you'll receive my full support joe. Your idea is rock solid, i think you should have a winter north queensland spot and early summer in brissy, sydney and melb. apart from that i think your on the money. ignore the mud slingers on here. you can never keep everyone happy but if your doing something for the greater good of all its going to succeed.
Mike(noosa kiteboarding)

p.s i dont sell any equipment but am constantly looking for the best stuff for my school, this would give me an oppurtunity to do exactly that.

No thoughts given to Adelaide? Im pretty sure we have in excess of 200 SAKSA members down here.

something early in the season would be excellent, and not just for those who are able to attend. anyone who reads these forums could benefit from any reviews posted by those who go along and try a range of gear. of course, shop owners and others have their biases but regular seabreeze readers are aware of them and could get a good range of perspectives.

in melbourne i'd vote for brighton kite beach simply because there's so much space.

lost in london: not altona because you have to drive there!? you personally, or everyone? in summer altona is my local and i take the train. i also take the train to brighton if there's too much west in it for altona, but the walk from middle brighton station to kitebeach is longer, so for those who don't want to drive but have train access, altona is pretty convenient.

djdojo said...

something early in the season would be excellent, and not just for those who are able to attend. anyone who reads these forums could benefit from any reviews posted by those who go along and try a range of gear. of course, shop owners and others have their biases but regular seabreeze readers are aware of them and could get a good range of perspectives.

in melbourne i'd vote for brighton kite beach simply because there's so much space.

lost in london: not altona because you have to drive there!? you personally, or everyone? in summer altona is my local and i take the train. i also take the train to brighton if there's too much west in it for altona, but the walk from middle brighton station to kitebeach is longer, so for those who don't want to drive but have train access, altona is pretty convenient.

I agree, Brighton Beach is a good spot, but, I would expect that this expo would not just be about giving demos to existing kiters, but opening up the sport to newcomers. So, St Kilda is a better option as it is just a higher profile location.

Note: I would say my favourite beach is Brighton Beach. But St Kilda has so much space its central and has that higher profile. When the nats are on its going to be sweet. Also, it seems to always have 2 or 3 knots extra on Brighton in Sea Breeze season.

loverboy said...



most shops have demos available year round and the ones in Adelaide organise demo weekends and trips away- not to mention there is a sign up day for SAKSA where previously there has been demo gear from all the local shops.

I don't want to rain on Joes parade I just don't see how it would benefit anyone here- punters already have the chance to try gear and the shops already sell it.

their is plenty of gear out there from a gammut of different companys that I only ever see in magazines. Most shops only carry a few different brands of gear and it would be great to get your hands of some of the other brands that don't exist in your local area. eg here on the central coast I never see brands like rrd, flexifoil, takoon, ocean rodeo, eclipse, new, fluid, ect You can't convince me that these companys exposing their products to new markets would not be a benefit to them. The only certainty is that I definatly won't buy a product that I have never seen(except for online or in mags)

loverboy said...

how much choice do you really need ?

Airush, North, Slingshot, Ozone, Peter Lynn, Naish, Liquid Force, Best, Flexifoil, Core, Cabrinha, Blade, Fone, Nobile etc are all available for demo and add to that the New and EH riders are pretty good at passing their gear around as are the Genetrix riders.

Most of those brands have 3 to 4 kites in their range- there is already so much choice that it is confusing. I think there is a kite for everyone in the above mentioned brands. My opinion.

I live in the greater sydney area and I don't know where to demo half the brands you listed airush, LF,blade, nobile, because as far as I know those brands aren't sold anywhere here, plus there are heaps of other brands as I stated before that I would at least like the opportunity to see and possibly try. Why limit your decision on which gear you buy to a few well known brands, when like you said there is so much choice, and no doubt great gear out there.

The WAKSA c'tee resolved last night to offer full support to any widely based industry plan which could offer local kiters the opportunity to demo new season gear in the 09 period of the 09/10 season.
We do not consider it will have any significant impact on Kitestock as kiters will always appreciate the opportunity to test & try. We do however believe that early season demos will be far more highly valued by buyers & tryers looking to make informed decisions for the season ahead. It will also offer far more value to the kite & board companies in getting their new products out to kiters at the most opportune time.

Plans are already on the table to offer venue/s & coinciding event/s.
Hope it comes off.
Just have to hope we have more luck with wind than we have had the past 2 seasons for our pre-Xmas downwinders.

Perth Perth Perth Perth Perth

all companies involved chip in for a 20 ft container (it will fit everything in), load it - send it by rail - have expo with guaranteed wind - send container back - write it off in advertising.

Its not hard when you see how many Semi's roll out of freight companys per day !!

Now why is it a nightmare again ???

Kitestock is epic in its own right, so no clashes there..

Cheers

urine idiot

Do you think itw ill interfere with the competion because of the number of people trying gear???

Just wondering if "Kitestock" is definately goin ahead this year (09/10)?
And if so, have the organisers locked in any definate dates and a location.
Early days I know, but it gets me excited just to know that its on the calendar.

arsa said...

Do you think itw ill interfere with the competion because of the number of people trying gear???

I dont know the area at all personally but if the venue can offer separate but close by water space then just keep the demo area well away from the comp zone. Problem solved.
Being a wave event I would have thought the event area would necessarily be limited to one wave section somewhere??? ie pretty small & self defining.

(Sorry didnt read loverboys response before adding the above - but sounds all good knowing that there is definitely room)

Hi AKSA here
AKSA has formally accepted a proposal from Hudson Godfrey-Smith; on behalf of Cabrinah; to run the official 2009 Aust National Kite Surfing Championships (Wave Titles) at Robe SA on the 21st to 25th October. There has been no follow on activity at this stage to indicate what plans the organisers may have beyond meeting the minimum requirements of the sanctioned titles event. Ie that the judges & judging criteria as well as the risk management planning is all submitted for AKSA approval prior to the event being given final approved status. In an ideal world we would hope that AKSA would also take an active part in all of that planning & more.
Whilst achieving a successful 'championship' result in terms of a titles event would remain the core measure of success from AKSA perspective it would be matter of course that AKSA would welcome any move by the organisers to enhance the appeal of the event overall. AKSA would approve, encourage (and again if possible physically assist) the addition of sideshows of more inclusive, fun-kiting events, background events such as night entertainment etc. These add-on attractions would of course include the possibility of a widely based promotional tour by kite companies offering display & demo gear to the kiting public.

Given this recent jolt in general interest AKSA has already commenced investigating just where Hudson & Cabrinah are heading and what organisational progress is being made. Our SA state affiliate 'SAKSA' is also actively involved in support of the event.
Our congrats to Hudson & Cabrinah for their efforts - without them it may well have been a season of no National Wave Titles. Good work.

Sounds like a cracking idea Joe!!!!

I think alot of people on this forum have missed the original point. brands allow people to try the kit and we choose what we like. where is the agenda in that?

I'll be there mate

puppetonastring said...

Whether Adelaide gets gurnsey or not organisers might like to include SA by bringing the demo tour along to the 2009 National Wave Titles which I believe will be held in Robe - 21st to 25th Oct.
Win Win Win there imo.

Having a demo event or Expo at a National Event is silly as most of the people riding at the event are supported one way or another by either shops or importers. Plus as the 5 days are to run a comp where would the punters wanting to try equipment go to kite? Also when Robe is working the waves can be anything from 3 foot to 6 foot. I'm guessing not too many importer would want their demo kites trashed.

However, Adelaide would be a great venue as the seabreezes in the summer are great and the beaches are even better. With 300 or so SAKSA members I'm sure you'd get a good turn out.

Great idea for it.