Best Of '99
Here is our annual look at the
people, places and things that made a positive difference for the kiting sport in 1999.
Nominations for the categories were taken from all Kitelife staff, and a committee of
staff members made the final selections.
Kite Of The Year
252 Sutton Flowform
This old standby graces the skies at almost every festival, and is unsurpassed
in its ability to draw folks from afar. The 252 Sutton Flowform has been around for ages,
and its ease of flying and striking
looks have ensured its ongoing popularity.
Anyone who attended Wildwood '99 will not soon forget the site of over 40
of these gentle giants coloring the sky.
Kite Manufacturer Of The Year
Prism Design
Repeating as our winner is Prism Design, from Seattle, Washington, USA. This
company was firing on all cylinders again in '99, continuing to set the standard for
design excellence, innovation, and customer care.
Early in the year, they launched the Prophecy, Elixir, and Stylus lines
with great success; then followed up late in the year with the Legacy, an outstanding
entry-level to intermediate full-size kite that will define the category.
Their leadership in utilizing the power of the Internet continues, with
their fabulous new site that launched on January 1.
Kite Festival Of The Year
Wildwood International Kite Festival
What can be said about Wildwood that hasn't been written before? The '99
rendition was simply incredible. It featured the largest sportkite competitor field in the
US (40% more than the second-biggest!), a large number of invited single-line showkiters,
a super job
by
the local clubs, and fantastic weather and crowds.
The Sky Festivals gang knows their stuff, and proves it every year.
Sportkite Flier Of The Year
Lam Hoac
This talented Canadian did it all in '99. Lam excelled on the competition
field, winning individual ballet at the AKA Nationals, and a close 2nd place in quad
ballet. Another area of strength is his indoor style. With
a smooth, easy grace, he
never fails to impress. Added to this is the fact that Lam is an award-winning kitemaker.
Lam is a true showman, and a credit to our sport.
Person Of The Year
Roger Chewning
Roger is the driving force behind many of the top kite festivals in the
United States. His company, Sky Festivals, has over 100 successful events under their
belt, and each one is better than the previous. For
Roger, "Quality is a moving target"; he
constantly is working to improve the experience of attending the festival.
Chewning does a superb job at "outreach".. making his festivals
a fun-filled day for the non-kiteflier; and does an even better job of ensuring that his
festivals are memorable events for the participants.
Besides being (arguably) the top festival promoter in the world, Roger is
the Editor of "Kiting", the AKA newsletter. Under his guidance, Kiting has
matured into a glossy color publication; and has become a great benefit for AKA members.
Special Recognition
The American Kiteflier's Association and the Kite Trade Association
International for National Kite Month
The first National Kite Month, held last April, ranks as a great step
forward for creating greater public awareness of modern kiting. The AKA and KTAI provided
the seed money for this initiative, and put the funds to great use.
NKM had several components: National coverage for four large festivals,
and local coverage for smaller events. Both components were smashing successes, with over
140 TV pieces about NKM, and countless numbers of kiting stories in local media.
This year's NKM is shaping up to be even bigger and better. Visit the website, and register your
event!
Thanks to all of the above for making 1999 a great year for kiting. 
