The Kook issue - Part 1

by Emilie Marx
(Part 1/6)

Welcome to the Kitesurfing Kook world.
If you’re wondering what’s that… Well –from what I’ve found out- that’s… me!

I remember once reading in a surfing magazine an article kindly indicating the difference between “kook” and “kool”.
This was oh so educating I haven’t bought a single surfing magazine ever since.

Actually, now that I think of it, I haven’t bought a kitesurfing magazine in years either. Don’t ask me who won the last championship or what’s “in” right now. I come from Middle Age, okay: I have no clue.
And the truth is…. I don’t care….
That, for a start, makes me a kook, I guess…

I’ve always considered “being cool” as overrated.
I’m not even quite sure of what “being cool” actually means. I’ve happily fit in the “uncool” section for few years now, to the extent it almost became some kind of claim.

I’ve already mentioned in my previous issue how the surfing mentality initially found in Sydney kept me away from the sport for quite some time.
Very unluckily but also very expectably, as the kitesurfing community expanded over the years, we started finding the “angry surfer attitude” through the butterflies as well…

During recent travels, I’ve seen and heard so many –how should I qualify them: unbelievable, shocking or just plain hilarious- attitudes and comments that I ended up thinking they were worth sharing.

Firstly, I’ve found out that “freestyle” was over: someone told me –and oh so seriously- that riders doing board’s off should be shot dead…
-Wondering here: is this what people actually meant when claiming to be “radical” riders?-

Freestylers were cool a decade ago –sorry for the ones who just took up the sport and are having a blast with freestyle or for the ones like myself who have been doing it for a while and still do have a blast with it- but now they’re compared to “frogs in a blender”.

Me playing “frog in a blender” in Los Roques

That picture made me smile, especially according that it was a subliminal message to my intention (me, the royal kook who had been doing “cute” one foot rotations that afternoon). Fine by me, I have no problem laughing at myself.

Another very kooky thing in the cool gang book seems to be launched by someone: do not ask for a launch when there are ten other riders handy to help you out.
Just show the world that you can handle yourself (and don’t talk to fellow riders rigging next to you on the beach).

I also learnt that kite leashes are uncool.
That’s one of the most amazingly stupid things I’ve heard out of the lot, and the most shocking is that it came from a rider who had been kitesurfing for a decade.

In spite of all my carelessness on the water (I’m no role model), I still come from an instructor background and have always emphasized being responsible of your equipment.

The comment, said as a universal truth (“people shouldn’t use kite leashes, they’re gay” (is kitesurfing an homophobic sport by the way?)) blew me away...

To read the second part of “The kook issue”