Utah Summer Games - Kiteboarding

[lesvierra]

Its early, but it's about to time start thinking about the inclusion of Kiteboarding in the Utah Summer Games again this year. The kite races last summer provided for some good excitement. Thanks Josh for making that happen.

The summer games people need to know soon if we want to do it again this June (June 20-22?). Josh will be taking the lead for the windsurfers. We need a UWA kiteboarding volunteer to take the lead for the kiters.

Any takers? Come on, wouldnt take much...

[Kenny]

Do you really think that kites should be included? From the reports I heard, it was a very unsafe launch with lots of kids and families, kiters had to jump over rocks and obstacles, plus typical gusty wind that made it difficult to keep a kite in the sky. I understand that there were a couple close calls. Are we really putting our best foot forward if we come off as a bunch of lunatics? IMHO - there is a higher probability of giving kiting a black eye and shutting down accessibility due to injuring an innocent bystander at this event than if we combine all of water kiting we collectively do the entire season.

Hey, I like the glory as much as anyone, but let's be smart and keep our access privileges open.

[jason morton]

I think having kiteboarding in the Utah Summer Games is a good idea, just not at Deer Creek. We could have it at Rush? What about our King of the Mud event?

[Josh Shirley]

Even as a non kiter I could tell that the location was a bad idea for kites.
It seems though that many kiters have been using the north end of DC without any problems (Charleston or Island Beach.) Would it work at that end of the lake?
I am planning on the windsurfers using sailboat beach again.
Anyway, Brett Bingham who is in charge of the event needs to get some details nailed down for adminstrative purposes.
As Les was saying, if the kiters want to be involved we need someone to step up and take over the kiting portion of the Utah summer games.

If you want to move locations and do something different then plans need to be made very quickly.

By the way, Brett has scheduled the event with USG and Deer Creek for the weekend of June 22-24th. Appartently the USG needs to know well in advance so they can start making permit and insurance arrangements.

Josh

[Marty Lowe]

I'm kinda OK with promoting kiting on the snow in Utah.

I am against promoting kiting on water in Utah.
We just don't have enough room on the water as it is,
and possibilities of loosing access loom on the horizon.

IMHO

I won't be there...

-Marty

[lesvierra]

Here are some of my notes from last years kite race.

I think the race was a success for the kiters for a couple of reason. Most had a good time. No one got hurt. And it was a learning experience for us for the next event.

The beach was not safe! The poles, boats, vehicles and flags for eg. Kiters are risks takers. We launched because we felt the risk was acceptable, but it was not safe. We choose to be around each other at beaches and fly around each other knowing the risks inherent with the sport. If we get hurt or hurt one of our own, its part of our sport. Lines twisting is going to happen and is potentially dangerous, but thats something we need to plan for. Kiters being drug and lofted on the beach is going to happen, that is something we need to plan for. Kiters getting lost downwind or on another shore is going to happen, again we need to plan for this. Boards flying, well anything is possible. Next time we will have to address all of these in some way.

Windsurfers and spectators and children have little clue of the dangers and therefore should not be exposed to dangers of kiting without adequate warning, or not at all.

Also, keep in mind the first two points of the UWA mission:

Preserve access to quality sailing/riding sites
Promote stoke for windsurfing, kiteboarding, and snowkiting locally through events, video adrenalin, camaraderie, and uninhibited web posting

Kenny, you bring up a very good point. If we can get a race on, safety and access preservation should be our top priority. That may mean choosing a different location or not being a part of the Summer Games. If no one steps up to take this on, then we'll not have an event in the Summer Games. I personally would like to see someone come up with a solution so that we could be part of the Summer Games and promote the Stoke. The stoke was there last year, just need to tweak some things. Any takers?

les at utah kite addiction dot com

[bordy]

I think having kiteboarding in the Utah Summer Games is a good idea, just not at Deer Creek. We could have it at Rush? What about our King of the Mud event?

Yep I would rather have a grass route contest vs. the summer games. King of the mud sounds great.

I do have issues with using kiting to promote other things, other then kiting. IE.. Towns, property, other agendas... Kiting is a growing sport for adventure athletes who want to step into the third demension. Not a marketing tool..... For selling anything but kites and kite gear. Just becuase you can kite anywhere that has water (frozen or not) and wind doesn't mean thats a kite spot, for that to happen you need a kite community, with kiters.

[MikE mAy]

i'd like to echo bordy and to an extent marty's opinions on the issue. the event last year was highly un-coordinated on the water and highly dangerous. for one, i had my family up there to watch and i saw some others as well. we had some close calls that would have happened if we had not been holding an event. i feel that those that were involved used their heads and everybody came out alive that that feels good, however not very smart. i think it is of utmost imporance to show outsiders to the sport how safe the sport can be, and that we don't throw caution to the wind with reckles abandon. i agree that it will lead to possible riding spot closures, and kiting bans from uneducated people in places of power.

i'd like to see a grass roots event (much like the summer games seem to be) in a safe location and run for the sake of kiteboarding. whether it is incorporated with the summer games or not, we will have an event for the sake of riding and nothing else. i can't really think of a good place to do this other than perhaps south sandy, but the water will be high in June most likely, and thus a not very safe area to launch numous kites and have traffic. in addition, light would be shed to an ever increacingly busy area that i would like to see uncrowded. i know i'm part of the crowding problem as a somewhat late commer to the sport, and that statement is a bit ironic . perhaps a king of the mudd event at rush is what we need. plenty of room to move about and set up kites and launch. terrible atmosphere, but that's what kiting in utah is about.... If we cannot get around using deer creek as an event site, then i would vote to not include kiting in this year's summer games.

as a side note, or off topic idea- we should at very least have a very informal king of the mudd event or gathering at rush this summer/spring... BBQ, wind, tunes, and riding. maybe a speed event or race and an informal best trick expression session?

[lesvierra]

Lets do this, as VP of Kiteboarding by default, and guided by the first two points in the mission statement, preserve access and promote stoke.

1. Let's not do the Summer Games this summer. It's a cool opportunity for us, but maybe not worth the risk to the perception of our sport and preserving access. Just one bad accident in the community spotlight could hurt things for us for a long time to come. If someone wants to pursue the kiting in the Summer Games with a relatively safe location, I'll help where I can.

2. Lets make some other events happen this summer. Kenny proposed "King of the Mud' at rush lake a while back. This event was based more on big air, but we could potentially do a speed event, and set up some bouys for races at some point. Now, we also have an annual Running of the Carp.

Points to follow up on:

The Rush Lake season is already upon us and will pass quickly. Anyone want to raise a hand and lead us into the first King of the Mud event? Kenny? That's a nomination!

The Running of the Carp sounded great but Rick and the other windsurfers need help organizing from the Kiter's standpoint to make it better. Any volunteers, Jason, Mark? Another nomination!

A grassroots event as Mike proposed seems to be the way to go. An informal event and get together might provide more Stoke than a risky day at the Summer Games.

Any other ideas for an event or get together this summer? Batism by Salt Pond, something at Burmester? comments, questions, answers?

[Josh Shirley]

Based on the comments above, I just sent an email to Brett Bingham explaining that kites won't be included in the summer games. I will still head up a windsurfing event though. For all the kiters that feels disenfranchised we windsurfers welcome you to join us, I am sure we can find you an extra board and sail for you to participate.

[Marty Lowe]

For all the kiters that feels disenfranchised we windsurfers welcome you to join us,

Maybe you could have a "useto windsurf/now kite" division.

It would be pretty big.

I'd dust off the Techno/race sail for that, I should sail once a year, at least.
If I'm in town, I'll join in the windsurfing.
(planning a trip to Sherman Island that week)

-Marty

I love the kiter/windsurfer connection we all have.
Although if Rush was 4 feet deep, we may not all get along as we do now.

[lesvierra]

Marty, cool new avatar...

[Craig Goudie]

So how deep is Rush this week ;*)

-Craig

-Marty

I love the kiter/windsurfer connection we all have.
Although if Rush was 4 feet deep, we may not all get along as we do now.

[RickHeninger]

I think it'd be just fine Marty... I remember when Rush was starting to subside we sailed with kiteboarders... And that was before all the experience and improved saftey technology. I do recall a kite slamming down on the water at about mach 3 about 20 feet away from us. But once again that was before people were very experienced in kiting...

As far as the Utah Summer Games go, I think that they are a great way for kiting to get exposure. I do understand some people's perspective about getting too many novices out trying the sport could be dangerous and compromising for the sport. But I think all in all it's too bad that you guys can't make it work at Deer Creek. It's a great opportunity, espcially being that the Utah Summer Games are willing to do it. But then again I was out of town for the melee last year and heard it was a zoo. Are we sure that there's not a better place to launch from, than from where they did last year? Hows about boating people to the far shore and launching from that side? Just a thought.

[btjsfca]

I'm all for the idea of rallying out to Rush. Never kited there myself. King of the Mud has my vote. And if you're into getting exposure, I'm sure a news crew can be arranged, right?

I've also been thinking for the last week about getting a landboarding/buggying rally on at Burmester. Spring is the time for it. Right about when the weather gets warm. One full week of 80+ should do it. Accompanied by a north push, that place is epic. It's been a wet winter, so I'd expect it to be muddy out there for a while, but I want to make sure we can all get out there one time this year. I'll keep an eye out when the season starts up and get it together when the time comes.

-J