Airstyle tournaments

[Tiago1973]

[jens]

Can someone quote where i went off topic or mentioned wakestyle? All i did is say why you dont have the tournaments you want.

[Starsky]

In efforts to contribute to the topic and let you know that this or any of my comments are not one style vs another.

Spoiler allert: I'm not a wakestyle rider!!!

That clip kinda shows that competition in general is the lamest way to showcase this sport regardless of the discipline. You never get the best waves in a heat, you never have the best wind or water condition at a comp, and everything ends up looking forced, rushed, and practically epileptic. The quality of tricks in that vid was pretty low, and other than height, everyones local hero actually looked like he had the best moves by a mile, minus maybe the pointy toes and he didn't make the podium!

Comps are crap and its pretty arguable weather or not they actually push progression at all. If you want to promote any style, go out and do what Toby does and film it in its propper habitat. Get to the lagoons, film a thousand tricks, and then edit out all the crap, cause poking one foot forward and then back quicker than a jackrabbit just looks stupid to everyone but maybe ironically a judge.

So sticking with the topic, I think if you wanna make your favorite riding style apeal to, well, anyone. Dont handicap it with competitions. Loosen the crieteria and format and your likely to get a better end product. If you really want to take the lead in an area sorely lacking, drop the heats format, find a way not to compromise on conditions and come up with a better format. The whole of kiteboarding will benefit. If it really is a show, then let it be one and forget scoring it like its something its not. There are no world champions in dance or ballet. Trying to take your discipline and score it will make it as political as diving or figure skating, and the airstyle community is much smaller so it would be so much worse. Free yourselves to fly and leave competition to the racers.


Just one multy discipline kiteboarders opinion.

P.S. dissent is not the same as hate

[Tiago1973]

I would add judging criteria

think there is a tendency to favor complexity over good looking simplicity that does not seem to help much

[Toby]

I agree Starsky.
A show would be much better than a comp.
In a comp you barely will see Rating 5 tricks (yes, they are hard to land if ever in a comp, and never heat after heat), but during a show they can be shown.

Problem is to find good sponsors for a show who really pay good money to make it worth for the riders.

And yes, landing new tricks on a lagoon having it filmed is way more fun !

[Toby]

if you still think PKRA style competition is the best and we Airstyle will never happen, have a look here right now:

http://redbullkingoftheair.co.za/live-stream

That is STRICTLY HOOKED riding...thousands of spectators and I will try to get the stats for how many people watched it live...

That is the roots of the sport!

[jens]

watching it now, one thing i know already, its too windy for you !

[Toby]

in this wind I hold a 14. I am a right jumper, so no kickers for me. And no kiteloops

But, any other arguments than what you just wrote?

PS: listen to what the moderator says...also about the crowd when they go off the most...

[Starsky]

Stricktly hooked?

Maybe in the opening heats but the handle passes will come out from all the top guys in later heats.

Yeah, the commentator basically just said that the crowd loves some of the basic moves like dead mans, but that those are pretty easy and that all competitors out there can do em. He also said that it was the risk level and massive commitment needed for the megaloops and powered riding that will separate the better riders from the pack. Haven't heard them mention airstyle once.

[Toby]

I saw one rider doing it...all cannot!
They all can do handle passes!

Well, almost strictly

Still, that's the format the sport needs, not PKRA wakestyle, this is FREESTYLE !

Still want to argue?