Olympic Windsurfing was dumped, Why?

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Brett Morris
Brett Morris
NSW
1204 posts
NSW, 1204 posts
14 Aug 2012 7:49pm
mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2012/08/bst_20120814_0852.mp3

The Australian media is starting to ask the same questions we are...Why was windsurfing pitted against kitesurfing instead of the other sailing classes.
Why was Yachting Australia so proactive in getting windsurfing dumped from the Olympics....Why has it come to court cases?
Fez
Fez
NSW
131 posts
Fez Fez
NSW, 131 posts
14 Aug 2012 8:50pm
I suggest that everyone contact Peter Condy at Yachting Australia to ask these questions to him.
Ring constantly until you get some answers!

and then ring again! and again!
hamburglar
hamburglar
ACT
2174 posts
ACT, 2174 posts
14 Aug 2012 9:05pm
go to your local beach on a windy day........

it's not rocket science

Mobydisc
Mobydisc
NSW
9029 posts
NSW, 9029 posts
14 Aug 2012 9:13pm
hamburglar said...

go to your local beach on a windy day........

it's not rocket science




Yeah I did last Saturday. At 8.30am when it was blowing about 15 knots there was myself and two kiters. Three hours later when it was blowing about 25 to 30 knots there were about fifteen windsurfers out and one kiter.

That rep from the kiters told some real fibs. Somehow he paints kiting as a sport everyone does while ignoring there are many more windsurfers out there than kiters. Just ignore the facts if it goes against what you believe in.

I've got nothing against kiters and actually enjoy windsurfing with them. I had a chat to one of them last Saturday and we sailed/kited together in close proximity doing a few drag races.



Mark _australia
Mark _australia
WA
23649 posts
WA, 23649 posts
14 Aug 2012 7:19pm
hamburglar said...

go to your local beach on a windy day........

it's not rocket science




Go to a world championship race event.

10 kiters vs 200 windsurfers. That is not rocket science.

Kiting is not ready due to low participation and the logistics of racing lots of them in a harbour is untested (not all venues have 50km x 20km of water!) and why not have BOTH if they wanna giving kite racing a fly?

kpb
kpb
QLD
239 posts
kpb kpb
QLD, 239 posts
14 Aug 2012 9:38pm
They should let both windsurfing and kitesurfing in ....Maybe whoever is in charge of the $ might send some more towards all types of sailing,considering they did so well in London,not like the overfunded other sports that didn't do that well.
AUS-057
AUS-057
QLD
466 posts
QLD, 466 posts
14 Aug 2012 9:41pm
Why not try it like an exhibition event like windsurfing was in 84 Olympics? Then evaluate how it went?
waveslave
waveslave
WA
4263 posts
WA, 4263 posts
14 Aug 2012 7:46pm
"Olympic polesurfing was dumped, WHY ?"

cause it's freakin obsolete, dude.

lol.
kpb
kpb
QLD
239 posts
kpb kpb
QLD, 239 posts
14 Aug 2012 9:46pm
Katapult said...

Why not try it like an exhibition event like windsurfing was in 84 Olympics? Then evaluate how it went?


I agree with that for sure,they used to call them demonstration sports I think.
Mark _australia
Mark _australia
WA
23649 posts
WA, 23649 posts
14 Aug 2012 8:39pm
Interesting interview, pretty balanced with plenty of time given to both parties.

One thing that stood out to me was that both associations answered well on all issues, but the AKSA bloke's response to kids' participation was pretty poor. His answer to youth development programmes was pretty much that "lots of kids do it and my brother started at 14 and now he's good."
Ummm... in windsurfing kids can learn at 5 years old and are racing at the nationals at 14, not just starting out at 14. I can't see kids learning that early in kiting, nor choosing to race as they will mostly want to freestyle.

(see waveslave, that ^^^ is discussion and debate. "cause it's freakin obsolete, dude lol" doesn't really cut it. EDIT: Oh I forgot - lol)
aus301
aus301
QLD
2039 posts
QLD, 2039 posts
14 Aug 2012 10:40pm
Katapult said...

Why not try it like an exhibition event like windsurfing was in 84 Olympics? Then evaluate how it went?


Exactly. They should have had to start this way, seems the way that so many other sports do.

Te Hau
Te Hau
497 posts
497 posts
15 Aug 2012 8:36am
Waveslave reckons w/surfing is obsolete.
I wonder how he views the various dinghy classes at the Olympics?
It amazes me that ISAF would happily drop a 'modern' sport in favour of all of those dreary dinghy classes, but then tradition seems to be well entrenched in yachting.
Kiting and W/surf are trendy young sports, have them both and dump a dinghy.
hamburglar
hamburglar
ACT
2174 posts
ACT, 2174 posts
15 Aug 2012 10:46am
Mobydisc said...

hamburglar said...

go to your local beach on a windy day........

it's not rocket science




Yeah I did last Saturday. At 8.30am when it was blowing about 15 knots there was myself and two kiters. Three hours later when it was blowing about 25 to 30 knots there were about fifteen windsurfers out and one kiter.

That rep from the kiters told some real fibs. Somehow he paints kiting as a sport everyone does while ignoring there are many more windsurfers out there than kiters. Just ignore the facts if it goes against what you believe in.

I've got nothing against kiters and actually enjoy windsurfing with them. I had a chat to one of them last Saturday and we sailed/kited together in close proximity doing a few drag races.






where's your local ? could say the opposite here, the fun just starts at 25kns you just need smaller kite

lotofwind
lotofwind
NSW
6451 posts
NSW, 6451 posts
15 Aug 2012 11:44am
I think the main reason the poledancers got dumped is because they are still trying to get that old man smell out of the last olympic village
cammd
cammd
QLD
4441 posts
QLD, 4441 posts
15 Aug 2012 12:18pm
^^^^ because there's at least 6 or 7 women kiteracers on the world teabagging tour
evlPanda
evlPanda
NSW
9207 posts
NSW, 9207 posts
15 Aug 2012 3:18pm
Kite Racing will be awesome to watch on TV. I seriously can't wait.


horsesmouth.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451cb8069e2016303e74485970d-500wi

In 8 knots:




roj
roj
QLD
44 posts
roj roj
QLD, 44 posts
15 Aug 2012 3:18pm
Didn't see any RS:X racing or even highlights on Channel 9?

Although at the same time, they didn't seem to show any 49er or 470 races until they knew Australians had won medals...

Organisers provided good footage for dinghy races with on-board cameras and areal shots.

Richiefish
Richiefish
QLD
5612 posts
QLD, 5612 posts
15 Aug 2012 3:56pm
evlPanda said...

Kite Racing will be awesome to watch on TV. I seriously can't wait.


horsesmouth.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451cb8069e2016303e74485970d-500wi

In 8 knots:







Looks like they got a "Tangle in their Dangle" ...
dusta
dusta
WA
2940 posts
WA, 2940 posts
15 Aug 2012 4:28pm
yet another butthurt thread .
AUS4
AUS4
NSW
1296 posts
NSW, 1296 posts
15 Aug 2012 7:55pm
you should of had FOXTEL. Heaps of sailing, every class.

roj said...

Didn't see any RS:X racing or even highlights on Channel 9?

Although at the same time, they didn't seem to show any 49er or 470 races until they knew Australians had won medals...

Organisers provided good footage for dinghy races with on-board cameras and areal shots.




Mark _australia
Mark _australia
WA
23649 posts
WA, 23649 posts
15 Aug 2012 6:00pm
dusta said...

yet another butthurt thread .


Yet another 'quality' contribution from a kiter as he can't counter any of the assertions made by windsurfers? so resorts to rubbish posts

dusta
dusta
WA
2940 posts
WA, 2940 posts
15 Aug 2012 6:16pm
mark i have never came into a thread about the windsurfing just to stir up **** , what does **** me is the moronic butthurt posts about a pointless olympic event and the retarded attacks on kiting . Granted dipsh!ts like lotofwind come into these forums and stir things for the sake of stirring and i would rather stay away from that .

What i do give a f$ck about is the mindless crying and bitching that goes on from parties on both sides of the fence . For 99% of the people who either windsurf or kitesurf this decision influences the day to day activities in no shape or form .

I have mates who windsurf and kite and buggy etc . Myself well I don't give a flying f$ck about kiting being in the olympics .

Can't some of your windsurfers just ****ing get over it and live in harmony ?
My local seems to have no issues with kiters and i have no issues with windsurfers .
fjdoug
fjdoug
ACT
548 posts
ACT, 548 posts
15 Aug 2012 8:37pm
hamburglar said...

Mobydisc said...

hamburglar said...

go to your local beach on a windy day........

it's not rocket science




Yeah I did last Saturday. At 8.30am when it was blowing about 15 knots there was myself and two kiters. Three hours later when it was blowing about 25 to 30 knots there were about fifteen windsurfers out and one kiter.
That rep from the kiters told some real fibs. Somehow he paints kiting as a sport everyone does while ignoring there are many more windsurfers out there than kiters. Just ignore the facts if it goes against what you believe in.
I've got nothing against kiters and actually enjoy windsurfing with them. I had a chat to one of them last Saturday and we sailed/kited together in close proximity doing a few drag rac





where's your local ? could say the opposite here, the fun just starts at 25kns you just need smaller kite




Last time i saw i kite around here was about eight years ago, he got dragged 2km downwind before retrieving his kite from the trees and walking back to his car.

hamburglar
hamburglar
ACT
2174 posts
ACT, 2174 posts
15 Aug 2012 10:50pm
Being a multi-national conglomerate's fictional bad boy character ,and on ASIO's most watched list i'm not at liberty to divulge my exact where abouts at any one time in the passed,present or future but guaranteed i have been to any place i comment on at one time or another.......whoops i've said to much

this conversation never happened



whats an i kite is that like a i tie or an i phone
Waterloo
Waterloo
QLD
1497 posts
QLD, 1497 posts
15 Aug 2012 10:53pm
Te Hau said...

Waveslave reckons w/surfing is obsolete.
I wonder how he views the various dinghy classes at the Olympics?
It amazes me that ISAF would happily drop a 'modern' sport in favour of all of those dreary dinghy classes, but then tradition seems to be well entrenched in yachting.
Kiting and W/surf are trendy young sports, have them both and dump a dinghy.



From purely a viewing perspective, I actually thought the 6m Elliot match racing was quite good to watch, better than any of the other course racing/ cumulative points over x days
byronmc
byronmc
NSW
508 posts
NSW, 508 posts
16 Aug 2012 12:28am
I think its stinks windsurfing was droped for kiting. It would have been good to keep both as they are in there own right totaly diferent from them selves and that of the sailing dingys.They would both be beter to watch than the other sailing but unless some one from Austrailia was going to win dont think they will show any footage. I watched the olympics and I thought how bloody slow the racing was compared to watching formula racing.Why did we not get any coverage because we were not wining.The strength of the media. We should condgradulate Jesica on another Olympic campain where she did her best. In Australia we are that tight with Money our male sailer was not alowed to go as ranked obove 6 in the world.
I have witnessed the kites trying to race and **** the sports got some development to do. But I supose puting it into the olympics will speed the development process up because it sure needs it.
JBFletch
JBFletch
QLD
1287 posts
QLD, 1287 posts
16 Aug 2012 9:22am
unfortunately for the windsurfers out there, things evolve.

I'm a. ex windsurf racer and also a kitesurfer.

The winter olympics have seen major changes in disciplines recently and sailing had to see the same.

Kiting appeals to the masses and random bob and granny doris will be captivated by the kite thing on TV, even tho it is boring as bat**** to watch. (for more wind minded people)

best thing you guys can do is keep your local race scene alive and keep juniors coming through.



AUS4
AUS4
NSW
1296 posts
NSW, 1296 posts
16 Aug 2012 9:23am
Waterloo said...

Te Hau said...

Waveslave reckons w/surfing is obsolete.
I wonder how he views the various dinghy classes at the Olympics?
It amazes me that ISAF would happily drop a 'modern' sport in favour of all of those dreary dinghy classes, but then tradition seems to be well entrenched in yachting.
Kiting and W/surf are trendy young sports, have them both and dump a dinghy.



From purely a viewing perspective, I actually thought the 6m Elliot match racing was quite good to watch, better than any of the other course racing/ cumulative points over x days



Thats how studid the Olympic committee is ..........6m Elliot is now out. In 1 year out the next ??????
AUS4
AUS4
NSW
1296 posts
NSW, 1296 posts
16 Aug 2012 9:28am
byronmc said...

I think its stinks windsurfing was droped for kiting. It would have been good to keep both as they are in there own right totaly diferent from them selves and that of the sailing dingys.They would both be beter to watch than the other sailing but unless some one from Austrailia was going to win dont think they will show any footage. I watched the olympics and I thought how bloody slow the racing was compared to watching formula racing.Why did we not get any coverage because we were not wining.The strength of the media. We should condgradulate Jesica on another Olympic campain where she did her best. In Australia we are that tight with Money our male sailer was not alowed to go as ranked obove 6 in the world.
I have witnessed the kites trying to race and **** the sports got some development to do. But I supose puting it into the olympics will speed the development process up because it sure needs it.


More than plenty of coverage Byron, you just have to get FOXTEL. They showed every race in every class.


Gorgo
Gorgo
VIC
5124 posts
VIC, 5124 posts
16 Aug 2012 11:51am
Such a dumb thread. It has got nothing to do with windsurfing vs kitesurfing. It was politics. It always is.

The kitesurfing lobbyists simply secured more votes among the ISAF representatives than the windsurfing people.
Brett Morris
Brett Morris
NSW
1204 posts
NSW, 1204 posts
16 Aug 2012 2:51pm
The RSX was always a compromise, but it was forced to fit into the Sailing format, and I really don't think anyone has an issue with Kites, just not at the expense of windsurfing.

After watching the coverage it seems obvious that the Skiffs and Windsurfing are the most visually interesting. The woman's 470 should be replaced with a skiff, but that is a whole other issue.
How the Star is still in there is just bizarre as it its the most elitist and dated class.

FYI, the Woman's match racing was a total surprise. I was totally captivated in it.
Is it really true they have bumped that also?

Without starting a riot, I think the Moth and Formula would be really interesting amendments?
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