http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/ All the fun stuff with Bay Area Kitesurf and F-One en-us Nucleus CMS v3.22 © Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/ http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=126 ]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=126 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:37:38 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=125 IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) that might produce some good news in the coming months. PKRA have not embraced IKA so far but that might change soon.

Here is what I believe is the good idea behind IKA:

The International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) has been founded to bring the development of international kiteboarding activities under the well respected umbrella of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

Starting in 2006, preparations begun to build a boat owners (riders) association taking over the administration of the sport and to make an end with the rivalry of the two professional tour operators PKRA and KPWT. In the future, there shall be only one world champion in each discipline, and one worldcup winner.

This doesn't mean that PKRA and KPWT will stop their tours. In contrary, the idea is to combine all worldwide events into one ranking, the existing tours as well as new event organizers.

In the end, kiteboarding will grow, and will be as respected as any other sailing discipline.

-------------------------

Monday, 08 December 2008 14:59

This new series is intended to bring you more information about the most asked for topics around the new kiteboarding era. We are starting with the one of the biggest interest at the moment: the unified world ranking. While the details are still under development, we want to give you a brief overview what will come up in the near future.

First of all, to make an end with all the guessing around the world: there is no exclusivity to anyone or anything to run a world tour, world cup, world championship or whatsoever. This means, neither the KPWT through the broad agreement we have with them, nor anybody else has an "exclusive tour". In contrary, all events that will be sanctioned in the future will count towards the unified ranking, and in the expression disciplines (freestyle and wave) the winner of the world ranking is crowned the world champion.
Sanctioned events are graded depending on their importance and - of course - their price money. This goes from international open events (for which every nation can apply) over grand prix events, continental championships, up to grand slams and super grand slams. In racing and speed, an additional one-off world championship event will be held to determine the world champion.
All results throughout the year (up to the maximum number depending on the number of events) are counted together in each discipline. The one with the most points wins the world ranking.

Now to the next step: all the rankings are "rolling systems". The idea behind is to determine the strength of every sailor at any time of the year. What does this mean in real life ? We are not starting with 0 points for everybody at the beginning of each year. In contrary, every sailors points from the last 12 month will be counted together, and thus we have a realistic picture of every sailors abilities and status at every day of the season. What for, you might ask... first of all, to have a reliable seeding system throughout the season ! For events with limitied starting places, the starting eligibility will be given on the current world ranking status. This ensures fair entry chances for every sailor.

OK... you might say, but now we start with 0 points ? No, for the first season under IKA jurisdiction, we are going to create a "virtual seeding", taking into account the KPWT and PKRA results from the 2008 season. With some calculation, this should give us a realistic picture of the riders abilities.

What about the Overall Title. This is the last part we want to cover in this edition. The Overall World Title will be determined by each riders best result from each category. In 2009, the major disciplines will be freestyle and wave from the expression category, course racing and slalom from the racing category, and offshore speed from the speed category. Now, every rider can choose his best ranking from each category, and the points are added together. This gives a true picture of the most universal and thus best kiteboarder in the world. Understand ? Here is an example:

Rider A scores 5000 points in freestyle, 4000 points in wave, 2000 points in course racing, and 1000 points in speed. His overall score is 5000 (freestyle) + 2000 (course racing) + 1000 (speed) = 8000 points

Rider B scores 3000 points in freestlye, 2000 points in course racing, 6000 points in slalom. His overall score is 3000 (freestyle) + 6000 points (slalom) = 9000 points

Rider B wins because he has a higher total point sum, even so he did not do all 3 categories. Why not taking the rankings from the single disciplines but the points ? To ensure, that the Overall World Title also reflects the importance of the individual disciplines. The more events are held in a single discipline, the more points you can score and obviously the more important this specific discipline is.

We are sure that there are much more questions to come up - and we might come back to this topic later on with more explanations and examples.

We will also start up a "FAQ" section on the website to include all these topics and explanations for future reference.]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=125 Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:30:48 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=124




]]> Snowkite http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=124 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:56:13 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=122 Kite Clinic with Etienne Lhote:

Improve your freestyle with F-one pro-rider Etienne Lhote in La Ventana, Baja California Sur, Mexico - Jan 22-30, 2009

For more info, contact info@kitemasters.com

Minimum level: intermediate to expert.


]]> Announcements http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=122 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:35:38 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=121 Le Monde. Et c'est en Francais...


C'est l'histoire, plutôt cocasse, d'une douche écossaise. Voilà comment Alexandre Caizergues est passé du ravissement à l'abattement, avant de retrouver son sourire. Tout cela en l'espace de deux mois. "Maintenant, je trouve ça rigolo. Mais franchement, au début, ça ne m'a pas fait marrer du tout", confie-t-il.

Depuis des années, ce jeune homme de 29 ans se bat avec une poignée de fondus pour décrocher le record du monde de vitesse à la voile et franchir la barre des 50 noeuds (92,6 km/h), le Graal du milieu. Un objectif double qu'il a enfin atteint le 4 octobre, sur une côte africaine, à Lüderitz, en Namibie, loin de sa Camargue natale. Le chronomètre s'est montré formel : 50,57 noeuds de moyenne sur 500 mètres. Dans les règles. Il n'y avait plus qu'à graver la marque dans les tablettes officielles.C'est là que tout a dérapé. "Pas possible", a rétorqué la Fédération internationale de voile. Quel était le tort d'Alexandre Caizergues ? D'avoir atteint cette vitesse en kitesurf et pas sur un bateau, ou sur une planche à voile, comme l'avait fait Antoine Albeau, détenteur du record depuis le 5 mars, avec 49,09 noeuds.

Le kitesurf, très en vogue au bord des plages, est un sport qui utilise une planche proche de celle du surf et une sorte de grand cerf-volant (kite, en anglais), retenu autour des reins par un harnais. La discipline est résolument branchée et, surtout, efficace pour filer au gré du vent sur l'eau, tracté par la voile gonflée.

Voilà donc un peu plus de cinq ans que des passionnés de kitesurf sont partis à la chasse au record de vitesse à la voile "toute catégorie", sans que personne ne trouve rien à y redire. D'autant moins qu'il y a six ans, le kiteboarder le plus rapide n'avait atteint que 38 noeuds, loin de la marque à battre. Un règlement vieux de trois ans, passé inaperçu, a pourtant changé la donne, déclarant le kitesurf inéligible dans la course au record.

"Le plus drôle, dans cette affaire, c'est que lors de notre compétition de kitesurf, en Namibie, le World Record Speed Sailing Council (WRSSC), une émanation de la Fédération internationale de voile chargée de valider les records, avait dépêché des chronométreurs officiels. Pourquoi payer ces gens pour rien ?, s'amuse Alexandre Caizergues.

"C'est comme s'ils étaient venus dans un vestiaire après un match et avaient dit : "Désolé, vous avez perdu, vous avez mis les mauvaises chaussures"", a expliqué au New York Times Sébastien Cattelan, un autre kiteboarder français passé avant Alexandre Caizergues au-dessus de la barre des 50 noeuds lors de la compétition namibienne.

Finalement, tout s'est arrangé. Le 9 décembre, la Fédération internationale de voile a publié un communiqué dans lequel elle effectue une délicate manoeuvre à 180 degrés et accepte le nouveau record. "Félicitations aux kiteboarders pour leurs fantastiques performances en Namibie", y affirme Göran Petersson, le président de la fédération. Ce texte lève une des critiques adressées à la discipline par ses contempteurs : si les compétiteurs perdent parfois contact avec l'eau, portés par leur voile, transformant leur engin navigant en engin volant, loin de gagner de la vitesse dans cette opération, ils en perdent.

Les kiteboarders ont-ils pour autant pris un avantage définitif sur leurs concurrents ? "Je ne crois pas. La planche à voile a encore de beaux jours devant elle", assure Alexandre Caizergues, qui se réjouit que toutes les disciplines aient voix au chapitre, parfois dans les mêmes compétitions.

Pour lui, le kitesurf de vitesse, qui ne compte qu'une dizaine de professionnels, a l'avantage d'avoir encore une très grande marge de progression. "Sur le matériel, notamment, on n'en est qu'au début du développement. Et, par rapport aux bateaux, ça coûte beaucoup, beaucoup moins cher." L'objectif, maintenant, ce sont les 100 kilomètres/heure.

Pierre Jaxel-Truer

Article paru dans l'édition du 13.12.08. ]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=121 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:25:04 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=123
Dec 5-7 Snowkite Summit Skyline, UT, USA www.snowkitesummit.com
Dec 5-7 Georgetown Open II Georgetown Lake, MT, USA www.undergroundkitesports.com
Dec 20 Intermountain Snowkite Rally Island Park, ID, USA www.windzup.com
Jan 3-4 Swede Lake Rally Watertown, MN, USA www.northstarkiteboarding.com
Jan 24-25 Kiters Winterfest Green Lake, Spicer, MN, USA www.feet8.com
TBA Tugg Hill Snowkite Rally Tugg Hill, NY, USA www.windzup.com
Feb 14-16 Montana Snowkite Rodeo Mt. Haggin, MT, USA www.windzup.com
Feb 21-22 Kitestorm Burlington, VT, USA www.stormboarding.com
Feb 21-22 Snowkite Soldier Hill City, ID, USA www.windzup.com
Feb 26-Mar 1 US Open Snowkite Masters Skyline, UT, USA www.windzup.com
March 7-8 Therapy Sessions Lake Dillon, CO, USA www.coloradokiteforce.com
March 6-8 Kite Crossing Mille Lacs Lake, MN, USA www.fleet8.com
March 6-9 Freestyle Attraction La Baie City, CAN www.conceptair.com
March 13-15 SuperFly Open Powder Mtn, UT, USA www.utahkiteaddiction.com
April 22-28 Juneau Icefiled Snowkite Event Juneau, AK, USA TBD]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=123 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:00:00 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=120
- Fish: 5.4
- Signature: 5.6 - 5.8 and 5.10
- Surf: 6.0
- Surf SL: 6.2 and 6.4
- Gun: 6.9



More at http://bayareakitesurf.com/boards]]> Boards http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=120 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:06:32 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=119 Mancora kite club finds the F-One Bandit is the kite of choice for wave riding in the endless lefts of Northern Peru. Mancora Kite Club teaches with F-One kites because of they are simply one of the best all around kites on the market. With great depower, stability and safety in mind these kites are fabulous for teaching and kiting in the breaks of Peru. If you ever want to get away for a killer wave focused kiting trip to a warm water heaven, with great wind, waves and food, then head to Mancora and look Paulo up!

More at http://www.mancorakiteclub.com/






]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=119 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:38:30 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=118 Florida Kitesurfing Association did on Ella.

Ella Johnson out for a wave session at Waddell. Intense images and quite a talent in kiting. What were you doing at 16 years? This is what Ella has been up to. The day these pictures were taken the swell was averaging 5-8 feet, and the intervals in between them were unpredictable. Looks real relaxed to me, having fun.


Read more...


]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=118 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:46:11 -0600 http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=117
The WSSR Council Sunday 7th December 2008

-----------------------------------------------

We have been informed by the International Sailing Federation - ISAF - that they will support a decision by the WSSRC to ratify a claim for the Outright World Sailing Speed Record by a Kite-board. In accordance with this, the WSSRC announces the ratification of a new World Record:

Record: Outright World Sailing Speed Record.
Board: Fone Prototype Speed. Fone Bandit Dos Speed 7sq m kite.
Name: Alexandre Caizergues. FRA
Dates: 4th October 2008.
Start time: 15:35:00.84
Finish time: 15:35:20.06
Elapsed time: 19.22
Distance: 501m
Current: 0.1kts
Average speed: 50.57kts
Venue: Luderitz, Namibia.
Previous record: 2008. Sebastien Cattelan. 50.26 kts

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

----------------------------------------

http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/content/view/102/3/
]]> General http://www.bayareakitesurf.com/blog/index.php?itemid=117 Tue, 9 Dec 2008 14:35:04 -0600