Sorry, in some cases it is not the kids taking it on higher levels...

And there are master championships in many sports, why not let them have their fun?
They should have fun too.

Stupid comments as always! And none of those can do anything beyond average!
Read above about jealousy!!! You might get it!!!

This is also the best forum for kiting and I think Toby deserves a lot of credit for establishing it.

Most people that see kiteboarding for the 1st, 2nd, even twenty times, cannot differentiate between a freestyler, airstyler, or whichever. Do you think a common person can distinguish between an Sbend and a hooked in front loop? The truth is that to the untrained eye, and some trained ones as well, Toby would generate more excitement at the beach than a pro wakestyler learning a new trick. (At least at the beaches here in PR).

The fact that we (kiters) are now olympians?!?! on NYT?!?! does validate the sport. Not looking for personal validation, just need some kite launching spots, legitimate kite gear manufacturers, vendors, repair shopts, web forums... I need some of this stuff!!!

Regarding Airstyle.. awsome!

If windsurfing never made it to the main stream, imagine what can happen to kiteboarding! This is a sport that is already banned in certain beaches!!!!

I applaud Airstyle... Toby, just don't go touching any hardcore wakstylers with your pointed toes!

"the beuty in this sport is being able to do everything"

i believe in this statement completely.

so for all the poeple out there calling out the haters, why don't you care that Toby does nothing but Airstyle, nothing, does not even have a single digit kite. you worship and constantly egg on a guy who wiped out bad once with a small kite and instead of picking himself up and learning he decided to regress and create what ever airstyle is.

maybe the haters are the people out there doing it all and getting nauseated when we see people recognizing Toby as the face of kiteboarding.

Haha, nobody "doing it all" would ever be a hater. It takes a lot of strength to manage to "do it all" and strong people do not hate other people's success. Hate is the hallmark of insecurity.
Haters and achievers, two totally different worlds...

Good point, Ned!

Guys like Jesse Richman and Alvaro Onieva are doing it all and very respectful to all disciplines.

Although I love airstyle I do respect all disciplines and I am happy that there are so many...something for everyone and now plus one

Wow, this subject has disintegrated into a worthless mess in record time!

I think its a pretty even contest between (a) hurling abuse and (b) calling people haters and jealous, in terms of zero value added.

I think there are also two very distinct things.

Whatever Toby likes to do, wherever he likes to do it, is all good. Power to him for breaking from the norm and following his passion, making videos and everything else. I don't think anybody is casting aspersions on any of that.

The other distinct topic is the merits or not of promoting airstyle as the new contest format, and putting it into the public eye. People are entitled to their views on this, because it directly affects the perception of the sport we all love. And I must admit that I found it cringeworthy and embarrassing to watch. Not helped by the guy wearing a mask.

But Toby - the fact is that you are the de facto ambassador of this new discipline. So rather than calling people jealous or haters (which really is the wrong approach if you are trying to promote this discipline), you have an obligation to explain it to people - get people excited - tell us where you see this going and developing to.

I myself don't get it, at all. Its not full throttle mega loops (or is it?) Its not just punting the biggest possible airs. We aready have comps for that.

Is it more than just the maximim number of rotations, board offs and so on in one jump? Where does it go from here?

Thats your job Toby, you're the man at the helm, whether you intended to be or not. So get people excited and thinking about where you want this to go from here.

It would be a Really "Sad" world , if everyone was FORCED to Like
the same thing !!

Yes --stefaans--
there are people in the world that are into stuff you don't enjoy.

Last week there were about 100 pilots from around the world at a PG & HG fly-in
at CSS ; we all jumped off a 3,500ft vertical mountain, then got fed
and drunk afterward.

If every kite-boarder in Ca. were into Hang gliding or Para gliding , there
would have bin hundreds more pilots at the fly-in last weekend ; and it would-a bin
way to crowded to fly.
So -- i'm Glad the kite-boarders aren't into flying !!

Every time i slid down the side of a mountain on snow-skies, i think this is
the Greatest sport ever invented ...
THEN
i go Kite-boarding, and think, "Damn -- can a Human have More Fun than this" ? ?
THEN
Like last week ; i find myself at 7,000ft above sea-level on a HG, and realize that MY life
would Suck if i couldn't have ALL the sports i'm into. I ain't gonna Hate dancers just
because i can't do that any-more with the fake legs, ((but i use to enjoy that as well)) !!!

SO --stefaans-- just because Your not into something, doesn't mean others aren't allowed
to enjoy what They do .


Bille

IDK, I, like most, ride for pleasure not recognition. To anyone who feels critical views of airstyle are fueled by ego, they might want to acknowledge the elephant in the room!

@Toby.... Thinking that anyone other than the next generation is really behind progression in any sport is exactly what I mean by not getting it. You clearly feel that you are a driving force of progression in your field and have given the world 500 reasons why. Go ahead and start a tour. If you can get the cash to draw competitors and viewers into a global airstyle romp. More power to you. Maybe do basic legitimacy a favor and wait until you've run a season before you crown a world champ! You'll soon find the youth if they so chose can airstyle circles around you. Once definitively established they will take it in their own direction. I thought thats what happened in the changing of the guard from Vari, Kotch, Shinn, James, Tybursky, Tobias et al. to the Hadlow, Lenten generation of PKRA back in 2004 and is now happening again with the influx of boots among the youth on the PKRA.

Love or hate the current PKRA format and style, it inevitably evolves and follows a direction of progression. It has already gone through the boardoff phase in 2002-2003. I don't have any more praise for endless handle pass heats than I do for boardoffs. In fact I don't think there is a single form of competition in this great sport that I actually find interesting to watch except maybe a few heats of speed runs. That gets tired quick and I'm soon looking for the wipeout reel. All the great media clips and riding that I identify with and aspire to is freeriding, be it in boots, waves, skim, big air, whatever. I can understand racing. It has a clear objective. I have not a shred of desire to pursue it, but can respect those that do. Airstyle... Not so much. I mean, I get it. That was the kind of stuff that initially blew your mind. Flash goin all big and coming down all style.... but its been done and passed on. Promoting it now 8 years later with your own personal flavor as a legitimate form of competition, world champs and all, is kind of the biggest ego trip in the sport! Real sorry if I sound like a hater, but thems the facts. I guess your just the direction for my no wind rant. I'd far rather be out pursuing whatever style it is that I'm obviously no better than average at.

If it is just me I wouldn't need all that bullshit that comes with this...I am standing up for those who daily give me feedback. And for those only. I don't need to pursade anyone to go airstylin', it's just something for those who like it. Anyone is free to choose what they want, and for sure I don't want to change PKRA. They should do what they and their riders want to do, that is one part of the sport and good for it.

Pretty simple if you ask me. And anyone can develop their own style so don't talk bad about what I do, since I just follow my passion. So should everyone.

And I am very positive that there will be an Airstyle tour in 2013 with few stops, where riders will have a lot of fun, do a great show and together push that style to higher levels with tricks we didn't see yet.
But do you really think all this is happening for me? Wow, thx, I am impressed ! But sorry, the truth is, that there are more people sharing the same vision and finally get it going.