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Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

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alexrider
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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby alexrider » Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:15 pm

Toby wrote:ISAF should have fought for two more medals to stop this. Kitesurfing should be in the Olympics as well, they should have honored the hard work of everyone involved....
You are right Toby. Lots of redundant classes in Olympic sailing. Chopping two at least to make place for kiteboarding would have been the "sport" attitude in the best interest of all, and would have allowed the ultimate judges, the spectators attendance, to have their say.

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby davesails7 » Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:59 am

I've come up with a new solution I think everyone will like. Ditch the RSX, and instead run a combined class, formula kite and formula windsurf race together on one course for 3 medals. One windsurfer and one kiteboarder allowed from each country. That's something everyone would want to watch :thumb:

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby coleman » Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:08 am

davesails7 wrote:I've come up with a new solution I think everyone will like. Ditch the RSX, and instead run a combined class, formula kite and formula windsurf race together on one course for 3 medals. One windsurfer and one kiteboarder allowed from each country. That's something everyone would want to watch :thumb:
great idea, but i think all the windsurfers would just complain about how dangerous it would be. pussies

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby knyfe » Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:40 am

honestly who the F cares. If it would be Olympic kite looping or so, well that would be a different point - but racing is really lame.

Its the retirement option for old pros nothing else. I already am looking forward to see Len10 starting to race ;-)

G

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby windsurfer-resurrection » Tue Nov 13, 2012 4:26 am

knyfe wrote:honestly who the F cares. If it would be Olympic kite looping or so, well that would be a different point - but racing is really lame.

Its the retirement option for old pros nothing else. I already am looking forward to see Len10 starting to race ;-)

G
Y a s f o s ! :nono:

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby salsaaddict » Tue Nov 13, 2012 5:01 am

knyfe wrote:...If it would be Olympic kite looping or so, well that would be a different point
... at least kite racing works in 8-10mph. The racers seem to like like it so let them have fun.

Probably somebody should organize a kite race series during or just before/after the olympics near Rio and kite racing will get the attention it deserves.

Also, if modern media technology were used kite racing would be a more interesting to watch, at least for those that are remotely interested. Add some some GoPro cameras and use something like live line technology (see image below, currently used in the Americas Cup Series) and it's a much improved experience on TV.

http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/ ... 436252.php

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... 9w2X26yCWF
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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:33 am

xgames? - that is a disney corporation company, same problems - priority is advertising revenue, very little rider focus

Anyone is free to do just whatever they want in the form of organizing events themselves, you cannot beat events run by grassroots kiteboarders. Most importantly for an event to happen riders actually need to show up and enjoy it.

No olympic kiteboarding/ISAF means:

No compromise of wind speeds max or min (as isaf - max 25 knot average for kiteboard racing)

Compete in the legendary spots with reliable wind like Maui Perth New Caledonia Tarifa - ones likely to be above 25 knots average, but more importantly to overcome the single most useless waste of life - waiting on beach for wind at places with bad wind stats for the comp dates due to $$ (ask those competitors on ASP a few years ago if they had fun..) or worse still waiting for it to drop!

No kooks without grassroots kiteboarding experience commenting on something they know little about to the press/media, sometimes causing non factual information to misinform the public in a bad way for kiteboarders.

A focus away from just formula/box rule and maybe more towards slalom, twintip/surfboard racing. I don't think a simple one design is a bad idea for youth at least at some point, remains to be seen if they can resist pull of watching their friends to waves and freestyle though.. Box rule is now, but now the riders will have more influence- and maybe other will now be inspired to start some other classes to suit different kinds of riders from different locations, just doing their own thing how they like it, kind of like the foil racing frenchies i guess..cooool

The competitors / actual grassroots kiters choosing suitable event location/ formats, not sailing clubs/sailors, suitable launching/landing areas event management specific to kiteboarding, rules, safety management using real local and worldwide experience, conducting kite rescues knowing what they are doing, not making things potentially far worse.

People making decisions for kiteboarders that know very little or nothing about kiteboarding.

ISAF mention the classes "freestyle" and "wave riding" to the 2013 sailing rule book - what is that about then..

And on the whole to keep kiteboarding low on politics and with minimal bureaucracy , which has always been part of it's attraction.

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby Thieu » Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:01 am

longwhitecloud wrote: A focus away from just formula/box rule and maybe more towards slalom, twintip/surfboard racing
(...)
There is many types of kiteboarding, and nobody forbid to enjoy any of these.

But i think kiteboarding IS ALSO a true variant of sailing; and this variant is NOT gymnastics; nor surfing waves; nor even wakeboarding.

The guys in San Francisco did a great job by setting up a type of board made to go truly upwind (forget twintip) , and doing well on a 'traditional' racing track. And thus, most importantly, add tactics to the game; just as there is tactics in sailing race.

Everybody should learn how to position on a start line, go upwind, set a strategy depending on weather conditions and other people around you, use priority rules, tack on a shift, etc. When you learn the basics, it become a real fun strategy game, adding brain - and not only speed (and gear efficiency) - to the game. And for that, it needs the best upwind abilities (close hauled).

From what I heard, the main argument from bureaucrats against kite in the Olympics was safety: we should stop to advertise kiting (i.e. making video shots) as only a "jump discipline".

I think IKA should have set up a one design board (the one that has the best VMG, maybe similar to the Mike Z one) and let the box rule for kites (depending on kiter's weight & wind conditions).
It would have convinced people who said that "kiting is not ready", "goes in all directions" or "not mature enough".
Last edited by Thieu on Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby Tiago1973 » Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:49 am

longwhitecloud wrote: No olympic kiteboarding/ISAF means:
kiteboard is out of the olympics, not out of ISAF.....

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Re: Kite Racing is out of Olympics! Windsurfing is back in

Postby longwhitecloud » Tue Nov 13, 2012 7:57 am

Nearly all fatalities have had nothing to do with freestyle, racing or waveriding. But the fact remains that everyone goes though the learning process during both lessons and for a while afterwards while still a learner/starter without a teacher - all of the above kinds of riders too.

Coming from sailing does give you good extra knowledge to get going just like a paraglider would have, but the reality is that the uplift of a kite (the wings ability to fly the pilot) whether intended or not has been responsible for the vast majority of deaths, and this makes kiteboarding vastly different from sailing. When i see a sailing boat flying up a beach, into a fence, and landing in a field downwind while launching maybe I will change my mind on this. They for sure share tactical technique though, kiteboarding just deserves respect to be it's own sport in order to protect it's rider at minimum. I think some people forget they are dealing with being attached to a flying wing sometimes when I see some of the messes at the beach sometimes!

yep njoi whatever u are into, but take it from an experienced kiteboarder, despite advancements in kite safety - distance will be your friend, just when u least expect it.


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