Fractured Axel

damp_weather wrote:

elchiquitin wrote:

Try this video from Ricardo Asencio one of the best if not the best in Spain, I am his proudly pupil.

http://es.eolo.com/tutoriales-cometas/t ... comete/es/

If you need any help with spanish just type and I will try to traslate in stunt-kite terms.

Elchiquitin

Elchiquitin,

Very nice video.
You shouldn't need to translate, as this one is also available in English, and is accessible by clicking on the UK flag.

Ricardo's moves are a little different from those in Robert's video - there does not appear to be "a slight pause every two inputs to give slack to the kite". I wonder if it has to do with the kite. - It's an Eolo Over? - We have one hanging in the garage, which has not been used much as we did not get on with it at the start and spares for it are very difficult to get in the English speaking world, so we are scared to break it, so I am wondering if the detail of the inputs are kite dependant?

Yes the kite is an eolo over, indeed it has a very fragile spares, everybody who has one here around, spends a lot of time changing these spares, but they are cheap in Spain. I have fly a little bit an Over and it is an easy kite so the movements you can see in the video not special for this kite, same position but perhaps with an over you have more range to avoid fails, it depends about you kite, generally if you are able with a cascade, then the same kind of movements are for the comete with a different order but similar touch. I have seen Ricardo's comete with 25 km/h and it is the same as Roberto's video, just with the over the wind perhaps is smother.

I am now studding as you the comete, I will try one, and after improving it I will try to chain two.

Good Luck.
elchiquitin :o

I've always had pretty good success teaching people this trick by just getting them to do left right left right left right, and if they're not getting he trick just do it faster. Still not working? Do it faster. The speed seems to help limiting the inputs down to what is required. As others have said though it needs a bit of wind, or walking backwards.

Yesterday I talk to Ricardo about his tutorial and he said to me that is the way to learn it, but now is not exactly the way to do it, it is a little different way with more speed and a different cadence, like the first video you show from the other guy. Then he showed me the two ways and of course the quick way is hard to understand, he told me is just 2 half axel cut off, half axel and cut, and half axel and cut, that is the way.

Elchiquitin

Thanks again for all the great input. I'm back from the beach holiday and had a great time Didn't crack the comete but I fell into the trap of not really trying! It was so nice to have some perfectly smooth winds that I ended up just enjoying and improving the tricks I can do already. It's all good I'm sure the comete will come, I'll keep all these comments and videos in mind!

I had trouble getting different size inputs for the 1st / 3rd pops compared to the 2nd / 4th ones where the first pop is a bit harder. I got around this by not standing facing the kite, but turning one shoulder towards the kite - left foot forward if I popped the right hand first.

Seemed to help me get the move for the first times - then you get more used to the rhythmn and don't need to turn anymore ...

Might help !

Tony

'kin nell.
's Tony!
Is it Spring time or something? And shouldn't you be in France by now?

What's the thread about now... ah yeah, cometes.

Ermmm, best just to thrash about a bit and see what happens, but for me, a nailed down comete should really be 2/3rd of a full axel per fracture. i.e. 240 degrees (or whatever it is). So each full rotation leaves you facing the opposite way as you started, 2 rotations and you're back where you started. Easier to spot flying straight up or straight across obviously, and it's fun to play with that anyway so's you can make 'em rise, fall and drift at will (challenging).

Fly horizontal, hit 3 pairs of inputs then reverse for a comete cascade. The strength of inputs obviously depends on the kite / wind conditions etc.

Bryan

I've reached the point with this trick where I can do a single comete consistently but starting the 2nd one is more difficult.

As per Rob's video the 2nd and 4th pops are stopping the kite whilst the first and third pops initiate the rotations. Normally the kite is falling after the 4th pop and getting a consistent 5th pop is what seems to be causing me the trouble.

Any tips apart from 'less slack?'

bryan beasley wrote:

but for me, a nailed down comete should really be 2/3rd of a full axel per fracture. i.e. 240 degrees (or whatever it is). So each full rotation leaves you facing the opposite way as you started, 2 rotations and you're back where you started.

That kind of comete looks dynamic and is certainly cool on smaller tricky kites, but in competition wouldn't it score less points? For me, a neatly done multiple comete turning 360 per "rotation" (four inputs) pleases me more than a frantic "540" comete... I reckon it shows more control to get back to the starting position after four inputs, than being free to let the inputs over-rotate and having to do more than one rotation to get back to starting position. Being able to do either at will shows even more mastery of the trick, but that is pretty kite-dependent.

Comete Overview
Definition:
The COMETE is a tumbling trick in which the kite rotates in a single direction
(clockwise or counter-clockwise). In each rotation, the kite passes through roughly
four positions: in a clockwise rotation the Cométe starts with a Half Axel which flares
the kite belly down, nose away. Followed by a popp causing the nose pointing down
and slightly to one side (approx. a fade at 7:00). The next pull brings the kite into
almost a turtle position (belly up, nose away). The last pull turns the nose pointing
right (approx. 3:00). This series of four positions constitutes one rotation. The method
of entry and exit do not matter.
Key elements:
• Minimum three rotations
• Constant speed


Freestyle vs Trick Flying. 's a minefield

Bryan

This might help!

Looking the web for any comete video, I have found not a tutorial but a video with good zoom enough to understand the 4 basic moves in the comete, I was broke with the 3rd move, now I am able to understand just the way you nieed to slide the kite to the new position


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McgPQsY00L4

What's going on here?

I can easily get one... two... and by the third time round it's all gone cockeyed.
The flare to start the next round is out of sync somehow and there's no popping left in it, just a dead thing without wind in its sail waiting for something to happen.

Any suggestions?

For me its like the cascade - once you fall into the rhythm, you know the feel and its locked in. It really feels like the same 2 inputs (little pop to pull the nose forward, bigger one to rotate) close together, a wee bit of a pause to allow the kite to pitch 180 and then again and again.

I have trouble in bumpy inconsistent winds - where its 12mph at the top of the window and 5 at the bottom. The slower pitch speed and slack generated by the lower wind as the kite comes down the window and hits the lower speed window wreaks havoc with the timing.

Try it in smooth higher wind - its much easier. I usually start on the side of the window - the kite will drift to the center of the window as it rotates.

Good luck.

tpatters wrote:

For me its like the cascade - once you fall into the rhythm, you know the feel and its locked in. It really feels like the same 2 inputs (little pop to pull the nose forward, bigger one to rotate) close together, a wee bit of a pause to allow the kite to pitch 180 and then again and again.

Thanks, I can relate to what you're saying and I'll put more emphasis on the delay before getting on with the next input.

If you want to do the comete don't rush it, just add to your normal flying ONE comete cicle in diferent winds, speeds and location on the windows. Do it consistently an in a short time you will be able to add more cicles to your comete

ps: the day you notice that in the end of cicle ONE the kite doest stop in a stall you should think of adding the new cicle.

btw enjoy my new video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmo8G0WX0AA&hd=1