Inverted over submerged rocks with no helmet? Would be just as bad trying a backloop on a windsurfer in the same conditions. Sounds like he just got a bit blasé and had too much confidence in his gear etc. We all do it

And he's not the only one. A UK windsurf champ has posted up a video of a big kite tangle during a race on his Facebook page saying the KB will be a shambles in the Olympics.

I'm pretty agnostic about the olympic debate and couldn't care less if it's in or out - but it's a shame fellow watersports enthusiasts are resorting to smear tactics and sour grapes.

I used to windsurf since I was 9 years old and then start competing world wide. But then in 1998 I got into Kiteboarding and since then it has been part of me like windsurfing was. I just don't understand why they removed windsurfing from the OLYMPICS. I think this was a big mistake. It will be nice to have Kiteboarding and Windsurfing in the Olympics so every body is happy.
But once again, I hope you feel better Nevin. Take some Advils it might help
Talk to you soon Nevin.

This thread was started by me, because I saw the article about his accident which looked pretty serious. I have known about Nevin Sayre for years as he is a pretty famous windsurfer.

i am both a windsurfer AND kitesurfer, and I wanted to know how his accident occured.
That's all, nothing more, nothing less, no conspiracy .

HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO a per Robertovillate

.....SAYRE IT ISN'T SO.. that KiteSURFING is the newest Olympic water sport discipline

.....and to all the NAYSAYERS spreading negative vibes.....

Accidents do happen.............NEVIN SAYRE NEVER

1) Old, Old, Old injury
2) New New New olympic controversy

Kent (MKM) sums it up best.

Why was this thread started?

Bob
www.kiteridersllc.com

I was asked for accident statistics by parties working both to include and exclude kiting from the Olympics. Some of these parties have already been mentioned in this thread. My comments in this thread are the only responses that I plan to make to the question.

Is there a reliable correlation between the 7000 bicycling fatalities on roads in the USA between 2000 and 2009 and fatal biking accidents in the Olympics? No, it seems extremely unlikely, it is apples and oranges with no direct basis for comparison.

By the same token, the total number of fatalities in kiting worldwide over a decade, whatever that number might be, bears no relationship to losses in high end course racing. I understand there have been no fatalities or even serious injury accidents in these races estimated at over 300 worldwide since 2005. The new gear, the high proficiency of the riders in this type of exacting riding, the racing rules and a good deal more go into making this activity vastly safer than routine kiters who may go out in conditions or circumstances they don't understand or perhaps appreciate leading to accidents out of competition. The greatest cause of kiting accidents is complacence, something high end competitors don't seem to commonly suffer from.

The only competition related fatality I have ever heard of was that of Silke in 2002 as I have said. Her tragic accident happened years before course racing, high depower kites, reliable quick releases or kite leashes came into common use. Given the vast differences between the primitive gear she and the rest of us were using at the time and what is used today and how escapes ready comparison .

So, how many directly relevant kitesurfing fatalities to this question of losses in competition have there been worldwide in the last ten years? None that I have heard about.

I think Kent mentioned his accident was many years ago?

Does anyone have a year when that happened?

With such a personal interest, as it sounds from what Kent posted, he really makes windsurfers look like bad loosers. The windsurfers should keep distance from this guy and rather work on getting two more medals instead of dissing kitesurfing.

The kitesurfers worked hard on getting into Olympics playing it fair, and never wanted to kick out windsurfing. This was isaf decision, not kiters!

"Playing it fair." After reading the Olympic reports I don't think they portray a fair and accurate picture whatsoever, especially to those with little or no kiteboarding knowledge. They don't represent me that is for sure. I would be ashamed to have penned such a biased and twisted report on kiteboarding.

The report referred to kiteboarding as a whole with regards to safety , it never mentions safety specific to racing and the reason is that there have been relatively very few kite races held on planet earth in all of history to evaluate it reliably.

Kiteboard equipment is much safer than it used to be for sure, but to portray it as safe to possible non kiting olympic voter/those intending on getting into kiting is just completely ridiculous and irresponsible. I think it is very sad that politics has entered kiteboarding.