Date:	Fri, 23 Jul 1993 06:03:51 -1000
From:	fataq@cc.usu.edu
Message-Id: <1993Jul23.100352.70360@cc.usu.edu>
Organization: Utah State University
Subject: first impressions of stunt kite competition

I've just returned from a trip to Oregon where I experienced
my first stunt kite competition (as an observer) at Lincoln
City, the Oregon state championships (July 10-11).  All in
all, it was a fairly impressive event, although there was
little or no wind the second day.

As a first-time observer, I would have to say that the
greatest crowd response was certainly for the ballet events. 
As I had been following the thread here about precision vs
artistic events, I've been trying to sort out some of the
things we saw there.

Once the event started, on a Saturday morning, the announcer
was excellent in his repeated information to spectators about
what was happening on the two competition fields.  There is a
shortcoming wrt precision events however, in that the
spectators have no idea as to what the competitor is actually
trying to accomplish.  I had secured a copy of the AKA
competition pamphlet (which unfortunately I forgot to take
until the second day) but at least I could attempt to guess
what was being done.  

For those of you more involved in staging competitions, is it
possible to have enlargements of the precision patterns
displayed somewhere at these kinds of events?  It would
certainly increase the audience appreciation for what is being
done on the field.  

Another question that came up, do all competitors in a
precision event fly the same patterns?  We were often
distracted by ballet events and missed seeing enough
consecutive precision competitors to tell for sure.  I was
asssuming they were all doing the same sequence to make
judging consistent.  And another question, at what point do
the competitors find out what patterns they will fly?  

Much to my amazement, my wife and 16-yr old daughter got
completely enthralled with the event and my wife is now
pushing to go to another one!  And I was feeling guilty about
steering a family vacation to suit my kite-flying interests.

Don Fiesinger
FATAQ@cc.usu.edu