Fastest Growing Water Sport in North America is Kite Surfing

Thank You by Cathi Long

Kite Surfing is the fastest growing water sport in the world. It is not wind surfing, it is not wakeboarding, it is not surfing; it is not kite flying. It is the fusion of these disciplines with other influences to create the wildest new water sport for years. Popularized by French and Hawaian stars in early 1999, The UK scene now has approximately 7,000 kite surfers. The U.S. has more than five times the number of kite surfers.

American Kite Surfing Association is the leading organization for kite surfers in North America. Founded in 2006 by two extreme sport enthusiasts, membership is anticipated to exceed 30,000 before the end of the year. The purpose of the enterprise is to bring heightened awareness to this fast-growing, dynamic, and fun sport. A vast array of information, products, and techniques are available to the visitors of the AKSA website, www.kite-surfingusa.com. After more than a decade of popularity through Europe and Australia, active North American extreme sport athletes are recognizing the maximum adrenaline rush through kite surfing. According to Cathi Long, co-founder of AKSA, "The exhilaration of hang time in kite surfing is unbeatable...kite surfers are simply the sexiest athletes." AKSA will select 50 leading industry product manufacturers to highlight and profile throughout an extensive national media outreach campaign.

American Kite Surfing Association www.kite-surfingusa.com Cathi Long Executive VP Info@kite-surfingusa.com 727-772-1202

Diving Fundamentals

Thank You by Alan Ross

Diving As a Sport Diving has been internationally recognized as sport long ago and it is the one of the most coveted part of modern Olympics. The sport involves taking the plunge, from a height or distance, into the water acrobatically.

Diving has 3 disciplines such as 1m, 3m and tower and divers are classified by age and gender. Towers vary in height from 5m to 10m and high level competitions like World Cup and Olympics require diving from 10m only. Spring boards and platforms are terms used in 3 & 5m as well as 10m diving respectively.

Know the Components of Diving? Your body needs to be every bit a gymnasts, strong, flexible and kinesthetic. To pursue diving, starting very young is advised as your body will be at its flexible best. There are four components of diving defining the diving positions.

1.Layout position- Body straight like an arrow. 2.Pike position- Body folded only at waist and nowhere else. 3.Tuck position- Body curled into a ball, with knees touching chin and heels your hips. 4.Free position- Relaxed position suitable for twisted diving.

Takeoff, flight and entry into water are the key elements that determine the scoring in diving. Each carries equal weightage of 3 points and 1 for the judges discretion. For example a perfect entry splashes little or no water.

Then there are diving positions like forward, backward, inward and reverse depending on how you start and then rotate.

Although deep sea diving and scuba diving are similar sounding and albeit connected to water sport, they are not as popular as pool diving, as we know it. A tip here to aspiring divers; fitness, training and practice apart, what it takes to be a successful diver is dedication as exemplified by the great Greg Louganis. He is the living example of what level you can raise the game to.

Whether it is scuba diving, cliff diving or sky diving, utmost emphasis needs to be given to the physical requirements of the diver, to avert any sort of physiological or psychological hassles while diving. Individuals with physical ailments like bone disorders, diabetes, and high blood pressure are told not to plunge. Before you decide to take the plunge, it is imperative to check with a physician to elude any health problems.