Cameron Maramenides #1 in the world TTR Championship Brazil 2017

[Dimitri M]

For the past 5 days kids from all over the world were battling for the 2017 TT:R SLALOM YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in BARRA GRANDE, BRAZIL - YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFICATION.

You had kids from different countries racing. French team with 5 to 7 athletes, Italian team with 5 to 6 athletes, Argentinian team with 3 to 4 athletes, the Spanish team with their own athletes, the Brazilian team with their own athletes and so on...Plus my son Cameron Maramenides who was representing the USA and his friend Tiger Tyson who was representing Antigua. A total of 38 athletes I believe from (14 to 18 years old).

The wind was very strong (27 to 37 mph) every day and they were all using 7 and 8 meter kites. They had 120 rescues and 7 injuries including my son. It was more like a Gladiator game then a race game. Some competitors were not playing faire and were using their kites to take down #1 and #2 especially on the first marker. And when they were tangled, some of the competitors were releasing their CL into the other kiter so they could get redressed. It was just like something you see in the movies. In one of the races my son got tangle and his competitors was yelling at him to stay tangled so they don't finish the race in order to get redressed. But my son was trying all his best to get untangle and relaunch his kite so he can continue the race.
Even in one of the heats after he got taken down by one of his competitors, he was able to relaunch his kite and continue the race in 4th place, but he stopped at the 3rd marker to go back and help another kiter who was in distress, because it was so windy that the jetskies had a hard time to get to all 4 kiters that were down from a tangle. Each heat had 8 to 10 kiters racing.

I think the IKA should change their format on kite tangling and if the same kiter causes the tangling with other kiters more then 3 times he should be removed from the competitions. One of the kiters did this 13 times during the entire event.

Any way my son Cameron was taken down 3 times by his competitors since he was winning most of the races and was able to get 1st place after winning five 1st places and two 2nd places for the 2017 TT:R SLALOM YOUTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BARRA GRAND BRAZIL which puts him at #1 in the world ranking right now. Good job Cameron

[rynhardt]

Well done, Cameron! And well done to the father too

As much as the kite tangling is undesirable from a competitor viewpoint, from a spectator viewpoint it's gold (am I a terrible person for saying this?)

It's a bit like F1 racing. The pit stops, the crashes, the drama.. makes for entertaining viewing.

[Dimitri M]

rynhardt. I guess you are going to enjoy the new video about this event coming out soon.

I give tons of credit to the rescuers out there. They did a great job with all the rescues. Can you imagine 120 rescues in 5 days especially in strong winds.

[Dimitri M]

At least Cameron listens to his coach instructions on how to win the races.

[bazzamac]

Simply fantastic !!! Well done !!! Really looking forward to some video of this.

[rynhardt]

At least Cameron listens to his coach instructions on how to win the races.

yeah definitely some streamlining is called for, coach has the right idea, only the bare necessities.

[windsuks]

Well done Cameron!!!

How Cameron has changed in such a little time too!
It seems the coaching from Granny D paid off!

[longwhitecloud]

Going back to help others... Gold.

We saw it at king of the air twice, the safety were completely ill equipped to deal with the conditions.
Seen it at local competitions too.. do you try and win or help someone dealing with potential drowning by deathloop?!
U go help!

Good work.

Kite tangles, especially multiple ones and in higher winds are a very serious and complex issue.

[SLiiCK]

It must be proud for you to see him up there obviously had a good teacher, years of hard work and fun now paying off

[FLandOBX]

Nice job, Cameron. You da' man!

Lots of French riders in the final results. Where are the riders from other countries?? Maybe Cameron will inspire some others from the USA. It's great to see the young riders competing, wherever they call home.