Here we go again. You are not going to believe this but the IKA has gone and overruled the final standings of the VKWC 2015 tour and declared a completely different set of champions based on the assumption that the St Peter Ording event was after the termination of the contract with the PKRA and therefore does not count, therefore the only events that count are Dakhla, Venezuela, Tarifa and Fuerteventura.
So they have awarded the 2015 world title as follows.
This is more evidence of the power struggle and clear intentions of the IKA to not give the VKWC any validity to their actions. to which they add a nail in the coffin to their press release when they say
It is important to note that, as confirmed by ISAF / World Sailing, the former PKRA/VKWC/PKT/WKT is not entitled to award any world titles in the ISAF / World Sailing kiteboarding classes.
What they do fail to acknowledge is that the VKWC has been awarded a special event status for 2016 and furthermore without meaning to take any sides, it is a pretty underhanded move to overrule the official results of an event which the IKA did not run in 2015 (regardless of what right they may feel they are obligated to hold in terms of awarding a champion).
It seems all that really has happened is a purposeful air of confusion thrown into the mix in what appears to be a clear attack on the VKWC and any validity of the champions they awarded last week.
Of course the VKWC has not made any official response.
We leave with the parting thought to both the IKA and VKWC, to remind them that there are a group of young riders building their hopes and dreams on becoming world champions in the sport they love. They and their parents and families are devoting time, money and passion to achieve their goals, …but this playground squabble between who has the right to say who is the official champion is undermining all of this and risks turning the competitive freestyle side of our sport into a joke (if it is not too late already) and plays with the lives and ambitions of the riders without whom none of this would be possible.
The heads of these organisations need to remind themselves that the commodity they are using to throw mud at each other are the lives of young talented sports men and women.
This has to stop.
This all comes on the day of the deadline issued by the GKA (Global Kitesports association) who claim to represent the majority of kite and board brands in which that say the following.
The Global Kitesports Association (GKA) – representing the majority of the kite-sport companies sponsoring professional riders worldwide – called upon the representatives of IKA and WKT (last year operating under the name VKWC and former PKRA) to settle the ongoing dispute until the 15th January 2016. It is also required by the production companies of kiteboards and kites that IKA and WKT organize together one World-Tour in 2016. Such a tour must be based on a financial sound concept and offer at least 4 reliable tour-stops, which are professionally organised. That concept has to be proven by the GKA.
Companies as well as riders require reliability, professionalism and sustainability by the tour-organiser.
In case IKA and WKT will not find a solution for the conflict until the 15th January and in consequence offer separate tours, the majority of all companies propose the following: WKT shell organise all freestyle- and wave-riding competitions/events. IKA shell organise all race competitions/events.
In case that solution will also not accepted by IKA and WKT the majority of all companies sponsoring the main field of male and female riders will support a possible WKT-tour only, unless the financial and organisational concept of WKT is not convincing to the
GKA.The GKA will publish its final decision on the 20th January 2016.
Dr. Jörgen Vogt
Secretary General
Global Kitesports Association e.V.
