Not neccesarily. The airfoil choice plays into this as well, since (*dramatic generalization warning*) a thinner airfoil won't usually tolerate heavier loadings as well as a thicker one will.

For example, the S3021 from the Jantar is a slower, higher-lift airfoil than the 7000-series airfoil from the Swift.

Neither of these models is going to thermal as well as a purpose-designed sport model with the same span. While Etienne at Icare is a good guy to deal with, his product advertisements are sometimes a little misleading (ie the demon-possessed 3.2m DG-600).

Scale models only really come into their element in thermal mode when they hit 4m or so. The smaller ones are usually better candidates for slope soaring only.