Thanks to Tiago for first posting this. (its at the end) Skip to it if your bored of my rants!
Its dawned on me that debate on here polarizes itself along the lines of Kite VS Board riders. Of course there are plenty in between, but they are likely new to both.
Personally it was the introduction of the Kite that brought a viable boardsport to my region and for that, I thank the stars. (I windsurfed, but don't really call that a boardsport) These days I am a kiteBOARDer, in every sense. I have more boards than kites. Even when in relative need of a new kite, were I to fall into some extra cash, It's another board I would probably go for. I put a lot of stock in aspects of a board that have only to do with how they ride, (not only on edge), take off and land, and not so much how they fly. My board quiver is a collection, where I will turn over kites for convenience and can be nicely satisfied with any number of kites on the market. In truth, Im now holding out for deals that suit my aesthetic taste and pocket book, and will ride what Im on until the right deals pops up. But boards? If I like it, its likely never going up for sale.
This clip got me to really reconsider some of my stance on issues I have argued in the past. Its wake boarding (of which I do very little) limited to one pass of the handle. A limitation that ironically really suits my tastes. I see so much of what motivates me to kite in this clip, and I get that same motivation often from watching good riders instead of great ones. The best is of course great riders doing relatively easy or simple stuff. Im not saying its worth competing at, but I love to watch it. The lay outs, timing and magnitude of simple unsuspended board riding is absolutely timeless to me and it doesn't matter if its a wake, snow, surf, or skate. It all makes me wanna ride.
Top level kite or wake or even snow or skate can lose me for the same reasons it loses most viewers. Too repetitive, fast and complex and well out of reach and I zone out. Where a massive layed out single front with a stomped landing can keep my rapt attention and never gets old. Im certainly not against tech or multiple handle passes but think if the aesthetic is lost its not worth going for the double.
I do love big air, and in truth love kites. I tech out like everyone else and look for specific qualities in my kites, but its not flight. I like to boost big and do it whenever I kite, but big long glide almost annoys me so I won't pretend to see the sport from that perspective. I don't think Im alone. I think that all kiteBOARDers are also down with big monster airs and kite loops, its just not at the expense of the riding. Boots aren't about boots, its about having better board control than a strap with no heel hold. Big fins? Well they can help you edge a ton, but on a TT they're kind of a killjoy when riding the board a little flatter. Where kite oriented guys seem quite happy with straps cause their easy in/out. And fins.... the bigger the better.
I may still bark a little when people overstate the general public's appetite for boaroffs, but you kite guys can do whatever you want in the sport. The boardsport side of the world is massive and slowly waking (pardon the pun) to the potentials a kite brings. Events like the SSS, Ro Sham and the kite surf events showcase the board side of the equation and will continue to grow and thrive.
To all the KITEboarders out there..... peace.
To all the kiteBOARDers out there here is the clip.
Discuss/ rant/ whatever, but post some clips that show the less tech/ all style side of kiteBOARDing so we can get a little stoke going for SSS kickoff. Im gonna go hunt for a few more just to set the mood.
http://youtu.be/CIH6kpEEJsM