114 replies to this topic

[Kitelife]

I encourage you to take a look at this topic and offer your input...

http://www.cuttinged...hp?showtopic=89

It's a hot item of discussion within the AKA right now.

[bartman]

I have zero interest in competing in anything so creating a new class or multiple new classes would not get me completing. I'm probably in the minority.

Bart

[Jeff]

I have zero interest in competing in anything so creating a new class or multiple new classes would not get me completing. I'm probably in the minority.

Bart

I don't know that you're in the minority.

I've never competed, and frankly, I've never looked into what I would need to do to compete. I'm not really interested in doing that. Maybe I'm too old and mellow, but I have no desire to start thinking about "winning" anything.

Of course, time is a huge factor. Simply too many demands on my time to do something like that.

Never say never, I guess, but right now the idea really doesn't do anything for me.

[jsking]

I'm of the same mind as bartman. This may bring in some fliers and may be helpful as part of a broader strategy, but I don't think this one idea will significantly dent the greater underlying issues the competitions are struggling with.

[Justin]

Well I am just beginning to fly only 2 weeks so far and I am allready flying formation and competing is fine for me but only if it isn't far. Before you say I dont want to compete go get your feet wet first then say if you like it or dont like it... Try it.

[Kitelife]

It would be highly beneficial if you could cross-post those sentiments on the related post as well.

They really do need feedback.

[awindofchange]

I think they should schedule the comps, then when the comp is about to begin....unveil the kite that the competitors will be using, making it the same kite for everyone!!!

The pilots would have no idea as to which kite they will be competing with so it comes down to overall pilots skill, not specially designed kites specifically for the pilots individual styles.

That may spice things up a bit.

[kytgrl]

Jeff and I have competed on dual lines for nine years in individual, pairs, and team. It basically burned me out of flying kites almost. iQuad sparked an interest in something new with quads, and I'm back to loving flying again.

I think the craze that was created by iQuad traveling and getting everyone into flying quads really took off because it put fun first. Everyone could fly together. It didn't matter who was better than who. It didn't matter how many years you had been flying. It's like playing a game of pick-up basketball (not that I've ever done that) You can gather a group of quad flyers and just start flying together.

I would kind of worry if any emphasis was put on competing that the true spirit of what has been created here might die. That's just my two cents worth.

Donna

[bartman]

Well I am just beginning to fly only 2 weeks so far and I am allready flying formation and competing is fine for me but only if it isn't far. Before you say I dont want to compete go get your feet wet first then say if you like it or dont like it... Try it.

Speaking for only myself I can safely say that when I say zero interest, I mean ZERO interest. I've done recreational stuff before that has become competative and it pretty much ended up sucking all the fun out of it for me in a really short time. I want to be out there with the kite to relax, not worry about competing for something. I have enough stress in my life without adding to it further.

Bart

[FortFlyer]

Competitions take up valuable field space and time away from what we are all supposed to be doing and that's having fun.

(my bias'd 2 cents)

I stopped going to most festivals because all I heard was, You can't fly over here unless your registered to compete you can fly way over there WTF all my friends are over here

[Kite Krusader]

If teams would be sponsored, and it cost nothing for the novice team to compete, I would be all for it...where do I sign.

Novice team would still need to be tought the basics of team flying skills though.

[antman]

i have never competed in all the years i have flown.. dont know why just never did .. mabie its because their are too many fliers out there that would kick my butt on a field .. i like to fly on my own terms .. some have tried my setups and have either liked them or didnt like them.. i have always flown for me and thats how i want to keep doing it

[RevWizard]

John,

I would recommend that the AKA Sport Kite Committee monitors this thread as the majority of the quad line fliers,excluding inflatables, in the world are on this forum.

JM

[kiteking]

I personally never have competed, I used to attend competitions in the 80-90's, the team flying and individual ballet and such were beautiful, and the crowd loved it. Then the trick flying started to come about and myself and a lot of spectators lost interest. Now I know that it takes dedication and much practice to nail those tricks, it just is not exciting to onlookers, especially if they don't understand the process.

I also know that at competitions a lot of the day is used up in staging, judging, and waiting, not much flying, I believe this is the reason why so many competitors have changed to preforming demo's to wow the crowds.

I enjoy attending events where there is open flying, flying because you like to fly. I can scan the field and pick out the people that are better than me, I don't need a panel of fliers to score them for me.

But I also believe in kite flying, as a sport or a recreation activity. I promote kiting anywhere and everywhere I go, and anything that will introduce new or reintroduce previous fliers is the only way the spirit of kiting will grow or even continue.

That's my thought on the subject

[RevWizard]

Basically what I would say to all of those who have never competed is to at least try it once.

At least in Europe, I found that the quad line competitors were always very friendly with each other to the extent of even loaning each other their competition kite for the competition. They are always hanging out together and having a good time. Unfortunately I rarely notice this with the dual line competitors except in some cases the teams.

I personally competed for about 8 years and judged for about 12 years.

[monkey]

I'm very 50/50 on competing. Currently, Ive got no deep dying interest, but, I can very safely say that competition taught me a whole lot about Rev flying, even with just learning the compulsory figures. But that being said, during the time I was doing this, there was little other choice. There was no iQuad (or much team flying at all in the US beyond Too Much Fun), nor clinics with which to get your skill set up, you learned by practicing and learning what you could when you were getting your butt kicked by Barresi yet again ;-)

It's certainly not for everyone but, I did really enjoy the fun of it and I'll likely go back to it here and there, again for the fun of it. I don't necessarily think creating a novice class is necessary for the AKA, however I do understand that new flyers get weirded out by the "experienced" class being the starting point, but, I can safely say, anyone who flew in experienced started as a novice at some point, so don't let yourself get put off by that word.

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed competing with John in quad pairs, something we built into an event through sheer force of will and perhaps at some point, the demand will be there for multiline team as well. iQuad did compete in that for a few events but, given we were the only ones around at the time, there wasn't much of an element of challenge to it. We consistently took last place. However, team competition was more popular in Europe for quite a while and remains very popular in Japan.

[Love2fly]

Hi John-
I'll be competing for the first time in Wildwood ... yikes....
My concern is not about whether there would be a Novice class and Experienced Class. If I'm not mistaken, Experienced and Masters will be competing together (it's not separate as at Nationals). Do all the Experienced competators fly first or second or is it all mixed? The reason this is a concern is that if you are watching a Masters flyer fly and you are up next as an Experienced flyer, you might get psyched out. I know that's not the question at hand, but if you add a Novice class to the mix, how intimidating if we are all flying together. I know the judges know who's who and score accordingly, but it's a concern.
I personally don't find it intimidating to fly with the Experienced Class, however, it would probably be a bit easier to take the plunge in Novice. I suspect that at that level, the judges would give more direction and guidance than the next level where you should have the knowledge and experience. I'm not sure if that's the case.... one can hope .
My biggest concern about competing is the time that I'll be standing around while my friends will be flying team or whatever. Downtime isn't funtime!
.... just my two cents.

As far as the competiton itself, I just like the idea of challanging myself to do specifics skills and maneuvers, which in turn, will make me a more proficient pilot (hopefully).

[Dean750]

I'm giving serious thought about competing. I'm a competitive person for the most part. Could be fun to put something together and measure your own flying and style against others. This last weekend really got me thinking again. Flailing around, pretty frustrated and JB muscled my Rev outta tree , I tripped over a rock and froze a few times while following the leader in some inoppurtune moments, I wondered.... WTF????
I just didn't even consider there was a slim possibility that I would suck that bad 2 days in a row and really put some wear on Benny. But now that I have that experience and watched a master at play I won't suck like that again. Competing always put that fire under my hiney to be the best I can be knowing that the best can always be better. Pretty good high to whoa yourself.

Dean

[quaa714]

ZERO interest in competing. Already have a trophy wife and a trophy son; there isn't any more room on my mantle.........Seriously, I like to fly my kites, not stand around and watch others fly kites. I may stop down to watch a team demo or something for a few minutes but rarely if ever will my handles be staked out if there is a breeze blowing.

For those into the whole comp thing and all that it entails, have at it! Thats just not me.
I'll be on the other field or down the beach with the group flying for fun and games, laughing our asses off at each other.

[Litsong]

ZERO interest in competing. Already have a trophy wife and a trophy son; there isn't any more room on my mantle.........Seriously, I like to fly my kites, not stand around and watch others fly kites. I may stop down to watch a team demo or something for a few minutes but rarely if ever will my handles be staked out if there is a breeze blowing.

For those into the whole comp thing and all that it entails, have at it! Thats just not me.
I'll be on the other field or down the beach with the group flying for fun and games, laughing our asses off at each other.

well put, Rich. i hear you.
IMHO, competition is only one of the ways to get together (when there is event) with all the fun people and have the fun. Comp can be helpful because people get to see what you do and come to share the feedback with you (that's how Wen started )but not really meaningful in a way to make more fun or inspire more on-lookers into flyers.

when i host an event, (iSPACE for example) i like to be there to support devoted flyers to get on and try their music, skill, or art with the music out and field clean, for that 5 minutes. but i also like to run the program smooth and slick so timing can be made for all to experience the flying and fun (meaning open the field ASAP after the scheduled thing is through).

i don't see the need for another comp. for novice (but also i am not a person to play that game, so only my two cents). I think it's cool if people want to get out to try their best and hear the honest feedback. with good spirit, and trust that judges are there to help you with the experience of seeing yourselves, instead of "to judge" you, to mix the rank and streamline the program/judge run may cram things further so we can have the field open sooner.

i agree with the complain when we are there for the festival and all the best field are roped up for most of the best time, and keep people waiting (you don't really hang around until you finished your comp.; and you can't fly there until all is over.....

my two cents: upsize the fun and play and demo and sharing and trust the feedback flow;
down play the comp. (the energy cost too much for that ... doesn't really create the fun proportionally).