Een reactie van de VKWC/PKRA op het ingrijpen van de IKA en zoekt bescherming bij de ISAF, waar de IKA weer onder zit 
We can confirm that International Kiteboarding Association (“IKA”) wrote to us last weekend confirming their termination of the agreement between IKA and the Professional Kite Riders Association (“PKRA”).
Negotiations for a potential new contract with Virgin Kitesurf World Championships (“VKWC”) were ongoing for many months. VKWC had every intention of replacing the PKRA in a new and improved partnership with IKA. Unfortunately the parties were unable to reach an agreement and the discussions highlighted conflicting interests in the development of the sport, support of the youth, safety, event execution and other topics.
Throughout the process the International Sailing Federation (“ISAF”) has been incredibly supportive of the VKWC and our attempts to reach an agreement with IKA. We will now deal direct with ISAF in good faith in the best interests of the sport, its riders, our commercial partners and our supporters. We are looking forward to working with ISAF to develop a successful partnership which will not only enable the VKWC to grow but also will deliver fantastic developments and growth to the sport itself.
We are thankful for the confidence of our partners and the support of the industry and riders. We will continue to liaise and keep our principal partner the Virgin Group fully informed of developments and we appreciate their valued support. The Global Kitesports Association, representing the majority of the Industry supporting the professional riders on the tour 2015, has expressed its full support to VKWC in an earlierpress release. We are in close contact with all parties and met with the riders yesterday evening to assure them of our continued support and investment in them, the events and the sport.
We wish IKA the best for their future. It is our desire to make Kitesurfing grow in all areas and we will continue to support this aspiration. New public events at great kitesurf locations producing thrilling media content are part of the development plans to change the way kiteboarding is recognised globally. Freestyle Kiteboarding is one of the most spectacular sports with fantastic athletes that deserve greater exposure and recognition of their talents on a worldwide platform.
VKWC will continue to promote and host the 2015 season as scheduled. Competition format and all established rules and regulations will remain in place under guidance from ISAF.
Wordt ongetwijfeld vervolgd.............
Dus Zed begint nu gewoon een nieuwe Kite association?? Even snel een website in elkaar steken (we gebruiken dezelfde template als de vkwc site) en naam erop plakken en hopla, alle problemen opgelost!
Wie/wat is Zed?
Dobbelsteen had een 3 sterren sessie in Oostduinkerke met maar liefst 12 - 16 knots op zijn North Rebel (2009)
De spaanse company achter de VKWC:
http://www.kitesista.com/pkra-vkwc-isaf-ika-who-are-they-all-and-what-the-hell-is-going-on/
Virgin zelf heeft er volgens mij weinig mee te kampen, juist branding!
The IKA is happy to announce that the International Sailing Federation today has confirmed that Fuerteventura will go ahead as part of the 2015 Freestyle World Championship Tour.
As per ISAF regulations, IKA is the sole owner of the Freestyle and Big Air World Titles and will run the event in Fuerteventura together with the local organizing team.
The judging panel will be Ian Sleuyter, Bas Koole, Eric Rienstra, Bruno Correia and Alex Tack plus one more pro judge TBC. There will be strict regulations to prevent conflict of interest when judging mens and womens heats.
Head Judge will be Leonard Rose.
Olaf van Tol will be the contest director and we are happy to announce that we got Toby Bromwich back in as our core photographer. Alexander James Lewis Hughes will join him on the media side.
The judging team together with IKA intends to make several improvements to the judging system.
The core message is to give the sport back to the riders and get all stakeholders together to grow this fantastic sport.
See you all in Fuerteventura for a great event !
wazzaah had een 5 sterren sessie in Terschelling Groene Strand met maar liefst 10 - 11 knots op zijn Vari Condor (2013)
Virgin Kitesurf World Championships hereby confirms that the Fuerteventura Kitesurfing World Championships will proceed in accordance with its event contract with the local organizer. The riders, the stability and continuity of the sport are essential to VKWC and its partners.
To enable the riders, event organizers officials and sponsors of the Fuerteventura Kitesurfing World Championships to continue their preparations and commitment to the event, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has sanctioned this event on a one-off basis. This is to ensure there is no detriment to the riders and public who are looking forward to the event and to enable all parties to help continue to develop the sport through their discussions.
ISAF, International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) and the Virgin Kitesurf World Championships (VKWC) will meet shortly in London to ensure the class and its unique events move forward in the best interests of kiteboarding, its riders and sponsors, and to preserve the long term future of the class. ISAF will host the meeting and VKWC is looking forward to discussing how best to develop and support the development and commercialization of kiteboarding in all its disciplines.
VKWC welcomes the efforts of ISAF and is looking forward to producing a wonderful and exciting kitesurfing event in Fuerteventura together with the local organizer René Egli. René and the local Fuerteventura community have been wonderful supporters of this event and we thank them for their loyalty and continued support.
Exciting news that the ISAF will facilitate the next meeting between PKRA and IKA. The whole media coverage and strategy has not been the core business of PKRA. They did a really bad job. For the development of kitesurfing it would be good that there will be a change. It is unbelievable that even in 2001 when I organized an event in Scheveningen, there was a live stream, webcast etc in a really good quality with sometimes 100.000 visitors at a time. That was 14 years ago. It is totally absurd that this has not been replicated at the other events. Also we had a free satellite uplink where the media could get their tv coverage for free, including interviews with the riders. The consequence was that there was a global 180 hour media coverage. E.g. 30 minutes kitesurfing coverage after the Formula 1 in Hockenheim.
It is weird that a person like Richard Branson, who has a fantastic media feel for his company, sponsors the event and does a really bad job in media coverage. The press releases are nice to read, but that does not bring a professional approach of the tour. What I envision for kitesurfing is thesame as a company like OC Sport manages their sports events. If you have the goal the bring the sport to a next level, you need to focus the first coming two years on internet live streaming and free satellite uplinks for tv and internet channels.
I am convinced that with this approach you will reach a better professional environment for the riders, more price money, better sponsor deals for individual riders, and a greater global visibility of kitesurfing. If you focus on this, you enable the riders to professionalize their skills and have a nice life as well outside of the tour.
Met de videos achteraf zijn ze wel lekker bezig, maar dat er geen livestream meer is valt natuurlijk enorm tegen. Zelfs de uitslagen van deheats komen erg langzaam door.
wazzaah had een 5 sterren sessie in Terschelling Groene Strand met maar liefst 10 - 11 knots op zijn Vari Condor (2013)
Until a long term arrangement is in place, the upcoming Fuerteventura Kitesurfing World Championships will go ahead as planned by, and contracted with, the VKWC, as an IKA sanctioned event and with permission from ISAF for its "World" designation. ISAF and IKA will also be in attendance to provide support to the event promoter and assure riders of the fairness of competition.
It remains the hope of ISAF that kiteboarding will be included in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Sailing Competition, and the co-operation and planning between all organisations will further progress the class toward that goal.