KTA Withdrawal and Disassociation From the KTA Australian Open and Australian Kiteboarding Nationals
It is with regret that the KTA has to announce that it is no longer any part of the KTA Australian Open and Australian Kiteboarding Nationals following communication from local organisers In The Loop Kiteboarding and the James Cook University Kiteboarding Club on Monday of this week (28.5.12) that no funding of any kind was available to cover costs or pay the KTA team.
The KTA was approached by the organisers in July of last year to support this event by promoting it under its Open event banner and to provide event and race team support. The event was properly contracted and the KTA has met all its undertakings to this point with the team due to fly out to Australia next week. We have in the last few days received an email stating that the funding for KTA at this event is no longer available and would the KTA now fund itself.
We have made attempts over the past few days to find a solution with very little communication from the local organisers. We have further contact Events Queensland who we were informed were the presenting sponsors for the event and we have at all times advertised as such. Events Queensland however is telling us now this is not the case.
The Australia Kite Surf Association (AKSA) has however responded and in doing so revealed to us along with our own experience and information what a mess the organisation of this event is.
International Riders & Non AKSA Members please be aware of the following -
1. There is no prize money regardless of what we had been given to believe and advertise by the local organisers.
2. No aspect of the international element or KTA involvement was included in the event application to the AKSA in December by the local organiser. The AKSA was under the impression the KTA was running a separate event to them.
3. The local organiser has insisted to us over the past months that the AKSA was very poor in responding when the KTA asked for information and contacts, AKSA has confirmed they had been in regular contact, but were never informed of this situation. Once the AKSA was made aware of this situation they have been very prompt and active in all communication and advice.
4. It appears in talking to the AKSA that they have also organised race and event teams for the competition duplicating what the KTA had been asked to provide.
5. The AKSA made it clear to us that no overseas riders will be covered by the event insurance. It covers only AKSA members.
6. As the KTA is not able to attend this event it will not be run under the KTA name any further and the KTA fully disassociates from all and every aspect of the competition and withdraws all sanctions.
7. The IKA have been informed of the situation and the KTA has requested that the events international ranking level is revoked.
In all the KTA feels like it has been used by the local organisers of this event to boost the credibility of this event and the KTA name and sanction has used to provide the event with an international ranking level.
Lack of sponsorship is of course a problem for all events and we fully understand this but to leave it until the last minute is not understandable and to continue to promote and carry on with the event as if everything is as promoted is completely unacceptable not just for the KTA but riders also.
We wish the AKSA good luck in running this event as we understand they will continue although from the KTA point of view we feel the event should be cancelled as it is not as advertised. We are sure however they will do a good job and the KTA in the meantime will be seeking legal advice on recovery of its losses.http://kiteboardtour.asia/recent-news/kta-disassociation-with-australian-open-a-nationals.html
JCU Kiteboarding Clubs's Official Press release:
Withdrawal KTA Australia
www.intheloopkiteboarding.com/kta-withdrawal-of-townsville-event
Who cares - not me - I run a business & things always change day to day with cash flow in 2012's challenging economy. Sometimes a business cashflow haircut is the best way forward.
Yeah har ... lets go racing in Townsville next week - can't wait to see the East coast race crew and have a few beers under the palm trees. Packing my race boards & kites Monday 
shame no big sponsor any more but, you just do what you can, as for harping on recovering money with lawyers, is this the future of kiteboarding - KTA IKA ISAF?.... sad
One bonus is that the rules that have to be possibly the dumbest rules ever made up on planet earth by a kiteboarder (i doubt it) IKA can be adjusted back to the common sense an experienced kiteboarder really has!
Sounds like some sour grapes...
Sad that an organisation like KTA would try and create such negative press for something as small scale as this. Things like this happen, that's life, move on.
I'm no businessman but surely threatening to sue the relevant parties involved isn't going to help secure future events for the KTA in this country either... no matter who is organising it.
Also they seem to have a few big facts wrong:
Firstly there IS prize money for the nationals... I find it rather entertaining that they seem to stress the fact that they think there is no prize money for a national titles when they can't even get decent prize money together for their own tour...
Lets face it, Nationals nearly don't even happen in our country at all, this is the last thing we need.
If anyone knows Marvin they know the effort he has put in to try and get things up and running here in Oz. He made a spectacular event happen last year and I think this years event should be even better! Lets all get behind this one and make it big so we can get the National titles in our sport to a decent level.
See you all there!
Alex.
Whatever. On with the show. I don't pretend to know any of the details here but I do know Marvin and the man throws everything into kiteboarding in Qld. I've not met too many people that are in the business of kiteboarding or involved in the sport at all that have the same level stoke as Marvin and his crew.
Like I said. On with the show. I'm sure it will be a great event.
Josh
I never understood why we would want the kta involved with the australian national titles anyway. Surely the nationals should be a purely australian event run for aussies by aussies only. What sort of national titles has international riders competing/winning?...that misses the whole point of the event.
If it was just about funding then there must be a better way.
Cry me a river KTA...
There is no regret or sadness from your end. How much was it going to cost in a dollar value for KTA admin fees,travel,accom and expenses?? How much??? Tell us what you were asking for and what the break down was please so we are all clear.
If you took away your ridiculous expenses you may have been able to play ball instead of whining on a forum and discrediting ITL.
Regardless of your input I'm sure that a great time will be had by all, some do it for the love of the sport not the $$$ value.
Disclosure.. I have no affliliation with JCU club or ITL. I know who they are as I'm in the industry but haven't spoken with them.. I do however have a source within the KTA's close circle who has advised me you were asking for somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000 for admin fees,expenses,accom!
This to me seems like a lot for something so straight forward and local.. Another example of our sport which is great and free, turned into something stupidly expensive.. Just the same as gold or silver level sponsorship or naming rights to Kitestock.. Ridiculous!
