Competition
Developments in multi-line kites in recent years has allowed forms of kite flying to develop into a sport. Kite competitions have much in common with figure skating, with competitors being judged on their performance in compulsory figures as well as a "ballet", which involves artistic interpretation of music. Performances are done as individuals, a pair of pilots, or as a team. Team flying is typically the most spectacular, with up to eight pilots, their kites flying within inches of each other and narrowly averting disaster, while performing all manner of figures and formations in the air. Competitions are held nationally and internationally under the auspices of Sport Team and Competitive Kiting (STACK). There is an annual World Championship which was last held at Berck sur Mer, France on 10-18 April, 2010 and won by a British six man team called 'The Scratch Bunnies'.
In the United States, the American Kitefliers Association (AKA) is the umbrella organization for sport kite contests. Competition winners from the various regions are invited to the annual AKA convention for national championships.
In 1996 the AKA, STACK, and All-Japanese Sport Kite Association (AJSKA) formed the International Rule Book Committee (IRBC) to standardize rules and processes.
Read more about this topic: Sport Kite
Famous quotes containing the word competition:
“Mothers seem to be in subtle competition with teachers. There is always an underlying fear that teachers will do a better job than they have done with their child.... But mostly mothers feel that their areas of competence are very much similar to those of the teacher. In fact they feel they know their child better than anyone else and that the teacher doesn’t possess any special field of authority or expertise.”
—Sara Lawrence Lightfoot (20th century)
“The praise of ancient authors proceeds not from the reverence of the dead, but from the competition and mutual envy of the living.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)
“All adults who care about a baby will naturally be in competition for that baby.... Each adult wishes that he or she could do each job a bit more skillfully for the infant or small child than the other.”
—T. Berry Brazelton (20th century)