Ah, I so remember the days doing winch launches in Blanik L13.....with my left hand holding the flaps at half setting - there was no detent......and nowhere near the cable release at all which was in the middle of the instrument panel.
Used to get exciting if you got a cable break.
Also can remember 'kiting' on the winch. Probably banned by now by some misery guts.
In strong wind days the winch driver could stop the winch drum rotation mid way up and the glider would still kite up the launch.
If the winch driver (& the winch) could do it they could actually let the drum run slowly in reverse by paying out under braking control, hence paying OUT the cable while the glider was still on the cable maintaining altitude, then apply a bit of forward power rotation to power the glider further up in altitude - then start the process again.
Got some amazing altitude launches that way......my record was something like 2700ft.