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KING OF KITE / CYPRUS KITESURFING CHAMPIONSHIP 2023 - RULES

THE KING OF KITE
• Every competitor needs to complete registration online at www.kahunasurfhouse.eu/king-of-kite before the official registration period ends.
• All online registrations must be completed by Thursday 27th of July.
• Competitors that will register on spot must check the registration time and date on King Of Kite schedule.
• Competitor's vest, payment and briefings will be on spot, check time and date on King Of Kite schedule.
• Any changes in the instructions will be posted on the official notice board on the day. All competitors have the responsibility of checking the official notice board periodically for any changes.
• Each competitor is responsible for checking his heat number. This will be posted on the official notice board, at least 15 minutes before the start of the first heat

• Each competitor is responsible for their own equipment set up; kite pumped, lines attached to the kite.
• Kahuna Surfhouse, Larnaca Kitesurfing Club and King of Kite competition take no responsibility for damaged, stolen, lost equipment or inability to take part in the competition due to e.g. twisted lines at kite launch.

Please note that set up of equipment, launching and landing as a competitior must happen at Kahuna Surfhouse under the supervision of our staff. Launching from another part of the beach other than Kahuna Surfhouse accounts for disqualification.

COMPETITION LYCRA VEST
• Competitors are required to wear the official lycra vest during their heats. The lycra vest must be worn outside the harness. Competitors not wearing the lycra vest or not wearing the lycra vest correctly during their heats will not be scored.
• The lycra vest should be worn over the harness at all times during the warm up periods, interviews etc.

EQUIPMENT
• No limitation. (no raceboards allowed). It is the sole responsibility of the rider to choose and use appropriate equipment for his safety and the safety of third-party as the rules state.
• A functional safety leash must be used at all times.
• Use of impact vest is highly recommended to all riders/competitors.

TECHNICAL EXPLANATION OF KING OF KITE
• A rider can compete in as many disciplines as he/she wish.
• All competitions will be awarded 1st, 2nd & 3rd place trophies and prizes.
• To be the King of Kite you must accumulate top points in the Freestyle competition.

1. FREESTYLE
• Freestyle will go ahead from 15 knots.

Heats shall be started with the following system:
• Red flag down: 2 minutes to the start of the heat.
• Yellow flag down: 1 minute to the start of the heat.
• Green flag down: Start of the heat.
• 5 attempts from each rider in the Red Bull box. Best 3 will be judged.
• Maximum of 4 tacks close to the box for each trick.
• 1 rider at a time in the box.
• All rules, scoring, disqualifications will be explained at the briefing by Christophe Tack.
• Red flag up: Start of the next heat. (the following heat must be in the water ready to compete)
• All riders will be given a ranking.

FREESTYLE JUDGING CRITERIA
• Christophe Tack will be judging power, risk factor (impressiveness) and amplitude (how much you travel once you take off for a trick).
• Christophe Tack will be judging and the judge's decision is final.
Wakestyle tricks, low kite and powerful moves will score higher.

2.RACE
Race will go ahead from 10 knots and up.

Heats shall be started with the following system:
• Red flag down: 10 minutes to the start of the heat.
• Yellow flag down: 3 minutes to the start of the heat.
• Green flag down & jet ski run through course: Start of the heat.

Categories will be as follow:
• Foil board race
• Women open board race
• Men surfboard race
• Men open board race

CONDITIONS FOR RACING
One can participate in the foil board and/or the open board race. To take part in 2 races there is an additional fee of €10 to the standard €30 admission.
• During one race/heat/run only one board and one kite/rigging combination shall be used.
• You can set up as many sizes of kite as you want in the launch area under the safety guidelines.
• Only boards with one piece hulls are permitted.
• Boards shall have a minimum beam of 150 mm.
• Any number of fins and/or retractable fins are allowed. No other hull appendages are permitted. The shortest distance between the outermost point of the hull appendage and the bottom of the hull shall not exceed 250 mm.
• No raceboards are permitted.
• Course displayed on official notice board.
• Slalom buoy must be on left of Kiteboard when passing.
• Marshalls in boat/jet ski will be monitoring above point. Failure to complete course under this guideline is to the discretion of the marshall and cannot be questioned.
• Kiteboards that begin race before green flag is up will be disqualified.
• False start will be monitored by marshall and re run of race will occur.
• Race ends between 2 buoys indicated on course map. Time of race completion will be taken when rider passes through the 2 buoys.
• Rider must show number on lycra clearly and visibly to slalom marshall on beach.

FOIL BOARD RACE
The winner of the Foil Race is the rider that completes the best of 3 races.
• Each race will consist of 2 laps of the course. This will be done 3 times over the course of the event depending on wind conditions.
• The winner is the rider with least points. First place take 1 points, second place takes 2 points etc. We will take the best of 3 to eliminate ties.

3. BIG AIR
• Big Air will go ahead from 15 knots.

Heats shall be started with the following system:
• Red flag down: 2 minutes to the start of the heat.
• Yellow flag down: 1 minute to the start of the heat.
• Green flag down: Start of the heat.
• Judges will look at following categories: Extreme big air and overall impression.
• The overall impression of the extreme big air performance scores will be determined by combining: 70% Height. Go as hard and high as possible. The height in combination with extreme moves is priority, but we will also take the horizontal distance travelled in account, combined with certain powered moves. 30% Extremity. Controlled extreme high moves. Think about extremely powered and/or extremely technical, or ultimately a combination of this as long as it is performed on a proper height.
• No limitation in maximum number of moves/combinations attempts per heat (including crashes) or repetitions for the same jump. Only the 3 best tricks of the whole performance will be counted and will form part of the final result.
• Variety within your best 3 moves is a key-factor, as focus is to prize the most complete “Extreme Big Air” rider.
• Grabs: A grabbed trick will be rewarded with a higher score than a non-grabbed trick on the technical difficulty criteria. However, the final score of each trick is directly related to the quality of the execution.
• Power: The power during the execution of the tricks. Power will be considered as a combination of: a) Speed into and out of the tricks. b) Angle of the kite during the execution of the trick. (example: kite lower as the rider during a loop) c) Height and amplitude of the trick.
• Risk factor is directly linked to the Power (already includes speed in and out, lines direction and amplitude - height) involved in the execution of the tricks, but also to the commitment of the competitor, technical and physical challenge during the execution, duration of the critical moment, amount and quality (lines direction) of the air in the trick, and energy on the execution.
• Variety: The variety of the best 3 tricks completed during the heat is considered for the final overall impression score.
• Height: Height of the trick completed during the heat. This aspect will exponentially come into consideration as the wind conditions increase, but only when the height is achieved along risk factor and technical difficulty.
• Smoothness: Smoothness and fluidity during the execution of tricks completed during the heat, between different tricks in a combo and on landings.
• Style: The personal flamboyance and attitude of the competitor when executing a trick.
• Innovation: Tricks that have never been landed in competition before.

4. JUNIORS FREE AIR
• Juniors Free Air will go ahead from 15 knots.

Heats shall be started with the following system:
• Red flag down: 2 minutes to the start of the heat.
• Yellow flag down: 1 minute to the start of the heat.
• Green flag down: Start of the heat.
• Up to 17 years of age.
• Mixed category - female and male.


SAFETY AND RIGHT OF WAY
Safety and fair play are the most important aspects of the competition. Unsafe competitors will be disqualified. Leeward kiteboards have right of way, therefore windward kiteboards should not jump when a leeward kiteboard is close to them.
• Each competitor enters the competition trick area in turn. Once the trick is completed kiteboarder must ride out of competition area to allow for next rider.
• Transitions: Kiteboards doing transition jumps should watch for kiteboards behind them before attempting a transition jump.
• Kiteboards should stay clear of the competition area when not competing.
• Kiteboards must not change course to obstruct another kiteboard (blocking).
• Kiteboards shall not land jumps on the beach, and shall stay clear of any natural obstructions near the competition area.
• In case of a dangerous action, tangle or collision, as a result of the infringement on any of the above rules will result in a warning or disqualification from the heat at the discretion of the King of Kite judges.
• A competitor could get assistance to re-launch his kite only when it is out of the competition area.
• In the event if a competitor looses his kite from equipment failure, the competitor will be allowed to replace his kite during the heat only outside from the competition area. The competitor has to get out from the competition area by his/her own means. If the competitor is not wearing a leash, he will not be scored from the point he looses his kite.