Steve we are having the WA wave champs this weekend. After running the comp last year with a commitee of 7 kiters, all experienced wave kiters with wide ranging styles, strapped , unstrapped, hooked, un hooked powered, unpowered , surfboard , twin tip etc, we have taken our juding lead this year from the ASP with an align met to kiting. THe GOAL of our comp is to have a Fun comp including as many riders as possible - at the same time it is still pretty serious competition. With a excellent riding standard. We want to promote overall impression as the basis of good wave kiting in comps, this promotes innovation, various styles and includes All super stoked groups. We have posterd our Judgeing cretira and have had a great response from all riders with few negitive comments. I will let you know how the comp went and how the riders/ judges felt about this scoring criteria. See our outline below.

Judging Criteria
Contacio Kite Surfing Wave Comp Jan 20th 2007

The objective is to reward progressive kite surfing and introducing a reward system based on demonstrating variety of repertoire and linking maneuvers together, still in the critical sections of the wave, in a seamless flow of power and speed.

Scoring style at 2007 Contacio Kite wave competition
1. "A surfer must perform radical controlled maneuvers in the critical section of a wave with Speed, Power and Flow to maximize scoring potential.
2. Innovative / Progressive surfing as well as Variety of Repertoire ( maneuvers ),will be taken into consideration when rewarding points for waves ridden.
3. The surfer who executes this criteria with the maximum Degree of Difficulty and Commitment on the waves shall be rewarded with the higher scores."
Scale Base:
[ 0 - 2: Poor ] [ 2 - 4: Fair ] [ 4 - 6: Average ] [ 6 - 8: Good ] [ 8 - 10: Excellent ]

4. All kite riding styles are to be scored equally no matter the wave riding style/ board style or kite style or line length used.
5. Unstrapped riding will be rewarded as requiring higher skill.
2 riders ( 1x strapped- 1x unstrapped) achieve the same score in a heat. The unstrapped rider will win. In the event of a strapped rider getting a higher score in heat than unstrapped rider the highest score will win.

Also, for "Wave contests" then tricks are only counted when on the wave ride.

But there is more to consider than just a rider popping out endless tricks

fluidity (if thats a word)
keeping in the critical section
power associated with moves
speed/snappyness
progressive style
and overall impression.

So popping out tricks may jepordise your score if you are not keeping deep in the pocket (what pocket ??) and breaking up the fluidness of your ride.

Twin tips should be aloud to enter, any board can. If you feel you can ride better with on waves with one, use it.

Yep, tend to agree - riders should be judged the same regardless of their equipment. If the strapless crew want to ride without straps, that's their choice however, other strapped riders should not be penalised because of their choice.
Keep it fair for everyone.

For your thoughts - KPWT Wave Masters full rule book is available at http://www.kiteboardwavemasters.com/ :

Twin-tips AND mutants are banned

The primary criteria is the same as that used by the Association of Surfing Professionals ie "radical controlled manoeuvres in the critical section of a wave with speed, power and flow" 64.78.18.131/asp2005/2006criteria.asp?rView=w

Consideration is also given to:
?Selection of and maximizing the potential of a wave
?Using the power of the wave rather than the kite
?Risk = Consequences x Likelihood of failure
?Innovation
?Repertoire of manoeuvres
?The dismount
?Riding unhooked or strapless

Each wave scored out of 10
A maximum of 20 waves will be scored
Result = total of each riders best three (3) waves
Interference results in loss of ten (10) points for each offence

If a move ends too far in front of or on the back the wave that constitutes the end of a scored wave. If you subsequently move back onto the face of the wave it will be scored as a new wave ride.

Aerial moves not landed on the face of the same wave will only be considered as the dismount aspect of the score.

First to start riding a wave (or clearly defined swell line) closest to the critical section has right of way else starboard tack, upwind kite high, downwind kite low, etc

On the way back out you may turn onto any unridden wave without causing interference

lol!!!! kite"surfing" is a crime. report it.

Hi Steve,

I personally think that kitesurfing is enhanced when a rider is strapped as opposed to unstrapped. Being strapped should allow rider to showcase a full repetoir of manouvres on the wave. This includes a variety of aerials unusual to surfing, hard turns in the pocket, 360s, 720s, handle passes and other freestyle moves; providing that it was launched on the wave and landed on the same wave.
To be hooked or unhooked is an option that a rider can perform during their heat. It should be considered as 'variety' so long as the judge can justify his/her decision to unhook and not just ride around unhooked to be cool.
Unstrapped surfing promotes the freedom of simplicity that is surfing, and can allow riders to be able to position their feet.
Experienced surfers know the importance of this as the wave throws more amplitude and starts to Barrel. In Kite surfing, in my opinion this is highly skillful if the wave is challenging. There are more risks and more things to consider while setting up to throw a move. Coupled with unhooking judges will expect to see a stylish true to surfing move. Executing a huge snap, reo, off the lip or a round house cutback unstrapped and lining up for more moves down the line, should equal to a strapped in aerial, 360s and other moves performed by a board with straps. As long as it's clean or intentionally laid back.
Twin tips, Mutant, surfboards and skimboards, mixed together in a wave comp can be as unfair as a surfer being whipped in by a jetski with a strapped surfboard in an ASP surf comp. Or racing a vw beetle with a supercharged falcon on staights. I would like to see the sport evolve by categorizing each event, so that Mutants go out with Mutants, unstrapped with unstrapped and twin tips against twin tips.
This will allow us to enter the category that we specialise in and properly compare apples with apples.
At the moment judging a wave comp can only be judged as overall impression, in other words "whatever tickles your funny bone". If You see a rider shredding and you're on the edge of your seat, then you would score him accordingly to the way the rider makes you feel, Whether he/she is strapped in or unstrapped. Of course there is clear criterion to consider: style, maximixing manouvres on the provided wave, degree of difficulty (condition:moves) which all judges should know prior to the event.
My opinion on this is to have these 3 and many more considerations on the judging sheet and that these should be used only as a reminder of what to look for.

I'd like to post that I completely endorse everything Ian has written. The criteria he has referenced was applied to last year's WA State Titles successfully. Some competitors did register some concerns with aspects of the criteria; however, at the end of the day the results led to an accurate ranking.

kiterdan,
In my opinion you can definitely ride a twintip in waves using the wave energy. But i agree, you can generate a lot MORE power and speed without the kite using a surfboard. (But this IS kitesurfing)

So why not just let everyone go for whatever they feel best on. Same with the straps, if you go best without, great, but does that mean that someone who rips with straps should be disadvantaged?

"but it should be the choice of the kiter to pick the best KITE for the WIND, and the best BOARD for the WAVE....then combine their formula"

Good point AP, i say let everyone choose what suits them best, get them out there and judge evenly how they ride the waves. Best style and performance wins!

By the way I have just finished watching chris gilbert doing those sick foward rolls off the lip on "strung out", so i may be a little biased...

I have competed in alot of wave events, and spend majority of my time riding in the waves! and I believe that it is really important that a wave riding contest be judged purely on the performance on the wave.

I don't think there should be any waiting towards or against equipment choice, if you choose to make it harder for your self, you shouldn't be awarded for it! You should be judged on how well you can read a wave and adapt your style and performance to best suit that wave, showing style, precission,intensity, power and smoothness. Weather you use a TT, surfboard, straps, bindings or even a bodyboard for that matter, it shouldn't matter! The judges should be looking at the way the wave is ridden, wave choice, wave position and how well the competitor can put the whole thing together. You would never expect the ASP or any other surfing contest to give a surfer more point because he chose to compete without fins (or something similar). Your equipment should have nothing to do with your score, or the way your scored!

I have heard rumours that there are a number of Pro surf contest judges going to be the judges at this year Wave nats. I think this is an excellent idea, hopefully this will make the result purely made of actual wave riding performance. The judges are very highly qualified surf judges, and judge international events. Weather they have kiting knowladge or not, the wave aspect of the event will definately be at an advantage from having such judges. Kite skill in the waves is easily seen by the performance of the rider on the waves, so attention to this is not as vitally needed, as I believe the overall wave score/performance will already consist of it.

Anyway, I think anyone who is thinking of competeing in any event, no matter what it is, needs to look at all the conditions and choose the equipment that best suits. It doesn't matter weather you think it is cool, or gay or both. Competitions find out who is the best competitior!

Hope to see you all there!!

JB

JB for PM!
Now, if only the contest organisers would see it that way...

quote:

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Originally posted by ianyoung

For your thoughts - KPWT Wave Masters full rule book is available at http://www.kiteboardwavemasters.com/ :

Twin-tips AND mutants are banned

The primary criteria is the same as that used by the Association of Surfing Professionals ie "radical controlled manoeuvres in the critical section of a wave with speed, power and flow" 64.78.18.131/asp2005/2006criteria.asp?rView=w

---

Is all of this a quote from the KPWT rules? Or are you one of the judges saying that twin tips and mutants are banned?

It's interesting to see this debate develop, but I just want to know if I need to borrow a directional off someone to have a go on before the event! Personally I agree with the bias of others who commented on the KPWT and Euros, I don't really agree with their criteria, but then I am not making the rules. Besides, I have it on good authority that those Euros eat cheese at breakfast-time. Can their judgement really be trusted??!

So, my question again - does anyone know if TT's are allowed in the wave titles?

Thanks

Ok the links didn't work for me. Sorry. Must be smashing the wrong buttons or something.

JB, and many others - well said!

My own thoughts are that a kitesurfing event should be judged by kitesurfers, not surf comp judges.

The best competitor should win, and equipment choice should be at the sole discretion of the competitor, to suit prevailing conditions, and not to suit the bias or scores weighting of the non kiting judging panel.

This concept of non kiting judges is a misguided, and calculated attempt by a minority group, to appeal to the huge mass of surfers, in a lame attempt to get cred and magazine coverage. Maybe its even being pushed by some industry insiders to capture a new potential market of surfers.????
Reminds me of the scheming and collusive "one trick wins it" wakeboard bias at previous comps - aimed at getting wakeboarders into our sport.

Non kiting judges is a strange concept to say the least. Should we suggest to the ASA that the next Bells Classic and all surfing events be judged by non surfers?
Do you think they might take us seriously?

This concept makes a mockery of all of us, it basically says to us kiters we are not good enough to judge our own events.

Kitesurfing is about kites AND boards, on waves. Strapped riders should not be penalised.
Unstrapped riders are trying to keep a level playing field, but in the process will have created an unfair biased system that has no cred with the majority of kiters.

If enough kiters want an unstrapped event, make one, and make it so that only unstrapped riders can compete.
This is similar to surfing where they have say, lonboard events.

But surfers would not be so dumb as to allow a vocal few to change the rules to allow guys on shortboards to enter and weight the judging to favour them, and then have the comp judged by blue haired ballroom dancing judges.

We are kitesurfers, lets have kitesurfing events.


Cya and

Good WINDS and waves

Steve

To anyone that thinks you can actually ride the wave using a twin tip, good luck. If you want to test it, depower your bow when you're on a wave(or if you have a beach to yourself engage the safety) and see how far you travel before sinking. Try doing a cutback. Could you be towed in on a twintip and surf the wave? Nada. Doesn't matter if you're having fun though.

Agreed this is KITEsurfing. So maybe there should be an alternative catergory for those who want to use surfboards. Maybe a seperate competition for the 'surfers' and one for the others.

Also, maybe the reason there won't be acceptance by the majority of surfers is because kiting is a relatively easier sport, and a number of intermediate 'look-at-me-I'm-the-ducks-nuts' riders doing one turn on a wave and coming in are claiming to surfers that they're WAVEsailing. Also, the guys that spray or jump over surfers and swimmers...you give kiting a bad rep and will continue to give lifesaving clubs a reason to despise us. But thats whole other story. If you see a claimer, shoot him!

Kiting on a surfboard is bit harder but it is not about giving yourself a handicap. It is purely because it makes the best out of both worlds.

Cheers
Dan

Guns don't kill people, surfers do!