What does the AKA have for sport kite oriented fliers and festival organizers? Lots of stuff! Check out this list of items. (Items are in no particular order)
Sport Kite Rulebook
(jointly issued by STACK, AJSKA and the AKA)
- The official sport kite rules recognized through out Europe, Japan and United States.
. - The rulebook is in three parts: Judges book; Competition Rules; and Compulsory Figures.
. - Additionally there is the AKA Appendix which documents the conference ranking system and rules for disciplines not recognized by the IRBC
. - The Sport Kite Rulebooks are available here.
International Rule Book Committee
- Over a decade ago the AKA was the driving force behind STACK, AJSKA and AKA teaming up to create the International rulebook. Each partner in the IRBC has two representatives on the committee. The committee maintains the rulebooks and coordinates adoption by the three sanctioning bodies.
. - The AKA’s current representatives to the IRBC are Jim Barber and John Barresi. You can email them at: irbc@aka.kite.org
Sport Kite Committee
- The AKA Sport Kite committee is dedicated to all things sport kites in the AKA. The committee is responsible for maintaining the AKA addendum to the International Rulebook, making recommendations and implementing changes or additions to the AKA’s sport kite offerings and overseeing the conferences rankings.
. - The Committee is currently chaired by Jim Barber who can be reached at:sportkite@aka.kite.org.
. - Members of the committee include: John Barresi, Doug Charleville, Russ Faulk, Terry (TeeCee) Cornell, Ron Graziano, Todd Haymans, Jeff McCown, Bill Rogers, Ruth Polifrone, Laura Stonestreet, Ron Schultz, Ann Vondriska, Terri & Mike Huff, Darrin Skinner and Tracy Erzin.
Sport Kite Conference Commissioners
- Dedicated to making sure fliers get credit for competing in sanctioned events. If your points haven’t gotten posted to the AKA website yet or you need clarification on a rule these are the people you can talk with to get your answers. They also coordinate invites to the AKA Sport Kite Grand Nationals. The Sport Kite Conference commissioners are part of the Sport Kite Committee.
. - Current sport kite conference commissioners are:
North East: Ruth Polifrone ne_conf@aka.kite.org
South East: Laura Stonestreet se_conf@aka.kite.org
Central: Ron Schultz cen_conf@aka.kite.org
Midwest: Ann Vondriska mw_conf@aka.kite.org
Northwest: Terri & Mike Huff nw_conf@aka.kite.org
Pacific: Darrin Skinner pac_conf@aka.kite.org
Conference Rankings with Certificates for top 5 places in each discipline every year
- AKA members receive points for every sanctioned event they compete in throughout the competition season. The top 5 places in each discipline within each of the six AKA Conference receive a certificate recognizing their placement.
. - Tracy Erzin is the Conference Scorekeeper:
standings@aka.kite.org
. - 12 years of Conference rankings are available on the AKA website. 2008 standings are available here.
Results published for all sanctioned sport kite events
- The results of all AKA sanctioned sport kite events are published on the AKA website.
. - 12 years of festival results are available. 2008 festivals are available here.
Professor Kite and the Secrets of Kites
- This is a general kite safety and flying pamphlet that includes tips for flying a stunt kite for first timers. A great resource for experienced fliers to keep in their bag to give to the newbie opening a kite for the first time.
. - AKA pamphlets are available here.
Grand National Sport Kite Competition
- Folklore tells us that Sport kite competition came to the AKA after the Kite Makers competition. Folklore is wrong, turns out there was sport kite competition at the very first AKA Convention. There were only a couple of competitors and they flew from the back of a golf cart because of challenging winds but they flew. Today the AKA offers trophies in 21 Sport Kite disciplines and will be adding two more for the 2008 season.
Create a score card program
- This online resource provided by AKA Webmaster Chuck Sigal will print score sheets for your festival. Especially great for precision disciplines because it will print the figures on each score sheet. Also the program now includes an option to print a field director quick reference sheet and larger precision figures for showing the fliers on the field.
. - From the main “Table of Contents” menu on the AKA Website go to “Festivals” > “Sport Kite Competition Tools” > “Create a Sport Kite Score Card”
Getting started as a sport kite competitor
- This tri-fold pamphlet tells a new flier all the basics about how to get started as a sport kite competitor. Another handy item for experienced fliers to keep in their kite bags to pass out.
. - AKA pamphlets are available here.
Sport Kite Oriented workshops at every AKA Convention
- At all AKA conventions there are workshops dedicated to sport kite topics. Workshops have included team flying, trick flying, quad flying, chorography, judging and more.
Sport Kite Symposium
- The Sport Kite Symposium was introduced at the AKA Convention in the early 90’s. It provides a forum for sport kite fliers to talk with the members of the sport kite committee.
Sport Kite categories in the Kite Talk Forum
- The AKA’s Kite Talk Forum has dedicated sections to sport kite topics. Members of the AKA Sport Kite Committee are frequent posters.
. - Click the “KiteTalk Forum” button at the top of any AKA web page to access the forum, or click here.
World Sport Kite Championships
- Thanks to the dedication and hard work of David Gomberg, the AKA has been co-organizers of the World Sport Kite Championships for six years. The WSKC provides team competition for STACK, AJSKA and AKA members on an invitational bases. WSKC events happened in 2002 – 2006. While there will be no 2007 WSKC, planning for the 2008 WSKC is underway.
. - For more information on the WSKC go to: http://www.worldsportkite.com/
Event sanctioning
- The AKA sanctions sport kite events throughout North America. Sanctioned Sport Kite events earn conference points for AKA members. In addition the AKA provides an option for event insurance. Sanctioning with event insurances costs are subsidized out of the AKA general budget in order to keep prices low enough that just about anyone can afford to run a sport kite competition or other festival on a shoe string budget while still being able to meet the requirements of most parks or other facilities where an event can be held.
. - Find out more about AKA Event Sanctioning here.
AKA Kite Event Organizer’s Manual
- This is a general kite festival organizers manuals which has explicit sections on sport kite events. A must read for anyone considering organizing a festival for the first time.
. - AKA manuals are available here.
A Day in the Life of a Field Director
- Kathy Jarvis is the top field director from STACK. She has been the Field Director at WSKC for the last five years and is renowned by every flier who has competed at WSKC for her skill. Kathy imparts her wisdom on how to be a great sport kite field director in this article.
. - AKA manuals are available here.
Announcer’s Handbook
- Good announcing will help spectators be more engaged in your competition and assist in making the event run smother. Includes sections explicit to announcing for sport kite competitions. Written by Dave Shattuck
. - AKA manuals are available here.
Spectator’s Guide to Sport Kite Competition
- Written by Stephanie Hiebert of the Eastern League this pamphlet helps spectators understand what is going on during the competition.
. - AKA pamphlets are available here.
Event Calendar
- All AKA sanctioned Sport Kite events are published on the AKA Event calendar to help you find competition opportunities at home or across the country.
. - Click the “Event Calendar” button at the top of any AKA web page to access the forum.
Sport kite oriented clothing available in the AKA CafePress Store
- Purchase Sport Kite oriented clothing and other items from the AKA CafePress store with either the Stack Rainbow design or I Fly Four design.
. - Access the AKA CafePress store at:http://www.cafepress.com/akalogostore
. - If you have a new design you would like to see added to the AKA CafePress store email it to store@aka.kite.org.
Sport Kite Competition Scoring software
- This last resource is not actually from the AKA but is provided by AKA member Darrin Skinner free of charge to organizers of AKA sanctioned events. Kite Power Fest Sport Kite Competition scoring software is available here.
Susan Skinner
AKA President
president@aka.kite.org
