I just heard a report on TV3 news that a kitesurfer had been killed in Hastings...report said a gust lifted the kiter off the water and onto land

anyone know anymore?

I feel sick.. I was Dough. The American guy from New York.
He was now living in New Zealand. Most of you will know him after Gavin B Birthday party last weekend. I am not going to write to much as I dont know much about what happened. I can tell you it was at about 3 or 3:30pm.

He was an awesome guy and a very good kite surfer.

Guys take it easy !!!

Nooooo!!!

Some of us here in ChCh met Doug in Cairns!

Adorable and nice guy. Good rider as well...
It's a terrible news... if only it could not be true.

tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/453625%3fformat=html

I too feel sick. Condolences to his family and the Hastings crew. He was a real nice guy.

Oh my god.. Cant believe it.
Just met him friday down at St Heliers. What a great guy.

My condolences with everyone who knew him..

Peace to his family and friends! Didn't know him but this is never ever a good thing.
Yesterday was definately a crazy wind day. Went out at Manly on an 8m kite and the gusts were just huge!! Broke my chicken loop trying to hold the kite down during a gust. Guess mother nature was telling me to get my sorry ass back to shore. Damn scary.

Lets all play safe out there during the summer!

Yeah Doug was a real nice guy, this is a real loss for the Kiteboarding community, his family and his friends.
A shock like sure makes you take a moment to reflect on all the near misses we have all experienced and what we risk when we step into the water to enjoy this lifestyle we have chosen.







.

since hearing the tragic news, i've spent the day thinking about doug and the size of the loss is slowly sinking in. sincere condolences to his family who have lost far, far more than an occasional kiting / partying buddy.

i didn't know him well but have replayed (what little i can remember from) our conversations at gavin's 40th a few weeks ago. we talked about lots of things, including the risk of getting killed kiting compared to other sports. he shared some of his knowledge on viticulture, one of his passions and his occupation in Hawke's Bay. following his transplanting advice, this afternoon i planted a grapevine in his honour.

we drank plenty of fermented grapes that night and doug gave gavin a case of some of the fruit of his own labours. there will be many solemn toasts to doug ahead in years to come i'd hope. hungover or not, we all grovelled out kiting the next morning and enjoyed a windy morning at orewa. doug was high on life and ripping - i hadn't seen him since he was an absolute beginner and we did some grinning on the water.

now he's gone. cliches don't cut it, but he was a fine young man cut down in the prime of his life. maybe it's really true: only the good die young. people will say he died doing what he loved but he had a truckload more to offer, and we will miss him.

rest in peace dude!

18.10.2004
By ELIZABETH BINNING
Kite-surfer Douglas Wiser had just landed on the beach when a strong gust of wind caught his kite and flung him to his death.

The 31-year-old was dragged through a row of trees at speed then dumped into the side of a caravan at the Te Awanga Motor Lodge, just east of Hastings.

Suffering head and chest injuries Mr Wiser died soon after, the first kite-surfing fatality in New Zealand.

The accident happened just before 2pm on Saturday as the American, who worked as a winemaker in the Hawkes Bay, was finishing a kite surf at Te Awanga beach.

He was on his own and about to undo his harness when the strong northwesterly caught his kite.

Motor camp manager Joy Mildenhall said campers heard a loud bang as Mr Wiser, who was not wearing a helmet, hit the vacant caravan moments later. He died on the way to hospital.

The accident came as a shock yesterday to those who have taken up the relatively new adventure sport.

"Doug was a real nice guy. This is a real loss for the kite-boarding community, his family and his friends," said one person on a surfing internet chatroom. "A shock like this sure makes you take a moment to reflect on all the near-misses we have all experienced."

Mr Wiser, an experienced kite surfer, may not have had time to use a safety button which releases the kite in critical situations.

Kitesports owner Tim Stockman said from Christchurch that the sport could be dangerous in gusty conditions, especially if the surfer was on their own.

Landing can be particularly dangerous because if something does go wrong there are more chances of hitting an object than out at sea.

Last December a kite-surfer was badly injured in Golden Bay after a gust of wind carried him 50m and dropped him into a house.

Craggy Range Wines managing director Steve Smith said Mr Wiser was a talented winemaker who came to New Zealand about four years ago.

Mr Smith said Mr Wiser loved all adventure sports. "The world is a poorer place without him. He was an unbelievable young man."

Kite-surfing

* Surfers stand on a board and are pulled along the water at speeds of 30-40km/h by a kite that is attached to a harness around their body via a long rope.

* Surfers do "jumps" which take them 4-5m into the air.

* At least 17 people have been killed worldwide since 2000.

* A man was seriously injured near Nelson last December after being thrown into a house

Devastating.

It goes without saying that Doug was a highly respected mentor to all kiters who had the privalige of knowing him.

I know I will miss Doug's competitive nature, the road trips, the international getaways, the text messages, the late night phone calls & the early morning phone calls.... His enthusiasm and motivation fuelled my passion for the sport. Kitesurfing for me will never quite be the same.

Doug died doing what he loved most.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts and messages.

Miss you heaps Doug, from Shaun Demanser and all the Hawkes Bay kiters.

Its been just over 2 years since my first contact with Doug and from those first e-mail dealings we developed a strong friendship despite the geographical distance between us. Many e-mails, long phone calls and memorable road trips(all to few) later its hard to believe he has passed on.
Doug was always extremely enthusiastic and motivated about kiteboarding, winemaking and life in general. Always friendly and approachable with never a bad word to say about anyone. Always living every moment to the fullest and with big plans for the future.
My Deepest condolences to his Family, colleagues, friends and the Hawkes Bay crew.
There's so much more I want to say but can't express so refer to a lovely piece at www.craggyrange.com/profile/people/doug.html
Thanks for the memories Doug... fly free my friend fly free

This is such sad news that something so shocking could happen to such a talented and lovely guy. Very up beat and friendly, always seeing the higher side of life.

Doug- i hope you have gone to a better place ... with endless kiting and hot chicks!

Farewell X

This is news of the worst kind. I have known and worked with Doug for a few years now. Earlier Shaun spoke about the late night phone calls and the text messages, yes had all of them, Doug really loved the sport and could talk about it for hours, still keeping it interesting. Doug I will miss the trips up to Tauranga the kiting and the socialising after. All the best to the rest of the crew in Napier, sorry I cant be there with you in this time of sadness.
with regrett
John Ashmore

Hi Everybody,

Well, where to start with such a tragedy. So many of us have lost much more than just a great kiting buddy, but a friend who shared an incredible amount of passion and drive in everything he did. Doug was an awesome guy and I feel very fortunate to have known him. It is tough to find words to write in a situation that nobody ever wants to find themselves in.....

To Doug,

Fly ino the sky
and loop with the birds,
give a cheeky grin;
not needing words

leave only spray
and carve only air,
climb up those lines;
with never a fear

drop my board off
and toe-side away,
you keep your dreams;
for another day

you think of us
and we'll be here,
hanging out for wind;
with all our gear

Gone too soon
and what to say,
Til next time doug,
a bottle of red.....
hold the Chardonnay



Thank you to everybody sending their support.
Andrew McGlashen
Hawkes Bay

Steve Smith, Craggy Range
Wine Named For Kite Surf Victim
NewstalkZB
Craggy Range Winery in Hawke's Bay plans to name one of its special Pinot Noirs after Doug Wisor.

The American-born winemaker died in a freak accident on Saturday when a gust of wind flung the kitesurfer he was on, from the beach and into the side of a caravan at the Te Awanga Motor Lodge, east of Hastings.

Managing director Steve Smith says Mr Wisor was the perfect winemaking partner who came to Craggy Range to make Pinot Noir.

He says the 31-year-old's greatest achievement was a small batch of Pinot Noir from 2003, which will be named after him.--from XTRA