I think we very much agree that the biggest improvements in light air racing will come from the kites that are tuned for light air; as their light air performance can be improved a lot.
The Box rule Alex and I are discussing is only to limit the overall width of the board. This "Box Rule Measurement" Class is not one design, it just sets a reasonable limit on a measurement that the top designers and riders feel is actually a direction we do not need to go crazy on, right now. Right now the discussion is on finding a reasonable board width for our IKA racing class.
This rule can be changed in the future, if custom board development proves that we need to go wider, to move the performance of the sport forward; then this can be incorporated, but leaving it free for all for manufacturers, does not make it easy to get people into the sport, as Alex so eloquently expressed before.
At this time, it may be proven that this measurement of 70cm is a valid limit (mainly needed and optimally working only in light air) and would not need to be wider. If we go wider we will have to race with two boards, a super light air wide board; that works slightly better in 10 knots or less; and then a regular sized board for 10 knots and up. Basically we would use the 69 cm board pictured above, with a 16 meter kite or larger, and switch down in board and kite size once we get to a solid 10 knots. This idea still needs to be tested, and only time will tell if we can ride wider boards in say 15 knots and above. On the Pro Tour now the typical winning boards are right around 58cm wide. This is enough for top riders to even beat the wider boards in light wind. But development of board designs, refined rocker lines and tuned fin set ups will push the performance forward as usual.
Right now the main improvement needed for racing are for kite designs to improve their performance in light air. (kites need to reliably relaunch in less than 6 to 8 knots), as now in racing in 8 knots or less if you drop your kite, your racing is usually finished; as normally you cannot water relaunch in less than 6 to 8 knots. I have raced in numerous light are Pro Races where where the fleet was racing in around 4 to 6 knots of wind, but if your kite is dropped the racing is over for you.
Lighter kites, with specific design ideas incorporating some of the benefits of foils for example is a direction the sports designers and testers need to pushed into developing. Don't worry there are a few of us doing this work now....
If IKA decided to vote on a "board width limitation" I would push for a 70 cm width as our starting point for developing our box rule class measurements. Right now IKA for racing only has a limit on the length of the lines (45 meter max) and a limit on fin length (50cm). I think this class has plenty of room to develop within these limitations, even if the 70 cm (or something close) in the max width rule is incorporated in our class rules.
Stay wet, Mike "Gebi" Gebhardt
IKA Committee Member trying to get Kitesurf Racing in the 2016 Olympics