Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:49 am
Oh but Al, we are SO on the same page here! And here's some trollin' back at ya!
The problem I have with (sticking with my own example) the Cosmic taz machine is that it can be done very poorly without snagging the lines. This IMHO means that you can squeak out a taz cascade while not really giving me anything that I'd call beautiful. I'd rather see one perfect taz than four done for sake of 'pulling it off'. Sooooo often while flying my own Cosmic, I have seen this lame, floating sideways, not flat pseudo-taz on that kite that I don't even count these anymore.
I find with this trick in particular, that on kites where it's hard to miss the snag, it HAS to be pretty to go around. On the Cosmic, this is clearly not the case. That being said, there are some great taz machines to be found in this round's submissions.
I am all about the pure beauty of the flying, and besides my rather mediocre skill level, I suspect this is why I do so poorly in this context. I simply never practice the full on tricking style of flying...ever. Normally, I fly corners, hit landings, and half axel with the occasional trick in between. While this is nice if you are sitting on the grass watching me, getting a minute which 'holds up' to VF 'standards' always seemed very tough to me.
Piero may be solely responsible for getting us to this point. (Props to him.) His VF 11 video was flawless. His VF 8(?) video on the DS was also stunning. The bar has been to beat him for the last seven rounds. And from my perspective, if you were going to beat him, you needed to at least have a trick list that could stand the bright light of his. Admittedly, I am still thinking while trapped in this model, as is evident by my last post which used the words 'something I haven't seen', implying again only technical achievement rather than what I'd really like to see...real control and style combined in the flying.
If folks are prepared to really SCORE for flow and beauty, and even choreography, then VF does have a progressive future, as you so aptly called it. However, I must agree, at this stage it is more of a FREESTYLE TRICKOUT. It should be said here...this little contest is working well as is evident from the 34 entries this round.
I have ZERO complaints. NONE. But I am with you here, Al. 100%. I think I made a mistake this round for sure. I forgot that freestyle is exactly that: flying your way. I should have been flying my corners and landings even if that wasn't going to win...because that is my style. I had that footage (even flying to music), but I deemed it too trick-light and was afraid of placing in the bottom three. Instead, I submitted trying to conform to what I thought VF required. Next round, I'll submit something more virtually MY style. I think this will all work itself out in the end if we all stick to this rule of thumb. It's we, the flyers that ultimately determine in what direction VF goes and who wins.
Great discussion...which has me really raging for next round already!
obi
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return." L daVinci