Should Kitesurfing Be Included At The 2016 Olympic Games?

In 2009 the International Olympic Committee at its Copenhagen discussion declared that "the Olympics movement must strive to extend its remit and to growth its influence with young habitancy across the world." I for one cannot think of a best way of achieving this goal than by including Kitesurfing at the 2016 Olympic Games. There is no other sailing class in the world (and few sports) that have such a high division of participants under 30. Added to the fact that kitesurfing is currently the hot thing in water sports and its inclusion in the Olympics would bring a huge element of 'cool' to the sailing class which is currently seen as a boring and exclusive, for old farts and Hooray Henry's only.

Windsurfing in the Olympics currently struggles due to the fact that the sailing events are held in venues where light winds are the preference as dinghy's etc only admittedly need a force 2 - 3 for optimum competition. Kitesurfing would not suffer from this drawback as modern kitesurfing tool means that 6 knots is enough to not only ride but to ride upwind. It also offers a huge draw to the worlds media, with 100's of brightly coloured kites jostling right next to the beach not to mention some truly spectacular wipe outs and all in all you have an event that could capture the imagination of everyone from 6 to 60 years old.

Games

Richard Branson an legal Kitesurfing Olympic Ambassador and keen kitesurfer is quoted as saying,

"Kiteboarding is a fun and spectacular sport that I think would make a tremendously appealing addition to the Olympic Games"

The 2016 Olympics will be held in Rio de Janeiro with the Olympic sailing Regatta having chosen Copacabana beach as its customary location. I for one cannot dream a best location to showcase kitesurfing and its status as a new Olympic Sport.

So whats your take? Should Kitesurfing be allowed into the Olympics?

Should Kitesurfing Be Included At The 2016 Olympic Games?

Games - Should Kids Play War Games?

If you grew up in the early to late 60s you remember watching Vic Morrow in the great series Combat. You were so taken by the his operation that if you were a normal kid, you wanted to be Sergeant Saunders. And you got the chance to do it too. The toy market were stocked to the rafters with Saunders trademarked camouflaged helmet, Thompson Sub engine Gun and hand grenades. The gun had a pull back knob that was quite realistic and the gun made quite a racket when it was shot. The grenades were adequate with the old style cap explosives that also made quite a bang when the grenade hit the ground correctly.

Taking your equipment, you and your friends made off for the nearest woods or mazed area. You took turns hunting each other down. Because nobody no ifs ands or buts got shot, you were pretty much on the honor law when man snuck up behind you, started shooting and said, "you're dead". You were all the time tempted to say, "I'm just wounded" and walk off to the aid middle point for a brief timeout until you were "healed" and ready to get back in the game. Nobody no ifs ands or buts died and the games went on forever until you plainly got tired of playing or your mum called you in for dinner. It was all pretty unobjectionable fun.

Games

But, it's 40 years later and parents are wondering if they should let their kids play war games. They're afraid that if their kids play with guns they will grow up to play with real guns. We have become so politically strict that it has gotten to the point where you can't even find guns in a toy store anymore. Those days are long gone. So if a kid wants to play army, he best have a very good imagination.

The request is, is this right? no ifs ands or buts not every kid who played with guns grew up to become a killer. An connect of mine had not only a Saunders Tommy Gun, but also a German Luger, an M1 rifle, a Colt 45 and quite a few hand grenades. He says he had to have several when attacking those German bunkers. Today, this kid who lived to play army, is a thriving Internet marketer and has never held a real gun a day in his life.

The truth is, it doesn't take a toy gun to turn a kid bad. If somebody is destined to turn to a life of crime, he's going to do it with or without having played with toy guns. So the request of either or not kids should be allowed to play war games is one that has to be answered by each private parent. Parents should make informed decisions about all things they allow or don't allow their children to do. There is an old saying that says guns don't kill, population kill. That was true in the 1960s and it is true today as well.

Certainly toy guns don't kill anybody.

Games - Should Kids Play War Games?