Mille Lac's Lake 2011 snowkite crossing?

[skico]

I live out in Colorado and trying to find out the correct date for the Mille Lacs lake event. American snowkite tour said weekend of March 26 but have read that the event was cancelled from the tour. Last I read that it is changed to first weekend in March with no points going toward NAST. From reading the posts it looks like the members of your club are the ones putting on the event. I was hoping this was going to remain on the tour as I was raised in Minnesota want to come back to see the good stoke for snowkiting in my old home state.

It's great to see a snowkite race tour starting but not happy with all the politics that seem to be going on right from the start. If NAST wants a nation tour they need to commit to holding events at national locations, not just the Western Rockies. I just hope it doesn't lose that fraternal crew feel that I currently see at all the kiting spots I have traveled to. Happy and safe kiting's to all the Minnesota crew.

[Tighe]

Ride on
Yeah I was hoping there would be a bit more enthusiasm from this community for inclusion into the NAST but honestly I think everyone just likes to ride. The idea of a tour was tossed around for many years but never happened. Hopefully this go at it will grow into a great thing. Many have shown an interest in attracting pro riders to our events. Those of us involved in the Kitefreeze which brought international talent to Kite Island back in '04 know the excitement that kind of event can generate. I have hopes that as the tour develops there will be someone from our community that steps up and pushes for our inclusion, and works with the local event organizers to put us on the map. We are the largest snowkite community in the nation, we just like to play more than we like to organize. Not a bad thing though.

Maybe we'll see you March 4-6 in Garrison for the 6th Annual Mille Lacs Kite Crossing.

[Pat Hinch]

Skico guy- First question, what part of Colorado are you from? I have some roots out there and it's always good to hear from a snowkiter.

You're always welcome in this great snowkiting community. The Mille Lacs Crossing is a professionally run event with plenty of stoke.

As you state, it is frustrating to see the politics keeping the NAST in the West. Hopefully, things will grow and include a true "national" scope of events.

In any case, come on out and join us on Mille Lacs. You may not get any NAST points but you'll have a great time and meet some great people. Tighe gave you the correct dates, its March 4-6. Hope to see you here.

[skico]

I live on front range around Boulder. Almost all of our kiting is up in the mountains. If your up in Breckenridge hit up the Sanitaryium for easy park and kite at the very south side of lake Dillon. Can't miss it on a windy day because someone will always be kiting. Most of our kiting is snowmobile access only and invovles around a 5-12 mile climb above tree line. At times can very punchy gusts that you have to be ready to pull the trigger and at times hang times can be scary long. I wish we had all the access for park and rides that you guys have. Putting together snowmobiles,gear, travel, avalanche safety and the cost of it all for a day of kiting sucks at the times you get there and have no wind.

As far as the NAST tour I don't think the organizers thought there where that many snowkiters in Minnesota that would show up for it. There really isn't any numbers available for them to determine where the greatest number of kiters are in a given state. I think they would have had a much better turnout in Minnesota than they did at Montana. Only 26 kiters showed up for the Georgetown MT competition. For non-competitors it's still a great time because you get to try out a bunch of new demo kites and drink free beer. Once you see how the race works you realize it still has that brotherhood feel and everyone shares the same stoke. The only problem that I see is that the organizers are trying to push it too hard on the financial side of it. Asking a product demo rep a couple grand for a weekend to let kiter demo their products will kill the demo side of it, there for also kill the non-competitor who just wants to show up and demo kites for free. They need to attract the non-competitors to grow the sport as those are the ones who have the greatest potential to become competitors.

[MK]

Glad to see this topic. I'd heard "wind" of dates but this helps bring some definition to it. I'll post it on the website and include in my weekly eNewsletter to the database of local kiters both veteran and the curioius. Always fun to get together to reaquaint and meet new people.

Plenty of time for spreading the word and gaining interest. I'll do my part to campaign

[MK]

I just did a search to help point a link to greater details for the event (where, registration, details). Not sure where to point the inquiries. It's up on the website now and it won't take long for people to start asking me for info. If anyone has the point man (or woman) please post and I'll link'm.