Windgenuity said..Hdip said..
I don't think you can score a rider using straps vs a rider not using straps in the same heat though. Two categories would be the only way to handle that. How do you score Paul Cooper doing strapped spins vs Misterbennets doing big strapless carves. They're different sports.
This is always a tricky discussion and was a big one in the early days of kitesurfing. At the end of the day, there is a choice involved by the rider, making rules to exclude someone is dangerous and can stall growth in competition.
Judging should be first and foremost about the way the wave was ridden - intensity of the ride, the execution of manoeuvres, wave choice and positioning with length of ride. Whether a rider choses to ride strapped or unstrapped should not affect the judging. If a rider feels being strapped gives them an advantage to their personal then they should not be penalised purely on this choice, however if a rider choses to ride unstrapped as they feel the flow and style is better and feel they can hold their own this way, then that is also fine. Otherwise where do you stop, high aspect vs low aspect to be extreme, are all equipment choices within a sport. The judging criteria does need to be clear though with an idea as to scoring scaling and focus on progression vs style vs quality. But I feel foiling gives something special in the fact that we can "longboard" surf on the same gear we can get aggressive and be more "shortboard" like, one kit can do just about all. I also think SUP and prone can be in the same category, choice of the way you wish to ride the wave.
Foiling is destined to go into the air, straps are inevitable for the future progression of the sport IMO, not essential but they will continue to have a presence. Don't hold the potential of the sport back by limiting it, open it up and be an open wave riding class where your not judged on what you ride, but how you ride a wave and what you can perform on that wave or many waves. This is where foiling is so unique, it can do things other sports can not, cover way more ground, faster, higher and longer.
Just my 2 cents,
Ride safe,
JB
For me it should be two differents categorie, as it is just a different way of riding. Think shortboard vs longboard, or bodyboard prone vs bodyboard dk.
I really don't like those airs, it is mostly pop, the only fun thing to watch is pumping back out backflip. When I see a video of Kai riding with straps doing airs (actually to bad in my opinion Kai is focusing more on strap foiling as he rips without with so much style) vs Adam carving, I enjoy way more Adam's surfing.
But I agree, you can't avoid the evolution, getting more into airs, everybody needs to do what they enjoy but it has to be logical.
- surf foil no strap : same as surfing criteria (speed, power, flow, high degree of difficulty, etc), heats (top two go to next round, etc...), criteria focused on riding/making the wave with some foil criteria (double or triple dip only, etc...).
- surf/sup with straps : expreession session style, huge airs, back flip, rotations, wave used as a ramp even if you don't make it, etc...
If you put all together, at the end, one of the aspect is gonna desappeared : if airs straps score more, everybody will go in this direction.
I like how WSL has protected the shortboard evolution, both aspects count, air and turns, but you don't see straps on surfboard because it is not allowed.
