Is kitesuring a legitimate sport compared to skateboarding?

[longwhitecloud]

does it get respect

6 step handrail or a blind judge

[magic%20Ed]

Talking about "getting respect" is such a poverty trip. Really, only people with a poor self-image care about getting respect.

Look in the mirror, say to yourself "you are worth living, you are unique and as much worth as anybody else" and get over it.

Respect is not something you give or get, but something you have.

[FabsPH]

How many years was skateboarding an underground, punk, no good activity?

Kiteboarding, in the short 10 years, has surpassed skateboarding in the " respect" factor. Just speaking on how little time we needed to get respect.
Is it as mainstream as skating? Of course not. And it will never be.
We are too dependent on weather and conditions, where skating can be done everywhere, all the time.

We will never be on X games, and if we do, it will never get the same attention as skating.
Even wakeboarding does not get the" wow" factor.
Kiting is not an "arena" sport. therefore ,... well.. you know.
But it is a legitimate sport for sure.

[dr.]

does it get respect

Respect from who or what?

[TommyDuotone]

One of the few sports/activities where most bystanders will stop to watch in fascination (most will snap some pics before they leave). I have never seen another sport with such a draw for spectators, especially first timers. So yeah, I think we get respect (who really cares though) and definitely legit.

[gbleck]

One of the few sports/activities where most bystanders will stop to watch in fascination (most will snap some pics before they leave). I have never seen another sport with such a draw for spectators, especially first timers. So yeah, I think we get respect (who really cares though) and definitely legit.

You also forgot that said bystanders are also more likely to misidentify the sport more then any other. Realy who hasn't had to explain that no it's not para gliding, wind surfing, that thing with the parachutes, or some such. But people do like to watch.

[jwoodunlv]

I'm a high school teacher and since every skateboarding student that I have shown some short kiteboarding vid has said it's the coolest thing they have ever seen, that tells me that we are just as "legit" (man, I hate that fucking word) as any other board sport out there. I've also shown some students that surf some Ben Wilson vid and they thought that was the coolest thing they have ever seen, especially when you explain that there is no paddling involved so you can ride 4 times as many waves in a session. We rock people, and really, I don't care if people respect the sport because when I am kiting I am having too much fucking fun. Now, if the fucking wind would fucking come back I would quit typing the word fucking so much and get off this fucking forum.

With that said, we really need to open up the sport to younger people otherwise our sport will die like windsurfing has. I think outreach from shops into public schools and making the sport accessible would greatly improve the sport, not to mention it would lower the cost of gear since these people would eventually end up buying stuff. I'm working on drawing up a proposal to present to school officials to see what they think of it. If we hooked up with the local shops to provide safe instruction it would be huge. I've had so many students that would love to get into the sport but just don't have the means to do it.

[BBQFish]

Talking about "getting respect" is such a poverty trip. Really, only people with a poor self-image care about getting respect.

Look in the mirror, say to yourself "you are worth living, you are unique and as much worth as anybody else" and get over it.

Respect is not something you give or get, but something you have.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[prayfawind27]

You can have all the respect in the world, all i want is 17-20 knots and 10 foot waves

[rightguard]

This is kind of funny... how much respect do you think you get as a skateboarder? Walk around town, or even skate around town and ask the normal person if they respect you because you are a skater. They will probably call the cops on you for damaging the 6 step hand rail.

Personally I think the only people that respect extreme sports are people that do them. Around here I think kiters get more respect than punk ass skaters, but maybe that's because I live on an Island.