I can understand why aspiring Olympic windsurfers may be displeased by the decision by ISAF that they may no longer aspire to sail in the Olympics (unless they want to take up some other form of sailing. But will most recreational surfers be upset?
It wouldn't bother me at all if the Laser got kicked out of the Olympics. Why should it? I would still be able to sail my boat wherever I want in local, regional, national and international regattas.
We are an enthusiastic and supportive bunch, windsurfers are. We are for each other. Unlike many other watersports we don't complain about newbies or crowds or competition for resources. We're welcoming.
Kiteboarding is a fine wind-related sport. If the Olympic people want to add it to the Olympics, that's fine with us windsurfers. But replacing windsurfing? Makes no sense. There is nothing "more" about kiting than windsurfing. Someone sold somebody the idea that kiting will draw "the kids" (which it won't) or that it's the more popular sport (which it isn't). What they should do instead is replace track with skateboarding.
Well said.....however, I really don't care about the Olympics. No surfing, dude! What's up with that? How much you want to bet that there are more surfers in the world than kiteboarders, windsurfers and Laser sailors combined? I feel a post coming on.
I think it's a move in the right direction for Olympic sailing. Kite surfing is better suited to racing as kinetics and pumping don't really come into it. Windsurfing racing degenerated into air rowing and became divorced from the rest of the sport.
Windsurfing as I see is more about zen than racing. It's about going fast for the sake of going fast, as opposed to beating your competitors. And surfing is even more zen still. It almost doesn't seem right to have surfing competitions, but then again, even the top pros rightly seem more motivated to catch good waves and do cool tricks than to win.
Um ... kiting will definitely draw in more kids/viewers. Plus, it more easily meets the olympic criteria.
I just got off the beach in Paje, Zanzibar. Full of kites (50 out there at one count). I couldn't help but wonder - was this beach (or any of the plethora of others that are now filled with kiters) ever full of windsurfers?
Answer I think is no. Why? Kiting is really fun, adds a serious aerial/acrobatic dimension that only the best windsurfers could even possibly try to lay claim to, and probably most importantly - it's easy and cheap to kite: one board and a quiver of kites will set you back less than a new Laser, can fit into checked baggage and may not even incur oversize luggage fees. Try doing that with a windsurfer!
8 comments:
I haven't been out to see it, but am told that the Kite boarding has taken over a lot of the beaches. Windsurfing sort of lacks a home base.
Good point Sam. That's one advantage that baseball does have over windsurfing.
Oh my, don't let Miguel see this post. I don't think he will be pleased.
I can understand why aspiring Olympic windsurfers may be displeased by the decision by ISAF that they may no longer aspire to sail in the Olympics (unless they want to take up some other form of sailing. But will most recreational surfers be upset?
It wouldn't bother me at all if the Laser got kicked out of the Olympics. Why should it? I would still be able to sail my boat wherever I want in local, regional, national and international regattas.
We are an enthusiastic and supportive bunch, windsurfers are. We are for each other. Unlike many other watersports we don't complain about newbies or crowds or competition for resources. We're welcoming.
Kiteboarding is a fine wind-related sport. If the Olympic people want to add it to the Olympics, that's fine with us windsurfers. But replacing windsurfing? Makes no sense. There is nothing "more" about kiting than windsurfing. Someone sold somebody the idea that kiting will draw "the kids" (which it won't) or that it's the more popular sport (which it isn't). What they should do instead is replace track with skateboarding.
Well said.....however, I really don't care about the Olympics. No surfing, dude! What's up with that? How much you want to bet that there are more surfers in the world than kiteboarders, windsurfers and Laser sailors combined? I feel a post coming on.
I think it's a move in the right direction for Olympic sailing. Kite surfing is better suited to racing as kinetics and pumping don't really come into it. Windsurfing racing degenerated into air rowing and became divorced from the rest of the sport.
Windsurfing as I see is more about zen than racing. It's about going fast for the sake of going fast, as opposed to beating your competitors. And surfing is even more zen still. It almost doesn't seem right to have surfing competitions, but then again, even the top pros rightly seem more motivated to catch good waves and do cool tricks than to win.
Um ... kiting will definitely draw in more kids/viewers. Plus, it more easily meets the olympic criteria.
I just got off the beach in Paje, Zanzibar. Full of kites (50 out there at one count). I couldn't help but wonder - was this beach (or any of the plethora of others that are now filled with kiters) ever full of windsurfers?
Answer I think is no. Why? Kiting is really fun, adds a serious aerial/acrobatic dimension that only the best windsurfers could even possibly try to lay claim to, and probably most importantly - it's easy and cheap to kite: one board and a quiver of kites will set you back less than a new Laser, can fit into checked baggage and may not even incur oversize luggage fees. Try doing that with a windsurfer!
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