I know IKO has been discussed many times in this forum. However recently a newbie kiter who started kiting only in 2010 decided to become a kite instructor. Perhaps he felt that paying a couple of thousand dollars to IKO for the kite instructor course was actually going to buy him some credibility? I don't know...
It was hilarious to me when he actually handed out the 'IKO competency cards' or whatever IKO calls it to his newly graduated student and proudly posted his student's photo on his facebook page for having completed IKO level 1 & 2 with a picture of the proud student!
Couple of questions arise here. Firstly I am not aware of anybody ever needing to use the IKO card. If its not used at all, why give it? If it is given to a newly graduating student with the student believing he will need it for some other reason or other then that's fraud.
The bigger question I am asking is how IKO could have possibly accepted a newbie kiter with 1 year of kiting experience into their kite instructor course! I clearly remember myself after 3 years of kiting still refining my riding technique and picking up small pointers here and there from more experienced kiters. After 3 years of kiting and I was still busy learning and gaining experience and I still am today after 7 years of kiting.
Now IKO believes that they can teach a newbie kiter to become an instructor in 1 week! For some back ground, Our kite season is only 2 times a years and lasts for about 2 months. This new instructor has kited for a maximum of three short seasons and can ride upwind competently at best. I have never seen him so much as jump, ride toeside or even do a board grab! I seriously believe that he knows that attempting any such tricks will clearly demonstrate his lack of kite skills.
Just to highlight his incompetence, a few days ago, it was raining and windless. I looked way upwind and saw some clear weather approaching and I also felt some wind and so I decided to go kiting. Another instructor thought I was crazy to launch in 'no wind' but then also decided there was enough wind and off both of us went kiting happily while everybody else was still sitting around.
Our new instructor goes to the edge of the water and decides to go kiting too... However, being a newbie, he can't even estimate the wind, takes a kite that is too small, struggles to stay upwind, drops the kite, struggles to relaunch (how you can't re-launch a Cabrinha SB is beyond me) until about 30 meters from a jetty before deciding that walking back would be a better option.
By now the sun was shining, the wind picking up steadily and about ten other kiters are happily zipping up and down. So back to shore he goes to get his student to continue lessons. Unbelivable but true.