View Single Post
  #1  
Old 12-20-2004, 07:56 PM
ricki's Avatar
ricki ricki is offline
Administrator
Site Admin
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Florida
Posts: 8,700
Default Snow Kiteboarding Fatality

The initial post that was found regarding this sad accident appears in the following. IMPORTANT - more specific information regarding the accident circumstances and weather following in posts below this one.


The following is reposted from http://www.skypilotkiteboarding.com/...opic.php?t=500

"Yesterday (Dec. 19, 2004), Lawrence from Alberta Beach was killed while kiting alone on the lake when hit by a huge wind storm.

Lawrence would be known by anyone who has spent time in Ventana. He was a lifelong windsports enthusiast and acomplished and experience kiter.

A strong wind storm swept across the lake around noon yesterday. Winds prior to the storm were gusty 30km/hr the sky was clear and temps were warm and rising. The storm gave almost no warning, from the time clouds became visible on the horizon to the time it hit was 15mins or less. Lawrence was riding a depowerable 10m foil with a very good quick release system.

When the storm hit winds increased from 30km/hr to over 110km/hr in 20 seconds or less. In the area cars were flipped over, roofs ripped from buildings and trees toppled.

Witnesses saw Lawrence being dragged across the lake at a tremendous rate of speed, on his back with his board in front of him before he was picked up into the air and hurled into the side of a church. I believe the church is about a block into the townsite of Alberta Beach. Lawrence would have had to have cleared a huge stand of trees and a row of houses and businesses.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

This incident has dealt a tremendous blow to the small Edmonton Kiting community. World wide there have been kiteboard related deaths, but this event has hit very close to home.

Alberta kiters, B.C. kiters we are at risk too. I hope the Canadian Kite community can use this event to start a discussion on saftey. Think carefully about the routines you follow when you kite, are they as safe as they can be? I know the areas in my kiting activities where I take chances, I know were I can do better, can you identify yours. Think about the people in your crew who take chances when they kite, talk to them now.

Please be careful."

and

"New info:

From some new information gathered it looks like Lawrence had seen the upcoming storm and had retuned to shore to avoid it.

It sounds like he was near the shore with his kite depowered on the leash waiting to for the storm to pass when the wind hit. There was enough force in the depowered kite to pull him onto his back and quickly towards the shore for aprox. 100ft before lifting him up 3 or four feet and striking him into the building. The church was on the shore line amongst the first row of buildings in town. He was not lofted over the row of buildings.

Lawrence had a quick release on his leash line that would have enabled him to ditch the kite had he had time. The leash was attached to his spreader bar.

The change in the weather was so drastic that he did not have time to react.

I will post more information as it becomes available.

Global telivision has a news crew in the area today gthering more info for tonights 6pm news"
__________________
FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
Reply With Quote