|
|
BERCK SUR MER 2004 World Team Sport Kite Championship
Berck sur Mer 2004 poster (.pdf file) What a magnificent experience!!!!
Judges, Staff Members and all the Teams
1. CHAMPIONSHIP CHRONICLE
CHAMPIONSHIP CHRONICLE We had never competed as a team because we are the only one in Argentina. Our participation in this event was a quick course of competition, for what we had to work in the preparation and learning, and because of all what we learned during the competition itself ("Judges are ready"). Usually, a team that goes to the World cup makes it with a minimum year of exhaustive preparation and constant competition in its country or continent. We were able to have the routines to learn them and the kites only four months before traveling. Based on the chronicles that we had read of the previous editions of this championship, we prepared for winds of up to 45 km/hour, with an own design kite with big mesh windows, the JAWS, with pultruded carbon rods of 6 mm diameter. Two of the three days of competition were of soft winds: 4 km/hour!!!! Our low wind FT kites almost didn't fly because they also had pultruded carbon rods of 6 mm diameter that are heavy for these wind conditions. The other teams were with Ultra Light kites, with wrapped carbon rods lighter than ours, with big weight difference. In spite of all the inconveniences, we always flown, we didn't refuse to do it. And even we participate in the Mega teams that were organized every day. We were with certain fear of breaking the kites of the other ones or to spoil the show, but enjoying with the tension while we fly. We met people of many countries. All good and very fun people. They were interested in us and our country. Some offered us help, because they saw we were in problems with our kites and we wanted to learn everything. We are very thankful. They have already told us that we must come back next year. They told us that we must add some tricks to our routines and that we must sharp our 90 degrees turns and get more precision in our flight. Almost we have to learn how to fly again, because the style of current flying is very different. The novelty of we presenting a Ballet routine where the kites not only move to the rhythm of the music, but rather it also bears a story related in flight with the movements, with the music and the physical differences between kites, it was accepted as "fresh air" that can be added to this sport. Our routine of Ballet, danced on the tango "Buenos Aires Spring" (Primavera Porteña) of the Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla, it was not understood by the judges during the three days of competition: they didn't see the story and because of rules we could not tell it before. If we added to that the lack of tricks, our low level of precision and that three times that we fly our routine in competition we lost the "tempo ", in two occasions we got lost in the sequence of the maneuvers and we were not able to find the track, having to improvise until the end of the music, then it is easy to understand why our score was low. Once the competition was over and we were calmer, the wind gave us a hand and, as much on Friday as on last Saturday, the ballet routine was better than never. After tell to several teams and judges the story that we wanted to represent while flying, they told us that they saw it in the air. Wow! To tell the story before flying it is like reading the booklet with the argument of the oeuvre, while you are sat down in the sit of a theater, waiting the function of Ballet begins. If you don't know the argument, you won't surely understand what happen or you will lose subtle details or important ones. I know that this is not for all the people. It's definitively not. This is higher. Is it going to be the following step in this sport? Will team kite flying become a sport-art? I hope it. My inner artist needs it in this way. The organization of the Championship and the whole Festival were excellent. Things occurred to us where the organizers and the authorities showed special treatment more than nice: completely extraordinary. We were in a seaside middle class city that has a very beautiful architecture and their people are very kind. We didn't have problems with the English language and the one that didn't speak it, gesticulated as well as us. Perfect! Parfait! The opportunity to see the best teams in the world during competition was a fantastic experience. We are very proud we could compete besides them. They made us feel that we were of the group of the best teams of the world. We made contact with lots of people. We have made many new important friends. I feel so proud about this. Everything was just as some previous participants had told us: if you try to do your best all the time and work to give totally to the other ones you will have a good result. We were very appreciated by everyone. We have had a good time and we have brought big quantities of experiences and knowledge to apply in our kites, routines and way of flying. IT REALLY WORTH THE EFFORT WE CARRY OUT DURING THE SIX MONTHS OF PREPARATION AND HARD WORK. I want to thank all those people at the Organization of the Berck sur Mer Festival, to the Authorities and Technical Members of the Championship, to the members of all the teams, to all those people that are related to kiting we met there, to all those that helped and offered us their support in France as in Argentina. We were not alone. Never. THANK YOU. Well, the pictures follow and then the final positions of the competition. LAlo Loescher PS: Know who are our BENEFACTORS
PICTURES
FINAL RESULTS 2004 World Team Sport Kite Championship Berck sur Mer, France, April 17 to 25, 2004
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT VISIT OUR GUESTBOOK AND SIGN IT!
About sponsors 2004: the Argentinean kite manufacturer Alto Vuelo is our sponsor and it manufactured and provided us at no cost the special kites for strong winds and the heavy lines that we used in France. But during the six months of preparation we were looking for some other sponsor, because we also needed to cover the cost of the airplane passages and to get clothes for the team. We sent introductory portfolios with pictures and explanation of the event and our necessities. We also sent electronic mails with the same information. After all, we were going to represent Argentina in a world championship. The Ambassador from Argentina at France sent us a letter in official letterhead, countersigning the importance of the Festival and the World Championship, in order to present to the possible sponsors. THANK YOU!! All the other ones we asked for didn't give the minimum help. All, except one, didn't demonstrate neither a little of interest. We are wrong in my country. We didn't achieve at least that "our" flag airline made us a minimum discount. We did neither achieve second selection clothing at a lower cost. All this left me a bitter taste, mixed with an abandonment sensation and very disappointed. I really don't know if I will look for some Argentinean sponsor in the future.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
