Coroczne spotkanie IKA w Atenach

sobota, 06 listopada 2010 12:38 Marek Rowiński Sr.
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Coroczne spotkanie IKA tzw. AGM od odbędzie się jutro (7 listopada) w Atenach. Spotkanie reprezentantów stowarzyszeń należących do IKA jest częścią corocznego spotkania ISAF, które trwa znacznie dłużej. Niestety nie byliśmy w stanie wysłać naszego reprezentanta. Nie oznacza to jednak, że nie będziemy mieli nic do powiedzenia. Konstytucja IKA zezwala na udzielenie upoważnienia. Przekazałem je Bruno De Wannemaeker’owi prezesowi Belgijskiego Stowarzyszenia Zawodników Deskowych (BABC). Spotkałem się z Bruno w ostatni wtorek i omówiliśmy wszystkie 32 wnioski jakie będą jutro głosowane. Trzeba zauważyć, że PSKite mocno zaangażowało się w dyskusje dotyczącej ograniczeń kategorii racing, która stanowi główną część agendy AGM. Na 15 przyjętych wniosków naszych jest 8! Jak wyglądała droga ukształtowania naszego wspólnego zdania można znaleźć na tutejszym forum – dziękuję wszystkim, którzy tak mocno się zaangażowali.
Wracając do upoważnienia - Bruno zaskoczył mnie stwierdzając, że Belgowie mają praktycznie takie same zdanie jak nasze we wszystkich wnioskach. Dobrze to wróży na jutrzejsze głosowanie. Gdyby przeszły nasze wnioski to okaże się, że sporo namieszamy w przyszłości światowego racingu. Dla mnie pozytywny jest fakt, że PSKite już jest zauważalne na międzynarodowej  scenie mimo tego, że zorganizowaliśmy się parę miesięcy temu.

Agenda AGM jest tutaj (oraz wszystkie 32 wnioski): http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4516:ika-2010-agm-agenda&catid=1:general&Itemid=140

A oto jak wygląda nasze głosowanie wraz z szybkim wyjaśnieniami (dokładniejsze argumenty wyjaśniające nasze stanowisko zostały wysłane do IKA).

1. NO – as we do not know what limits ISAF is going to propose.
2. NO – 39 years rider cannot be a serious competitor in freestyle.
3. YES – the same limits as in windsurfing (they have much more experience than us – so let’s learn from them).
4. YES – to promote the sport within the youngest one.
5. DEFER – we do not agree for two boards, 4 kites and 50cm long fins. The rest is OK.
Why not 4 kites:
a) 3 kites are cheaper than 4 - it would make the discipline more affordable for all.
b) what is a point to make a limited class if majority riders do not use more than 4 kites nowadays.
c) argument to posses 4 kites to cover the widest wind range does not persuade us. If predicted conditions are 6-45 knots then a rider should register three kites suitable for such conditions - for example: 16, 11, 7m.
If someone choose a 9m as the smallest kite then he has to feel comfortable with riding on 9m in 45knots. To be honest, for us as riders, it is no problem, just a matter of time and training in such conditions. Please check out how it works in Formula Windsurfing. Just three rigs and there are some forces among their riders to reduce it to only two rigs! Bear in mind that a windsurfing rig has less wind range than a kite. If they want to reduce it to two sails why we cannot start with three kites?!
Why not two boards:
a) no need at all with the latest designs,
b) tooooooooo expensive,
c) difficult to transport,
d) to heavy for the flight transports,
e) too many fins – read: too expensive again,
6. YES – actually we support ASAP idea – it would be the next season.
7. YES – it’s obvious.
8.  NO – too early to introduce a monotype. Let’s give a chance for the shapers and designers to progress - at least two years.
9. Fins length 50 cm multiplied by 4 = 1200€ per set from a custom shaper. 10cm shorter means 300€ less. We want to race on shallow waters too. Bear in mind 80% Polish riders spent time at Zatoka Pucka, which is famous of acres of water less than 1m. This 10cm difference makes a lot.
Few words about fins. Let’s avoid windsurfing mistakes. We want to race on affordable gear. The stories about a half year waiting for the single fin worth 1000USD, custom made by some Japanese magician are great to impress public and mass media. We prefer to impress the public by riders performance on the best gear for reasonable price. We strongly believe that production boards should be sold with production fins which cannot be replaced by customs fins. Then it would be easier to control it by authorizing body and much cheaper for riders.
10. YES – see point 5.
11. YES – see point 5. Model 1+3 including our proposals would cost a rider not more than 5000€. Model 2+4 with no limits for fins means easily 8000-9000€. For us it is a huge difference. Strong limitations would give a kick to the popularization of the racing. We should present our requirements to manufactures early enough to make their live easier – so they would have scheduled time for designing, testing, production, selling.
Please find a self-explaining quote from Lukasz Ceran – the Polish Racing Champion for 2009 and 2010: I am hardly interested in competing in Formula 4+2. It’s too expensive. I do not want invest 9000€ in a gear. I do not want to lose due to the lack of equipment. Formula 3+1 with limitations extended for fins is, for me,  the only option to continue.
12.  YES -  We share one common opinion: riders should be the winners but not the gear. To achieve it we must restrict the equipment but not the riders. Your idea about two classes is great. Let’s treat the open class as a circuit for the manufactures who may freely develop the gear – no limits – it would be a kitesurfing training field fed by the richest one. The really best ideas would be adopted to the limited class achievable for all riders. The limits have to be extended not only to the dimensions and amount of boards and kites but also fins.
13. YES – see point 9.
14. YES - Let’s compete on production gear. There is nothing wrong with it. Note that the latest world speed record 55.65kts was beaten on a Crossbow from the last year!
Main goal: let’s avoid windsurfing mistakes. We want to race on affordable gear. The stories about a half year waiting for the single fin worth 1000USD, custom made by some Japanese magician are great to impress public and mass media. We prefer to impress the public by riders performance on the best gear for reasonable price. We strongly believe that production boards should be sold with production fins which cannot be replaced by customs fins.
15. YES – what is a point to introduce any limits if they might be changed every year?
16. YES - Our intention is not to restrict manufactures but to help them to sell as many of their products as possible.  Our goal is to make the racing affordable and attractive to masses. The riders (except test and sponsored ones) from Northern hemisphere would like to purchase the best gear before the beginning of the season and don't change it if in the meantime better gear would be released - one set for one season.
I believe that we should take the best examples form windsurfers and especially the Formula Windsurfing. They have had 12 years of experience.
They have a list of approved all boards up to 2011!  http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/ISAFCompleteListFormula-[985].pdf
17
.  DEFER - why not introduce a 5kg instead 4kg limit - but only for the volume type boards? This one kilogram equals 500 € less for the price of such board!
Mike Raper’s concerns do not apply for twin-tip technologies. TT do not have more volume than 5 ltrs. The smallest modern race boards have something like 30ltrs. Therefore lets introduce the limit of 5kg for all boards above 20ltrs volume. Cabrinha and IKA would be happy. In this case manufactures should present the volume of the race boards together with other dimensions. For a moment nobody does it. Then all would be happy: the same requirements for both types of boards except the weight limit. Removal of TT would be bad move. We had Polish Race Championship in two categories last years: race boards and twin-tips. TT riders were able to compete and familiarise with the course racing. Seeing the advantage of race boards on the water all of them wanted to have a try and some of them bought a race board. It worked pretty well.
18. NO – not enough to restrict custom shapers with their crazy prices!
19. NO – too much for a smaller manufactures. We do not want have in the formula only 2 players on the field.
20. NO – mission impossible 4.
21. ABSTAIN
22. YES – it will make the national associations stronger by mean of this control.
23. NO – money is not everything! It would ridiculous if the title of world champion does not count to the rankings – who is so clever within PKRA?!
24.YES – let’s make their life easier
25. YES – we support the German constitution. It worked well by now what is a point to change it according to English law. Wasting of precious time and creation of bureaucracy. Let’s concentrate on more important items:
- establishing the best standards for kiteboarding competitions,
- affiliation of more national associations,
- securing Olympics,
- assisting in creation further national bodies around the globe.
26. YES – ditto.
27. NO – ditto.
28. NO – IKA has already been non-profit organ.
29. YES – on some special occasions – good idea.
30.  YES
31. ABSTAIN
32. REJECT – there are many riders in the committees by now. Another body is not necessary now. Good idea but in coming years.