sorry I couldn't help myself, but even kiters must agree that their lame

As usual JP ripping it up, that guy has got the most awesome style. I love watching him sail big waves, no-one does it better i recon and the kiter well he went straight then he really cut loose and went---------------straight. I know it would take big balls to even get out there but beautiful lay down turns and wicked cut backs vs well, going straight, different league.

Looks to me like the wind was to off shore for a kite ,and he couldn't depower enough to get down the face.JP certainly makes it look easy !

JP = awesome
Kiter = lame

Is Ben Wilson a good kitesurfer or just some punter who happened to be there on the day?

Polakow was awesome as he always is in big surf!

Awesome footage of Polakow, the best wavesailing footage I've seen. Polakow used to be better on the other tack couldn't have looked more comfortable out there is some of the heaviest waves ever. IMO windsurfing is easier in big waves as the size and the weight of the board makes it more suited to the size of the wave, and you can oversheet the rig to control the power and use the speed of the wave to position yourself better.

Kiting is much harder to do switchfoot, and once you've progressed to the waves it's almost impossible to convert to switchfoot after you've caught a few the way you surf. Also with a bigger 'sail' about 20 metres higher and with so much apparent wind you can't oversheet like windsurfing and can only push the bar away to change the angle of the kite to marginally depower it a little, and you loose your steering to a certain extent. Just for the kiter to be out there in position catching those waves was a huge gutsy effort for Wilson, though it would have been good to see a top goofyfoot kiter at it.

So, it's not often windsurfing looks better than kiting nowadays is it, but it sure can sometimes!

I like watching some of the Kite Surfers but watching JP hitting the lip, jumping etc. and actually having fun on the wave not just going as qldnacra says...............Straight. Go the Windsurfers.

All I saw was yet more video proof that poledancers still dont get the right of way rules in the waves, dropping in on the surfer,,,,soft.

sboardcrazy said...
Watching these made me wonder at a similar level and conditions which sport requires more fitness? Also how do the kitsurfers stay on the boards when they don't have straps? That must be hard?

Its a case of keeping the board between you and the kite.
The more difficult part is keeping it on your feet in the air.

That's pretty impressive .How the hell do they keep with the board in the air when they aren't hanging onto it!

elmo said...
I personally believe the person who comes in with the biggest grin is the better sailor.

All this windsurfing is better than kiting (and vice versa) is like standing at the trough looking left and right wondering what everyone else is holding.

They are different and each has their plus and minus points.
Its interesting to see what the top riders do in both sports, but I wont be doing the same as them in either.

As you say Elmo, its all about having as much fun as you can and for some people that's windsurfing, some its kiting and some its both.

SugarQube said...
As a long time ex windsurfer I would like to say Windsurfing is always going to rule in big waves.
The atraction of kiting is that you can rip up a small 3ft wave and still have massive fun which just doesnt work with a windsurfer.

The stance thing and strappless is a bit of a mindset problem. If you drive a two wheel drive on the beach you will get bogged and its not much fun, some kiters cant see beyond strapless and stance.

Its like saying only strapless windsurfing is legit because its closer to surfing, pathetic.

As long as kitesurfing doesnt set itself free and embrace that you could do massive freestyle combined with waveriding strapped and create a sport respected instead of constantly looking over the sholder to see what surfers are doing and trying to emulate that sport

If you have a look at this 2 minute video from a couple of days ago, you might agree what that strapless kiting can both emulate and exceed what is possible in both surfing and windsurfing?

SugarQube said...
As a long time ex windsurfer I would like to say Windsurfing is always going to rule in big waves.
The atraction of kiting is that you can rip up a small 3ft wave and still have massive fun which just doesnt work with a windsurfer.

The stance thing and strappless is a bit of a mindset problem. If you drive a two wheel drive on the beach you will get bogged and its not much fun, some kiters cant see beyond strapless and stance.

Its like saying only strapless windsurfing is legit because its closer to surfing, pathetic.

As long as kitesurfing doesnt set itself free and embrace that you could do massive freestyle combined with waveriding strapped and create a sport respected instead of constantly looking over the sholder to see what surfers are doing and trying to emulate that sport

Yeah it's disabled tow in surfing, because you're stuck with a kite, and as I said before I don't get it. While it's not my cup of tea they can do some pretty crazy dangles in freestyle kiting, why not try and emulate that off the lip down the line...landing back in the pocket, that would be impressive. It's the way windsurfing is being pushed in the waves and it's insane, all the freestyle kids bring their tricks to the waves, incredible to watch.

To be fair I think surfing is kind of stuck in the same mindest, some of the guys on the pro tour can do insane aerials these days but as an outsider it still seems frowned upon compared to classic style? Maybe it's because not everyone is that adapt at it but i'm sure everyone has seen Matt Meola's Innersection edit...imagine if that was comp surfing, hell yeah!

You know Mike, I couldn't agree with you more, I've alway respected your opinions.

Smithy said...
*snip
As for freestyle tricks in wave sailing, this is not new, have a look at Robby Naish way back when Adam was a boy, he was the master of freestyle tricks in the waves...

Yeah this is true, freestyle has always existed in the waves, to an extent, but there is a massive difference between gybing on a wave face and riding it backwinded/toeside and the 'new school' stuff the kids are throwing down now, most of the moves have only been invented in the last 5-10 years. Don't get me wrong Robby is a legend of the sport but it's progressed so far past his skill set it's not funny. The results we see today took the new style freestyle explosion started by the likes of R.Campello etal and their decision to push it into the waves.

What I still don't understand is why this hasn't happened in kiting?