This is straight from the ASP rule book if they adopt it.
"Surfers must perform to the ASP judging key elements to maximize their scoring potential. Judges analyze the following major elements when scoring waves.
- Commitment and degree of difficulty - Innovative and progressive manoeuvres - Combination of major manoeuvres - Variety of manoeuvres - Speed, power and flow
NOTE: It’s important to note that the emphasis of certain elements is contingent upon the location and the conditions on the day, as well as changes of conditions during the day."
To me; the line degree of difficulty, the same as used in diving, should take into account the straps.
But in a contest at the end of the day, and this is all fact because I've quoted percentages
10% of people are ripped off
20% of people are ripping but just couldn't catch a good wave
17% of people will have a whinge
92% of people will get pissed
75% of people want a different prize to what they got off the prize table
50% of people go away happy and coincidently they are the same 50% that came happy
99% of people will feel like a root
1% of people will actually get a root (they are happy as well) 
Separate divisons.
In a big wave comp, you wouldn't put the tow-in guys against paddle-in guys. These are two totally different ways to approach big waves.
In my opinion, strapped riders can end up pulling up on their straps and the resultant turn look less fluid. I reckon a rider on top of his board looks a hell of lot more stylish and fluid..if it is done right that is.
However, having said that I think strapped has the potential to introduce different elements into the waves - freestyle etc. Horses for courses and hence different divisions.
At the end of the day, kiting is a relative easy sport whereby beginners can progress to a certain standard quite easily. It's then about progressing the sport further - style is a big part of that.
lol so much rabble.
I for one would rather it be 2 separate divisions, but it's not up to me. As for it being about money? what money? I can guarantee there is no money involved haha, except for maybe paying judges.
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Considering that only about 20 people actually enter wave kiting comps the question is totally irrelevant.
oohhhh man, I hate it when I miss the deleted posts,
How about we ban all surfing comps,
that way all the show ponys will give up and do something else and it will be less crowded; with all these wanna be a pro people that probably should be going to uni and learning stuff that will one day benefit the whole world a whole lot more than a poxxy competition.
yep fk it. use can all touch.
My 10 cents. Have it combined. Have a large judging pool. The judges vote on their favourite rider. i.e. Expression Session. Have a couple of generic prizes for guys that stood out in particular areas where their merit and skills need to be aknowledged (i.e. unstrapped waveriding, or best critical strapped airs ) but perhaps didn't quite have the allround package.
You want the person that shreds the best in the conditions on the day. Depending on the conditions, this may mean you are better off on a wave oriented twin tip, unstrapped or strapped surfboard. (crubly unformed waves, clean surf etc)
At the end of the day in an expression session format you can usually pick a few standouts
hey Rowdy I not sure why you posted a that pic of yourself.... but maybe one day if you base yourself in some waves of consequence you might see otherwise.... down th e line point break kiting in waves on consequence straps keep the fluidity .... strapless is ugly... just a fact of what i see every time we kite... maybe not at lennox ... but hey buddy that is not the world of kiting..sorry
It will be interesting to see with better board design at how strapless will improve allot in faster bigger conditions like Margs. Situations where straps atm keep you feet glued at high speed. Marty at Delta is the shaper with the break throughs atm. My bro has towed cyclops and the right unstrapped and paddles 35ft mavs with out straps...so its all possible. Again though its what you are into that dictates your fun at the time.
Check out this paddle in it kinda puts into perspective the piddly stuff online at the end of the day the best talking is done on the water..Enjoy
www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=383895906617
Hey Andre.... Alfie definitely charges...just trying to point out that straps and kiting has its place... everything is possible straplesses but **** you can crack it so much harder with straps and enjoy new parts of the wave
Yeh i used to ride strapped and it is definetly easier to throw buckets. And for sure strapped def has its place. I think you need one to push another.
I found after a while for me in waves up to 4ft i was hitting it harder without my straps and could get allot more freedom with feet and body position. For me I really enjoy the rush of pushing it and having that risk of hey that board may not be stuck to my feet after that turn. My preference has been influenced from surfing. So there is healthy competition out there between the two.I reckon there could be a bit more respect shown and less of the politician style rants that keep coming up over this topic. It can make us look like whiny bitches as Kitesurfers. But yeh man respect yo opinion...take it easy Aye
I actually agree, I think we should all ride straps now. You have exposed me for riding in waves of no consequence and it has enlightened me. Lets get the straps back on so everyone can throw buckets together.
Just out of curiosity (just so I know for if I want to go ride a wave somewhere with straps) what would be regarded as a wave with consequence?
Sorry to have got you guys so angry. I will leave you with another shot of the wave with no consequence.
Happy days for you Kid...just calm it down with the training wheels talk in the future and we'll be all good
Sorry guys,
This is a lame thread! Whilst at Exy recently, myself and a mate both rode a rather decent wave all arvie, can't tell you where it was or it's name but it was breaking head high on the piddlers and over mast high on the bigger sets. It is a wave of serious consequences and commands a certain amount of respect when riding it.
We both rode it unstrapped to begin with and both shared a similar style, a style dictated by the size of the wave and the condition of the faces. Heavily crouched, very fast runs down the line trying to avoid getting clipped in the faster sections and lazy turns on the wave once into a slower section. We were not competing, or trying to out do each other, we were simply testing and measuring ourselves against the waves. Exploring our own style and pushing our limits to see what was possible. It was awesopme and we both came away grinning.
The second part of the session I adopted straps and quad fins. Once I did this my style radically changed whereas my mate Nath continued with the strapless. His style remained the same, again dictated by the conditions and speed of the wave where I was able to get more vertical and stay pretty much in the pocket linking high G bottom turns and mad slashes off the lip.
My point is, we still weren't competing, his style looked great and he was killing it, wave surfing well enough to take the cover of any mag in the world should we have had a camera, but this wasn't the objective. We were soul kiting, this seems to be a lost concept today as riders scramble for cover shots and meaningless trophys that feed ego.
Did I prefer straps over strapless? No! I loved both sessions, each for it's own merits. I loved the thrill of strapless and the ability to be more free and the challenges it brings with it, but I also loved the flow and linking of tight turns in critical sections, the projections in front of the wave from tight turns at the top of the face and the occassional aerial. The control at speed where I could ride as fast as necessary rather than as fast as I could handle.
Surf comps are ridiculous at the best of times as it is so subjective, adding straps and strapless further ridicules the notion that a winner can be found. Wave riding is art, and art is non judgeable in any real sense. The soul dictates the ride and the style, strapped or strapless is for forum junkies to debate. Real surfers ride and don't give a toss about this ....... In fact I want my 30 minutes back 
DM
It's like Darren conducted an experiment ... using himself as the guinea-wavepig.
Back to Back sessions,
Ride one strapless,
Ride one strapped ...
And the winner was soul-kiting.
lol.
SOUL KITING.! One thing our mate Rowdy hasn't discoverd yet. one day for sure i hope. but sounds like one of those real competitive types that wants to prove them selves, and worries to much about what the other guy is doing. RIDE THE WAY YOU WANT. and lock the sesh into the memory bank. Such as D.M's day. Mate sounds like an epic day. Nice work. Thats what its all about . I bet the beers tasted good that night........................!!!!!
Hey Darren, we sored 5m swell down south on wed morn. Surf was alltime. did you get a good pulse up there?
