Scott, no offense, how would you know when you ride half a mile away regardless of where we ride? You've never said yes when I ask "did you see that [xxx] trick".

I do them on the ascent all the time...? I just recently started doing them at the apex to save my knees. For awhile I didn't even jump first.. I just threw the loop and came down like a brick (like the guy with the broken leg). I don't see you doing many of those either and why would you want to?

(edit) I just re-read and I think the confusion here is that i was talking about the landing... how to land softly... not how to or how not to do a powered kiteloop.

But anyway, in every case Ruben has height before looping the kite.

If he didn't he'd get drilled.

Of course his loops are insane ... he basically swings under the kite from a whopping 75 feet missing the water by 5 feet... if he didn't get lift from the kite before hitting the water he would be F@#$#D really bad. The guy is nuts and probably does the most perfect (powered) kite loop.

I agree with you about the horizontal distance... if you aren't looping the kite on the way up and then screaming down wind at mach 5 you didn't do a powered kiteloop. A late kite loop (at or after apex) is a sissy kite loop.... BUT if the kite isn't over your head on that sissy loop it will drill you... because you won't be under it when you land.

Kite loop contest? Sure any time. Bring it. Back, Down, hooked, unhooked, powered, not powered whatever you want