider flight.

The FAI Sporting Code for Gliding applies unless superseded by SAC-DSC regulations. Distance calculations use the WGS84 ellipsoid model (Vincenty's formulae). Only flights launched in Canada are eligible. All flights must be submitted via the WeGlide platform.

1.6 Registration

A pilot's first submitted flight counts as their registration. By submitting a flight, the pilot accepts the SAC-DSC rules and agrees to the collection and publication of flight data in accordance with WeGlide's privacy policy.

1.7 Violations

Clubs or pilots who attempt to gain an unfair advantage through false statements or misconduct may be disqualified. Intentional violations result in a 5‑year ban with the offender's name published. Repeat violations may result in a 10‑year ban. SAC may impose further sanctions.

1.8 Protests

Protests must be submitted to info@weglide.org within 48 hours of scoring. A decision will be made promptly, and no later than October 10 following the scoring period.

1.9 Awards Tracking and Ceremony

Official standings for the Canadair, BAIC, and 200 Trophies will be tracked live on a leaderboard on the SAC website, using flight data supplied by WeGlide.

Winners of the SAC-DSC and recipients of the Canadair, BAIC, and 200 Trophies will be announced and recognized at the SAC Annual General Meeting.

2 Scoring Categories

Pilots may submit any number of flights. Each flight must be assigned to one club. Flights are scored according to the DMSt handicap list and classes. Gliders with a handicap of 106 or lower may also be scored in the Club Class.

Club Class aircraft may be flown with variable ballast in accordance with the flight and operating manual. If a participant has submitted flights in aircraft from different classes, they will be scored in each of those respective classes or categories.

Flights in two-seat gliders may also count for the Women's or Junior rankings if the co-pilot qualifies, or if flown solo. All flights are scored using the official DMSt handicaps.

2.1 Class Distance Scoring

Winners are determined in the following classes:

• Open
• 18-Meter
• 15-Meter
• Standard
• Club
• Two-Seater

The winner in each class is the pilot with the highest combined score from their best five flights.

2.2 Overall Rankings

A cumulative Distance Ranking List is created from each pilot's five best flights across all classes.

2.2.1 Women's Ranking

The top female pilot is determined by her five best flights.

2.2.2 Junior Ranking

The top Junior pilot is determined by their five best flights.

2.3 Team Distance Scoring

Three pilots from the same club form a team, each contributing their highest-scoring flight. Multiple teams per club are allowed. The winning team is the one with the highest combined score.

3 Flight Documentation and Submission

Flights must be documented using either an IGC-approved GNSS flight recorder or a WeGlide-approved position recorder.

For cross-country tasks, declarations may be made online at weglide.org or directly in a GNSS flight recorder. In the case of GNSS recorders, the last valid declaration (C-record) applies. If an online declaration has been made, it takes precedence over any declaration in a GNSS or position recorder. An online declaration is only valid if it is completed before takeoff, and no further online declarations may be entered after takeoff until the flight is submitted.

All IGC files must contain a valid digital signature (G-record) and must be capable of being validated using standardized procedures. The participant is responsible for proper certification.

A flight will only be scored if it is flown entirely without engine assistance from departure to finish, and if a continuous altitude record from takeoff to landing can be demonstrated. If engine support is used at any point, the flight will only be scored up to the last position that can be verified as having been reached without engine power.

The recording interval between fixes must not exceed four seconds. In the event of technical issues, recording gaps of up to one hundred and eighty seconds are tolerated.

Flights must be submitted online to WeGlide no later than 12:00 noon local time on the second day following the landing.

4 Scored Flights and Procedures

A flight must score at least 50 points to be ranked.

4.1 Distance Scoring

Flights may include up to three turnpoints (four for quadrilaterals, nine or twelve for multi-lap tasks). The altitude difference between start and finish may not exceed 1000 m.

4.1.1 Declared Tasks

Declared tasks must list all waypoints (start, turnpoints, finish) in sequence before takeoff. For closed courses, start and finish must be identical. Different declarations in multiple recorders are prohibited and count as intentional violations.

4.1.2 Free Flights

Undeclared ("free") flights (and failed declared flights) are scored using the best recorded coordinates. They may include up to three turnpoints (four legs). A flight is considered closed if start and finish are within 1 km. The system automatically scores the best shape+bonus or the best 4 legs detected in the track. If a shape+bonus is highest, any extra legs that are not part of the shape are discarded.

4.1.3 Verification of Points

Turnpoints: Valid if the glider enters the 90° sector (per Sporting Code) around the turning point.

Start/Finish: Valid if the glider exits/enters a 1km radius cylinder around the point.

4.1.4 Point Calculation

Score = (Distance + Declaration Bonus + One Shape Bonus) ÷ (Handicap ÷ 100)

4.1.5 Bonus Rules

Bonuses are applied only to the base distance score and are not multiplicative with each other. The following bonuses may apply. Only one shape bonus is applied per flight, plus a declaration bonus:

4.1.5.1 Declared Tasks

+30% if the declared course is successfully completed and documented. If a higher undeclared score is detected within the flight track, that score will be used.

4.1.5.2 Triangle Flights

+40% if the shortest leg is at least 28% of the total distance; or, for triangles of 500 km or more, the shortest leg is at least 25% and the longest leg is no more than 45% of the total distance.

4.1.5.3 Quadrilateral Flights

+40% if the quadrilateral (a closed 4-sided figure, flown along the perimeter) could be subdivided into two FAI triangles that share a common leg, and each triangle meets the requirements of 4.1.5.2. The start point can be between two corners of the quadrilateral.

The quadrilateral bonus only applies to declared flights.

4.1.5.4 Out-and-Return Flights

+30% if the start and finish points are the same and the course includes one turnpoint.

4.1.5.5 Straight-Line Distance Flights

+30% for flights from a start point to a different finish point.

4.1.5.6 Multiple Circuits

+20% for repeated circuits of triangular (4.1.5.2) or quadrilateral (4.1.5.3) tasks.

• A maximum of three circuits is permitted.
• The triangle or quadrilateral bonus is not applied in addition to this bonus.
• The number of circuits must be declared in advance by listing the complete sequence of turnpoints (see 4.1.1).
• Free (undeclared) multiple circuits are not permitted.

5 Motor Gliders

Motor gliders must carry an approved engine sensor as specified in the FAI Sporting Code, Section 3.

6 Error Codes

Flight validation follows the WeGlide error codes.