Big kites can jump

[s1buell_wl]

“since this can extend their pro life.” This is something most do not understand.

Last time I was north Brazil I went to the little NE lagon where all the pros go to hide out and practice. It was also three weeks before the PKRA so everyone was there even zoon.

Anyways it was incredible to see everyone with bandages and braces at ave 20-25y old

It was great to kite with these guys talk about inspirational!!!! Yuri kites with so much power!

When they were not doing freestyle they were helping us to progress (they need a break too from doing the same shit over and over) lol

One Pro from Oz taught us how to do a dark-slide-role and double back kite loop. Crazy fun! I can tell you I had a headache after!

When they are doing their own thing it's a totally different style.... Its a combination of everything and its great to watch. Its to bad comps take this away. I prefer to see the guys doing their own thing with no rules. Half the time your left standing there going "What the Fk was that"

cheers

[jens]

Starsky said it plain and simple.


AIRSTYLE exists nowhere but on this forum and in your head.

[Toby]

wait and see.

and why would you care? just sad.

[Kamikuza]

Anyways it was incredible to see everyone with bandages and braces at ave 20-25y old

Our local champ Hironobu is now wearing a knee brace. He finished high school last year

[s1buell_wl]

Starsky said it plain and simple.


AIRSTYLE exists nowhere but on this forum and in your head.

Jens.... I don't care what style anyone does but the more you type the stranger it gets.... Man save what little credibility you have left and stop typing.

I'm no doctor but I think this will fix you up!!!

Go to the corner drug store buy an extra large enema suppository go back home and get the evil out man.

You need it!

[Tiago1973]

When they are doing their own thing it's a totally different style.... Its a combination of everything and its great to watch. Its to bad comps take this away. I prefer to see the guys doing their own thing with no rules. Half the time your left standing there going "What the Fk was that"

That´s the dark side of comps, things get classified, standardized, quantified; complexity and efficiency are rewarded at creativity expense.

No wonder most people find PKRA boring and look for other ridding styles to aspire to.

In my mind Toby´s dream would be better helped if he set-up a collaborative effort of close minded riders, looking for those “What the Fk was that” moments on top of anything else, unrestrained from the constrains of riding to compete; letting things grow organically by capturing the stoke on a iphone and release it on youtube for others inspiration.

Then there is time to fuc* everything by setting up a World Tour.

[s1buell_wl]

Strange.......

One of the biggest comps this year..... All hooked in...... with old school tricks......



The sport needs to create/expand into more avenues to explore and keep the comps alive.

I can easily see an air style comp coming combing unhook/hooked massive airs crazy power, the largest kite you can hold etc.... Knowing these riders they would take it to a hold other level.

Watching this for me......... its already started.

[sijandy]

Strange.......

One of the biggest comps this year..... All hooked in...... with old school tricks......

[vimeo]www.vimeo.com/96017582[/vimeo]

You mean Red bull kota? at work so can't click the link.

[s1buell_wl]

Yes.... Listen to the people screaming lol

[Starsky]

Red bull King of the Air is great, but its not old school. There are 20 kite loops for every board off, and Aron and Billy were throwing handle passes. Like PKRA, once guys get good enough at passing at that kind of height it will take over the podium. There is only some minor low level stuff, and it still can't compare to creative free riding in its variety.

Its certainly more fun than watching PKRA, but its not immune to the problems of competitions.

NO ONE who complains about Toby's promotion of Airstyle has any complaint with King of The Air.

I actually think this forum would be a far more successful commercial entity if Toby were to take a more journalistic approach and simply cover what the kiteboarding world has to offer instead of push his own agenda. Its the push push push that drives people nuts. Doesn't matter if its Dimitri, Mango, or his detractors. A constant message thats in everyones face eventually works against you. There is no steering or controlling where a sport will go or what will prove popular. Traction of that sort is organic and happens. Airstyle has not gone viral. There is a video, a sub section on the forum, and it is championed by the owner of the largest captive kite audience there is, but its the same message year after year. Wait and see, The future will tell.

Lets be real This industry is lightning fast. Within a year, the trends fly through the brands and they come out with channels in their boards, no strut kites, bridles, and then no pulleys all within a single manufacturing season weather the concept is proven or not.

Big air has always been cool, but Airstyle has never caught on. Its pretty obvious to most of us, and hence the fatigue and in some cases hostility.