The windsurfing petition already has more signatures on it than there are kiteracers in the world....

Looking at the lobbying route. We should contact the IOC and query the process by which the decision was made (surprise vote) and whether the extremely low participation in kiteracing cheapens Olympic medals.

ps Look at Richard Branson's twitter feed. He supported, lobbied for and funded (employed staff) Kiteracing at the Olympics....

Cheers Mark, I am going to start a campaign on stalkerbook, or rather add those emails to all the ones that already exist.

Hi Upthere, you will be glad to know the petition was started by someone similar to yourself, a young lad at uni who is a top raceboarder and just starting out on the slalom scene. I cant believe how many signatures it has got in just over a day!

If you come to weymouth let me know, I sail from where you will be based. There were a lot of US sailors there today. If you see my van (pretty obvious which one!) come and say hello

As much as I feel sadness for the sport and even more sadness for those dreams shattered overnight, I dont really feel anything we do would change the decision. It is life, and often we need to accept and move on. To be honest, who in their right mind, would want to buy a $6k RSX board set that goes slower than most production boards. Kiting is going to be quite different as raceboards can ride upwind and faster than most production boars (twintips), so the concept and approach is very different, and will attract a lot more attention and interests.

I re-started the development program for windsurfing with YQ back in 2008 and so glad to see our top lad and girl from the program came out first in Australia and now doing our country proud. I have already offered both Luke & Michelle full sponsorship to the kiteboarding development program which we are starting in July 2012. Hopefully with their years of training and effort as a top athlete, they can excel in kiting decipline as well as they did for windsurfing. Any other juniors/youth interested in joining the program can find details at our website or at www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Kitesurfing/Juniors-Development-Program_5999458.aspx

Windsurfing will not die, it will continue to live on.

Thanks Bob i am with the Italian RS:X sailors at the moment in Sicilly doing some intense training before the last two events leading into the Olympics and well, lets just say i have never seen emotion like what i saw when we found out when we came off the water. Shock, disbelief i was left speechless it was like my heart was ripped out. I still have no idea what to do whether or not i should finish the season or just come home, i still don't know exactly what to say to my folks

I'm sure everyone has heard by now but - BUMP