"US Sailing Statement on Kiteboarding vs. Windsurfing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jake Fish
US Sailing Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
401.683.0800 x614
US Sailing Statement on Kiteboarding vs. Windsurfing
Prepared by Dean Brenner, US Sailing Board Member and Chairman, Olympic Sailing Committee
2011 US Sailing Logo
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (May 23, 2012) - Every four years, difficult decisions are made about Olympic sailing events. The choices made always leave some part of the sailing community frustrated and feeling, at least on some level, disenfranchised. I say this as a former Soling sailor who was quite upset with decisions made in November 2000, and a long-time keelboat sailor who did not agree with the recent decisions to exclude keelboats from the Games entirely. I know, first hand, how it feels to have the part of the sport I care most about excluded.
There is no right and wrong here, or good and bad. On behalf of US Sailing, I would like to raise my hand and explain the reasoning behind the votes.
While the Board of US Sailing makes final decisions on all recommendations to our ISAF delegation, much of the thinking on Olympic events and equipment originates in the Olympic Sailing Committee, which I lead. The OSC believes, and I continue to support this 100%, that kites will be good for the sport of sailing, worldwide. The reasons are simple:
1. Kiteboarding is an exciting and rapidly growing area of the sport.
2. The infrastructure required will be minimal.
3. The potential exists to bring in new countries to the sport of Olympic Sailing, and at Council, there was support from every continent and region: Europe, Caribbean, South America, North America, Oceania, Asia, Africa and the Mid-East.
4. Kites can be sailed close to shore, increasing spectator possibilities.
5. There have been major advancements in safety, and the evaluation and technical reports said exactly that. Those interested in this debate, really should read that report, linked
here. (ed. - Please look over this report, there is a lot of information in it about kiting prospects.)
Is there work to be done? Every time events or equipment are changed, work is required. There will ALWAYS be more work to get a new event established vs. the continuation of an existing one.
Does US Sailing have work to do in supporting the industry’s pipeline development? Of course. For kiteboarding to flourish, the kiteboarding community will need to commit to increased support in this area. US Sailing will work on developing pathways for kite sailors to make the Olympics, just as it has done in other classes.
The decisions on Olympic events and equipment are never easy. But I stand behind ISAF’s decision 100%. Kiteboarding will be good for the sport of sailing, in the USA and worldwide."
http://media.ussailing.org/Latest_Ne...ner_052312.htm
The 33 page Technical Report at the link listed above provides the following summary:
"The result of this evaluation can be summarized as follows:
• There are no race management or event organization issues. Kiteboarding could be
immediately included in major ISAF events and the Olympic Sailing Regatta.
• The rules are well developed and follow the standard Racing Rules of Sailing with some
discipline specific changes. No rule 42.
• Racing is close to the shore with an easy to follow competition format.
Kiteboarding is colorful, attractive to spectators and media and especially appealing to youth.
• Equipment is readily available with worldwide distribution channels, production controlled
and at a low price (cheapest entry into Olympic Sailing for emerging nations).
Events Committee – May 2012
• The class is growing fast. App. 60000 persons start kiteboarding every year. App. 180000
kites and 75000 hulls are sold every year with a yearly growth of 10%.
• Currently 14 builders are producing hulls and 19 builders produce kites. This competition
between builders guarantees high quality at a low prize.
• Equipment is high-performance over a wide wind range (5 till 18 knots during the test event using one hull and one kite only).
• Equipment has a wide weight band – competitors from 55 to 90 kg used the same hulls in the test event and chose the kite size by body weight.
• Biggest growth rates are currently in Asia. Emerging nations can reach international
competition level within a few months.
• Flexibility: Equipment is light weight (hull, kite and rigging less than 12 kg) and can be taken as standard luggage on planes. During the test event, the complete equipment of 17
competitors fit into one mini bus to shuttle to a nearby beach.
• Storage: Equipment Storage is minimized, complete equipment of 17 competitors easily fits into 50sqm with no additional requirements for storage facilities. Kiteboards are completely rigged and de-rigged every day (it takes 5 minutes to pump up the kite).
• Kiteboards are physically and technically challenging to sail, but not destructive to the body (no pumping, always trapezing).
• Youth Pathway: youth and junior competitors use the same hulls and only smaller kite sizes depending on the body weight.
• The competition format developed during the test event allows for short event duration,
head to head competition and the winner of the final medal race winning the first place.
Races are between 12 minutes (fleet race) and 4 minutes (medal race elimination)
• Identification of Sailors needs to be improved, e.g. by adding nationality flags to the kites
• There have been safety issues in the past which have been overcome since app. eight years. Safety standards are constantly improved in cooperation between class and national
governments"