It's over?... Geez, what the heck was I thinking then?
Just a tongue in cheek thing, Doug H. I couldn't resist after seeing that green, endless island of stuff at the Qingdao sailing facility.
Much as I enjoy the whole foiling thing, I still think that kiteboards would be a far better addition to the Olympics than Moths.
Let's list them again:
1. Shallow water sailing ability
Important because this brings the riders right up to the location of the live audience. An, in your face, kind of thing that is incredbily risky for anything with lifting foils. It's also perfect for TV camera placements and let's face it, the Olympics are all about the cash that comes in from the TV revenue and not the ticket sales.
2. Amazingly versatile sailing capabilities
The kites can adapt to all kinds of riding locations far easier than can a foiler. Ask the foil guys if they want to ride their boats in shore-breaking surf. Heck ask them about riding in any breaking surf, and I don't mean the white cap crumbles on a windy day. I mean real, thumping, overhead surf. Ask them if they can do consecutive 360's when they jump out of the water and land them successfully, time after time, and then immediately launch into another. Can the foilers run their boats up and over jumping ramps, positioned for best TV and audience enjoyment? Are the Moth foilers the fastest sailing boat on the water? Would they like to compete with the Kiteboarders in a run-off to see if they can beat the kites in a straight line event... winner being the boat that goes to the Olympics?
3. Kites are affordable.
They are completely accessible to the viewers as a sport that they could go out and become engaged, whereas a Moth foiler is up just shy of the $20K mark and entirely inaccessible for the everyday bloke.
4. Kiteboarders have much better TV "Q" ratings as individuals
With strong cross-over similarities to the whole snowboarding crowd, Kiters will create instant personal appeal through personality and lifestyle and clothing. Can you say, clothing and sporting goods company endorsements that have huge potential cash realities attached? How many folks do you see wandering the beach, their school, evenings out, etc., in rad, Moth foiler gear?
5. Folks relate to kite flying.
Recreational kiting is common everywhere in the world. Everyone has either flown their own kite, or have been a part of a family that has flown kites. The sport is International in scope and can be practiced anyplace on the globe. Instant relevance to a global audience. The same can not be said for Moth foilers.
6. Kiteboarding is totally cross-over capable to the Winter Games
Snow slaloms, Kiter-cross, uphill races, aerials and on and on. I haven't seen a foiler yet that could make the move to a frozen lake while keeping its foils as the primary sailing device. Don't go and get all wanky on me here and suggest that a DN iceboat is equivalent. It isn't.
I can go on here, but the point has been made and I have still not seen anyone make a list for Moth foiling that comes anywhere even close. Remeber, it's all about the money thing with the Olympics, so if you can't give the attachment of the new event a serious cash, cha-ching value, then it will be taking a back seat to one that can. Those five rings make money.
Clearly, the best new boat for the Olympics (should they actually do such a thing) is the Kiteboard and all its potential events, well beyond anything capable of the Moths.
Chris Ostlind
Lunada Design
www.lunadadesign.com