Kiteboarding Australia - The new face for AKSA
We're joining forces with the big guns!
For the last few years, there's been murmers in the kiteboarding community about what AKSA is going to do with the time finally comes to join forces with Yachting Australia. Joining the big boys in sailing not only means we get lumped in the same insurance category as sailors, but we get to join in with the ISAF, and AIS Olympic funding programs. That's huge news seeing kiteboarding will debut in the 2016 Reo Olympics. Other benefits include assistance in running and organising events, making those events consistent around Australia, plus our insurance gets increased coverage.
What does it all mean for you as an everyday kiter? Get ready to see more events in your local area. Most of these will be racing orientated but that's not to say the freestyle and surfing sides of the sport will be neglected by the new company. They assure us that not only will the current events be here to stay, but more events will be organised over the next few years to hopefully bring the sport of kiteboarding into the public eye. For the elite riders, the benefits will be huge, government funding, incorporation into sailing clubs and a ton of new race events in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Sorry Hobart and Darwin... There's not enough kiteboarders there to warrant the need for a special mention apparently. The current state associations like WAKSA will still be around as 'members' of this new company KA. New members Kiteboarding NSW and Kiteboarding QLD are to be formed later this year, to replace the NSWKBA and the many many subfactions going on in QLD. At last, one big family. If it all turns into some horrible mess, we decide that kiteboarding is a silly sport and Kiteboarding Australia stops functioning: at least any money left in the kitty goes to charity. (True story, it's in the KA constitution)
Why, and how did they come up with this (oh so original) name? Kiteboarding Australia, it's got a bit of a ring to it. It also sounds more professional, and more importantly it's consistent with the international body, the IKA (which stands for International Kiteboarding Association). The key word in all that is 'board'. Not 'surf' which has always referred to the surfing of waves using a kite. Until now the terms have been interchanged at will, but now Kiteboarding Australia has stamped its foot and said that 'boarding' covers all types of this sport, and from now on unless it's in the waves, the sport is called 'Kiteboarding'. Who are we to argue.
All in all it's great news for kiters around Australia. The change has been a long time coming and looked forward to by both general kiters and the kiteboarding industry. Keep an eye out for the changes during this season, and if you're interested in becoming part of your local kiteboarding scene, contact KA or check out the current AKSA website for more info.
Read all about the new company on the AKSA website here.
Diamond Beach, NSW
