KTA News:

KTA Withdrawal and Disassociation From the KTA Australian Open and Australian Kiteboarding Nationals

It is with regret that the KTA has to announce that it is no longer any part of the KTA Australian Open and Australian Kiteboarding Nationals following communication from local organisers In The Loop Kiteboarding and the James Cook University Kiteboarding Club on Monday of this week (28.5.12) that no funding of any kind was available to cover costs or pay the KTA team.

The KTA was approached by the organisers in July of last year to support this event by promoting it under its Open event banner and to provide event and race team support. The event was properly contracted and the KTA has met all its undertakings to this point with the team due to fly out to Australia next week. We have in the last few days received an email stating that the funding for KTA at this event is no longer available and would the KTA now fund itself.

We have made attempts over the past few days to find a solution with very little communication from the local organisers. We have further contact Events Queensland who we were informed were the presenting sponsors for the event and we have at all times advertised as such. Events Queensland however is telling us now this is not the case.

The Australia Kite Surf Association (AKSA) has however responded and in doing so revealed to us along with our own experience and information what a mess the organisation of this event is.

International Riders & Non AKSA Members please be aware of the following –

1. There is no prize money regardless of what we had been given to believe and advertise by the local organisers.

2. No aspect of the international element or KTA involvement was included in the event application to the AKSA in December by the local organiser. The AKSA was under the impression the KTA was running a separate event to them.

3. The local organiser has insisted to us over the past months that the AKSA was very poor in responding when the KTA asked for information and contacts, AKSA has confirmed they had been in regular contact, but were never informed of this situation. Once the AKSA was made aware of this situation they have been very prompt and active in all communication and advice.

4. It appears in talking to the AKSA that they have also organised race and event teams for the competition duplicating what the KTA had been asked to provide.

5. The AKSA made it clear to us that no overseas riders will be covered by the event insurance. It covers only AKSA members.

6. As the KTA is not able to attend this event it will not be run under the KTA name any further and the KTA fully disassociates from all and every aspect of the competition and withdraws all sanctions.

7. The IKA have been informed of the situation and the KTA has requested that the events international ranking level is revoked.

In all the KTA feels like it has been used by the local organisers of this event to boost the credibility of this event and the KTA name and sanction has used to provide the event with an international ranking level.

Lack of sponsorship is of course a problem for all events and we fully understand this but to leave it until the last minute is not understandable and to continue to promote and carry on with the event as if everything is as promoted is completely unacceptable not just for the KTA but riders also.

We wish the AKSA good luck in running this event as we understand they will continue although from the KTA point of view we feel the event should be cancelled as it is not as advertised. We are sure however they will do a good job and the KTA in the meantime will be seeking legal advice on recovery of its losses.

all the comps we have are a mess to some extent, just get on with it best you can and make sure all whingers are shot on the spot. Suing/lawyers sounds soooo completey lame in this unfortunate situation. Is this the future of kiteboarding!?

My first thought-
AKSA has been in existence for a LONG time and is considered a "national governing body".
KTA is new, and affiliated with IKA.

How did that work out for PKRA? Not good.

It has already been proven (by IKA) that in this sport, the fastest way to the top is to screw people over, sue them, or trash their integrity.

Being that Toby is posting this, it's more likely than not, a press release and going out to 50 other media sources, just as IKA did.

Draw your own conclusions as to what is coming next......

www.kiteboardingtampabay.com

No mail was sent, it was on the KTA website.

What is next? A big news! But I am sure you will have something against that as well...as always.
Time to start a US tour from all your talk it will be the best ever. How about it?
Again, talk is cheap.

You should know more about things that are going on. Do you know anyone involved? Etc?
E.g. KTA ran events on their expenses because the local sponsor pulled out a week before and they didn't want to dissapoint the riders who had their tickets etc already.

I don't know any of them or much of what's going on with the situation. I was speculating that IKA will end up causing AKSA some troubles, and time will tell if my guess was correct.
Wanna wager a free banner ad on how it goes Toby? (since you won't sell me one)

Otherwise, talk is cheap as you say.

From what I know about AKSA, they have done a good job in their mission, have regional and local associations, and have the respect of the kiters- everything else is bullshit. Who cares if some pro kiters didn't get to ride, or make money doing it- does it really matter? DId it ruin access for anyone?

No, it's all about bullshit from tour organizers, and all about money. Pro kiters don't have their own liability insurance???, or is that yet another thing we shouldn't talk about?

Maybe if Marcus and Co. know that I stand to win a free banner ad now, they will not sue the AKSA....

www.kiteboardingtampabay.com