New Zealand Kiteboarding Wave Nationals

It is all about surfing the waves, down the line or up wind - it does not matter. Ideally you should surf the waves like a surfer and only use the kite to save you the big paddle.

"The contestant who executes the most radical maneuvers generating power and speed in the most critical section of the biggest and longest wave, hooked or unhooked, strapped or strapless shall win."

Aerials will only be awarded if they are landed in the wave zone defined by the lip and the bottom of the wave. If your unhooked or strapless riding blows the mind of your fellow competitors, go for it - they are your judges. Forget huge aerials or handle passes - this is not a freestyle event. However, if you manage to pull off a 360 while skating the lip with a handle pass go for it! If you don't pull it off, you might end up with the best wipe out of the weekend.

Equipment
Bring whatever gear you have. As long as you have a kite and a board you can win. So show off your skills on your twin tip, directional, skin or surfboard and rip the waves!

The Rules
Be courteous, watch out for your fellow riders, do not insist on your rights and have a smile on your face while riding waves. Since there will be quite a few guys on the water and not everyone knows the wave riding rules, here are some guidelines:

When two competitors are on a wave, the competitor closest to the critical part of the wave (usually upwind) has right of way. The critical part of the wave is the section of the wave that starts breaking first.
Any competitor riding a wave has right of way over non-wave-riding competitors.
Wave priority belongs to the first competitor on the swell line. Other competitors cannot gybe or drop into a wave which already has competitor on it.
If two competitors begin riding a swell simultaneously, the competitor closest to the break (usually upwind) has priority of the wave.
A competitor shall avoid contact with other competitors if reasonably possible. However, a right of way competitor or one entitled to room shall stay clear of a competitor not in control.