[Gebi]

The current starting scenario will make a huge impact on the finish positions. As it stands now the guys upwards of 50th in the starting order are going to be giving up some serios time to the ones starting downwind of them; and there is major concern for tangles even before we get off the beach with the system currently being used.

And we have no system for redress if someone takes out a rider as we have nor right of way rules so far for this sport. Its going to be a free for all.

Hopefully we can develope a better system to organize the start so it will be more fair and safe for every one.

Maybe the first thing to do is to find riders who are just racing for fun and focusing on just finishing the race. Maybe a separate start for them would work.

I agree with Paul Menta's comments, the racers are racing for money, for prestige and some just to finish. We need to thinhk this through a little bit better as we are setting a presedent.

I was the starting rabbit at the 2006 RSX Olympic Windsurfing World Championships in Italy about a month ago and started over 120 racers of world class ability, plus many of regional and national ability and we had some serious crashes; and these windsurfers have done thousands of starts each.

Now imagine kiters who do not have much, if any racing experience, let alone starting experience and we could have a real mess on our hands.

The on the water start with a proper starting line, and two fleets sounds the safest to me.

Or have riders go by a mark on the beach and take their times at the start and finish.

just my 2 cents.

Gebi