Hi everyone!

The Nationals 2006 will be held in Raglan the 28/29/30 April 2006.
The organizers are Tony Bruce (Raglan) and myself, Delphine (French point, North Brighton)

It will be the end of the school holidays.
Make sure you book your flights/ferry early (that's why we tell you 8 months ahead :wink: )!!

Raglan is a great windy kiting location and is an excellent venue for a kiteboarding competition!

We will include accomodation as an option with the entry fees (about $16 / person and per night) for a backpacker kind of place next to the Kiteboarding spot. We might reserve few camping spots as well.

I'm also trying to organize a Kiwi Kiteboarding Tour (KKT) with 3 stages: Mt Maunganui, ChCh, Raglan (the nationals). I'm still looking for sponsors (big ones) to cover the TV cost (XSTV will cover the Tour).

No matter what happens with the KKT, the Nationals will happen for sure with a big or a small budget.

The date is set and will not be changed.

We will give you more info. in the next 2 months.

If you want to be part of the Nationals/KKT mailing list and receive all the updated info, send me an email: delphine@kiteboarding-attitude.com

I hope you'll all come!!
Have a nice end of winter.

Contact:
Tony Bruce: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Delphine delphine@kiteboarding-attitude.com 03 3828265

If you want to be certain of ideal winds here, you would be looking at November & December.... Otherwise increase the amount of days available to stand by, if not you could be looking at a North Easterly scenario, like what happened for the Slingshot Freeride... Not much point in everyone coming & not getting classic NW, W, WSW conditions.

Thanks for your encouragement :wink:
I hoped the first answer to my post would be to support us... (God I'm naive!!)
We just can't do it in November/December.



We could also get a fantastic NW blowing 3 days in a row... And much point of having everyone coming for the great parties and fun we'll have !!

Sweet! Who cares if theres no wind. Some of the sickest waves in the country are right there.. In fact, I might not even bring a kite!

Good job though. I'm sure it will be a great event. Nice work Daphnie!

Doing this would be so unfair for the Southlanders!

Support? Do you need it? Sounds like it's a done deal!

I was merely pointing out the most consisitantly windy season for Raglan.
My main point , which you appear to have missed, is to extend the amount of days available to stand down if there is no favourable weather.
28,29,30 April... Why the arbitrary time , are the tides gonna be right?

I would suggest you get in touch with Angeline Greensill & ask for Hapu approval or you may end up being unsure about being able to use the foreshore... the land is Maori owned.

Whaingaroa beachcare have been succesfully replanting the dunes in the last 2 winters, it would also be advisable to consult with this group. At present they have a problem with kiteboarders climbing the dunes & accessing the beach in a way that damages the spinifex thats been replanted.

Hi,

Sorry, yeap, I missed that point (and by the way I understand your main concern). Doing the event for longer than 3 days would be hard for a lot of people... Even if we'd love to, we think it's not reasonable. (also it'd be a shit load of work for us organizers)




It might sound arbitrary for you but it's not.
Yes we checked the tides. Tony Bruce (co-organizer) lives in Raglan and is our contact over there. I think he knows the place quite well and that we can trust him and his judgment (as well as yours).
We're trying to organize a successful event where everybody will have some fun.

We can discuss it by email if you wish (i'd rather talk by email than on this forum). delphine@kiteboarding-attitude.com


Cheers and see you in raglan ,
Delphine

Agree with sky... Spring/early summer blows hard on the westside of the north. As for the south islanders getting a disadvantage... maybe you guys should follow decay and move north... we don't complain about winter up here.

Umm I think there might be some legislation passed recently that states otherwise.

Oh god!

My 1st reply to this thread must have started off wrong, I've got Thrasher agreeing with me.

Yes Chris B, the tangata whenua OWN the land that gives access to the beach, they are cool people & appreciate some respect, in return for access to epic kiting conditions.

Delphine has taken the matters I have raised on board & I will do all I can to liase with the people who own the land and the Beachcare group on behalf of the competition.

I think the main point of Taz P's initial post was to generate support & enthusiasm....

Just imagine a comp that had Freestyle & Wave elements combined equally like the conditions Raglan provides.

So lets bring it on!

If it goes well, it may have some benefical spin offs for the area.

Raglan.. hmmm nice spot, however I dont know if its right for a Nationals.
It takes a while getting use to ridding at Raglan.
Its more about current than wind. Takes a while to adjust to the conditions.

The amount of kites that went down at the last Nationals proves how every one pushes them selves during the Nationals. Its going to be carnage with such a full on rip.

I do agree its raglan has great waves; however not were the judges are going to be sitting.

Just my opinion.

Yeah, The judges would have to walk 500 meters upwind to be in a wave area, with rideable waves and natural kickers, thats probably too much to expect.

With a minimum of 12 kts wind Raglans channel is no harder to relaunch a kite in than anywhere else.

But instead of utilising the dynamic boosting, board & kite-eating current maybe we should be safe & use the shallow onshore area by the campground.... And seeing as its too hard to judge progressive unhooked moves like mobes, everybody can stick to their hooked / shackled board offs, hand-drags & dangles.

You know, theres alot to be said for the freeride style of competition where the riders vote for the winners.... The riders know who is killing it and they can all ride where the conditions are the best. Unlike a judge who can only watch from the shore, and who is not neccesarily up with the play on the way the sport is developing e.g. what is an old easy move and what is a new difficult one.



Just my opinion.

Would be nice to have a wave element to the comp. And a big phat air session aswell. Flat water freestyle is all good but this seems to be the only aspect of the Nationals. Maybee throw in sum speed trials to mix it up a little. Get the Red Bull Hummer down there to. Nothing like sessioning it up with a little Britney Spears blasting out in the background.......

and so it begins again.....except its 2006 now and perhaps we all react a little faster with the ole knee jerk which goes along with the bling bling lifestyle....but no doubt the event will happen and as in the past it will be a blast as was chch last year (so i hear) even the mount
comp 2002 was choice (besides the lack of wind).....it was a trip to see
all the guns
and the ones that were still around on the monday when the wind blew ripped the place up!

so to the wind gods....with positive vibrations comin yo way how bout some wind in raglan those days.....if we all on the same wavelength then a critical mass of thought is better than a bitchin one here and there...

freeride un hooked wake skate....hooked in danglin didnt seem to worry the winner of 2005 nationals last year, not once does the loop come away from the trumpets nappy....

if you have read this shit burble to the end and you part of organising the event -thanx for your free time for nothin to do this, awesome effort to take it on!!

Yep - pretty stoked on the whole move north!

Delphine - again thank you for putting yourself forward to organise yet another Nationals - it is a thank-less job but your event this year was the best comp I have ever attended and next years event will in no doubt be bigger and better.

Please let me know if there is anything myself, Su and the rest of Team Decay can do to help.

Cheers,

DK

Please let me know if there is anything myself, Su and the rest of Team Decay can do to help.

Cheers,

DK[/quote]

I'm intrigued - who else do you have tamed and lined up in your bag of Team Decay goodness? Something you are not telling us? Hmmm....

hey every1 just renind me again who where, is the national boby of kitesports that would control a national comp, now i got no probs with any1 doin this shit ,kiters or not ,but why state it as the nationals, how bout the kkt rags.com or wat eva... 8)

Oh man, not this again. This rubbish got trotted out last time didn't it? Can't we just all say it's gonna be the Nats and be stoked with it?
Delphine's giving up a lot of time for it, so better to get in behind and support it than start with the politics. God knows theres enough of that going on already :wink:

Well this IS a forum, so when you post: NZ NATIONALS 28/29/30/ April'06 @ RAGLAN, you can expect to generate a bit of the usual discussion.
I don't see the harm in discussion.... and I do appreciate that Delphine is offering to work / organize this event for nada.

johnieNZ wrote:

Yeah, well there is no National kiteboarding administrating body, so technically he's right - how can it be called the Nationals?

In my humble opinion, I don't see the need to box an event as a Nationals....

I remember last year the suggestion about having invited international riders going down like a lead balloon, which I think only helped to marginalize the tiny group of riders here in N.Z.

Is it so necessary to know who the "best" kiter is in N.Z ?

If it is important to know N.Z. No.1, why can't they compete against riders of a better level from overseas....

We'll still know who the best N.Z.ers are, and kiting would be the winner on the day.

For me personally, I want to see the sickest moves being busted out here in Raglan, so I want a couple of pro' kiters to be invited....

I'll build the mid-channel slider & the kicker!



Just my two cents.

It not a matter of not telling you Fiona, its a matter of blocking out some time to update our website.

But for your info current Team Decay members are:-

Ruakaka:

Susan Kay
Dave Kay

Nelson:

Matu Huntly

Christchurch:

John Thyne
Anthony Hopkins (jnr ripper!)

Dunedin:

Craig Knights

Cheers,

DK

True - I've never taken my kitegear to Raglan, normally just a 6ft 6.....

I was joking a little decay, sorry, but a good list! Very interestng. Ta

Simple just call it the NZ open, open it up to Australians and who ever wants to compete.
Its great to have someone willing to give up there time and energy to promote a sport that has had a world champion for the last 2-3 years and next to no one knows who Cindy is.

Just like the mambo in australia, its about Wind, Waves, Beer, Blokes, bikini's and a farken good BBQ breakfast.

Go Delphie!

We could always let Murrell organise it, :twisted:

Because there is no national body anyone can call it whatever they like. If someone wants to call a comp the Nationals they can. I have no problem with it as it tends to make it 1) easier for the organisers to get some sponsorship and 2) more likely that a decent number of people from all over the country (and ex pats in Oz too apparently) will turn up.



Jeez if we do that all the NZers will be gone by the second round!

Rags is the very place to sort twekers from the gropers!! Bring it on! let the conditions dictate event styles, as we all know our great sport has many faces, and all are relevent in correct response to what the weather gods brew for us!! A divine inspiration to suggest Rags - well done!!!

UPDATE:

Great news!

We have got the backing of the local Hapu / landowners.

They seem to think kiting is O.K.... So long as everyone is accessing the beach carefully without damaging the dune vegetation. And not climbing the eroding faces of the dunes.

Erosion in this area is an on-going thing.
Last weeks ( 1/1/06 - 8/1/06 ) epic windy conditions & big tides have taken more of the dunes & grassy rigging area we are using.

Hopefully there will be some improvements to the signage for accessways and attempts to trap / build sand this summer & plant Spinifex grass in the autumn/winter.....
I will be having a go at some of this myself & also try to get E.W. & the Beach- Care group involved,,,,
Any kiters around & interested in helping, contact me on 027 670 8301



As for the competition format:



I guess the main event is gonna be the usual display of flat water trickery...

But I was thinking, we should have a rider-judged wave-riding thing going on as well while we have everyone here together - if the conditions allow.

Would be good to find out here on the forum how many guys would be interested in taking part.

Usually ride waves in Raglan on the bar - outsides & insides, & sometimes the beaches if there's a good sandbank. Occasionally the points if there is enough swell / wind to reduce surfer crowds.