Take freestyle kiteboarding, bring the speed up to 30 knots and pile a handful of racers onto one course and you'll get kiteboard racing.
"It's kind of like sailboat racing meets kite boarding meets motor-cross," said Kyle Touhey, race director for the new 麻豆社国产Kite Racing summer series.
Wind sport enthusiasts looking for friendly and fun competition can test their skills in the 2010 麻豆社国产Kite racing summer series taking place over four Saturdays beginning June 12, again on July 10, then on Aug. 28 and finally on Sept. 11, with make up days scheduled for the following Sundays.
"Normally kite boarding is all about getting air and doing tricks and that sort of thing but with this you stay on the water the whole time," said Touhey.
"It's all about speed around the course, tactics, the ability to go quicker than everyone else It's just a new way to have fun. It's very high adrenalin because of the speeds and close proximately.
"It adds an element of camaraderie, competition and a new way to use the skills you already have."
A free race orientation day will be held at the 麻豆社国产Spit Saturday (June 5) starting at 11 a.m. The first half of the clinic will cover the rules, regulations, tactics and strategy of kiteboard racing while the remainder will include in watercourse runs.
Registration in the four-day series costs $40. Anyone wishing to drop-in on race is welcome to do so with a registration cost of $15.
The series is the first of its kind in Canada, said Touhey, with the only exception being a trial run series in 麻豆社国产last summer.
"We did one series last year but it was very, very informal and it was basically to try to see if it works."
The hosting organization, the 麻豆社国产Windsports Society (SWS), anticipates about 40 racers to compete in the series over the summer, but Touhey said that could change quickly.
"It's still fairly early season so a lot of people aren't thinking about kiteboarding yet because of the bad weather."
Only racers from the corridor, the Lower Mainland and Washington State are expected to register since racers will have to travel to 麻豆社国产on a monthly basis.
Each race day itself is broken down into a few runs on a short and long course however the long course is only available for kiteboarders who have specific race equipment.
The races are scored on a low point system with the lowest scoring racer over the series winning bragging rights and a plaque.
"A lot of the riders are sponsored riders so this kind of ranking matters to their personal careers or their personal achievements with their sponsors," added Touhey.
The series is open to any competent kiteboarder who can ride up and down wind.
"And they would have to have the ability and comfort level to ride safely in close proximity to other riders," he added.
The series will wrap up with an awards ceremony on Sept. 11 at a yet-to-be-determined location.
Touhey is also working on a premium regatta event later scheduled to be held in 麻豆社国产in mid-August.
"It's in the same vein of the summer series but it will be a more premium event, and our hope is that we would get some of the top competitors in the world to come."
For more information on the series visit www.squamishwindsports.com.
