bjw said...

Kiting is soft versus skating.

ouch
not many of the skaters were guards but it got to be better than spending 5 weeks with a rock solid bandage on your arm

I don't know about the body language or non-verbals, but I must say the use of the term 'megaloop' has a very cheapening effect for me. Indeed they are kiteloops done with a lot of height and travel, but is that really impressive enough to use the prefix 'mega-'?

I think 'big kiteloop' would be a much better description, or 'large kiteloop'.

So many pussies here!
Look at every sport (moto x, skate, bmx, base, even ****ing rollerblading!) people do these things for fame and money and the simple rush we all get! this is progression! where would robbie madison be if he didnt do big jumps? at an 8 till 5 boring job. is the risk worth this life style, travel, fame, girls and money?? hell yeah!!! it is calculated risk people!
you all sound like his mom! "'he didnt want to do it, his friends at red bull told him to"
and this stuff gives the sport a great name! (im sure they wont be showing this video at the local council meeting
go nuts ruben!

Jonopark said...

So many pussies here!
Look at every sport (moto x, skate, bmx, base, even ****ing rollerblading!) people do these things for fame and money and the simple rush we all get! this is progression! where would robbie madison be if he didnt do big jumps? at an 8 till 5 boring job. is the risk worth this life style, travel, fame, girls and money?? hell yeah!!! it is calculated risk people!
you all sound like his mom! "'he didnt want to do it, his friends at red bull told him to"
and this stuff gives the sport a great name! (im sure they wont be showing this video at the local council meeting
go nuts ruben!

Comparing this stunt to those sports is where everyone including myself is going wrong. Lets face it, it's nothing a like. It would be close to (but still not the same) as a skater or rollerblader or BMXer doing a straight jump down a bigish set of stairs a few times and then making a video part out of it. Comparing this stunt to stuff guys like Robbie M and Jerry H etc go through is silly. I merely posted the Jerry vid to show that bouncing off the top of that concrete probably wasn't going to be as bad as people think, especially with a kite holding him up. Maybe if he hit a wall, then yeah I would say he would be f#cked, but from what I saw I don't think there was really a chance of that happening.

I bet a traffic controller makes more than Ruben.

Jonopark said...

Robbie Madison would have been better served becoming an elite golfer or even an elite ballroom dancer

WTF are you smoking! He is filthy rich doing what he loves best. what he KNOWS BEST! and it is not fair to even put robbies name in this conversation as he takes much higher risks.

Anyway much further than I wanted to go. Kitelooper grow some balls, or even just a ball. these guys are entertainers and thanks to brands like redbull im sure they get paid well.

February 10, 2009 | 12:35 am

*Updated with funeral service announcement **Updated with link to story on Lusk in today's L.A. Times
***Updated with statement from Brian Deegan

Freestyle motocross star Jeremy Lusk, 24, has died as a result of head injuries sustained in a weekend crash during a competition in Costa Rica, and it's with a heavy heart that Outposts shares this news.

How many paralysed try hard amateur Fmxers are out there that families and society needs to care for. How many walking around with broken limbs that will never function normally again. Motivated by many a tattoed, Red Bull swilling, trailer park trash Crusty who could not give a **** about the mug punters.

So much pain for so little gain.

Riding a dirt bike when you know what you are doing, is the most fun you can have with your clothes on -easily on par with advanced level kiteboarding but the laws of probability and gravity will likey leave you with injuries that can seriously compromise your ability to enjoy other sports for the rest of your life.

I have been behind the scenes and in the green room with the Crusty's and their types and the world would not be worse off without FMX, probably would be better off.

While I am on a roll much the same goes for Red Bull. It has got to the stage that Red BUll is so passe. People sporting those ridiculous caps all look the same.

djdojo said...

Even though he was hamming it up, the body language and non-verbal cues were all wrong. I had the sense that he feels he has to prove a lot and prove it very quickly. Sadly this can only lead to massive pain.

Ruben, if you're reading this, step back and work on the bigger picture. If you can't make a living out of kiting in a way that doesn't involve compulsive risk-taking, perhaps its time to move on. You have enough talent and energy to succeed in all sorts of endeavors. Don't let a bit of redbull-fuelled ego put it all at risk.

I know you have a sense of humour about it, but remember too that many a word of truth was often spoke in jest.

I've always thought Ruben never really looks comfortable in front of the camera (and I know how this feels). Perhaps he's more of a kiter/ sportsman, than an actor (coz his acting sucks!) Like others have already said, his risk is far less than your average kiter (unless you know how to fly a kite like he does).

KnutH said...

Why the hell aren't those skaters wearing guards?
Progression is cool, but introducing unnecessary risks is rather stoopid.. unless they are sadomasochists anyway.

Do you wear a helmet while kitesurfing?

What's the definition of an "unnecessary risk"??? It's all relative to your own perception of the situation.

The majority of you guys complaining about this are just soft.

Take a slice off chopper and harden the F up.

Sure he launches over a solid object. So?

So many kitesurfers think the world will end if you jump near or over, or on solid objects.

Its all about experience and calculated risk.

I landboard and do speeds up to 60kph with big gnarly hunks of drift wood 2-3 meters down wind. sometimes I jump the drift wood in the way and weave inbetween them at speed. Do i have a death wish? nope i have refined my skill so I can do this with relative safety. When i'm jumping boulders on the beach I know during the run up if the jump is on or not and if things go pear shaped in the air i can fly the kite in such a manner to stop in mid air and float down or go back the way i came. its not too hard.

I'm sure Len10 is good enough to realise if is going to make it or not and fly his kite accordingly. I'm sure he could jump and land on the top of the peir at a stand still if he wanted.

Would I do this particular jump? nope. I'm not skilled enough to pulled it off.

^^^ You are a muppet. Hadlow is no different, he just doesn't get as hyped in his vids and his voice is more annoying. If anything Hadlow does even bigger loops, he just doesn't claim them with vids in the same way because he would rather push what he believes in more.

ahhh pretty sure he doesn't actually.