drsurf wrote: ↑Sat May 09, 2020 11:22 am
I don't get the problem here. If you want to race with the people who have unlimited resources for the latest high tech gear then you'll have to match them or have some kind of physical advantage.
If you want to race at the Olympic level you'll have to do what everyone else does and be good enough to gain the support of your country who'll assist you with equipment, training etc. Remember the purpose of Olympic competition is to make sure the equipment is as standardised as possible so that it's the skill and athleticism of the athlete that wins. That has always meant that in a fast changing discipline like kitesurfing and windsurfing, Olympic equipment can end up not being representative of the sport outside the Olympics. That's just how it is if the Olympics are your thing. It's a 4 year process, it would be different if the Olympics was an annual event.
If you want to race with affordable gear, get together with others who want to do the same and have fun. I know a few places in Australia where kite foilers have done just that. It doesn't matter your skill or gear, you can easily equalise that with good handicapping.
So stop whingeing. If you feel there is a problem figure out a solution with other like minded people. longwhitecloud you could be asking on this forum for others to join you in whatever competitive format you feel is good. Instead it's just a litany of complaints about other people and organisations. You're just making it sound like the problem is you. Get over it and put forward some positive solutions that would be supported by others.
An optimist direction. Measured in equipment with weight, dimension, safety and materials limits.
To make it affordable with regards to youth, 3rd world countries and just the general kiters out there.
The same with so many other newly olympic sports - often the same story. Sniff the $, in comes the greed.. low an behold a sport is twisted into something it never was.
Same stories:
Rollerskating organisation bids to becomes skateboarding IOC representative.
Canoeing organisation bids to become exclusive IOC SUP representative.
Sailing organisation bids to become exclusive IOC kiteboarding representative.
Cycling organisation bids to become exclusive IOC BMX representative.
All these grassroots sports already had their own organisation; however, the vultures jumped in having never done anything for these other sports in all of history - well until the sniff of olympic funding!
We all have to put up with the same shit and it's good to educate people about this so there can be positive change because there is nothing positive about one girl turning up for a national championships.