Postby jumptheshark » Thu Jul 19, 2018 1:52 pm
Kiting would benefit from a slope style format instead of a competition box format.
Eliminating the upwind component in competition makes sense, for the riders, the spectators and the judges. Would also move us away from only including a few high scoring tricks, to a more well rounded form of riding. Far more media friendly to follow a rider through a course than to try and catch whoever is doing whatever in a heat full of however many. Would eliminate loads of lame footage of riders grinding upwind, or setting up for something only to abort. A course puts a finite pressure on people to put the moves in at the right spots. you would catch every tick and every spectacular wipe out.
Scoring format can be loosened up. Instead of this idiotic three types of required jumps, you set up regions of a course that lend themselves to certain types of moves and let the sport evolve and sort itself out rather than dictate what people must do. A decent course would foster a lot more inter competitor stoke with a lot more one up manship within rounds. Hooked, unhooked, pass, board off, whatever. Let riders choose, express and evolve, rather than box them into styles that might not be to their liking. Give them the canvas and let them paint it without telling them what colors they can and cannot use.
Areas of flats, kickers, Gaps/Island, or obstacles to foster big airs, with spectator friendly shallows for slides and the type of low level stuff we never see in competition but that are so unique to kiting. Scoring to include an aspect of overall impression and flow through the entire course would reward all round skill and promote fitting in as many elements as possible during a run.
Simple short downwind runs with the competitors being ferried back upwind would keep the pace high for spectators and give competitors multiple runs to best accommodate variable winds.