Hi Guys,

It's that time of week again!

Tomorrow we'll be racing again, all welcome with a twin tip division also if we get some numbers. The course will be same as last week with a beach start which worked beautifully last week, no tangles, fair and fast. Although we are all out to win, it's more about participation and just sharing the stoke of racing on the fastest course boards.

We'll have briefing a about 5.15pm and racing to begin at around 5.30 ish this week, we will run a second race as necessary as numbers grow so everyone gets a go.

As usual, the course will be set from about 3.30 if anyone wants to get some practice in, or if you want to race your mate before the official fleet race . Boards are always available for practice so come on along and enjoy the fun!

A good article in Kiteworld about Course racing this issue with lots of good tips and hints on racing technique and skills.

See you tomorrow,

KH

Woohoo I'm there,

Should be great FUN and as always looking forward to meeting up with some new crew.

To the cab riders, My forum comments are all Tongue in check BTW ;-) Those that have been offended, I'll let you shout me a beer and we'll forget it.

bummed I missed this one, have made it every other week but was still stuck in traffic @ 6pm with 30 mins driving to go so I bailed. I hope it is not going to be that bad every week!

How did it go?

Hi Sandman,

Major Yin and Yang goin' on today. On one hand I was stoked to see three new racers turn up today for a race in brutal conditions (20 to gusty 30 knots). Many thanks for coming along LouD, Alty and SammyJ. For first timers you guys did really well and all stuck it out to finish the 2 lap course, my respect to you all, it's tough to race those conditions completely green. I hope you all had a blast, and I'm sure you'll be sore tomorrow in places you didn't know existed

On the other hand, we didn't have any of our usual racers turn up (5 regulars missed the start), so it was myself and the three others, this was really disappointing. Bummer about the traffic Sandman, maybe next time.

Anyone who has stayed to watch or participate knows the amount of effort that goes into the course setting and then the massive pack down at the end of the day as everything has to be hastily packed up to get off the beach before dark.

Huge thanks go out to my crew, my staff, who stay behind in their own time to help me carry the boat up and help put it all away. Without you guys, I'd still be on the beach now packing it all away. Sincerely, Thank You!

Whilst packing down, one of the guys asked why I do it, why I bother with the effort, ongoing expense, inconvenience to our regular customers, inconvenience and disruption to my home life, my wife and kids who'd rather I was at home and the hassle to them, not that they're complaining? They just don't get it?

One answer is, I have passion for it, and can see the potential for a fun new discipline, I love racing and want to share it. I don't mind the effort required, It aint about the money, I mean if I sold a board to everyone who had raced, I'd wouldn't even break even. I don't mind the other sacrifices, but the impact on others is becoming all too obvious and now I am questioning whether to keep at it.

Do we continue with the weekly event? Do we continue with racing at all? What do people want? What is stopping people trying it or getting involved? Is it cost? Is the Pinnaroo Venue too far away? Is it because it is only weekdays at the moment? Is it because it's too hard? Is the start too late in the day or too soon after work? Should we race fortnightly?

I'd really love some feedback from people who have thought about it and who haven't decided to have a go. I'd love to hear feedback from those that have had a go and like it or whether they didn't like it. What do you like and dislike about the racing? How can we make it better?

I really need some input please, any ideas would be great from anyone withing to throw 2 bobs worth in.

I'm not ready to give up, I just need to know that there's a reason to continue. I don't think my team are keen on continuing to help if it is only for a few people each week and I can't blame them. Not much reward in it for them. Thanks again guys and girls

Cheers,

KH

Considered linking up with a local yacht club that does dinghy racing? They'll at least set a course - dunno if that would be suitable (my entire kite experience to date is a new 10m switchy, bodydragging and some epic faceplants trying to get up on the board).

My local on KI used to let pole dancers in on handicap.

We've been having some pretty good racing on the river at the same time as your races -- Wednesdays starting at 5:30pm. Today we had around 25 racers competing, not a bad turnout

Perhaps the whole course boards thing is limiting -- if you just get people to 'run what you brung' then you may get more people turning up? We also don't bother setting up buoys, there are enough on the river to pick a couple to use as markers. Not sure if there are enough at Pinaroo to be able to do something similar.
Also maybe move the racing to a perth beach for one day, to see what the turnout is? It takes a while to drive up there from work, I just manage to make the start on the river, and I work 5 minutes away, and finish at 4:30. There wouldn't be much chance of someone like me making it up to Pinaroo in time for the racing.

If you do decide to keep going with it, then I'm itching to race against you guys It would be very interesting to see who can point higher, I'd love to hear from phx what the handicap for poleys was when he was racing.

Good luck with it, racing is another facet of windsports that is utterly addictive, loads of fun, and really forces you to improve your technique. I hope more people discover how awesome it can be

Hey Darren,

Thanks so much, I totally enjoyed it today mate

I'm sorry it might have looked like I bailed on you guys, but I did come down to offer some help and a turkey and cola, but you where out a few hundred meters battling the high sea's to retrieve the markers in your rubber ducky. I had to take the long way home and drop the Caffa off at Leighton after his monsterous downwinder, what a freak (but very nice guy).

Your passion is very evident, I take my hat off to you after seeing what is required to set up and pack down this sort of event. It would be ashame to stop know, but I can see your frustrations.

As I offered when I arrived today, I'm always happy to help where possible. I will put my name down for next week again, but being a shift worker I'm not a certainty every week. Plus the 100km journey becomes abit taxing, migt have to get a few others involved from down here to share the load.

Thanks again

P.S I think you did a third lap just to try and lap me, LOL my mate thought I'd won and I was gonna go along with it but couldn't.

Select to expand quote

nebbian said...
[It would be very interesting to see who can point higher, I'd love to hear from phx what the handicap for poleys was when he was racing.

I've done a fair bit of windsurfing before kiting and these race boards point unbelievably upwind (especially for Darren). The handicap would have to be huge to make it even.

Hi, i like the idea, and think the effort you've put in to setting something like this up is such a good thing. I am fairly new to kitesurfing though, and so am bit reluctant to come down, i don't really want to cause an accident or mess anything up, etc... When i have more experience i would def come down for a go. But like said above, would probably like to use my own gear, and i think some weekdays would be difficult to make it down there regularly for the time its on..

Do we continue with the weekly event?
-Personally, I would forget whether it is a racing week or not and if I missed 1 week then it would be a month in between races. I like the weekly thing but considering the effort you put in Darren would not hold it against you for going fortnightly!

Do we continue with racing at all?
-I sure hope we can, it gives me a chance to break away from the same conditions over an over again at scarborough, meet new kiters and break out the competitor in me.

What do people want?
- Sex, Money, Power...Oh kite racing, right... Close races that keep the adrenalin up. It is good fun to watch the races from the beach too, and a bit of post race banter is good.

What is stopping people trying it or getting involved?
-They don't realise what they are missing out on!

Is the Pinnaroo Venue too far away?
-possibly, I work in Nedlands, finish at 5 (on a good day) and am struggling to get up there in time.

Is it because it is only weekdays at the moment?
-Interestingly, week days are great because I have something to look forward to and weekends generally involve changing plans, weekdays are predictable.

Is it because it's too hard? Is the start too late in the day or too soon after work?
- see above, and it is definitely not too hard

Should we race fortnightly?
- see above

Thinking out loud here again. A shorter race track with a maximum of 4 racers, 2 laps totaling 5 minutes'ish, with a quick turn around between races so lots of little races can be held.
This would allow some us to recover and watch at the same time, each race would be closer and more critical (the big races so far have become 3 x one on one mini races) and each person can have a chance to race more times per day.

I like the suggestion of using existing markers (maybe the one out by the reef if it is not too tall) and then laying out a start mark close to shore and 1 upwind mark.

James

Keep it going Darren,I am really keen to give it a go but must admit that I haven't because I am a litle concerned about the safety of others.
Course racing may be the only chance for us older people to keep the competitive rush and you have to keep your training up if you want to become australia's first gold medalist at the olympics when kiting makes it.plenty of good karma coming your way for your efforts mate!

I wanted to give it a go but it just hasn't worked out for me so far, 12 hour day shift today and another one next week.
Like Sammy, I am also a shift worker and it works out that basically i could make it four weeks in a row then would have to miss four weeks.
My first opportunity will be in two weeks time but that is very close to chrissy so I'm guessing may not happen anyway.
I think it is a great initiative and applaude you for your efforts but to be truthful waves are my thing and if there is any chance of hitting a couple of lips that is always going to be hard for me to pass up (of course living in Perth that is not going to happen often ).

I had all intentions of coming along again.
Its such good fun and great stamina training love it.
However yesterday on my way up i got lured into no-one out at contos and spent three hours alone kiting my ass out. By the time i finished i could hardly walk let alone come racing as i planned.

I too work shifts and its difficult to get to Pinnaroo on a set day every week.

However i am willing, if Dazza wants to have a week off to come and grab the race boards and run something on the river next week?
P'raps we could organise a race against the windsurfers, don't know if it would be too dangerous or not but so long as everyone was careful.

Maybe that is the way to go, grab a volunteer at the end of the week who's responsibility it is to set something up at a venue around Perth.
Certainly exposes racing to a wider audience.

Anyway as i said i you want me to organise something for the river next week PM me.

Select to expand quote

phx said...

Considered linking up with a local yacht club that does dinghy racing? They'll at least set a course - dunno if that would be suitable.

My local on KI used to let pole dancers in on handicap.

@ phx,

We have an invite from the Whitfords Sailing Club to race on a Saturday with them. I ust don't think there are too many of us ready to take on "full on" AYF racing rules and such just yet which is why we are focusing on just having a go and enjoying the speed and commeraderie.

Select to expand quote

nebbian said...

Perhaps the whole course boards thing is limiting -- if you just get people to 'run what you brung' then you may get more people turning up? We also don't bother setting up buoys, there are enough on the river to pick a couple to use as markers. Not sure if there are enough at Pinaroo to be able to do something similar.
Also maybe move the racing to a perth beach for one day, to see what the turnout is? It takes a while to drive up there from work, I just manage to make the start on the river, and I work 5 minutes away, and finish at 4:30. There wouldn't be much chance of someone like me making it up to Pinaroo in time for the racing.

If you do decide to keep going with it, then I'm itching to race against you guys It would be very interesting to see who can point higher, I'd love to hear from phx what the handicap for poleys was when he was racing.

@ Nebbian,

Thanks for the constructive feedback mate. We do have an invitation to twinny's/surfboards as well as Course boards, but none have turned up yet .

We need to set up buoys as a safety thing. Others have questioned why we don't use cray floats or Navigation poles in the past, but if we have someone catch a line on a Nav pole or hit a reef, then there is liability issues and a level of danger we just don't need. Cray floats can't be seen from 50m away in 3 foot chop let alone from a kilometer, our orange flagged marker buoys are easy to see and stand up well to the 30 knot conditions.

My plan is to have races at other locations as soon as my shool manager gets his MR Truck license so he can run the school in my absence. As soon as he can drive the truck, I'll start a race in different locations to make it more accessible to others. SammyJ is unique in his commitment to drive up from Rocko (Ta mate, impressive and much appreciated).

I'm happy to invite Poleys along for a race once we get ourselves sorted. I think we'll need to handicap the kiters, not the poleys. We don't race in the millpond, our conditions are rough and very demanding and I reckon the kiters would punish the poleys around the Triangular course.

Select to expand quote

sandman said...

Thinking out loud here again. A shorter race track with a maximum of 4 racers, 2 laps totaling 5 minutes'ish, with a quick turn around between races so lots of little races can be held.
This would allow some us to recover and watch at the same time, each race would be closer and more critical (the big races so far have become 3 x one on one mini races) and each person can have a chance to race more times per day.

I like the suggestion of using existing markers (maybe the one out by the reef if it is not too tall) and then laying out a start mark close to shore and 1 upwind mark.

James

@ Sandman,

Yep, we can definitely run a shorter course, no probs, that would also make setting and collecting the markers a lot quicker. Current course takes the fastest guys 9.30 to do a lap so about 20 minutes to complete the whole course. I love the idea of closer racing and recovery time is good. ATM we don't have enough people to run two heats so that's why we started a fleet start with "all in". If we can get 8 or more starters, I'll run 4 person heats as you have suggested. It'll keep the spectator element more entertaining as the entire course will be visible from the beach.

Gotta place the upwind marker so the others aren't much more effort. I would dread seeing someone dragged over a shallow reef or slammed into a nav marker by a snagged kite line.

We'll keep at it and I'm sure it will get going bigger. Once Ed gets his truck license, I can use my 4WD and use my big boat to set courses in a safer vessel which will handle the water better in rough conditions and can race in a spot with any water conditions.

Select to expand quote

poor relative said...

However i am willing, if Dazza wants to have a week off to come and grab the race boards and run something on the river next week?
P'raps we could organise a race against the windsurfers, don't know if it would be too dangerous or not but so long as everyone was careful.

Maybe that is the way to go, grab a volunteer at the end of the week who's responsibility it is to set something up at a venue around Perth.
Certainly exposes racing to a wider audience.

Anyway as i said i you want me to organise something for the river next week PM me.

@ Rellie,

Mate thanks for the support and offers for assistance. I don't want a day off, I want to race too As mentioned in the above reply, As soon as the license is secured, there will definitely be a race at the river.

I'd love to race the poleys on smoother water, that would be a great challenge, but if I know the general poley population, I think they would resent kiters on their course, and even more so if we kicked their arses [}:)] LOL!

Thanks everyone for the support and the ideas, I'm still up for it and haven't lost the faith. I never thought it would be easy and am prepared to continue doing the hard yards. With enough commitment, faith and passion, anything can be achieved. At this stage I'd say there will be racing on the river too in the new year. We'll probably take a few lay days over Christmas, but will be back bigger and better in the new year. We'll race again next week which will be the final race for the year.

WTF is with the 30 knot winds every race day? A lovely 12-15 knot day would be awesome for a change.

Cheers again everyone, keep the suggestions and feedback coming, it's all considered and kept in the old thinker for future plans and ideas.

Good Winds!

KH

Hi Darren,

It is great stuff you are doing. You know I would be in to this, but the fact is that my body simply can not handle racing. If I was 20 years younger not a problem, but I'm afraid that the hits left in my body are reserved for going at my own pace in freestyle and waves...............I'm afraid I need a full body transplant

Nick

Select to expand quote

gruezi said...

Hi Darren,

It is great stuff you are doing. You know I would be in to this, but the fact is that my body simply can not handle racing. If I was 20 years younger not a problem, but I'm afraid that the hits left in my body are reserved for going at my own pace in freestyle and waves...............I'm afraid I need a full body transplant

Nick

Hey Nick,

It's been a while! Maybe we can have a softies division with training floats on the boards and you could wear an inflateable sumo suit! LOL

Only joking! I'll be bringing racing to a venue near you in the new year so I hope you can come on down for moral support at least.

Cheers mate,

KH

Hi Darren,
I would love to come and try again at racing, but its mainly a time issue- I usually work Wednsdays until 530 and no chance of getting there before 630, which is too late.... bugger no daylight savings.......
Next time I am free on a Wedensday I will be there- but that wont happen till sometime in the new year by the look of the roster....

I found it pretty bloody hard on the legs and in the chop on the course boards, but that is just my issues- I need to HTFU and expect to come long last!

Also- 25+knots is a bit tough when currently my small kite is a 10!!!!

Select to expand quote

Kitehard said...


WTF is with the 30 knot winds every race day? A lovely 12-15 knot day would be awesome for a change.

This IMO has been the main thing keeping folks away, when we get 12-15 I'm sure there will be a much better turnout.

But hey I've got a 6 and I'm lovin it.
At least when it's blowin 30 knots we get a bit of a wind wave, because as you know there is stuff all swell in Perth in the summer.

Hi guys,

This is just becoming scary, or perhaps funny, or maybe a bit of both. Wedesdays racing approaching and of course we have another forecast of 30+ knots. Sheesh!

WTF?

That downwind leg in 30 knots is just plain scary at race speed

Having said that, I can't wait to go racing again

KH

Select to expand quote

Kitehard said...

Hi guys,

This is just becoming scary, or perhaps funny, or maybe a bit of both. Wedesdays racing approaching and of course we have another forecast of 30+ knots. Sheesh!

WTF?

That downwind leg in 30 knots is just plain scary at race speed

Having said that, I can't wait to go racing again

KH

Just as well you accidently ended up on someone elses 8m instead of the 10m you pumped up last week then hey . At times I thought I was going to leave nuggets in my jocks on the downwind legs on my 6m, but realised after that I should have left my 8m pumped up. Would have been better on the upwind tacking .

This grasshopper has much to learn

Will endeavour to get there again, but won't know till closer.

sweet, got next Wednesday off work so I will be up there with bells one ready to destroy my leg muscles again. I love the fact that most of the week is pretty average except wednesday which is going to be cray wind again. I think this is a good argument for keeping the racing on a Wednesday

Haha,

Sounds like we've started a club of sado massachistic, adrenaline junkie, stunt riders.

All good! This week we'll try the newest incarnation of the racing. 4 person races over a smaller triangle with 2 laps, it should make it easier, faster and more exciting. Same start as last two weeks (we've got that sorted at least ).

If there are any new racers like to come along, you're more than welcome, the more the merrier. We will also have a twin tip/other division for those not keen on the challenge of the course boards.

We have the first of the privately owned North Race LTD course boards arriving next week, just too late for the racing on Wednesday, but they'll have time to practice over the next few weeks whilst we take a break for Chrissie so we may have some new competition in the new year me thinks!

Bring it on baby! Next Wednesday will be the last race of 2009, it'd be great to have a full dance card, come on, participate. We'll start again in the new year and will begin recording scores/wins in order to create a handicap system.

See ya's soon.

KH