Kitesurf Trophy Fehmarn - Safety

[Toby]

I was informed that if oyu want to ride in that comp you have to wear a helmet, vest and a leash.
It looks like it is the first event where you have to have these safety devices.
Why is it the first one, there have been others already. How was the safety handled there?
How about in the future?

[jever98]

I agree with the fact that you have to wear a leash in competition. But a helmet and a vest?? My impression is that this is over the top.
Just my 2 cents

[kGreg]

I think I belong to those guys, who are rather very careful.
But I can not imagine ever riding in a helmet. I think that's too much.

Regards,

kGreg

[phree]

Hey Toby. Interesting story you uncovered. There's allot of people asking the same questions you did. Thanks for bringing this up.

Everyone knows there is a lot of debate about safety management at pro kite tours. It's a hot topic right now. Just like everybody knows there is growing pressure to increase safety in kiteboarding, including pro kite contests. The problem is that when you make things safer you also lose some freedoms. And compromising freedoms is hard to do.

Like you said, Toby, it would be interesting to learn more about how this happened at the Kitesurf Trophy Fehmarn. It might help us gain perspective on Kiteboarding safety trends.

I wonder what made them use such strict safety standards? Did they do it because of liability and/or insurance issues? Were there unusually dangerous conditions at the contest? Who competed in the contest and who declined to compete because of the new rules? Was the Kitesurf Trophy Fehmarn a KPWT contest? I wonder who sponsored the event?

Kiteboarding safety trends are in an important stage of their development. This story has legs. Anybody know the scoop?

[Toby]

the kitesurf Trophy is its own European tour.
Due to organizers of this tour being eyewitness to what happend with Silke, safety is a big issue for this tour, which is the only way to go to keep it running for the future for which tour whatsoever.

One big point is the liability but also about loosing a friend....

I will be at that event and talking to organizers and riders, to find out about their impression and "loss of freedom" and will let you know about it. I think the reactions will be interesting.

Toby

[Guest]

Hi Toby
It might not be popular to say, but safetyleash is in my opinion a bad idea in competition. You loose some freedom in the tricks an jumps and I don't think it makes it more safe. I have tried to be stock in a safetyleash going full power about 300 meter with 30-40 kmh. until the kite stopped.
Impact west and helmet is fine with me, I'm using it ind very windy conditions (sometimes).

Is the competission open for everybody. We are a few guys from Denmark that might come.
Anders

[Guest]

I know that you will have less fun doing tricks or maybe are not able to do some of them (handle pass), but on the other site the history showed us that it might save some lifes.
It really is a hot topic and we will see, what the riders will say about it or how they will react.

The Trophy is open to everyone, so come down and make it more international. There also will be about 10 guys from Poland.
But I don't know about the deadline for participation.

You should call or e-mail Thilo Trefz quickly:
thilo.trefz@brandguides.com
+49-40-50792864

Looking forward to meet you guys!
Let me know if you will come or not.

Toby

[Guest]

I wonder if Rick Iossi or anybody else knows of other competitions that are looking at added safety requirements.

[RickI]

Safety is definitely on a lot of people's minds these days. Far more than even four months ago, it is a very good thing. There will be more accidents, including some tragic avoidable ones between now and the more uniform adoption of better safety standards in all likelihood unfortunately. Awareness is definitely higher than it was however in most cases evidenced by recent competitions reform is slow to follow. I have heard a few rumors about some efforts of the PKRA dealing with some reform that I am attempting to confirm. When I do, I will post the outcome here.

I am encouraged by the requirement of leashes, helmets and impact vests at least in this one event. It will take time for these things to be more widely adopted and taken as given. Also it should fuel the development of more trick friendly leashes. More widespread impact vest use should cut down on the quantity of pro rider rib fractures, quite a few have had them. Helmets may save some lives if in practice if not in actual events. They have already for a few very luck non-pro riders.

Rick Iossi

[Guest]

I understand that it is their intention to make a slalom comp. instead of freestyle. To me slalom kite comp. is much more dangerous than freestyle and Hangtime. Try to think 4 or 8 kiters racing close to each other with the kite 30 meters away. Suddently you have 7 kiters swimming and 1 kiter with 8 kites tangled together. Is it just me or what ?
The organizers say that it will make it more easy for the spectaters to understand who is winning. But if you see waveriding or you don't know who is winning until the judges have decided


I was planning to go there but I don't think that slalom has anything to do with kitesurfing. So now I don't know what I will do.
Anders