kitesurferg said...
Subject: kitesurfing accident – Bondi Rescue
Given that Bondi Rescue have used the footage of my accident, which I specifically requested that they didn’t, and then they have used it as a trailer to promote next week’s episode, this has opened up a can of worms.
These are the facts and this is the true sequence of events as they happened;
1. FACT - Kitesurfing at Bondi Beach is allowed once the flags come down. The flags were down and I personally asked the lifeguard for his permission if I could kitesurf and he said "100% Yes"……… I had kitesurfed with another guy at Bondi after the flags had came down in early summer with the lifeguards permission…….and their feedback was after the flags come down at 6.30pm you are free to kitesurf, but not while the flags are up.
2. I kitesurfed for Approximately 15 minutes when I then noticed a quad-bike coming down the beach to the south end with the lifeguard signalling me.
3. I immediatetly came in to see what he wanted and he said that they were starting a clubbies lifesaving event at the north end and it would be appreciated if I could stop kitesurfing. This I did immediately, and I was very respectful at all times. If anyone has ever met me, they would know that it is not in my personality make - up to be rude or confrontational.
4. I was then approached by a film crew and they asked me a couple of questions which I said they could use in the show. I then politely asked one of the film crew to catch my kite for me. Given that we were all getting along very well and the guy I was asking was young and fit………. I was surprised when he said he did not feel comfortable catching the kite. Given that it was approxiamately 7pm and there was hardly anyone on the beach, I politely asked him again but he refused to catch the kite.
5. I then tried to find another person to catch the kite but there was no-one else available except some people walking along the waters edge who were elderly and could not speak English and some Japanese tourists off to the right. I then moved away from the waterline to the left to self land the kite. I was quite overpowered and was constantly looking up at the kite and without my knowledge the safety line had wrapped around the left end of my bar. Whilst I was still looking up at the kite, I pulled on the safety line, it unfortunately did not activate and then went into a death spiral as the safety leash had tangled around my bar without my knowledge. I tried to regain control of the kite but by this stage the kite lines had twisted on multiple ocassions. I then tried to release my shackle system which was not the original system. In hindsite under the stress of the moment, I did not use the other quick release above my shackle system I have no criticism of the bar and line system, as I had adapted it, which turned out to be nearly a fatal error. Although I have on a number of occasions pulled the safety to self land the kite previously using this adapted system which had worked very well previously, on this occasion the kite went into a death spiral, but because the safety line had tangled around the bar combined with the twisted tension on the centre lines, and as a result of this pressure, the shackle system would not release. Therefore I had absolutely no control over the kite what so ever.
6. I then tried to regain control of the kite and called out to some people on the beach to grab the kite, rather they ran towards me and by that stage the kite had re-powered and I was then dragged across the sand into the concrete wall and fence.
7. I then thanked the lifesavers for attempting to help me and specifically went up to the film crew and asked them that any footage of the incident should not be used under any circumstances. I said they could use the footage of me kitesurfing and the interview on the beach, as it was that footage that I had approved the use of. I then emailed them and called them the following day with this request which I did in a profesional and polite manner.
8. I have been kitesurfing for over 7 years and this is the first incident I have ever had of this nature, and I do not wish it upon anyone.
9. There have been a couple of comments posted on this kitesurfing forum which are completely incorrect, bordering on slanderous. At all times I was proactive in getting the lifeguards approval once the flags had come down at 6.30pm. And when I was asked to stop kitesurfing, I respected the lifeguards request and did so immediately without any hostility what so ever. In fact, to the contrary, I was overly courteous.
10. I have never kitesurfed through a nippers contest, as suggest by another blogger.
11. The only other situation that has ever occurred when I have kitesurfed at Bondi and was out near Ben Buckler Point or the northern end of Bondi, which was year’s ago, when I could not retrieve my board after a jump and I was forced to body drag into the north end of the beach, I immediately packed up and then waited for my board to come into the beach with the surf. As I was body dragging in, a clubby on a ski about 150m off the beach did paddle up to me and ask me not to go through the buoyed area as they were about to re-start a comp, I followed his instructions and body dragged away from that area immediately.
12. I wished this incident had never occurred, and I am extremely disappointed that the footage has been used against my wishes. I can only blame myself for this accident, as I pulled on the safety without checking, not realising that the safety leash had tangled around my bar. For this reason, I suggest that every kitsurfer should have a safety knife attached to their harness so the lines can be cut as a last resort.
Grant, this is the last I have to say on the matter in public.
FACT - KITESURFING IS BANNED AT BONDI and you know it.
No you are not a two headed evil alien out to deliberately wreck out sport.
But your attention seeking ways and actions have harmed our sport, in this instance, and in the past.
Your version of "the facts" varies significantly from the version of events as described to me personally by Bondi Lifeguards who were there, and who asked you not to kitesurf that day.
Your selective memory loss regarding the Nippers incident, is not surprising, but you are fooling no-one but yourself. There is plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Get your safety system sorted, ditch the death shackle, the Cabrinha system works fine, and allows for spinning too. If you want a front line flagging/self landing system fitted, come and see me.
You need a lesson on how the Cabrinha kites safety system works, happy to show you or anyone, anytime I am not kiting.
Cya and
Goodwinds
Steve
