It’s kind of silly for companies to pay riders not to ride anything but their gear. I believe boosting is mostly in the rider less in the gear. So a suggestion for alternative format:
- kite makers supply best of the gear they can
- competition goes in rounds, for each round riders pick numbers from a hat. Whoever picks number 1 rides against whoever picks number 2, whoever picks 3 rides against 4, etc. Of each pair there will be a winner and a loser. Whoever gets defeated twice drops off.
- of each pair for each round - rider #1 calls for two different kites (of all the equipment), then rider #2 picks one of these two kites, leaving the remaining one to rider #1. Riders are free to pick a size of the kite they ride.
- riders are free to ride a board and bar/lines of their choice
- over rounds number of competing riders comes down until we get top 3.
- We all learn about best gear guys pick to ride
- there should be a warmup day for riders to test any kite they like to demo
- optionally all kites supplied to event are auctioned, proceedings go to buy food at local pantry for hungry to be fed
Getting a random kite one has tested maybe once on a previous test day and then competing with it, pulling the craziest heights.
Yeah, sounds very safe. Could provide dashing wipeouts though, if that is your thing.
What KOTA is really missing is sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads.
What KOTA really missing its real time data of jump height and hang duration for public and tv screens and on phones. Of course by real special devices not as boosted woo3.
I guess manufacturers won't supply anything subpar and riders wont choose anything not good. I've seen proriders jumping crazy stuff on questionable gear. I agree that's gear they know but when you pick from all the gear available won't they pick the best they can?
I don't know many things, but I believe it's in the rider - since development of most LEIs (not counting foiling ultralights) slowed down in the past years to pretty much changing the colors.
I guess if all want to see competition of who can pay the prorider more not to ride any other gear, that's alright. So let's call it a derby, call winning kites, not the riders and give prizes to manufacturers, not to the guys?
What KOTA really missing its real time data of jump height and hang duration for public and tv screens and on phones. Of course by real special devices not as boosted woo3.
You obviously haven't pushed yourself to any height or level whatsoever to suggest such a stupid idea.
When you are that powered, that high, doing those moves you need have many hours on a certain kite and bar setup. You need to know exactly where it is going to be and where. How it will adjust at the throw. What is it lift an glide characteristics, How does it loop. the list goes on.
What you suggesting could easily end up in deaths... but by the sounds of it you haven't a clue what's required.
while we are it let's line up all the formula one cars and stick names in a fckn hat....
You obviously haven't pushed yourself to any height or level whatsoever to suggest such a stupid idea.
When you are that powered, that high, doing those moves you need have many hours on a certain kite and bar setup. You need to know exactly where it is going to be and where. How it will adjust at the throw. What is it lift an glide characteristics, How does it loop. the list goes on.
What you suggesting could easily end up in deaths... but by the sounds of it you haven't a clue what's required.
while we are it let's line up all the formula one cars and stick names in a fckn hat....
Meh...I don’t jump over 45 ft., kind of baby jumps, but I also ride for fun and not to call other people names and labels on the forum.
And yes, I haven’t pushed myself to those “heights” as it’s mostly a pull from lines and less push by legs or board pop. Learn some better technique, buddy
If you think that top boosting kites are so different and top riders are so incapable of riding other gear - I think you’re mistaken.
It’s in the rider - not in stalled development of LEIs. So if manufacturers provide top jumping kites they want to show off with, I’m pretty sure the strongest riders will come atop and alive. And more importantly they’ll rock without having to be paid to “not ride any other manufacturer’s gear”.
Speaking of Formula 1 - the “Marlbоrо” killed way more on this little planet, and it was so promoted. Ayrton wasn’t piloting a “random” car and Schumacher managed to kill himself on skis of his own choice.
There is a video on youtube of the Cabrinha design team testing one of the kites in Maui, can’t remember if it was the FX or Switchblade, but anyway they made a small bridle adjustment and when Nick looped it his timing was completely off.
At 2016 KOTA Lewis oversteered slightly and it almost cost him his life – on gear he knows well. This kind of small mistake would be inevitable on new gear in 40 knots.
Edit: Ok I found the video, here it is:
So this is an FX, a kite Nick knows intimately and it’s maybe 25 knots or a bit more. Imagine a completely unfamiliar kite in 40 knots, this is a recipe for disaster even for the pros.
You obviously haven't pushed yourself to any height or level whatsoever to suggest such a stupid idea.
When you are that powered, that high, doing those moves you need have many hours on a certain kite and bar setup. You need to know exactly where it is going to be and where. How it will adjust at the throw. What is it lift an glide characteristics, How does it loop. the list goes on.
What you suggesting could easily end up in deaths... but by the sounds of it you haven't a clue what's required.
while we are it let's line up all the formula one cars and stick names in a fckn hat....
Meh...I don’t jump over 45 ft., kind of baby jumps, but I also ride for fun and not to call other people names and labels on the forum.
And yes, I haven’t pushed myself to those “heights” as it’s mostly a pull from lines and less push by legs or board pop. Learn some better technique, buddy
If you think that top boosting kites are so different and top riders are so incapable of riding other gear - I think you’re mistaken.
It’s in the rider - not in stalled development of LEIs. So if manufacturers provide top jumping kites they want to show off with, I’m pretty sure the strongest riders will come atop and alive. And more importantly they’ll rock without having to be paid to “not ride any other manufacturer’s gear”.
Speaking of Formula 1 - the “Marlbоrо” killed way more on this little planet, and it was so promoted. Ayrton wasn’t piloting a “random” car and Schumacher managed to kill himself on skis of his own choice.
I'm pretty sure I didn't call you any names, I said your idea was stupid and reveals your lack of understanding to ride at that level of extreme risk.
...and you needn't suggest I learn better technique because I was doing this sport before you even heard of it - and have ridden and tried literally hundreds of different kites and from different brands. They all have their own idiosyncratic feel and when it comes to the extreme edge these guys are pushing, the kite needs to be an extension of your body.
But by the sounds of it you are yet another keyboard kook hero without a clue (I called you a name now because you deserve it this time).
It's not that you mean it, I get that.
It's just you don't know what you don't know.
You will get there cup cake, give it another 10-15 years or so.