The only GIJCC set I don't have is last years, mostly because it was the new style. And considering the club has gone back to o-ring (for at least this year), I can assume that the new style in 2009 failed for GIJCC, regardless if they re-hashed an old convention concept.
Even though they are not perfect, I have no problem with the new style. However, I find it hard to justify playing that much coin for new style figures when other deco versions of the exact figures were sold recently at retail stores for a fraction of the cost. If I am going to pony up that much coin, I might as well get something considered to be rare nowadays in the hobby, which is o-ring figures.