Interesting Judging Discussions

[Toby]

I disagree. Risk does not bring people into a sport.
Do people get into surfing waves because of the risk or the feeling and happiness.

Same with kiting, at least for me, it's the beauty of flying and not risk injuries at every landing.
And the older I get the more so....

[sijandy]

I disagree. Risk does not bring people into a sport.
Do people get into surfing waves because of the risk or the feeling and happiness.

Yes it does with these (supposedly extreme) sports. Without the risk of getting wiped out they would not experience the "feeling and happiness" afterwards. I think the word 'risk' is being misenterpreted or is perhaps not the correct word. Risk doesn't necasarily mean 10m mega loops or injuries... it's personal to the individual but it's needed to get any satisfaction from what your doing.

[johnm]

Risk doesn't necasarily mean 10m mega loops or injuries... it's personal to the individual

totally agree I reckon you get the same nervous excitement just before your first backloop as you do for your first full-on kiteloop or first powered handlepass - it's that 'stepping into the unknown' feeling

if there's a high chance of hurting yourself if you get it wrong then that feeling is much greater

Old school stuff just doesn't have that edge - whether you twiddle the board round twice or 20 times - you're still just gonna gently float back down - you might break a fingernail i suppose

[AirBunny]

Risk, fear, danger, daredevil, call it what you will, it's the same old junkie philosophy. If you want to do anything well you have to use all of your faculties and that includes your brain, not just pumping serotonin and adrenalin. Ask FIFA's board members if they would invest a penny into soccer if it didn't provide half the entertainment it does. Why does Madame Tussauds have a Ronaldo but not a single surfer or kitesurfer!!!???? Try being a celebrity for a risk factor while mastering difficult skills. It's not that easy, takes some thought and social skill. Anyone can just trash their body on the water. Try preserving it in wax!

[johnm]

If the PKRA are interested in putting on an easy to understand, entertaining format to run alongside the current wakestyle format - then I reckon they'd be better off with something new - like boardercross - maybe with some 'high' obstacles included

[plummet]

The risk to reward ratio is pretty good for kitesurfing. Ie would be crazy things are relatively low risk but high reward.

The reality is this. Regardless of competitions. If you push your own level then you risk. Whether that's boosting high, low wakestyle airstyle wave riding.
Its all relative to your comfort zone and perception.

That said the higher the risk the greater the reward. Its that simple. Until you reach a point that is well beyond your personal comfort zone. Then it is just death defying with the realisation that you must survive this or you may die or be injured badly. That is not very enjoyable.

[Toby]

I have many discussions about the sport and its disciplines.
The majority of people I talk to exactly like watching that: the flow, the flying, the easiness of what I do.
For them the wakestyle is just aggressive and they cannot relate to that, nor watch it.

Of course, it is not everyone saying this, but quiet many. Why not please those people too?
It is just another option, not a question of this OR that, it is this AND that.

[edt]

make no mistake



This is what spectators want and neither airstyle nor wakestyle have it

redbull king of the air is the closest to it

[Tiago1973]

make no mistake



This is what spectators want and neither airstyle nor wakestyle have it

redbull king of the air is the closest to it

thing is, how many loops can one see till it gets bored?

[Toby]

this is what one part wants. Not all.
And yes, a megaloop comp gets boring.
In a mix with other stuff not.