From what I've seen for years kiting in surf, freestyle ..... always the best, stylish, risk-taking, kite surfer on day, with the given wind & waves during heats, always wins, no matter what they are riding. It's pretty easy to Judge. Hey thats why Ry got the win last year. If you are worried about a strapped kiter beating you unstrapped, you were never going to win on day anyway.

As the KSP proved the top guys all ride equally well, strapped, unstrapped, switch, onshore, offshore, 2ft to 15ft, etc, pure talent will always float to the surface.

Give me a kite, a wave, some wind and lets have some fun on the day, stick it up a few mates in heats if you are lucky, and thanks to the WA crew for organising ANOTHER great day in WA again. WA what a great place to live.

See ya in the "Legends" round dude ... Ive been using my TUG TONER every day at the office to get fit for wave comp ... the new upgrade from my Free Flexor....

As Jonno said, I dont think straps or strapless really comes into the judging much. The debate has been done to death, its not about making things hard or easy its about riding the wave in the best way.

In the past it has been shown the people doing the best turns ect get through. Ryland didnt win last year becuase he was strappless, it was becuase he did the best turns.

From the beach it is hard to see who has straps and who doesnt, so it is judged on what happens on a wave.

If you go straight and do a few little wiggles strapless, dont expect to get through.

Ride what you feel works for you.

In a nutshell, strapless guys look better becuase if they do a bad turn and are off balance they fall off.

Strapped guys can do bigger and harder turns but run the risk of a bad style because they can push the board in unnatural ways.

In the past the issue of straps hasnt been a big deal on the water, the guys who ride the waves the best get through. Its not about limiting what people ride or what they want to do.

Event Postponed
Unfortunately we have to postpone the WA Wave Riding State Titles due to an unfavourable weather forecast for this weekend (5th Nov).

Let's hope for great conditions on the weekend of the 12th!!

NB. Registrations will remain open until Nov 10th.

Keep up to date here on seabreeze, on WAKSA's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WAKitesurfing) and on the WAKSA website www.waksa.org.au

So far we have over 40 entries to the 2011 WAKSA Kite Surfing State Titles, now being held on the 12th of November at Wedge Island. Here's some information on the comp format, judging guidelines and other matters to help you prepare.

Divisions

Divisions are amateurs, juniors, womens, open, masters, legends. Divisions are consistent with AKSA divisions – check out the AKSA web site for further detail. We have trophies for winners in all divisions and Kite Addiction have donated a prize for every competitor.

Competition Format

This is a one day event so comp format and heat sizes depend on number of competitors and the hours of wind forecasted for the day. We will let you all know the start time closer to the day based on the forecast – it will be as early as is possible. Wind and wave permitting, the comp will run from 11 am through to 6pm with presos at Lancelin on the night. Because its a one day comp, we cant take multiple division entries – you have to choose the division you want to compete in.

The final comp format, heat draw and heat times will be announced on the day. We aim to give competitors as many chances to compete and progress as possible for the conditions on the day. This is unlikely to be double elimination format, and we try not to use single elimination format. The format will likely be a combination of the two, with the winners from last year seeded into later rounds.

Judging Guidelines

The judges will be instructed to score heats as follows:

A surfer must perform radical controlled manoeuvres in the most critical sections of a wave with power, speed and flow to maximise scoring potential. Innovative and progressive surfing as well as a variety of repertoire (manoeuvres) will be taken into consideration when rewarding points for waves ridden.

The surfer who executes this criteria with the maximum degree of difficulty and commitment on the waves shall be rewarded with the higher scores.

Bad Wave
0.1 to 1.9

Poor Wave
2.0 to 3.9

Average Wave
4.0 to 5.9

Good Wave
6.0 to 7.9

Excellent Wave
8.0 to 10.0

In practice, judges will be looking for high performance surfing. They will be looking for big moves in the best part of the wave, rather than a consistent effort on a wave and through the heat. As a guide – look to the best guys in the latest magazines and movies – if you can do what they do – you will score highest.

To facilitate this, surfers will be judged on their 2 best scoring waves. This allows riders to lock in two solid scoring waves, then attempt high risk manoeuvres in the time remaining in the heat.

Amateurs Division

The amateur division is about getting onboard and competing, its a great division for a range of reasons. The judges are still looking for someone trying to surf the wave- being in the pocket, how many turns you can do, how vert you can get. But it doesn't matter how you get there - twin tip or a surfboard, strapped or unstrapped, hooked or unhooked - what matters is giving it a go and having some fun - that's the judging criteria.

Right of way

A surfer deemed to have the initial inside position on a wave has unconditional right of way for the entire duration of that ride. Any surfer that catches the same wave as the rider with right of way may pull off without penalty. To incur an interference penalty a rider must “hinder the scoring potential” of the surfer with right of way. Remember, “hindering the scoring potential” includes on the way out.

Other matters

Take Indian Ocean Drive to the Wedge Settlement. The comp site is 3 km's north of the settlement. Go to the beach at the settlement, head north along the beach for 3 km's. There is a reef and a small bay that sets up some nice banks. There is usually a left breaking off the reef closing out with a right and left peak just north all reforming on the inside.

You will need a 4WD to get to the comp site - or line up a lift off some one you know. You can get a 2WD to the Wedge settlement but you need a 4WD to get along the beach. There is a 2WD carpark just in front of the beach entrance at the Wedge settlement - line up your lifts from there

Wedge is a harsh and windy place - and there are no shops or services. Once the wind starts the fine sand starts whipping down the beach and gets everywhere. So bring your own food, water and shelter. The WAKSA tents will be up to provide some shelter for competitors and judges.

Thats all for now, so get your entries in and lets hope huey blesses us with some wind and swell.

Not sure why you would put limits are put on each division, at Australian freestyle nationals 2011 the Junior winner 1st, was also 2nd in Open division. Just bang a few more guys in non open heats to get through day 4, 5, 6 kiters per heat .....

Thats my thought as an open kiter and also Legend division kiter. Double up the juniors, masters & legends so every one can have a red hot go in the Open as per the Australian Nationals Free style 2011. 1 or 2, 3 names will always take it out but the rest of the juniors, masters and legends would love to give it a red hot go if they feel like it. Also you may also get best junior, master Ladies & legend kiter on day.


2011 Nationals made for the best comp I have seen in 12 years of kiting.

Ryland said...

CarlBevo said...

What's wrong with norwest goofy boys uncomfortable

it will be shin high slop!
www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/synoptic.asp?StateID=0&loc=LANC

so we had better see some radical slop moves then

Great job Russ, last years comp was a milestone for wave kiting in WA, guess we got lucky too with the road going through to Cervantes now.
I wouldn't mind entering twice as well, but can see that its a catch 22 situation.
Dont want to wait all day just for the old fellas final (if I get there like last year) so would like to enter the Open division as well, but this just takes even longer to get through all the entrants.

enterd today will be my first comp .heading north with tightlines for a week so will either be all tuned up or all burnt out, good job waksa,ive joined aksa do i need to join waksa as well or is it the same thing.

Hey did everyone enter Amateurs already?? None left in my system...

still along way off but the lil swell hitting saturday looks promising. looks like the weather is clearing late week and the seabreeze pattern is kicking back in again friday and showing wind all weekend and fun size swell for wedge- fingers crossed ! www.windguru.cz/208593

Fingers crossed for you guys. I'll probably come up for a watch and a kite a ways down the beach. I'm not interested in making a fool of myself in any class.

Just curious what the contingency for Sat is as the wind is looking pretty shzit and it will be a task to get through so many heats
and sunday is looking even shzittier, I know things can change pretty quick but early planning would prob be a good idea for all

I'm keen to tag on to any downwinders happening from Friday 11 Nov 2011. Any crew going early for the WA wave comp?

Also keen to kite back of Lancelin island but would prefer some company.

I kite at lano regularly so drop me a line anyway even if u aren't there this weekend.

Ta :-)

lano graph isn't always the most accurate, take an average of gero and lano. and gero is firing so should be good,