kakanala wrote:ronnie wrote:I think smaller riders deserve equal consideration.
eg. What has happened to 2009 World Champion Sean Farley? He weighs 72 kg. I would like to hear from a lightweight rider's perspective if they are disadvantaged with the wider boards and bigger fins because they cannot hold the power that a heavier rider can. I remember an interview where Sean said it was more critical to him to be exactly powered correctly, whereas a heavier rider can cope with being overpowered better.
In Windurf Slalom racing, on 85cm (maximum) boards, Finian Maynard was 2nd in the 2009 PWA World Championship series and he weighs 258 lbs. Lightweight riders are not competitive in that series - 1st rider was 209 lbs and 3rd was 231lbs.
Sean Farley, Adam Koch, Abel Lago, Damien Leroy, Andrew Koch, Jesse and Shawn Richman, Julien Kerneur, Bruno Sroka, Michael Gebhardt, Johnny Heineken, Chip Wasson, Cameron Biehl, Blazeg Ozog, Gunnar Biniasch.. and so on.... Most Top Riders are lighter, fit guys. And they all kill it in high winds on huge boards and big fins. Obviously, in light winds their advantage over heavier riders is even bigger. So they are not disavantaged at all, imho.
On the other side heavier riders (like myself, at 187 lb) do not feel like we might need anything wider than 70 cm. There's lots of room to play yet with fins, kites, volume and different shapes while staying within the 70 cm. max. width
So, again: YES to Alex
187 lbs is not a heavy rider. Of course 70cm wide will keep you happy.
The truth of the matter is that freedom of board design threatens average weight riders that are the majority of the sport and they want to keep it that way and make life simpler for them and some manufacturers.
Some of you are whinning about people having loads of boards ... one for ultra low wind, one for a few more knots and then a high wind one. Well if that's your problem why arn't you asking to limit the amount of boards a rider can have.... something I would be against too. It stiffles development.
If they go ahead with this board size limitation I wonder how soon the IKA will follow up with other BS like the LPGA suspending players that did not speak enough English becasue it upset sponsors and the snobs that run the LPGA. OR that swimming federation that banned a girl with a malformed foot claiming that it would be hummiliating for her to limp to the podium if she were to win. She came in second at an international long distance race though she could not compete officially.
Everyone here that is OK with the limitation of board width is OK with it becasue it suits them. With one guy just begging for 75cm and calling himself a big rider while just 187 lbs.
All of this is one of the reasons why I don't like competitions. Orgs run by fat unhealthy snobs (not refering to kiteracing.... but it's getting there), actually run for the sponsors rather than the atheletes.. making rules that stiffle the sport and keep it in the hands of who is already there.
The Olympics used to be something special, but now they are over run by proffessional players.
That is why my preference goes to people like Ben Wilson, Dave Rastovitch and Len10... no more competitions.... freeriders...
Diddn't the IKA ban some riders for also competing in other organizations.