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Team HuskerBoard
Irregular News for 01.05.06
Cape Canaveral, FL -- A bizarre accident sent a kiteboarder in Brevard County to the hospital Tuesday afternoon. A big gust of wind carried the man attached to his kite right into a building.
In the kiteboarding community they call it a kitemare. Authorities said the man was actually onshore, trying to put away his kiteboarding gear, when a gust of wind picked him and took him for a ride he wasn't expecting.
The man was taken to the hospital to be checked out. He was pulled about a hundred yards into a tree. Witnesses said he tried to hold on to a two-by-four holding the tree in place, but the two-by-four came loose. He was pulled about 15 feet into the air and hit the roof of the bathroom facilities here at the Cape Canaveral park and put a dent into the metal before coming down on the other side.
After the accident, several fellow kiteboarders called it quits for the day. Experienced athletes said there are a number of safety releases to keep kite-boarders from getting caught at the mercy of the wind.
"There's a ton of stuff that you can buy now that prevents every type of situation possible, so if they are using old stuff and they are not protecting themselves, that can happen," said kiteboarder Gina LaFramboise.
Kiteboarders said it's not unusual to get about 20 feet into the air with the right gust of wind. Kiteboarders recommend inexperienced riders not try the sport in the gusty wind, where it's blowing back toward the barrier island.
Full Story
Cape Canaveral, FL -- A bizarre accident sent a kiteboarder in Brevard County to the hospital Tuesday afternoon. A big gust of wind carried the man attached to his kite right into a building.
In the kiteboarding community they call it a kitemare. Authorities said the man was actually onshore, trying to put away his kiteboarding gear, when a gust of wind picked him and took him for a ride he wasn't expecting.
The man was taken to the hospital to be checked out. He was pulled about a hundred yards into a tree. Witnesses said he tried to hold on to a two-by-four holding the tree in place, but the two-by-four came loose. He was pulled about 15 feet into the air and hit the roof of the bathroom facilities here at the Cape Canaveral park and put a dent into the metal before coming down on the other side.
After the accident, several fellow kiteboarders called it quits for the day. Experienced athletes said there are a number of safety releases to keep kite-boarders from getting caught at the mercy of the wind.
"There's a ton of stuff that you can buy now that prevents every type of situation possible, so if they are using old stuff and they are not protecting themselves, that can happen," said kiteboarder Gina LaFramboise.
Kiteboarders said it's not unusual to get about 20 feet into the air with the right gust of wind. Kiteboarders recommend inexperienced riders not try the sport in the gusty wind, where it's blowing back toward the barrier island.
Full Story