I hope this guy will be OK

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=683378

yeah, agree elmo. reading the article is a little sickening.

i can't believe someone would red thumb the original post. bloody idiot!!!!

If it occurred where I think it did, then that is a pretty horrifying distance to be carried to reach the road. When they say Ettalong I think they are talking about the Nothern end of Umina/Ocean beach which is a great place to sail/kite.

I don't understand the finer point of controlling a kite but to think this could happen is pretty hard to comprehend? Perhaps someone could explain to the uninitiated.....

The other thing that stood out was the fact that the guy was 48 years old. Didn't think there were many people that age getting around kitesurfing but full credit to him.

Anyway I hope he's getting the best of care and makes a full recovery.

As inhuman as this may sound, I don't think this will be last time we get to discuss a serious kiting accident (I pray a death is not around the corner).

I would have serious reservations allowing my sons to take this sport up anywhere except maybe 20km out at sea with only the horizon in view (then it becomes debatable whether they're sailing or I'm fishing with really big lures.)

On Saturday a kiter was lifted and dragged through the scrub at Woodies, not too sure how badly hurt he was, I get the feeling he went about 20 or 30 meters into the bush.

There where a few guys doing jumps very close to the shore where the windsurfers sail and I wonder if it was one of those guys?

If anyone can shed some light that would welcome.

Either way I hope both people affected are ok in the end.

Regards GT

whippingboy said...

As I'm reminded at work constantly.

"When there's a serious accident it's not just the victim whose life is changed"

Thoughts go out to all those affected by this one.

Couldnt agree more, he will be long in the mend stakes, with some major stress for family and friends. Hope he gets back soon.

Sad for the guy and his close ones :( Hope he recovers well.

In the right (or wrong) conditions, this can happen fairly easily. And once your in the air, everything happens really quickly. My dad was lofted about 30ft into the air some time ago when the sport was young and more dangerous. His mates say it took him about 10seconds to be 150-200m down the beach.
He told me he looked down, and was maybe 1m off the ground, looked up at teh kite, looked straight back down, and he was around 30ft up. It's just lucky he had a HUGE beach to be flown down, and that he got landed (flung) in the ocean.

Krisiz1 said...

The other thing that stood out was the fact that the guy was 48 years old. Didn't think there were many people that age getting around kitesurfing but full credit to him.

My dads 53 (ish) and kites/windsurfers with me. Theres some dude at the local spot whos approaching 80 (eighty, i think he is already over 80, but not too sure) and he goes better than most people. For cruising along, kiting is probably a lot easier on the body than windsurfing is.

I also don't think this will be the last of the kiting accidents. To be honest i think it is only going to get worse. I would hate it to happen, and hope that it doesn't, but i wouldn't be surprised if there is a death at a metro beach this summer.