GarryA said...
I am a new kiter in Perth and have been kiting for about 12 years all ova the world.... and am from South - Africa now staying in Perth.
I agree with the fact of a club with rules, but I disagree with the fact if I want to enter a comp but cannot because I do not belong to a kiting club in Oz... so what happens with the PRO'S can they just enter cause they are on the pkra circuit......WRONG ( whats good for the goose is good for the ganda ).
if everybody adheres to the sailing rules and this is taught when a neewbie is been teached there would be less accidants and all will be happy. But how many instructors out there with a license to teach know the rules and also how many of them can really kite ????
And the youngsters that kite here... that think they are god to kiting that do not evan adhere to the simply rule do not jump infront of another kiter or do not jump upwind of another kiter or atleast judge your distance of about 25metres from another kiter...???? Depending on wind strength.
So all in all I kite because I love the sport and the freedom and with all this nonse of kite clubs before I can do a comp is total shyte to me, and they are killing the sport in my eyes and it is just a money making bussiness.
This is my thoughts...... LIVE TO FLY
Raz
Out of the frying pan, into the fire he steps, brand new 2013 model flame suit back on....
Garry, you've raised heaps of issues here so I'm going to focus on those that I'm qualified to answer:
1) entering comps etc: If you wanted to enter a tennis comp; chess comp; [insert any other sport/activity here] comp, you're going to have to join some sort of 'club'. If you know of any sport/recreation club that organises competitions or events for non-members, I'm happy for you to point them out.
All events held in public open space these days are required to have ridiculous amounts of public liability insurance - including kite comps. Without that insurance, no event gets held. Why should members of a club subsidise the expense of holding that comp if a kiter hasn't contributed (via membership) to the cost of holding an event?
I don't know the deal for 'pro's' on the PKRA or KWT but in previous years when "pro's" sought to attend WAKSA events, they were advised that if they wanted to come, they were more than welcome - once they joined WAKSA.
If you are referring to WAKSA and/or any of the other state associations in Aus as 'kite clubs', I'd call you out with your claim that they are "killing the sport" - the associations are all volunteer run organisations, there to advocate & represent kiters so that our sport has a voice to government & other bodies. I can also assure you that they are not "businesses" as you have suggested - these groups tend to scrape by on income from membership fees - fees that go back into comps & events for their respective members.
2) Right of way - you may have a point about how many people forget or don't know the correct rules - about distance, where to place the kite, distances for jumping, etc....it's not just 'youngsters' who need this reminder....
happy to discuss - PM me if you want?
Juddy
