For the first time in history, the 2009 kiteboarding world championship title will be sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). This became possible by approving the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) as official class association during the quadrenual ISAF general meeting in Madrid last week. From now on, Kiteboarding is on par with other parts of international sailing as the "Volvo Ocean Race" or the "Americas Cup".

To Markus Schwendtner, executive secretary of the IKA, this is an important step towards the positive development of this young sport: "Giving the world championship rights to the IKA clarifies the structures in international kiteboarding and ensures same reglementation for national and international kiteboarding competitions. It has now become possible to compete under consistant and recognized rules. Thereby the sport becomes more attractive and transparent to athletes, spectators and the media". In the past, international kiteboarding competition took mainly place within two private world tours. Thus there have been two world champions, elected by different sets of rules.

The world wide unified rulebook used by the IKA paves the way for a global world ranking with one conjoined world champion. The ranking is intended to include the present world tours, independent organisers and national events. "National competitions become more important, because active sailors can collect valuable points for the world ranking already on a national level. Furthermore, access to the formula one of kiteboarding becomes accessible for a broader base of sailors", illustrates Thilo Trefz, organiser of the German "Kitesurf-Trophy".

The international kiteboarding scene welcomes the development as well as event organizers around the world, where the approval of the IKA earns positive feedback: "St Francis is very interested in hosting the course racing world championship and have a place holder on our 2009 schedule for a major kite event." says John Craig, race manager of the renowned St. Francis Yacht Clubs of San Francisco.

The IKA is now looking forward to start negotiations towards a worldwide coordinated regatta schedule 2009. For this purpose the IKA invites all promoters, organisers and associations to cooperate.

http://www.sailing.org/26115.htm



The International Kiteboarding Association is officially sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) as world wide governing body for kiteboarding.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org

PREVIEW PICTURES: http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org -> Press Center
Hi-Res Pics and Videos available on request.

ClASS MANAGER: Markus Schwendtner

For more information about the International Kiteboarding Association, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

The International Kiteboarding Association
Rohrbecker Weg 43
14612 Falkensee
Germany

Fon: +49 1713819139

http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org
info@internationalkiteboarding.org

that is interesting news!

What disciplines will be offered?

Greets
Toby

Three groups, expression, racing, and speed.
Expression includes freestyle and wave riding, racing includes course race and slalom (downwind and long distance races), and speed is speed.

We will update the webside during the next days, also with ranking systems, unified rules etc but there was not enough time to do it in advance. Sorry for that

based on the IKA website: http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org
looks like Overall, freestyle, wave, course, slalom, and speed (men/women)
No further details, so I guess we'll need to wait for them to update the website
steve

Damn. Here come the federal boating regulations for kiteboarding since we are now a recognized watercraft by another international organization. I hope they don't make us carry a bailer and a paddle.

Don't worry, we keep the spirit. Only trying to get things sorted a little bit more. Time to lift kiteboarding to the next level !

For the website, the draft for the unified rulebook will come out in a few days, will be more or less a simplified version of the racing rules of sailing, and especially in the racing section a lot of stuff from St. Francis Yacht Club.

We think it will be helpful to everybody interested in competition to have one rulebook all events are judged under in the same way. And honestly, why should we reinvent the wheel... when the sailors have been so kind to prepare everything for us and we just need some small amendments to make it perfectly fit for kiteboarding ?

Cheers,
Markus

ISAF, pah.
One hand giveth, one hand taketh:
See the bold below:
http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/content/view/99/3/



Petty b*tards. Rules are a neccessary evil for racing....

To the kiting "professionals" and "promoters,"
Some recognition, and a few pennies for a few individuals/organizations
is nice, but be careful what you wish for.
Just see how they are ready to throw a leg over the kiting world, as above.

Kiting, you see, was born already AT the next level,
that's the beauty of it.
Now bureaucracies will just try to drag it down,
and skim money and talent off the top.

Understand, I am not totally against these organizations,
and more organization seems inevitable with growth,
but keep your eyes open.

***
Re: Federal Reg's -probably no sweat, they're pretty nice to windsurfers and surfers. It's the localities that create (and sometimes solve) problems.
Edit: To clarify, I just meant the US federal reg's, which are laissez-faire towards windsurfers and surfers. (sorry if any confusion.)

Police were ticketing kiteboarders this summer in Ontario in within the jurisdiction of the marine unit around a major city if they did not have an approved PFD on. I could see the requirement for PFD's happening for sanctioned events.

So they've finshed screwing over the multi hull sailors and they figure they need a new set of whipping boys, sounds spectacular.

ISAF from there actions have proven that they have no clue. If there going to recognize kiting it's only fair they recognize the speed record. Wait no it's ISAF, if you don't understand it screw it over.

CC

That policy was discussed BEFORE kiting became recognized, I was in that meeting together with the WSSRC guys. They (WSSRC) clearly voted for same rights for kites as for anybody else, but at that time kiting was not an ISAF class.

For sure we have a submission in for the next meeting to change that. Now we have the possibility !