RonG

Hot Tricks judged by fellow competitors. It took us a while to get there, but I'm glad we finally arrived. Judgement by others/spectators was popular in the days when HTS was only partially about technical kite work. In the early, "no holds barred" days, any kind of theatrics on the field could win at Hot Tricks. Rev antics, people flying upside down, etc. I think it's fair to say Ari pretty much wrote the book on winning in Hot Tricks without tricks But with the explosion of new tricks in the last few years, and many, many more fliers able to do them, I think Hot Tricks has finally come into its own. I'd like to see it continue in one form or another, while more evolved versions of tricks-based competitions, like Tricks Party, begin to emerge.

Quite a few. There are some active fliers who fly on a regular basis within the city (a couple up in the Bronx, for instance), but you're most likely to find the largest number of NYC-area fliers at either Jones Beach or just across the river at Liberty State Park (water taxi ride, or exit 14b on the NJ Turnpike). LSP is one of the most active flying spots in the Northeast, with a bunch of competitive and recreational fliers who practice there on a regular basis. It is also the home of the Liberty High Spirits of 14b, and the Liberty Kite Festival/NJ Stunt Kite Championships.