Perhaps we should not have this "achievement" idea as the poor buggers that have to deal with it arent all than keen. Note also i am not angling for more recognition. The opposite actually. it irks me to think as a single entry in a division, i am guranteed a a 1st place, no matter what. i think that cheapens the award and makes it shallow. I would say the same thing if I were the most experienced modeller here.....
other options might be where there are less than three entries, in a given division, those entrants are automatically bumped up to the next category for that competition. a beginner for that competition is judged as an intermediate, an intermediate with only two entrants would become advanced.....this doesnt add to the workload of the judge, and doesnt automatically disqulify the beginner, though his life is immediately made harder, because like it or not, he is competing in a division above his nominated level. The judges simly need to tally up the entries in each division before they begin their judging processes. if a division has less than three entries, those entrants are immedialtey judged in the next division above their nominated level... I cant see how that could possibly make life harder for the judges. it can make life harder for the entrants, but I would prefer that to having an automatic win all the time.
As the dominant beginner, and the sole entrant in that division for 2 of the last 3 builds, i would prefer that to being given an award in which I was the sole entry. I dont see how suggesting jumping up to a higher level voluntarily is a good thing....lets face it, im still in possession of a beginners experience and skill set. i admit to have considered volunteering to cross to the Intermediate level myself, but we still retain an unreolved problem even if i do that. There are only a few beginners, and we have a system not really suited to that situation. Even if i leave the division, i am sure there will be others that folow me and they will get the same results as i would. I dont think we should scrap the beginner entry, but neither do i think we should automatically give an award just because there is just one entry. This is a competition, and even though its in the best of friendly help and friendship its still a competition. We should not cheapen those wins by making them automatic.