fatality in france

[Clarencephil]

Certainly one of the most horrible crashes reported in recent years

[AlexandreBorges]

I`m sorry. I hope family could find some peace.

It looks like a scene of a B movie like Saw or Prediction.
I would not believe were it not in newspaper.

[BudhaNl]

Terrible, my condolences for friends & family. May he rest in peace.

[sfpete]

Terrible tragedy. Prayers go out to his family.

Is the thinking that the gust was so strong that he was lofted with the bar depowered?

I wonder why he didn't QR while fighting it on the beach.

[edt]

Terrible tragedy. Prayers go out to his family.

Is the thinking that the gust was so strong that he was lofted with the bar depowered?

I wonder why he didn't QR while fighting it on the beach.

read the thread, he was racing to get in before the squall hit, but it hit right before he got to shore, the gust slammed him against the sea wall, this stunned/KO-ed him for a second or two which was enough time for the kite to go out of control and throw him 7 stories in the air

btw in the original title I think the original poster meant "upsetting/bouleversant" not "impressive/marquant"

[RickI]

My sincere condolences to the lost rider's family and friends. I wish them what comfort they can find at this terrible time.

[sfpete]

Terrible tragedy. Prayers go out to his family.

Is the thinking that the gust was so strong that he was lofted with the bar depowered?

I wonder why he didn't QR while fighting it on the beach.

read the thread, he was racing to get in before the squall hit, but it hit right before he got to shore, the gust slammed him against the sea wall, this stunned/KO-ed him for a second or two which was enough time for the kite to go out of control and throw him 7 stories in the air

btw in the original title I think the original poster meant "upsetting/bouleversant" not "impressive/marquant"

I did read the thread and not trying to malign the dead, but the story said there were marks on the beach from where he was trying to fight the kite. Seems he could have released there, but it might have all happened too fast for him. Just trying to see if there's a lesson in it.

[50knots]

Sad news.. terrible accident... condolences to the family and friends!
QRF - Quick Realese Fast

[edt]

I did read the thread and not trying to malign the dead, but the story said there were marks on the beach from where he was trying to fight the kite. Seems he could have released there, but it might have all happened too fast for him. Just trying to see if there's a lesson in it.

the lesson I take from this is that when there is a kitemare it's not the first hit that is the most dangerous, it's when you get stunned from that first hit that you lose control of the kite and it powers up in bad ways. The best way to prevent this is to wear a helmet so that when that first slam hits, you are still alert enough to hit the quick release.

I think the most famous kitemare caught on tape is from Kevin Kearney in florida during tropical storm Fay, he gets picked up the first time and slammed into the ground, he is stunned for somewhere around 1/8 of a second, that's when he really loses control of the kite and gets slammed into a building. Notice that Kevin was racing in to try to beat the storm and land his kite that's an incredibly dangerous time, when you are racing into shore so you can land before the squall hits. Sometimes it's safer to just sit in the water release the safety, self-rescue and swim it in.

You can't release when that gust first hits you it is quicker than thought itself. Trying to quick release when that gust first hits is like trying to catch a bullet after it leaves the barrel. By the time you realize it's time to get the quick release, you get slammed into the ground. This is when you need to hit the quick release and in fact most of the time that's exactly what happens, kiters release their kites right then. And if your head hits the ground, you will be stunned for a moment and unable to release, unless you are wearing a helmet. The second time the gust picks you up is when it really gets dangerous.

and of course my thoughts and prayers go out to friends and family, it's a terrible tragedy.

[suRff]

I did read the thread and not trying to malign the dead, but the story said there were marks on the beach from where he was trying to fight the kite. Seems he could have released there, but it might have all happened too fast for him. Just trying to see if there's a lesson in it.

Man that is awful news. (One) of the lesson(s) is to flag the kite before you get out of the water when you get hit by a squall. The beach there is narrower on high tide.

Condolences for friends & family. RIP