ISA booted kneeboarding from the world titles - anyone care?

Jack Beresford · Post by **Jack Beresford** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 12:16 pm

I hear the ISA drop-kicked kneeboarding from the World Amateur Titles - does anyone care? It's great we've got our own kneelo-only contests but I still think it's a shame that our best aren't going to get the opportunity to represent their country anymore. The two Worlds I went to were a lot of fun - they gave kneelos from far reaches of the world a chance to compete. They were also an opportunity to showcase our sport to others in the mainstream surfing community. Can anything be done about this?

SFKneelo · Post by **SFKneelo** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 3:21 pm

I thought Drift posted correspondence between Fernando Aguirre and... maybe Rob Slater? Anyhow, that had more background on why kneelos were booted. If I remember right, it had something to do with demographics.
Before burning any bridges...
There's the approach that seems to be working for us with USSF. There's
a price tag for running our heats. It could be 'economies of scale,' in
which we should be able to throw some entry money at it to solve the
problem. If the costs of extending the contest to cover our heats is
expensive, we may need to find other ways to cover it. Maybe covering
the beach reservation is a constraint. If so, we may be able to find
another close-by venue.
Finding out what the lever is in this case is important. If we find the
lever, we'll be able to devise a strategy.
I doubt this move is a screw-kneelos move. In other words, I'm thinking it's coming down to the old return-on-investment. If we are a positive, or
even a break-even contributor... no problems.
That letter may give us some insight...
BTW, should this come to pass, this letter serves as a get-out-of-Jack's-heats pass!

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Tue Apr 29, 2003 3:53 pm

I agree Jack, who cares? The kneelo only world titles are far more realistic in deciding a World Champion for us. And there more fun too, just kneelo's. Your still representing your country, but everyone can go not just one from each country. To me it seems fairer and much more competitive and better for kneeboarding. Lets stand up for ourselves.

Dave K. · Post by **Dave K.** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 3:02 am

Its sad to see kneelos go from the world surfing games, because the ISA does hold them up as a show case of "surfriding' and kneeboarding has been a very strong contributor in its own right and to the other disciplines of surfing. The Open world titles are more representative of kneeboarding theres no doubt, however, ISA sactioning is important because it gives credability to the event within Government Sporting departments- it helped some of the competitors get help in getting to the Sunshine coast last year.

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 3:19 pm

It is sad to see us off the ISA Amatuers Worlds, but if we get our act together the ISA will sanction our events also, like the Queensland World Titles. I know it costs money to get the sanctions, but it makes us creadible in our own right, not as a side show to other water sports. I have always thought that the ISA worlds has never given kneeboarding or kneeboarders a true World Ranking, where as our own run World events have.

eqKneelo · Post by **eqKneelo** » Wed Apr 30, 2003 4:33 pm

I'm with Steen.
I was really impressed how Bob Welch got us into that SURFER BOWL the last two years, and with the reception we got from all the people involved. We were given the chance because, as an organised group, we have economic power. We were given respect, because we paddled out, charged, had a blast, and really stood out as cohesive group.....and that was at a local club contest!
If we continue what we are doing, we will have all the ISA's and USSF's coming to us....30 to 40 kneelos at $35 bucks a head can finance a contest, and, our vibe , is good for surfing.

Dunc · Post by **Dunc** » Thu May 01, 2003 3:49 am

I was under the impression that the ISA were going to sanction the world title every year from now as compensation for taking it out of the worlds. Atleast that is what they led me to believe when they replied to my e-mail. They said nothing about costs. Here in the UK we are currently battling to sort out a small contest circuit for ourselves as the BSA took kneeboards out of the English/Welsh Nationals, British Cup and possibly the British Nationals. This was done as they decided there is no need to work out kneeboard rankings as it is no longer in the ISA.
Dunc

Jack Beresford · Post by **Jack Beresford** » Thu May 01, 2003 3:04 pm

Dunc points out the trickle-down effect of losing kneeboarding from the ISA Worlds: there is no longer an incentive for national organizations to provide a forum. This may not be a big deal in countries where kneelos are organized to do their own thing - but it could eliminate competition in countries with smaller kneelo communities.

Ler · Post by **Ler** » Thu May 01, 2003 4:34 pm

Whats the ISA?

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Thu May 01, 2003 8:44 pm

International Surfing Association

Bud · Post by **Bud** » Fri May 02, 2003 3:02 am

I hear the ISA drop-kicked kneeboarding from the World Amateur Titles - does anyone care? It's great we've got our own kneelo-only contests but I still think it's a shame that our best aren't going to get the opportunity to represent their country anymore. The two Worlds I went to were a lot of fun - they gave kneelos from far reaches of the world a chance to compete. They were also an opportunity to showcase our sport to others in the mainstream surfing community. Can anything be done about this?
...........................................................................................................
Uh...........Does anyone REALLY care about getting the "mainstream surfing community" to take notice of kneeboard surfing and having enough people take it seriously to want to include it in the ISA???
Yes there's the monetary issues but that can be solved by attracting more participants.

Yes something can be done about it.

There's a simple very effective solution.

Continue to keep our events going where and when ever they can be held. Our latest efforts are paying off.......some. But it's almost waisted effort and money if it hasn't any CORE.

NOW BACK THIS UP WITH SERIOUS COMMITMENT.
The so called "best" have to show off their skills on the reefs of the North Shore......from now on.

What goes down (or doesn't) on these shores has a very profound and longlasting effect that does get the attention of the mainstream surfing community. All the mainstream sur media show up every year for most of the season. Word of mouth from these shores goes a long way.

The best kneeboarders spending serious time and effort ripping here will make a lot of people take notice. We will gain a huge amount of respect. The film and footage of it will attract more participants.
Kneeboard surfing will be taken seriously.

Nobody whould have taken bodyboarding seriously if not for a few very talented performers ripping huge Pipeline in it early days.
This led to a huge explosion to their ranks and a serious contingent of super hot people who come every year to compete and or just show off.

Many people still don't like them but they do get a lot of respect because the very best of them rip big Pipeline and other places. (The key word is rip, this is different than just charging and surviving.)

We have the board designs for it (at least I'm sure I have,....... had them for 20 + years already, anyone need one?) and we have some talent out there. But who of these, still young enough, and cares enough, has the humilty, guts and fortitude?

I offered free accomodation for the North Shore Kneeboard Gathering to some of the so called best. (A $560 US value) I gave nearly a years notice. I only got excuses or no reply at all. Some had legitimate reasons but others??? The Gathering will be on again but I won't make the same offers again.

Don't miss it again.
It was a BLAST!

Dunc · Post by **Dunc** » Fri May 02, 2003 7:09 am

Bud is right the way to get people into kneeboarding and respecting kneeboarding is through ripping. As he says the key focus points of the surfing world get more publicity and notice. However I also think it is important to get good kneboarders ripping everywhere. Put 100% into every surf, get out when ever the waves are on and people will notice and give respect. Already through the internet, clubs, videos and serious commitment from certain people kneeboarding is once again becoming more noticed. Through all these things we are teaching each other about technique, boards and how to rip. We are on the way forward and we just need to keep on going. The Kneeboard Worlds have been run successfully before (how long have they been going?) and they will run again. With the current interest level they should keep getting bigger and bigger. I think gatherings like Buds North Shore gathering are also important as they showcase kneeboarding in the ultimate conditions. Do we need footboarder run contests? They usually put the kneeboard heats in 1 foot slop anyway.

crox · Post by **crox** » Fri May 02, 2003 7:35 am

I wonder if those that did so much to promote kneeboarding through the 1990s feel a bit let down by the lack of a response at the time.

I have not seen any recent input on the main kneelo sites from Simon, Gigs, Baden, Sergio or Gavin - maybe they feel they have done their bit.
What we need is some input from these guys - it wont be wasted this time.

Our problem has always been the surfing media - this is no longer the case - the internet has taken the promotion of kneeboarding out of the hands of a few magazines & allowed it to breathe & grow - just check out this forum for all the evidence you need that this is an enthusiastic expanding community.

The difficulty is getting this message to the general public, rather than to the converted.
What we have done on www.kneeboardsurfing.co.uk is to put a surf forecast on the site - this brings kneeboarding to the attention of 300 - 400
people each day [you can't avoid it when you go to the page] & this number is steadily increasing.

If The Sparrow Has Landed was released now just think how many kneelo sites would promote it!
If we surf & have fun together [regular gatherings] our performance will improve & people will want to be a part of it - at some point thereafter the mainstream media will pick it up again.
There is nothing as contagious as fun!

So COME ON Simon & co - lets have your input - you have been quiet for too long!

crox · Post by **crox** » Fri May 02, 2003 9:37 am

I realize - in retrospect - that my last post did not mention the ISA contest!
That was because I was following on from things Bud had mentioned.

Perhaps we have to be patient & let the whole thing grow before we can be accepted as part of a world contest - kind of let it go full circle.

At the moment we are still rare enough for some people to wonder what we are doing there.

Dunc · Post by **Dunc** » Fri May 02, 2003 10:38 am

Chris is very right. Thanks to the internet the kneeboarding word is spreading and the radical surfing of Simon Farrer, Baden Smith and all the other rippers out there is being more widely seen. This in turn will feed back and is feeding back into the sport. Getting upset about kneeboarding being taken out of the World Surfing Games won't get it put back in. Give it a few years and they will be asking us to come back in and we will be in a position where we have a choice.

In the UK kneeboarders have always recieved a certain amount of respect in the water and have always been considered competent watermen. It was this and the fact that I regularly saw a couple of kneeboarders ripping that switched me from bodyboarding 6 years ago.

Refering back to Chris's comments about Simon and the others maybe feeling like they got no support back. I have just noticed Drift (Rob Slaters kneeboard site) have put up a new advert for Simons video The Sparrow Has Landed and Friends. If you do't own it buy it show these guys their effort was worthwhile. You won't regret it.

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