rnelias wrote: ↑Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:46 pm
sponsored riders are not only important to influence the market. They should also be important as a showcase and to develop the equipment.
Some brands have excelent products but people will not have the chance to know if they can't see, at least, on social media.
I think DTK will "retire" Aaron on KOTA (2 times champion) and will refresh the bet with Liam, however, with the kite prices increasing, people will tend to search their quiver more based on quality than on performance.
I agree with that, sponsored riders are there to help showcase their brand and promote it. Show what can be done and let qualified
people try fancy new stuff.
I do not think Duotone retires Aaron - when Aaron is ready to go, he will. He is still performing at such a high level no point in bugging him. Other Duotone riders have been earning their way up.
Big Air is currently a three horse race, altho the new OR Rise is getting good reviews. The Rise is prob not a good Intermediate Big Air kite, but supposedly it rewards pro technique. So we will have a four horse race soon enough.
Some brands WANT to stay in the kite industry and will likely adapt (F-One, Slingshot, Cabrinha) - which would make it a 5 horse race! My money is on Cab coming back to Big Air - they have a designer who can do it (he did the Orbit), Pete (now the owner again, not just a mascot like he was last few years) loves bragging about Big Air even if does not like the discipline anymore (he lives on Maui, kites same beaches as me), and SB could be modified. Its already a grunty kite with a smooth radial kiteloop, just needs improvement.