Hi Peeps,

Believe it or not, I was recently elected as president of the Perth Kite Racing Association (no one else wanted to do it ). On my long list of things to do, one of them is to grow the racing community to cover not just Formula Kite foiling, but also everyday kite racing.

We have come up with the idea of forming a new racing class called Formula 2. Formula 2 would basically cover any foil except race foils ie Levitaz, Mikes Lab, Enata, Chubanga, Moses Havok or Comet, etc, and any kite with the exception of singleskin non-water relaunchable kites and pure race foils ie Ozone R1, Flysurfer VMG or Sonic Race, F-One Diablo, Enata etc. These high end race kites and foils are all grouped in to Formula Foil.

The class would be made up of everything from Shinn beginner foils to Slingshot, Naish, Duotone, F-One all the way up to Jshapes and Moses freeride foils and everything in between. Kites like Flysurfer Souls, Ozone Hyperlinks and ANY inflatable kite would be eligible to enter. With such a diverse range of equipment, to make it fun and interesting for everyone, not just those with the fastest gear, we will focus on a Performance Handicap System where times will be calculated and adjusted to give everyone a corrected time and a reasonable chance to win the overall point score at the end of the season.

In addition to the foil racing, Safety Bay Yacht Club are interested in running a twin tip racing season, as is the Hillarys Yacht Club. Twin tip racing is usually a cross/downwind slalom event. It is still in the early stages of working out how all this will work, but I am interested in whether you guys and girls would be interested in regular racing. (We are planning once a fortnight or so).

Is this something of interest to the community?

A few things about the kite foil racing.

1. You don't need to gybe or tack to successfully compete.

2. Races are usually windward/leeward. Two marks, one upwind and one straight downwind. If you over lay the marks, you only need to do one tack and one gybe per lap.

3. A race only lasts generally between 15 and 20 minutes. We normally run three races in an afternoon.

4. You will race your mates and others on similar equipment to yourselves, not just against the people on fast gear. Your times will be corrected after the race with the handicapping system. Anyone can win on handicap

5. You will learn a lot from racing as it's totally different to cross wind foiling. There will be clinics and coaches around who can coach you and give you tips on getting the most from your gear.

6. The person on the fastest gear doesn't always win.

Most club races end up at the sailors bar for a few "refreshments" after racing. There is usually great community fun and a comeraderie amongst your mates.

Racing gives purpose to your riding and teaches skills to get so much more from your water time. Who knows, you might even get bitten by the bug and want to buy a fast foil or kite. There is usually heaps of second hand stuff going around so it doesn't need to break the bank. There is a pathway all the way to the olympics now with foiling.

What have you got to lose? Please feel free to comment with your thoughts.

DM

Good idea! Having taken up foiling this year (February) I'd be keen for a bit of ad-hoc racing to challenge myself and hopefully learn more. My gybes are very slow (but generally on the foil) and I've not managed a tack yet.

Also good practice for L2L this year (hopefully I get in).

I'd be 'racing' a Shinn K2 Foil and Airush Ultras.

Having two young kids makes it hard to commit to a lot of racing so hopefully there's some flexibility here with respect to cost.

That is an excellent idea and a very clever way to get guys racing. The leap into racing is so large so this will surely help.
I've been learning more and more towards getting a foil and I believe this will be the tipping point. Great work guys!

Yep, this will be popular I think. Good ideas there.

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Gazuki said..
That is an excellent idea and a very clever way to get guys racing. The leap into racing is so large so this will surely help.
I've been learning more and more towards getting a foil and I believe this will be the tipping point. Great work guys!

Just get one and have an extra fun option at every low wind "Looksy" down the beach...
Guarantee you will win the series if you ride that foil looking fin on your username

Mr President of PKR

Yes another expense but this would make for passerby spectators and 'blow up Sausage sponsors' a visually fun and exciting event that could encourage both new people to racing and new enthusiasm to the market too. You know kiters love nothing better than to jump over stuff food for thought..

Absolutely.

Just need to get out on the water when I get a chance and learn how to kitefoil.

Can you have a unhooked race where noones allowed a chicken loop?


You could call it " the race to glory " *everything else is just sailing

Brilliant.
I don't really like the idea of racing and I'm sure I wouldn't win. But the idea of of being booked every second week to hang out with other low skilled twin tippers near Hillarys is pretty appealing. Also, as it's a structured event so my business could claim a legitimate tax deduction to sponsor me.

wicked.
+1, being part of the low skilled twin tippers as well myself, i ll be interested maybe in racing a bit, but also and more to give a hand, at the time i ll be there, to the organisers around hillarys, so that riders can race. kite racing, boarder cross or not, is awesome what ever your equipment, i ve got two available hands to carry stuff, inflate the buoys to mark the course, load the boat with gear, whatever, good on you darren to include the TTppers within the project, and congratulations for your election

Well done, great idea(s) and all the best with it. Once I get to a stage where I'm happy with my chosen discipline of directional/surf I intend to make foiling the next phase of learning and something like this would be a great option to participate in.

Brilliant, I'm in. Absolutely no chance to win anything, still can't gybe or tack on the new foil, but a regular committed afternoon would be great.

Be great if we could get some affiliation going between the various clubs, and KWA so people could compete at any club without extra expense. Maybe then hold the events at diferent places, make it more fun, and include a lot more people?

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Steve Thomas 1 said..
Be great if we could get some affiliation going between the various clubs, and KWA so people could compete at any club without extra expense. Maybe then hold the events at diferent places, make it more fun, and include a lot more people?

All in good time. I think as a first step, getting sailing clubs interested enough to see us as a legitimate class is a great step. I believe with membership to PKR we are covered by Sailing Australia's insurance policy. This seems to be a big thing with most clubs. We have a reciprocal membership with JBSC where we take an affiliated membership which is relatively inexpensive and allows us to use the clubs falicities and race there weekly. I have spoken to HYC about this and they seem to think we can organize something similar to keep costs to a minimum.

It's all still in the earliest stages of discussion but I am hopeful we can make it work.

DM

Very good initiative, I'll definitely be interested and know quite a few who would be too.

Hey everyone,

On the Sunday just gone, Perth Kite Racing held the season opener race day at Jervoise Bay Sailing Club. This particular race saw the very first Formula 2 class racing (open freeride foil). It was fantastic to see the event well attended. Formula 2 race the same course and share the same start line as the Formula Foil racers but only complete two laps of the three the Formula Foil race.

Conditions on the day were forecast for 15 knots but due to a delayed start and weather behaving differently to the forecast, the conditions were a very blustery 15-25 knots in strong bullet gusts. Unfortunately for some, the conditions were too strong for the kites they came with so a few chose not to start, discretion being the better part of valor.

For those that did hit the water, there were 7 Formula Foil starters, and 7 Formula 2 starters. As expected the Formula Foil fleet took off quickly and without incident. The Formula 2 was actually pretty competitive with most of the competitors unable to yet gybe or tack flying on the foil, racing was friendly but fierce. The range of foils were from beginner freeride to a Banga foil and kites ranged from inflatable to Sonic FR foil but mostly Hyperlink or Soul .

Considering conditions, everyone did really well and it seemed by feedback, that the Formula 2 class was a great success. I can see the F2 fleet swelling and the whole fleet are now focused on improvement Because the fleet wasn't massively spread out, there was always someone just ahead to try and catch, and someone just nipping at your heels. The incentive to learn tacks and gybes as well as better race posture and kite handling has become strong which will fuel the progression.

If this sounds like it could be a bit of fun, why not come on down and join in the fun. Formula 2 Social racing is exciting and very satisfying. You don't need to be elite, just competent in riding upwind and downwind. Next race is on 20th October at JBSC.

Come to the club at about 11:30am for a 12pm race briefing and race start at about 1:05pm. Three races in all. 3 laps for Formula Foil, 2 laps for Formula 2.

DM

PS. Sorry, no pics. Too busy racing

can confirm it was awesome fun!

Hey Perth Foilers,

An update on Sundays last race set.

Sunday started with a steady but very NNW wind which is almost dead onshore at Jervoise Bay Sailing Club. Our courses are normally side shore and the water is quite sheltered giving us very clean water without weed and a course we are all familiar with. The NNW wind was vascilating between 15 and 20 knots making most of us a tad nervous to grab our 15m ram air kites. Thankfully, just prior to rigging the wind dropped to a steady 15 knots and was predicted to ease and turn more Westerly.

The outer mark was set 0.7Nm directly offshore of the bottom mark. Water conditions were quite choppy with some decent sized waves coming through. The weed was a problem for all. We had all types, bunches of weed but worse, we had eel weed and string weed all over the course with definite patches at the top mark as we accelerated around the mark to streak off downwind, collecting as much weed as we could deal with before wiping out.

Thirteen starters made up of seven Formula 2 racers and six Formula Foil racers gave it our all in conditions we werent really used to. Fantastic racing amongst the F1 and F2 fleets. We are seeing some great competition amongst the F2 fleet with the crew improving despite some tough conditions.

Very impressive and satisfying progress from the entire fleet. Of course after the three races, it was back to the club for a nice cold beer, party pies and other hot snacks. Great comeraderie, great racing.

If you want to take your free foiling to a new level, why not swing by and join us at the next club race which will be 3rd November. New racers welcome, all levels, all equipment types.

DM

Jervoice bay yacht club is a mint place, great for the family to hang about and has a nice holiday feel.
Top location for it!!

Hey Herby,

You're absolutely right. The JBSC is a beautiful spot to rig and socialize prior to racing. The grass is always cool and mowed, shady trees, parking and showers and toilets at the Clubhouse not to mention the BBQ and Kitechen lounge area and bar.

The water in front of the club is protected from weed and chop by Woodmans point so it's the best ocean foiling spot on the coast. For the few dollars it costs to be a member, you certainly get a lot back, and that doesnt even take into consideration the racing.

So much to love.

DM


A typical race day at JBSC (pic from last season).

Is there an up to date racing calendar somewhere.

I had a look at the PKR site and the one on there is dated 2018.

Or am I having a man look?

Cheers!

Hi Grant,

I have a complicated Excel sheet but can give you a simplified schedule as below.

03/11/2019 JBSC
09/11/2019 JBSC (King of Carnac)
24/11/2019 JBSC
01/12/2019 FSC ( Rocko to Freo Dash)
07/12/2019 Red Bull L2L
08/12/2019 JBSC
15/12/2019 JBSC
22/12/2019 HYC
27/12/2019 TCYC (Cockburn Sound Regatta)

Hope this helps. Some dates will change depending on the wind for the RB L2L.

As you can see, there are heaps of races.

Regards,

DM