Fair comments then in hindsight! Put into perspective I really don't know a thing about kiting comps, or others abilities, I am really just a keen kiter that is 40 something with young kids myself. My only goal is to help wherever I can to let my kids be all they want to be, in my case my boys aren't surfers or kiters bit that's fine by me, they have other interests that I support (and of course pay for). It was more ensuring that you weren't like 99% of people who negatively bag others without true knowledge! Congrats on your achievements and clearly it sounds like you know what your on about. Watch out for the boy (James) because I rekon he's got the attitude to make it happen and if and when he does I'll be the first puffed chested bloke saying "I used to kite with that fella"!
rowdy i can only present the opportunity and support the rest is up to him. Hes a very determine that he will get there and looking at his form after 8 months out with a busted leg . i think maybe hes got a shot. What ever we are just having heaps of father son time and hes keeping me young.Any one who knows him likes him and thats the measure of my success. If any think his biggest draw back is he smiles all the time on the water and might drown one day.
Hahaha, all I can say is all the best! If it's what he wants to do I hope he can push and make it happen, your biggest limiting factor is always your own head. I will say though, competitions can be good and fun but honestly the best times I ever had were when my Dad and I were travelling around windsurfing at different locations together, it's good that you to can share that with your son.
Gold. I hope my young bloke can launch me soon, and I can launch him in 6-8 years. I've shown them Eppo's pics of his kids on the board and they all want a ride (like it's a moto) , but have to explain it's not that easy.
Keep up the stoke Dad's, we'll have a good crew of up and comers before we know it !!
That's the way! Honestly though the best thing you can do is show them how to do it and then leave them be, if they want to kite they will, if they don't they won't. The worst thing ever is when your parents push you all the time to do something you don't want to do. I can remember not really liking windsurfing at first and then a year or so later wanting to do it again and loving it.
Ask Andy, Ewan and Keahi how they got so good. The had a lot of determination and trained their butts off. It is that combined with talent what makes them so good.The same applies to racing and waves comps. You have to put in the hours and heart blood or you won't go anywhere. The wave comp scene is pretty dead after KPS fell off the radar. Good that PKRa is including few wave events again along freestyle and slalom.If you travel to Townsville or Melbourne you can always ride and learn from guys like Andy and Ewan. I am always trying to help people progress in racing and combined we have done a lot of clinics and camps for anybody that is keen to get better.Lets go young rippers!
James and his mate kenta fergusson on a road trip training for surf kite sup. Try to make up for 8 months off with a busted leg.
So as a real life 17 year old Kiter from Sydney here's my two cents,
A lot of people really aren't far off with the money commitments comment, its really a lot for someone who isn't working to ask their parents for 1500 dollars to start kitesurfing, especially with the tendency for people my age not to commit to things. i'm always trying to get my mates into kiting and the biggest thing that holds them back is that you cant just give it a shot one day to see if you like it, you have to commit to a lesson which can be a couple of hundred dollars, and they haven't even got gear yet.
I myself love kitesurfing but the hardest part i found was just having the time to get to the beach. Having only just been able to get my drivers licence it was really difficult to get someone to give me a lift down to the beach and get a lift back. Because of this your progression really suffers making learning unhooked freestyle really hard, i have almost had more sessions in the last two months than i had before that since september, and have made major improvements in my kiting just because of the consistency. i have been kiting for a season now and really hope to push my riding to the unhooked freestyle stage in the next few months once i finish school.
The 14 year old sporting wonders only come from very fortunate circumstances, where talent, money, determination and parental support all come into one.
Coming from a skiff sailing background the competition thing is another big thing ive noticed. I was never really a front of the fleet sailor but there were always loads of regattas to go to even for the social aspect of just racing with new people, even if we got our arses kicked. But after every regatta we came away better than when we went in. The only Australian kiting event i've heard of was the one in Brighton in april. whilst i know that these things are a bitch to run both economically and physically, they are what push the level of kiting in your area. Not everyone can go from kiting their home spot to the PKRA or international events.
Alex4398: You have the right spirit mate… When I was a young bloke I had to take my gear (windsurfing) either behind my bike or on a train.
Then I met some really cool guys that would pick me up and take me to the local spot. Its something to do with attitude and being positive. People reflect on that and will go out of their way to help. Some people call it Karma.
Dusta: I am proud to see the PGC crew (James Storm and co) Posting videos. I dont care what section they are in (Vic or Not), I just wish the quality was a bit better. They are probaly kiting to much to be bothered. Keep it up tribe crew.
If you have time, watch , back to boa on Vimeo, then remind yourself he's only 11 years of age, now 13 he's starting to compete on the adult stage, toms family are all world and European champs of certain disciplines,or if someone wouldn't mind posting it worth a watch , helps when the folks own a kiteshop and you have a wicked flat water spot outside your front door on the south coast of england
happy and daniel this thread is not about james storm and his exploits . Call it and me what you want , my skin is thick enough to not really give a sh!t either way .
James has talent but so does Billy hampton .
There comes a point where it becomes to much sharing the stoke .
It will be great to have a camp like this.
Videos that are photos are not worth sharing publicly.. I'm 21 my video might be out in 2 weeks or I might decide I need to get better shots before I want to share it.
Btw I come from a really competitive sailing background because there were great blokes who were also champions locally. Thought I would learn kiting to race when I moved to Melbourne and got addicted to freestyle..
Dusta,
Why would a grown man have to claim a "thick skin" or "flame on" in a forum post about the status of pre pube kiteboarding talent in Australia ??
This is the thread where too much sharing the stoke is not enough !
Far out at least this father is interested and engaged and encouraging his boys to the fullest
Billy,don't you post any vids giving away our (semi) secret spots!! Us old guys will get grumpy
(unless it's a vid of Swandog and Amac!)
What is with this maximum butthurt for the above posts?
I'm a wanker but there are some posts that even I would find hard to keep up with.
It's not a dik measuring comp you know. It's just kiting, free, relaxed, have a good time ect.
MrSoftserve... Where are you?? Send these biatches on ladies week a double soft serve to chill them out
Just waiting for waveslave to post another 'Son of Slave' video for maximum LOL.