I’m looking for advice for what class to fly in.

My background:
17 years RC car racing – got pretty good and won a few national level (in Canada) races
18 months flying RC airplanes
I have about 1,200 flights under my belt
Last year I practiced Sportsman but didn’t get a chance to compete

I have been flying gassers 30% and up for 1 year; this summer I am flying a 35% Panzl and a GP 1/3 Matt Chapman Cap.

I am totally addicted to RC airplanes – and scale aerobatics in particular. I want to fly IMAC to get a chance to meet some great flyers, get some tips, watch some great flying and improve my flying. There is no IMAC within 1,000 km of where I live; no one competes and there are not a lot of people to get tips from. I am a sport flyer but once a year I will travel somewhere to complete – at least until circumstances allow me to compete more. I am flying to the Canadian Nationals in July and that’s probably the only IMAC event I’ll go to this year due to work, family etc.

I have been practicing the 07 Intermediate and I also have flow the Sportsman a bit. I’m stuck in the simulator until April. I can fly rollers inside, outside and in both directions but only for about 2 rolls. I struggle on some of the 45 deg up lines getting the lines at the right angle and sometimes over-using the rudder and flying off line.

I wanted to fly Sportsman but the fellow I have helping me (an old time Pattern flyer who is coming with me to the Nats to help and call for me) told me I should fly in the highest class I can because a. It’s better to come last in a higher class than first in a lower and b. he says I have the skills to fly whatever class I want (he is wrong on that IMO.)

I think I should fly Sportsman – just wondering what others think. I have read all the stuff on mini-iac and it seems pretty clear that the consensus is too many people move up too fast. Has anyone ever been successful starting in Intermediate?