No more mystery
Spoke with Victor....he ok....kite is lost. Who knows where it ended up.
This story brings up an interesting debate in our sport currently being covered in the latest kiteboard magazine.
Victor came into the shop and was going to have a friend help him get into the sport. As all shops do, we preached lessons throughout our conversation. Victor was short on money, was going to get with his friend and if he got frustrated, would get some lessons. Obviously things didn't end up well. Lots of mistakes that could have easily been avoided even if just watching a training DVD. Kiting 101....don't fly in offshore conditions.
The mag discusses the effect that Best Kiteboarding has had on the industry with the start of online direct sales. Not to mention, all shops sell stuff online. A new kiter could lie their ass off and basically get what they want. I am not saying Victor lied, but his friend was not the best choice for instruction.
Tom seems to want to point the finger at us (WSW). It ultimately is the kiter's responsibility to get training and continue to kite safely thoughout there time as a kiter. Same goes with buying a car. It is your responsibility to drive safe, within the speed limit, follow basic rules of the road, not drive drunk....ect. The solution to this problem is simple....require by law for anyone entering the sport to get certified and receive a card. This card will allow for purchase in a shop, online, or over the phone. This is already in place for skydiving, hang gliding, paragliding, scuba...and various other dangerous sports. It is a way to insure that the sport stays as safe as can be. I don't see any other solution.
Currently, you can fill a shopping cart online, purchase off of EBay, IKite, or simply call a shop and get what you want if you say the right things.
We all here at WSW want this to be a safe sport, but there is only so much we can do to police the sport until the industry as a whole makes better choices about the future of the sport.
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