I'm completely dissapointed and very confused with the kiteboarding population, and the activity on this forum.

A new thread has recently started advertising a new freestyle event, they have gone to the effort of raising sponsorship, gaining council approval, creating a web-site, sourcing infrastructure, plus a whole lot more effort than you lot will ever know about.

This is likely to be the only freestyle event organised this season in WA. So far there have been 2 enthusiastic responses to this event. It is not worth running if only 2 people are going to turn up. If this thread dies with only 5 posts, what chance does the event organiser have of raising any revenue at all to pay the costs? Ok, be selfish and forget his losses and wasted time, thats ok, think of yourselves- you suffer too. All you hopefull young talents looking for sponsorship need exposure, you need competiton results, pictures in the mags, video on the net... Do you not want to be part of this for your own needs??

This is a new and exciting venue, there is no pressure to look bad, get eliminated, and lose, the format is all about fun. A day of great riding, with a great vibe and local and national publicity. Does nobody want this?

Looking down this list of threads and responses on this forum sickens me. If we can manage 23 posts on "Is kiting an extreme sport" or "You know you're an old ****wit when..."then surely we can contribute something to a local event, organised by volunteers, for the good of our sport and youth.

We have over 40 posts for the australian nationals thread- a competition that is not even happening, how about a few for an event that actually is???? . I'm not surprised that no-one wants to run them, if this is the type of public response that they can expect for their efforts.

If you guys can all think a little bit further than pointless bitching and whining on these contrived threads, and lend some noise and excitement to what counts, then event organisers will have more chance to get out there and source the sponsors and cash. Our events will start to look like proper events, and not just a small gathering of bumblies on a windy beach.

And now that I'm pissed- let me add my piece on wave riding and kiteSurfing. We have some of the best wind and flat water in the whole world on our doorstep. We have some of the ****test waves. For some reason we have millions of wave riders carving the hell out of onshore slop, while our primo freestyle locations are left untouched except for a handful of locals, and alot of visiting internationals. Is it not interesting to anyone else that although we have some of the best conditions in the entire world, we have to be shown up by riders from countries with ****-house conditions like Holland, UK etc... Why are they so good? Its not the conditions they ride in, its their support and enthusiasm for progress. Lots of well run, well funded comps with good attendance from spectators and riders.

Lets get our priorities right. Support to those who support you, its in all our interests.

Frankly I think I'd rather have that big assed shark cruising the weedbank that the bunch of tossers that have turned up there lately, thinking they own the place and showing little or no respect to people that have kited and windsurf there for years.

How many locals (kiters and windsurfers) were consulted before you decided to hold this event? Do you really expect them to support an event which could put more pressure on a relatively small location, where there is already tension (on some fronts) between windsurfers and kiters?

It maybe that there are more kiters out there than you think that don't have the herd mentality that you are trying to propagate. There are still a few of us out here that like to think they don't need an audience to go kiting and would rather not be harangued in the car park by some illiterate prepubescent boasting about what move he claims he sent.


Or maybe people just think it is too far to drive (it is a long way) - why not just move the event to Woodman Point and see whether that gets people more enthused?

Can you be sure that all potential entrants are seabreeze users? Do you have any other form of advertising like in shops and mags?

kitegato said...

Frankly I think I'd rather have that big assed shark cruising the weedbank that the bunch of tossers that have turned up there lately, thinking they own the place and showing little or no respect to people that have kited and windsurf there for years.

How many locals (kiters and windsurfers) were consulted before you decided to hold this event? Do you really expect them to support an event which could put more pressure on a relatively small location, where there is already tension (on some fronts) between windsurfers and kiters?

It maybe that there are more kiters out there than you think that don't have the heard mentality that you are trying to propagate. There are still a few of us out here that like to think they don't need an audience to go kiting and would rather not be harangued in the car park by some illiterate prepubescent boasting about what move he claims he sent.


Or maybe people just think it is too far to drive (it is a long way) - why not just move the event to Woodman Point and see whether that gets people more enthused?

I didnt know safety bay was owned by a few people who happen to live there?? Its just an occasion for kiters to meet other kiters, to have a bit of fun and just enjoy the sport.
Why should anyone check with the locals. Sure tell them what is going to happen, but they have and will never have any right to decide who kites there or what competitions are held.

Don't let it get you down. Seabreeze contributors are not really representative of the general kiting population. Most of the banter on here is hot air.

Real kitesurfers are at work or in the water!

Sending you a PM.

thanks for the feedback.

Tonewolf- your responses aren't really that funny, just the pointless forum drivel I was bitching about really...

Sunseeker, I think you might have a point, I believe alot of real kiters stopped checking this forum along time ago.. I should expand my advertising options, its just that Seabreeze has always been a useful source for all competition info in the past, and the most effective way I know to get the information out there.

Kitegato, I have also posted a notice on the windsurfing forums with no objections, the council have no objections, the locals I spoke to had no objections...

tot- ??

Meerkat, I understand that not everyone wants competitions. And if your thoughts are the majority view, then I would love to hear more people say the same, and I will gladly save my time and effort and give the whole thing up. But there are threads running at the moment moaning about the abscence of a Nationals comp, and wave comp- so someone must care...

The thing is that not everyone wants to compete, but you have to make provision for the top end athletes to excel at their sport. You can play social tennis on weekends, but its still nice to see a world tour and watch the pro's battle it out at Wimbledon. You can play golf all weekend with no competitive pressure, but people turn up by the thousand to watch Tiger woods tee off..

There will always be a minority of people pushing the limits of their sport, I believe they should be encouraged and given the opportunity. It improves sporting performance, equipment, raises revenue and shows the rest of us what is actually possible.

I expect some people to be upset about using the chosen location, and it might be inconvenient for some of the locals, but that is only for 1 day- get over it. Once a year we have guy fawkes night- very incosiderate and noisy to all those who don't like fireworks. The redbull air race just happened, no doubt very inconvenient to a number of people trying to access the river side roads and water ways as normal... My point is that events are not for everyone, and there are bound to be some people who don't approve. But wouldn't society be boring if we had nothing to go and do or watch once a year?

All I know is that with no positive input or support for these ventures, it will likely turn into another failed event that no one wants to repeat. To follow the same path as the nationals, the state titles, the blast, and the windjam.

Looks like Kitestock is a winner though! at least we have something to show the world for our great coastline and kiting conditions.

Good luck - I wish I was good enough to compete - maybe in a masters event someday..HAHA

If you guys can all think a little bit further than pointless bitching and whining on these contrived threads, and lend some noise and excitement to what counts, then event organisers will have more chance to get out there and source the sponsors and cash. Our events will start to look like proper events, and not just a small gathering of bumblies on a windy beach.


Arn't you bitching and whining now? welcome to seabreeze!

hahaha, well that explains why he didnt reply to the topic

I think you should go ahead with the event lance , you will find that a lot of people have stopped contributing to the threads because of the the minority on here that pick every comment to bits .

When WAKSA organised the first kitestock the initial response was slow and for a while it looked like it was going to run at a loss . However the formula was right and it worked well with a lot of support .

I think you have the right formula and I am confident you will get a good turnout on the day . Like somebody said "build it and they will come"
If this event doesn't get a good response then freestyle is in a world of trouble .

Good on ya for getting up and doing something.

Juddy said...

Jetskis...
Could they be the aquatic version of "the man with a small schlong so I drive a hotted up [insert name of car]" brigade???

Possibly I just don't see the point. Very expensive to buy/run/maintain and about as exciting as a lawn bowls tournament.

got work but chris and toby will definitely be up for it as long as the tight bastards can afford to get there waksa before hand. If i can get off early ill come down and watch atleast.

have u got any posters or flyers etc to put up in the shops?

i dont think you have ever ridden a chipped RXP, done tow ins or gone wakeboarding for the whole day and only paid $15 fuel money.

sorry, epiphany moment... your too old and/or frail to enjoy such things thus find those who can to be lacking a true understanding of what they find enjoyable in life... as you would decree.

kind of like how some people hate kitesurfers and would sacrifice their own time to get us baned

kitecrazzzy said...

i dont think you have ever ridden a chipped RXP, done tow ins or gone wakeboarding for the whole day and only paid $15 fuel money.

sorry, epiphany moment... your too old and/or frail to enjoy such things thus find those who can to be lacking a true understanding of what they find enjoyable in life... as you would decree.

kind of like how some people hate kitesurfers and would sacrifice their own time to get us baned

Hey look, if you're into jetskis and wakeboarding, then good for you, but I'm not. How you came to the conclusion, simply because I'm not into jetskis myself, that I am somehow:

too old and/or frail to enjoy such things thus find those who can to be lacking a true understanding of what they find enjoyable in life

is anyone's guess, but I suspect your 'epiphany moment' was probably chemically induced. Seriously, whatever you're smoking, give it away.

Gotta remember that this sport is still pretty young and there are a lot of crew that are, on the way, but not quite ready to comp it up. Down the track I reckon comps will start to get bigger and bigger as the sport grows... Good on those that are putting in the effort now though...I'm definitely gonna come down for a look \nn/

thanks for altering my quote.
aint got much more to add, i just get pissed at the same mentality especially when shown under different circumstances, hence the replys