Jamie Overbeek - Did old school flatline? Maybe not, it might have evolved

[Leon van Bergen]

[Soleas]

I was one of the lucky first ones to fly a demo Cabrinha Crossbow before the first flat kites hit the market and after the first couple of sessions I could clearly see the future evolving around the flatter shape and especially the oldschool area. With the extra height, hangtime, height and smooth catchy kiteloops i could imagine the progress in the big air devision and i opened up a thread here on the forum speaking out my thoughts on flatter kites and their future and that the pros will switch to flat kites eventually. And old school will be back.

Almost everyone was making fun of me. No way the pros will get on flat kites, flat kites are for p**ss%s etc. Well well well, its 2022 now and.....look at big air old school now huh. Boardoff boogieloops are the thing now. 30m+ jumps etc. Heh even foil kites evolved who would have though eh?

Hehe look at Jamie now eh? I remember when he started I said watch this kid. Now we are all admiring him. Very impressive kid, keep on pushing!!!

[fernmanus]

The sport will continue to change and evolve. Every time, we see new possibilities, there will be those that resist. I remember back in 2001 when the first 4 line kites were introduced, how there were many riders that dissed them as being completely unnecessary and only for riders that have not learned how to properly edge their board. Today, you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the world flying a 2-line inflatable kite.

Big air will always be a part of the sport that grabs attention. It is a unique aspect of the sport that no other sport can quite match without extreme risk. It is awesome to see young riders embracing old school and taking it to a new level.

[Desert kite]

It's not old school.

Handle passes have been done before boardoffs. So, get history right.

And no, it will never flatline, Airstyle is the most progressive style there is, with a potential of 50.000 tricks.

Not only the kiteloop/megaloop part evolved, but everything else hooked as well.

https://strictlyhooked.com/

Many tricks everyone can do...so get inspired and do at least one new trick per session without being afraid of injuries!

Enjoy!

[Desert kite]

It's not old school.

Handle passes have been done before boardoffs. So, get history right.

And no, it will never flatline, Airstyle is the most progressive style there is, with a potential of 50.000 tricks.

Not only the kiteloop/megaloop part evolved, but everything else hooked as well.

https://strictlyhooked.com/

Many tricks everyone can do...so get inspired and do at least one new trick per session without being afraid of injuries!

Enjoy!

What is the thing that keeps your bar locked in when you let it go? Also does it help control the kite with one hand?
It seems with the foil kite jamie gets enough airtime/hangtime to do the tricks you are demonstrating

[Jamie Overbeek]

The foils have the best hangtime.

I use a Microloop to keep the bar locked. Yes, it does help with control since you don't need to hold the bar down in the center, which can hurt your skin...

[Jamie Overbeek]

Hi Jamie here, I'm happy to see people are engaging in a debate about the topic. Main reason for me to is trying to get some more attention for old school or airstyle or whatever anyone might call it.
As long as i have been doing this i noticed it gives me a lot of fun and it also helps me getting more variation in my big air tricks, that's the me part but my expierience also is that the public loves watching a good old school show.
I personally just don't get why the industry doesn't want this to be, There's a big opportunity to market this style in a competition form and have a lower wind alternative for the riders to perform and the public to enjoy.
In a range between 15 and 25 knots there's a world of opportunity for riders. It would be a perfect chance for the sport to introduce a competition format but instead most choose to ignore and even ridicule this style and that shouldn't be. Well thanks all for engagiging and please keep old school alive and let's give it the attention it deserves.

[Toby]

Been fighting for this many years…it’s ridiculous that the sport ignores it. Always extreme gets pushed, leading to bad injuries, like we just saw…

Jamie, younger guys like you need to push for competitions with this style, since I am tired of it.
I have a competition with myself, filming my tricks…another 12500 on my to do list. It’s my biggest challenge and such fun, advancing with every session while the risk of an injury is very low.

Good luck!

[Havre]

I agree it is odd. Especially since so so so few actually ride the way the pros do. Of course one can argue few drives the way F1-drivers drive as well, but to me it would have been much cooler to see "old school" competitions where pros do tricks that are at least somewhat relatable for the rest of us. Would at least make sense to have a bit of both (not suggesting we shouldn't also have some of these more "extreme" events).

[Jamie Overbeek]

Been fighting for this many years…it’s ridiculous that the sport ignores it. Always extreme gets pushed, leading to bad injuries, like we just saw…

Jamie, younger guys like you need to push for competitions with this style, since I am tired of it.
I have a competition with myself, filming my tricks…another 12500 on my to do list. It’s my biggest challenge and such fun, advancing with every session while the risk of an injury is very low.

Good luck!

Hi Toby, i know you've been trying to get the style accepted and it just doesn't seem to have any effect. It's plain stupid because the majority of riders can identify with old school much more than with big air and most are
able to at least do basic old school tricks and progress along the way.
I'm living prove that old school and big air can perfectly coexist, it's about time we get rid of the uncool stigma "you know who" are labeling old school. Take for example Andrea Principe or Lorenzo Casati, 70% of their freeride sessions are filled with old school tricks, high kite angles, board off variations and multiple rotations, you just can't ignore that they progress by using old school training and incorporating that into big air.
That just how i see things and nobody will tell me old school isn't cool because it simple is very cool. Just ask the audience.