Postby Starsky » Thu Jan 30, 2014 2:42 pm
In efforts to contribute to the topic and let you know that this or any of my comments are not one style vs another.
Spoiler allert: I'm not a wakestyle rider!!!
That clip kinda shows that competition in general is the lamest way to showcase this sport regardless of the discipline. You never get the best waves in a heat, you never have the best wind or water condition at a comp, and everything ends up looking forced, rushed, and practically epileptic. The quality of tricks in that vid was pretty low, and other than height, everyones local hero actually looked like he had the best moves by a mile, minus maybe the pointy toes and he didn't make the podium!
Comps are crap and its pretty arguable weather or not they actually push progression at all. If you want to promote any style, go out and do what Toby does and film it in its propper habitat. Get to the lagoons, film a thousand tricks, and then edit out all the crap, cause poking one foot forward and then back quicker than a jackrabbit just looks stupid to everyone but maybe ironically a judge.
So sticking with the topic, I think if you wanna make your favorite riding style apeal to, well, anyone. Dont handicap it with competitions. Loosen the crieteria and format and your likely to get a better end product. If you really want to take the lead in an area sorely lacking, drop the heats format, find a way not to compromise on conditions and come up with a better format. The whole of kiteboarding will benefit. If it really is a show, then let it be one and forget scoring it like its something its not. There are no world champions in dance or ballet. Trying to take your discipline and score it will make it as political as diving or figure skating, and the airstyle community is much smaller so it would be so much worse. Free yourselves to fly and leave competition to the racers.
Just one multy discipline kiteboarders opinion.
P.S. dissent is not the same as hate