Dear Kiters,

Kitesurfing will be part of the Olympic Games. So the Moment to fight the national kitesurfing ban in Switzerland couldn’t be better. Support the project “Pro Kitesurfing Switzerland” of the Kitegenossen and click on the “like”-button on www.prokitesurfenschweiz.ch.

We need any possible support!

For more information: www.prokitesurfenschweiz.ch


German:

Liebe Kiter

Kitesurfen ist ab 2016 olympisch. Der Zeitpunkt, um das nationale
Kitesurfverbot in der Schweiz anzugehen, könnte kaum besser sein.
Unterstützt das Projekt ‚Pro Kitesurfen Schweiz‘ der Kitegenossen und
klickt „gefällt mir“ auf www.prokitesurfenschweiz.ch

Wir brauchen jede Unterstützung!

Mehr Infos unter: www.prokitesurfenschweiz.ch

You've got to explain a bit. Are you saying kitesurfing is banned in Switzerland?

that's what the website is saying....

unbelievable,
Every year people have accidents, injuries, die, on ski slopes, while mountainclimbing, hiking, motorcycling etc....and no bans...
what is the answer from the authouroties on that...are they gonna ban all these too.?????

Dude

Ban on kiting??
I got my mates back in Swiss kiting on Lac Leman all the time. They have not heard anything about this "ban on kiting" or have had any problems so far. Lets hope it never gets this far.
Of course I fully support you guys to stop this possible ban of kiting.

It's more likely an environmental issue than a safety one.
The Swiss gov't banned UL flying years ago, and the ban still stands, probably the only country in the world... Apparently they gave this as a sugar to the Greens to stop them whining on other issues.
The Swiss Greens also tried to get hang-gliding banned, on the grounds the pilots were scaring the alpine animals! So I wouldn't be too surprised if the kite ban was true.

Here are more information:

Today, Kitesurfing is forbidden according to Art. 54 para. 2 Inland Navigation Act on Swiss waters. Although the public authorities have the right to grant special permissions for specific zones, but they do not use it very frequently. The kitesurfing ban was passed in 2001 – mainly due to security reasons – because of several heavy accidents, making kitesurfing a high-risk or an extreme sport.

Since several years, an ingenious safety system is included in every kite equipement. Thus, the security standards are very high and kitesurfing has lost its reputation as an extrem sport. Nowadays, it's a sport that can be practiced by the young and the young at heart.

At the beginning of May 2012 the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) has decided to substitute windsurfing by kitesurfing at the Olympics of 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. So, kitesurfing will be an olympic sport in 2016.

There are other reasons – apart of the two already mentioned – showing that a total ban is outdated. The Kitesurfers aren’t willing to accept the existing situation anymore. Hence the objective of the committee “Pro Kitesurf Switzerland” is to change the legal basis of this ban.

Is you contact Toby's buddy Schwendner at the IKA? They can fix it.