Why all this olympic kitesurf negativity ?

JS · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2012 9:57 pm

Chicken Loop wrote:

Does this mean that US Sailing is going to get there sticky fingers on our sport?

No. Go ahead and continue kitebarding as you wish. Chaperones will not show up to tell you what to do.

Folks, the sky is not falling. The fact that kiteboarding will be included in the Olympics will have approximately zero percent impact on most of us. If not for forums like this, most of us wouldn't even know.

Olympic exposure will help promote kiteboarding, but only with an incremental effect. How many people play beach volleyball because of its Olympic status? Or sailing, for that matter? Some, but not many.

Some find kiteboarding's Olympic inclusion a source of interest and pride, which is great. If that doesn't include you, that's fine too. Keep enjoying whatever you enjoy.

I expect the biggest direct result, for most of us, of the Olympic kiteboarding endorsement will be an effective argument against kiteboarding bans. It can help inform local authorities that kiteboarding is a serious sport, involving serious people with serious aspirations.

Cheers,
James

skyte · **Posted:** Sun May 13, 2012 1:49 pm

Peter_Frank wrote:

Kitesurfing is on its way to maybe get an Olympic race discipline - but why is everyone in here so negative about it ?

I dont get it !

Yes, it might not be what most of us do, I agree - but I find it faschinating if it comes true

And will be a real eyeopener for other sailing sports, about our extreme performance, not only in pure speed as the world record holder, but also pure race performance :rollgrin:

But I have only seen sour grapes comments on this forum ?

Maybe from those who havent got the strength and stamina and skills to ride a fullsized board ?

I dont know - just wondering why ?

Of course it might end like windsurfing did - and that could be what everybody remembers - with a class so specialized that noone except a few Olympic contestants do that

Or is it simply a very egocentric view like "I dont compete and I dont do that, so I dont want that" ?

Why put it away even before it has started - as it could also go the other way, and be just as fascinating as kiteracing is these days, and be an awesome exponent for part of the kitesurfing sport :thumb:

Really noone who thinks it could be great ?

Peter

I think most kitesurfers would support kitesurfing getting into the olympics (or at least not be too concerned either way since for many kitesurfers it is not about competition, just enjoying the sport) but it seems really stupid that it should replace windsurfing. There seems to be no logic behind that decision and apparently it was a mistake on the part of ISAF.

wdric · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 1:13 pm

I not sure why all these people are worried about overcrowding because of the sports inclusion in the Olympics

Although a twin tip can be ridden in the waves and a surfboard can be ridden on flat water I am yet to see a race board getting in the way of either of these other two disciplines. A race board is designed to be ridden in open water around a coarse that might be 2 to 5km long and not close to the shore.
About the only thing you will notice is kites being used in places they never used to be before while on your way to your local flat or wave spot :thumb:

I dont know of anyone that took up snowboarding because it was introduced into the Olympics!

Mr_Weetabix · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 5:02 am

wdric wrote:

I not sure why all these people are worried about overcrowding because of the sports inclusion in the Olympics

Quite. If this really was an issue, our biggest problem would be our launches getting jammed up with synchronized swimmers... they've been included in the Olympics for years.

Get some perspective, people. The only people who are interested in this are kiters. While a few more people may hear about the sport, and it may get a little more legitimacy in the eyes of your local beach cops, kiting is going to stay expensive, weather/location dependent and potentially dangerous, and those factors will continue to limit the number of noobs.

Tiago1973 · **Joined:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:58 pm **Posts:** 323

in the meantime wind-surf view as bellow (olympic gold medalist)

sorry for the wall of text but guess there are some interesting points:
1) kite is not really ready, in Rio the top of the table will be domain by former RSX w-surfers
2) the open box rule will lead to super high-tec, expensive gear - thos who want to be on top will need to have the money.

"
Kite racing in the 2016 Olympics? - Bruce Kendal

Some say the RSX was not a good Olympic Windsurfing board & had to go.
Many say both Kite & RSX should be in the Olympics.
Many are also saying Kite should be in the Olympics but not at the expense of Windsurfing.
Most, including the Kiting community are surprised to win the vote for Kite racing to be at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Some of the Kite surfing community have no interest in the new Olympic status & will continue to do freestyle & kite surf the waves.
The kite racing community, kite & board manufactures and NMA’s are scrambling to get organised to get up to speed ASAP.
Face book chat has been lively & often passionate.
There has been a lot of misinformation, ignorance and learning about both Kite racing & windsurfing from those trawling through the FB chats.
Many of the windsurfing community feel like a good friend has died or been murdered, some see it as a chance to revitalise one design windsurf racing for the 2020 Olympics.
The FB petition to reinstate RSX to Olympic status for the 2016 Olympics was started on Sunday 6th May and has been collecting 3 people per minute for a week.

What is all the fuss about?

Kite racing is very cutting edge, but represents only a very small fraction of the Kite surfing population.
Kite surfing has a record of being more dangerous than windsurfing & sailing classes, although the Kite racing community claim the dangerous aspect of kite surfing is not a problem in their sport.
The kite racing proposed for the Olympic Games is a similar format to windsurf racing.
Kite racing equipment is likely to be a “box rule” with sailors registering 3 kites & one board for a regatta.
A box rule is close to an open class, often without budget restrictions.
There will be complications of equipment choices and safety issues due to weather condition changes.
Kite launching & landing & may often need to be made with help from support boats.

Windsurf racing at the Olympic games has always been one design which has been encouraged by ISAF & sailed in a similar format to yacht races.

One design sailing classes like all the other Olympic sailing classes, Bic Techno 295 & the RSX attract the most serious sail racing people as they are more sure that their competitors don’t have too much of an equipment or check book advantage. The skills of the sailor are the dominating factor for the result.

The Bic Techno 295 one-design class has been the feeder class for the RSX & currently has more entries at its world championships than the Optimist World Championships.
The Bic Techno 295 is a very well organised global one-design class & should remain so if the RSX goes. Olympic Windsurf racing on the RSX is not the only end of the road for the Bic Techno sailors. They learn water skills for many sports including wave sailing in surf, freestyle tricks & will be well placed if windsurfing gets back in for 2016 or 2020. It is also a safe way to learn racing skills for kites.

Before the RSX, the Olympic windsurfing class was the Mistral One design. Men, women & youth sailed the same equipment & it was the least expensive, most sea worthy & one of the fastest of all the Olympic sailing classes. More than 10 years of careful development had improved tolerances & durability without changing the performance or cost of the equipment. There was a good supply around the planet & a good resale market. It had become the laser of the windsurfing world. But some windsurfers were not happy with IMCO being the Olympic class as they thought Olympic windsurfers should be going faster.

Mike Gebhart was very influential in the change from the Mistral One Design to the RSX & the RSX design concept.
The RSX equipment has drawn criticism due to significantly increased costs compared to the IMCO, it is heavier than most would like & the equipment is not as reliable as some would like.
During ISAF run evaluation process for choosing which equipment for the 2008 Olympics, the RSX was chosen at a racing hull weight of 14 kilos. The RSX racing hull weight in the class rules is over 18 kilos.
This is heavier than the first Olympic windsurfing board the Windglider.
In less than 5 knots, the Windglider with its’ 6.5 meter squared sail & the RSX’s 9.8 square meter sail is faster.
In plaining conditions the RSX will be the fastest Olympic sailing class in 2012.
The higher speeds and the more reliance on the performance of the fin meant that small differences in shape, produced a significant difference in performance & so many have had to go through a number of fins & mast & sail combinations to get to a more level playing field.
The RSX class has become the second largest Olympic sailing class to the laser & has biggest wind range for the 2012 Olympics.
The RSX sailors are the fittest sailing athletes ever, with incredible power to body weigh ratios. True Olympic athletes.
The over-whelming majority of the RSX sailors & coaches support the RSX class to be the 2016 Olympic Equipment.

Now Mike Gebhart is joined by other ex Olympic Windsurfers with the kite racing community and “bang for your buck” is leading us to the "cutting edge of sailing." Kite racing is likely to be the most dynamic sailing sport in the Olympics.
It could also be the most expensive Olympic sailing class.

Kite surf racing leaders are currently strongly recommending that kite racing equipment remains a box rule. There dose not appear to be any cost restricting rules on equipment apart from the number of kites & boards one may register for an event.

The best kite racing fin is triple the price of an RSX fin. Then imagine [money no object] super thin & light fully non-stretch kite lines, super light boards you can throw away after a regatta, different boards for different conditions [according to the forecast for the week], super light kites with money no object fabric, possibly a solid inflatable wing kite.
The guys riding with gear like this will love it - as it would be a huge advantage, but not everyone will be able to buy it.

The majority of the MNA’s voted for the RSX.
Those NMA's that voted for kite because they didn't have a sailor in the top 25, but thought they would have a better chance with kite, may be disappointed, unless they are very well organised & funded.

Apart from Mr. Predleri from Italy, the Executive Members votes & the woman’s vote appear they may be voting only for their own nations self interests, as their countries do not have strong medal chances in the RSX at the 2012 Olympics. This could be construed to mean that they are not voting for the good of the sport or the majority of sailors & developing nations around the world who's best interests they should be protecting. Especially considering the likely expense of the Kite equipment needed to get near the top sailors & the financial cost of the investment lost in RSX equipment all over the world.

One could conclude the Executive committee think it is ok if kite racing will be just a few sailors [who can afford the best gear]. If it attracts TV, the financial loss and ruined dreams for the thousands of kids, parents, professional sailors, coaches, NMA’s & Neil Pryde is a sad but necessary cost for the battle to keep sailing in the Olympics.

What about including both RSX & Kite racing at the Olympic Games?
The IOC will not allow extra athelets for the Yachting event & ISAF do not want to reduce the numbers in the other classes to make room for an extra event as this may reduce the number of nations in the sailing event & weaken the sports marketability.

Regardless of the executive committee vote, the lack of promotion made by the RSX class & the powerful promotion the Kite racing team made, the voting was very close between the two sports.
If Spain had not made the alleged mistake and voted RSX instead of Kite as they said in their public apology, the RSX would currently be the Olympic equipment for 2016.

The kite racing sailors for the 2016 Olympics will come from kite racing, windsurfing & other sailing classes. It will be interesting to see which athletes come out on top.
My bet is the ex RSX sailors will dominate kite racing in the 2016 Olympics.

There is no question in my mind that Kite racing will step up a number of levels in performance by the time they get to 2016 & will be a pin up event for sailing.

The performance of the Kite racers in some wind conditions may rival the Americas Cup 45’s. I doubt will match the AC 72 foot versions around a course in most conditions. How ever, with all the amazing speeds, even the Americas Cup has struggled to sell TV rights. Many AC teams have had to drop out after the format shifted from one design to a box rule as the expense of the design & build of larger boats was too high.
One of the main reasons the Americas Cup could not sell TV rights was because they could not guarantee they could start on time due to light or strong winds.

While Kite Racers may boast of high performance in light & strong winds & that they don’t have to pump, the RSX can race efficiently & fairly in 1 to well over 30 knots. [As long as there are not large unpredictable wind direction changes.]

Pumping races are still visually interesting to watch.
Many will argue this is not enjoyable – and for most this is correct, but there are those who enjoy the physical challenge – just as triathalletes or rowers do. Walking races or the tour de France up hill sections are still good TV viewing for the various techniques, tactics & close up shots of the pain & effort & the relief & joy on the faces of the winners. Some thing many relate to.

On the 5thof May Kite surf racing replaced windsurfing for the 2016 Olympics.

The Windsurfing community dates back to before 1975 and are trying every avenue possible to be reinstated for 2016 Olympic games.
If they can get a 75% majority vote over kite racing in the ISAF November meeting, the RSX would be reinstated for the 2016 Olympics.
If the RSX class is not reinstated for the 2016 Olympics, the windsurfing community will be trying for 2020 Olympic Games status.

In November we will be certain if we will see Kite racing or RSX at the 2016 Olympics. Either way, it will be a great show. "

Why all this olympic kitesurf negativity ?

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