Wakestyle is dying so fast

[Rigodon]

The answer of the question of why has wakestyle become so unpopular is that it's never been popular except for elite kiters and that hasn't changed.

Except that a lot of those "elite kiters" that did wakestyle are doing big air now as well. Richman, Hadlow, Whaley etc.

just ask them how "gay" a boardoff was still a few years ago when they didn't do it

It was, and still IS

[edt]

Dont kid yourself the elite riders can and will do any trick whatever the tournament organizers decide. If you ride with them at a local spot you'll see them do everything with what appears to be zero effort.

[Peter_Frank]

So true.

The best riders can do everything "we" (or the judges) want

For starters in the early days, everything was cool.

Then the best riders were able to ride unhooked and do amazing tricks, never seen before.

Yes, for those coming from wakeboarding it has been seen before, but in many regions wakeboarding does not exist (like here) so it isnt a reminiscense from that.

It was an amazing display of extreme skills, we all loved to see.

Big air combined with this, was of course key.

Board offs were for a short period amazing, but has become a dull thing now, unless combined with extreme height and power and small kites.

Wakestyle is still an amazing thing to see, and no doubt the very best only, can do these tricks.

But indeed, not as interesting to watch for those not knowing the details.

So here big air, is the best.

And combined with high winds and small kites thus extreme acceleration in the loops, is key.

On top of this, if you can make unhooked and board offs also, it is amazing

Peter

[knotwindy]

Tom Bridge anyone?

[cglazier]

Limited thinking and egoism lead for the ignorance of some part of the sport. Still exists, as I can see. Luckily some people don’t follow trends and push the sport further in many directions, which shows the diversity of it.

So there is something for everyone. And never let anyone tell you what you should do or what not.

Go out and enjoy, whatever you do! But, do it your way.

[galzohar]

Overall I find wakestyle more fun when you have the conditions for it, but it has many downsides that people are realizing. Besides the conditions requirements, there is the stress on the body which will eventually fail anyone, and the amount of time it takes to get that new trick dialed in. I've talked to quite a few guys who quit freestyle, and also recently quit myself due to minor shoulder pain that just wouldn't go away until I stopped unhooking. People either some or all of the following points:

1. Not doing wakestyle makes you much more flexible in when/where you can kite. Sure you still want the best conditions. But you don't get too frustrated if it's choppy and gusting 5+ knots above the average wind. I'm not sure how much to count strong winds, because most people just boost or megaloop at those winds regardless of whether they do old school or wakestyle when the wind is lighter.

2. You can learn a lot more tricks in much shorter time (at least in the boardoff category, in megalooping it may still take some time to get a new trick in).

3. You don't need to worry nearly as much what will happen when you get old and can't handle wakestyle anymore.

As for the pros, I think the veterans are just getting too old to compete in freestyle, but can still do amazing big air. The younger guys are probably realizing that they will also eventually get old, and also that they can do big air loops at 17-18 knots if they weight <60kg (I'm seen some young guys doing impressive loops at the local spot while I was barely having enough wind to unhook on my 10m, was about 17-18 knots). While wakestyle at an amateur level, in my opinion, isn't that dangerous injury-wise, many also avoid it due to risk of injuries. Kites getting easier and better for looping probably helps too. Although for the heavier riders at lighter winds looping is not really an option, so it's still the choice between old school and wakestyle.

To all that you must add the fact that wakestyle was never a beginner/intermediate things, and even when wakestyle was much more popular, the wakestylers were still a minority. As more and more people are kiting, you will have more and more casual kiters who don't really have any chance to learn wakestyle even if they wanted to. When nobody around you is doing wakestyle, you are much less motivated to get into it.

[Toby]

Well said galzo.

[nherbold]

Tom Bridge anyone?

Tru Dat!!

The best wake-styler out there hands down and I'm really liking his mentality and innovative tricks.....and he executes them with such style.....yes...he is a BAD MAN

[Lamilu]

There is certainly an age/weight factor to consider in wakestyle.
How old is the oldest competitive kiter?

[jumptheshark]

Wakestyle does not equate to competitive freestyle. Competitive kiting was influenced by wakestyle riding but they are not the same at all.

The best wakestyle is NOT timed heats in a box. It’s downwinders and obstacles and buttery flat slicks far far far away from timed heats in choppy beach breaks.

Some of the very best wakestyle riders were not full on competition riders. Dre stopped competitive kiting back in the dangle spin to win days and was arguably still one of the most influential riders of his era.

Jason Slaezak and Shannon Best we’re both big heavy guys that absolutely killed it wakestyle well past the best before age of competitive freestylers. Moe Gould, Bertrand Fleury and of course Lou Wainman we’re all top tier rider who passed on the competition aspect of the sport. Billy Parker, the Predator, Shied and Boulding did all their best stuff post competitive career.

Is there an age limit for a double HP. Sure is, but the basics of a smooth KGB is attainable for the young at heart but requires a level of mastery that most never come close to. Simply riding well unhooked is beyond the ability of most kiters.

If Wakestyle is dying, it’s not because the average kiteboarder doesn’t want to back flip unhooked, it’s because only a small minority are able. We are a funny user group in some respects. The average skier or mountain biker or skater or surfer can’t do what the elite riders in their sport can do but they still celebrate it for the skills and commitment. They watch ski movies and surf movies and skate movies and love the talent in them. Not us! We shit on our top level riders for being too technical and boring because we can’t seem to relate. We as a group and certainly this forum would rather dumb it all down to include moves we can do rather than celebrate the best riders for their skills and simply let them push the envelope in whatever direction they desire. No man, the golden age of kiteboarding is long past. The self loathing has killed the vibe and we have no one but ourselves to blame.