have you got a date in mind?

Nice spot azza!

Dates... well we're hoping to hold it in lateJan/February/early March for the best winds and to give us enough time to get sponsors and all of the approvals. There's already lots of WAKSA events on during Feb and the Rottnest Channel Swim takes out another weekend.

I'll put out another post to suss what people's feelings are for dates - but volunteer numbers will really impact on this!

Come on volunteers! Even if you can only suggest some contacts for possible sponsorship we'd love to you to dob them in! Email [email protected] with their name, email and work phone no. And we'll see if they may be interested!

If you can help out in anyway that would be great! We'll need boats, someone to help with websites, logistical support, first aiders, radios and lots more!

Last count Melville had 11 kiters interested in going over with 2 possible support boats.

Many will volunteer some time on the condition of getting a crossing.

MikeN, you had a great idea about having the race be a team event. And brooksy, you are the champ to want to take this one on!

If we have teams of 4 with 1 support boat per team, then Melville will field at least 3 teams...team A,B & C.

Melville looking for a coach.

Hey,
I'm sure if enough notice is given I can have our boat going as well for support, will be very keen to enter as well,
Maybe a meeting with all interested parties wil be necessary and some guidelines ready?
Wicked idea
Thanks
Matt

I'm in, let me know where I can help. I want to be in Melville A

My wife suggested trying Channel 7 for sponsorship? She could chase in the chopper with the camo Hanging out the side. Far better news than Today Tonight rubbish
I'm keen to participate, although February is out for me

umm well, awkward situation ay
im sure you can be included but you will have to pick up kiting real fast[}:)]

Glad to see the interest, and I'd like to raise some issues from my experiences. As an ex yacht owner, I've sailed accross 200 times. I've windsurfed PAST Rotto, and I've kited there and back (can anyone beat 35 minutes by the way, Freo to Natural Jetty?)

Any support craft worth having need to be able to handle 35 kn wind and 2m chop, otherwise don't bother going out. So we're talking about serious boats, otherwise the kiters will be rescuing the support staff.

I suggest starting from Port Beach Freo ....... its a lovely broad reach accross to Natural Jetty, no mucking around with tacking upwind inshore like last time. That only encourages people to use oversized kites, which won't help you survive the real issue, which is when the wind picks up 15 km out and the swell starts as you get outside the reef south of Rotto.

By all means have a qualification event the week before, but make it a proper dash to Rotto.

I'm sure IY will tell you that RIA is difficult to deal with and inflexible, but please ...... a January race, when you've got a 90% chance of a bloody good wind.

This should be an exercise for advanced kiters. Fostering intermediate kiters to do it providing we get mild conditions is risky. I'd keep it as hard core as possible.

Okay, I have some ideas, but they are just suggestions that may help provoke further thought and ideas to solve problems involved in setting up this event.
It could be turned into an event that is aimed at raising funds for the Surf Life Saving clubs of W.A. Also make it a race for kiters and windsurfers. This would help build a better relationship between the surf life saving clubs, kiters & windsurfers. Also it would be much easier to gain public/commercial sponsorship and 'suitable' support boats, the surf clubs may even help? This would also mean it would be easier to attract media coverage and I'm sure prizes could be arranged by some sponsors for class place getters and the usual fun awards.
You could start the race from Rottnest Island and finish at a chosen point along the coastline? It is much easier and safer to aim for the West Coast of Australia than a small island, especially with South Westerlies in your favour. Also be easier for attracting more public to a finish line located on a Perth beach.
These are just a few ideas and I'm sure you probably want the event kept more low key?
You have come up with a fantastic idea with an infinite amount of potential if it is not run too close to the Rottnest Classic weekend.
Call the 'Chief Of Staff' at the TV stations if enquiring about coverage/ sponsorship.
I'm extremely busy with full time work and a couple of Uni courses through to the end of November, but only too willing to help where I can after that.
Regards
James

OK, slow down everyone. If you'd like to help out please email me at [email protected], I don't really want to discuss all the finer aspect of the event via a forum. But I'll address the issues as they come up...

First of all we're working through the approvals and it won't be possible to get approvals through for windsurfers and kitesurfers through for this season. We're already running short for time.

I'd love to run a qualification event but it costs money, time and resources. And with an already busy season ahead there just aren't the free weekends, time, money or people to help out. So we will have other safety mechanisms in place to ensure those that do enter can safely finish the race. And safety is the no. 1 priority - period.

While it is a race participation and completion is way more important than who arrives in what order.

Starting from rottnest is a good idea - but we have some logistics issues that has ruled that out, this time. But we'll keep it in mind.

We're approaching suitable sponsors, and we'd like to run a bigger event in the future, but we have to get one to run safely and successfully first.

So by all means we'd love to see as many people helping out as possible, and it's generating heaps of interest, but for this year - it's a little more low key. We want to run one first.

JUST A REMINDER:
IT IS ILLEGAL TO CROSS TO/FROM ROTTENST. PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS BY YOURSELF!
Even if you have a safety boat it is STILL ILLEGAL. And speaking with all of the approving authorities you will have to be one wealthy and influential kiter/windsurfer to get approval.

make it like the rottnest return, have to beat upwind a few k's to a marker first 20 or so get to go across all the **** people who don't make it bad luck.

quote:

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Originally posted by gasman

Hey dude, read my comment above. By requiring the irrelevant action of going upwind inshore on locally low wind speed you will encourage people to enter with kites that are too large. There is a huge difference between inshore wind and wind 15 km out on most days.

Yes, you're not allowed to kite to Rotto. When "I" came back last time "I" left Stark Bay in 35 Kn and arrived at Cott in 15 Kn. Use this experience however illicit. Don't encourage people to use oversized kites!

By all means have an up wind race some other time, its grerat fun, but has **** all to do with sailing to Rotto.

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how would you suggest limiting numbers in a fair way while insuring a minimum skill level of riders involved

any update on the proposed date?