Wind Jam Photos

[KillaHz]

Yup, you missed a lot and for the most part, the competitors went home stoked and all couldn't wait to get back next year. It's all about the spectators for an event like this and the crowds were totally stoked. almost every competitor went home with a prize and they were all happy to have been involved. It was a ground breaking event and there are many of us who love our Crissy Field and are truly psyched to have pulled off a great event at Crissy.

Thanks to everyone who came out and thanks to our wonderful volunteers!

[sflinux]

I must have been there around the same time as Gideon, as I share his sentiments. No disrespect to the riders, but the short slalom course close to the shore looked like a silly idea. I was expecting the ramp to be a lot bigger, it looked about as big as my first skateboard ramp...
The ozone instinct was looking quite floaty...
I was at the Berkeley Kite Festival yesterday, and was equally as disappointed.

[gideonlow]

It's all about the spectators for an event like this and the crowds were totally stoked.

Not sure I agree with this. Sure, the crowds pleasing part is important, but raising the level of competition in our sport is much more critical to be considered serious in the long-run.

almost every competitor went home with a prize

No disrespect, but that sounds like a "competition" at my son's grade school. In sports that require a truly high level of skill and consistency (really, pick almost any "school sport" or pro sport) it's only very hard work and training that will get you a prize.

I guess you have to ask the question "what are the goals of kiteboarding contests?" Awareness and fan enjoyment are important, but don't we want to push kiteboarding up a few levels? The 22 second hang time doesn't look like anything but a fun curiosity. IMHO, in the long run, it is the obvious high level of competition and the increasing recognition of what real world-class skill looks like that that builds a fan base.

Cheers,

Gideon

[gideonlow]

there are many of us who love our Crissy Field

Having lived on the south shore of Long Island for two years, I most emphatically agree that Crissy would be my favorite place to go in the world if I didn't have daily access to Waddell (or, for others, 3rd or Sherman).

How did today's conditions compare to an average day at Crissy? Wind better closer to shore? Or, I guess when you ride most days you just head way out and it's usually steadier.

Cheers,

Gideon

[josha]

Dudes, get over it. Was every bit perfect? No. Would having everything further out have given better wind? Maybe, but we had enough anchor issues as-is, and then no one would've been able to see much. Would the wind at the delta have been better? Yeah, probably, but given the size of the crowds that just stopped by to walk at Crissy compared to what we would've gotten at the delta, I think these guys made the right choice.

Gideon, you can do the most technical, push-the-limits trick ever, and no non-kiter on the beach will care. But when you see a guy hang in the air 22 seconds, or even just get some decent air, and you get cheers. You might call it a fun curiosity, but the general reaction on the beach was "holy shit, look at that!" It was amazing to see how he just kept going. It drew gasps from everyone!! Heck, I took my gear to PA last month and kited on lake Erie. I suck, and I drew a crowd--these guys who were kicking ass just jumping high and doing stuff like a board off deadman and handle passes were getting some big cheers.

I talked to a number of people after, and (aside from the cold :P ), everyone was stoked and had a good time. It was neat for people to ride right by the bridge, and I know at least one person enjoyed getting to see the sunset under it. So Gabe, ignore them, and especially since this was the first time doing this, I think it went really well overall!

[lacasaverde]

I had the pleasure of hanging out all 3 days. It was TONS of work to put on the event, and EVERYONE did a superb job. Putting on an event that is dependent on the whims of Mother Nature is risky, at best. Given that, the event coordinators, athletes, volunteers went home thoroughly tired and totally stoked. I'm gonna paraphrase Billy Parker who traveled all the way from Florida and at the end of the event who wholeheartedly thanked the coordinators for putting together a great event and to the riders who pushed the limits of each other to put on a great show. For those of you who are interested in seeing the 22-second hang time video, check out www.richmanbrothers.com. Those kids can throw down like I've never seen. More amazingly, they put together sequences of moves that are so sweet! Ozone kites flew over Tamatoa Gillot all the way from Tahiti. He wowed the crowd with his tow kiting and the heights from which he floated down and landed like budder. IMHO, it was an awesome WORLD CLASS event, and I can't wait til next year.

[al-kite-a]

Gideon,
Glad to hear you will not be back at Crissy any time soon.
Everyone knows the wind sucks on the inside at Crissy but part of kite contest is dealing with the conditions.
I would also add the wind on Saturday afternoon was 10 times better than 3rd got in the last 2 King of the Bay contests in the contest zones.

FYI- there where contests at Waddell and 3rd both are like windsurfing --- Cancelled.
Why Sponsorships.
Sponsor pay to be around crowds not competitors.

Also as a competitor and spectator in all of these contests I would say these where run top notch.
US Nationals was the best organized kite event ever. And any of the professionals that competed this week and in any many other kiting events would agree.

There are 2 things that make running these contests really hard. It is individual, not team event, and the wind is on it own schedule.

[extremetray]

Given that you NEVER know where it will be good on which day, it's pretty tough to call where the best place to hold a comp is from a wind perspective. (ask the Bridge of the Gods Kite Festival people up in the Gorge - their comp a few weeks ago had hardly any wind - I was up there and left to come back here to kite Stinson).

Now, we all know places like 3rd, Sherman, etc are pretty predictable this time of year, and they were probably windy all 5 days of of the Crissy contest (didn't check), but given that Crissy is pretty predictable too, and is by far the most scenic place and crowd (and sponsor) accomodating of the lot, it does make a lot of sense to hold it there.

Perhaps there could be a variable "wave" day next year where the competition moves to Waddell for a day or two for the wave series. Move people around too much though and you lose the spirit of the event. I think this was one of the issues with the Gorge Games - too disjointed.

As for the wind at Crissy - I don't kite there that much (maybe a couple times a month), but one thing is for sure - there are a lot of variables and it's always an adventure! That's one of the alluring features of it if you ask me.

[extremetray]

didn't see it on the richman site....

[Bulldog]

No place else around has the pedestrian traffic that Chrissy does, that's for sure. Like someone said, people who haven't seen much kiting before think basic jumping is pretty cool and Chrissy is a good place to watch it.

But if your goal is to promote the sport (rather than having a real competition, which the Big Air part was NOT) you could pay the pro kiters to come to town, and then get a permit to sell beer and food at the event to make $. Let amateurs in for free since they're providing entertainment as well.