Due to declining tourism numbers there are some rumours that 'windsurfer beach' may become 'kite beach' in good old Lano. Local business people have noticed an extended decline in general tourism numbers in an area that had for decades 'punched above its weight' in tourism terms due to the exceptional wind and wave conditions.

Some thoughts are that Lancelin is simply seen as a windsurfing destination, is not kite friendly and that all the young people are getting into kiting whilst windsurfing has very much plateaued.

A source close to the issue commented 'windsurfing has been good to Lancelin for a long, long time, but we need to keep our options open for the future, peoples livelihoods are at stake'.

Read into that what you may, it would be great to see a positive outcome for kiting rather that all this talk of banning the sport.

Great to hear some people are actually trying to get us to their beaches instead of trying to get us to leave them. It would be great if more places followed this example.

D

Wouldn't you think that rather than banning windsurfing they should just unban kiteboarding? Might be a bit dangerous for kite lines if old mate was still allowed near them.

good to see some forward thinking but will not happen...werner will not allow it to happen and has suppourt from locals as well...
am not bagging idea.would be great.but can not see it happening..
there is too much them and us up there...will take a long time to change i believe..
bring it on i say though....

I find this very hard to believe muzza333, there is plenty of room for every water sports in Lancelin.
Where did you get your information??

Come in spinner!

Ha Ha got good bites on that one! is it April fool day??

for pricks that are obsessive about rules and right of way they should really learn starboard tack has right of way .. and upwind too.. and that gybing towards kiters is silly as i will make sure he comes off second best

it is good fun giving them shti n burnin away from the slow basterds tho

I must admit I have only had one disagreement with a poley and that was him calling starboard on me when he had no idea...

But this whole poley vs kiters thing is a lot like the ski vs snowboard debate. Being a snowboarder (but I can ski) sometimes you get guys who don't understand the downhill physics of a snowboard. The best fall lines for a board and skis are quite different.

With respect to Lancellin I got stuck out there one day and had to fight back through the weed to get back on shore. If you are kiting in the area of the windsurf beach then that's not really where you want to be anyway. You can see two parallel rows of buoys that extend off the beach to mark out a lane for the poleys.

Just remember that when snowboarding came out, the new edge design and shape of the boards flowed onto ski design, and now skiing is taking the boundaries that were extended by snowboarders and pushing them further. Don't be surprised if in a couple of years Windsurfing starts to build on to what kiters have done. I haven't seen it myself, but maybe we will see poleys doing kickers and rails in the not too distant future!

I was up at wedge on the weekend and the vibe sucked...red necks with maxxed out cc's,

You would think that with the brand new patrol for dad, the jet ski for the daughter, the dirt bike for the boy and the 4 wheeler for the mum you would think they would be happy but the werent, now one would give way on the beach or the track. Heaps of dirty looks and way to much posing...

Some group took up the whole farkin' beach. With their dirt bikes, jetskis and 4WD's

Saw some funny **** though..a guy with a brand new parol+ boat stuck up the top of a dune, wtf was he thinking. A 3WD mitsi express fanging it down Beacon track and many rolled luxess.

For people who are into wave riding try mini teahupoo behind lancelin island, me and my bro and some mates went out for a paddle round there, farrrrrr king long paddle and a Bull Sealion tried to maul us, but it was dead quiet, nice sets and good weather allround for Ksurfing. I doubt you'd have trouble with seals on a Ksurfer, just loop out of the way i guess?