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What about kiting in the olympics?

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby Wind Runner » Thu Dec 07, 2017 6:41 pm

Excellent commentary edt... I totally get it! I was still windsurfing when the IOC/ISAF replaced it with kiteboarding, and then switched back again (or something like that). Yes, the windsurfing competition probably hurts the sport more than helps it. Why would anyone want to windsurf after watching THAT?

Anyhow, what is meant by "tube" kite... a normal LEI?

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby edt » Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:00 pm

I believe the junior rules actually says "tube kite" (maybe inflatable kite) so it can be a C kite like a Fuel if you feel like doing races with a C kite, not just a bridled inflatable kite. If we get to the olympics we won't have this sort of relaxed rule it will be one design, one kite, one board, just like windsurfing. I think they don't use one design for juniors only because it would be too expensive. Olympic kitesurfing will look something like this:

Image

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby Toby » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:14 pm

Funny one edt 👍

Tube = LEI

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby Mossy 757 » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:38 pm

Markus Schwendtner and Mirco Babini are the guys behind the IKA right now. They report to World Sailing (formerly ISAF) who then reports to the IOC.

They're also the ones behind the Formula Kite series and the KiteFoil Gold Cup. The difference between those two series is that one offers unrestricted prototype equipment (Gold Cup) and the other requires manufacturers to register their gear and have a certain amount of serial numbers available for purchase by the general public. How well they've engineered and enforced their standards is up to debate, but what they're doing is leaving a development class in play (as well as the Hydrofoil Pro Tour which is not affiliated with the IKA but is also an open-equipment race series) as well as develop a series where competitors can equalize the playing field by buying the most competitive, standardized gear, not some magic one-off custom built foil that no-one else could ever hope to buy. The fact that they've listed Mikes Lab hydrofoils as "production equipment" for the sake of the Formula Kite series is highly suspicious since he's (as far as I know) not selling foils to strangers and has zero e-commerce presence anywhere on the internet. Enata gear was used during this series as well, despite only recently making their equipment available for retail sale. We could complain about this online all day but it is what it is...the gear continues to change and they haven't yet figured out how to reflect that in the rules correctly.

The goal, though, is to have a way for the gear to progress within a World Sailing governed federation but also provide a management structure for a production-gear class that could be pushed forward as the format for the Olympics.

Again, not claiming that any of this is a genius idea or will be the eventual way this shit gets implemented, but having followed this very closely for the last few years, it looks like the most serious attempts at Tokyo 2020 are going to be based around a hydroil/foil kite course-race format.

Unless that boardercross steeple chase bullshit they're doing for the YOG takes off and becomes the predominant form of competitive kiteboarding, but good fucking luck with that!

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby edt » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:43 pm

tks mossy for the inside information. it would be amazing if we could have a high tech extremely fast kiteboard race in 2020

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby PinkNorthPride » Thu Dec 07, 2017 9:12 pm

There was a sticker like this once for snowboarding it went.. Snowboarding is not a discipline of ski-ing.

We should already be printing the stickers because we've already been sold out.

Kitesurfing is not a discipline of Sailing

which sadly it already is thanks to that unfortunate bunch of speed kiters wanting their speed records ratified and so we were sucked in (IKA?)never ever join it.

I tell you now, it is bad news for us at worse and at best it'll mean a bunch more gravy trainers and coaches and nutritionists earning a few bob hot housing a tiny minority, for the rest of the grass roots.. if you're lucky.. more expensive equipment (board manufacturers will have to pay for homologation runs to World Sailing (the new corrupt governing body formerly ISAF)and so will any kite company,) this cost of course will be passed on to you the consumer but you'll be able to watch and sailing gets to hang on in there a little longer as an Olympic discipline.

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby bjw » Thu Dec 07, 2017 11:12 pm

Seriously who wants to promote the sport? Keep it a small community. Less crew = friendly crew

We don't need to grow the sport. Let's just enjoy the moment we have, before it becomes surfing.

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby ChickenD!ken » Fri Dec 08, 2017 12:34 am

I know I’m now ‘that political guy’ on this thread, but I genuinely do not understand the infatuation with Olympic competition. It is not “the cool kids table” it is the establishment’s table and that means (as has already been pointed out by several others) you either play by their deeply flawed and arcane rule set or forget it. Edt is totally correct when he says it will not be what we think/hope it will be. Olympic competition is (or has become) a pathetic show where we count a bunch of medals and countries then get to play soft power politics with it. It is the emperor with no clothes and will continue to degrade, I believe.

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby gilana » Fri Dec 08, 2017 12:51 am

Thanks to all posters! Some excellent points made.

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Re: What about kiting in the olympics?

Postby longwhitecloud » Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:17 am

Potential gravy train is exactly what it is.

Invent a discipline of kiteboarding that didn't previously exist for Olympic advertising revenue potential. Advertise around the world for youth to compete with no previous experience.. because no one has any and there are still so few youth involved in kiting years later.

Right now you have world canoeing claiming sup for Olympic inclusion, they have done nothing for suping ever... But sniffing $$$$$

Same last time around, surfing,paragliding, sailing, kitesports and kiteboarding associations were claiming to be the rightful country Olympic authority of kiteboarding around the world... Gravy train...

$$ brings out the leeches. They do not have kiteboarding best interests at heart.. most importantly kiteboarding is not a sailing discipline... Sailing vessels simply don't fly, that is what a kite does. Lets you fly.

Funny thing is many pro surfers and skateboarders didn't want their sport in the Olympics, it was the IOC that wanted it because the Olympics has become so irrelevent to many young people, corrupt ( payoffs for hosting potential, mass drug cheating) and purely $ based.

In most countries if you don't stand to medal you won't get a full time wage to train from your government, but if you do someone will get a nice job being a well paid coach also.. like someone said it's just nothing...


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