Kiting News
 Rest
In Peace, Paul
It is with extreme sadness that we report the death of
Northwest sportkiter Paul Dehope. Paul lost his battle with
cancer on December 30,1999; after a long and courageous fight.
While weakened by chemotherapy, Paul put together team
'Swarm", and gave everyone a run for their money in '99.
After watching Paul and Swarm fly a raucous, thrilling ballet
at Ocean Shores last summer, we wrote:
"First up, was a new team, "Swarm", made up of
Paul DeHope, Dan
Brown, and Kerry Haines. They took the field with their
California Wasps, snapped them to a tight formation landing, and
waited for the music to start, poised like greyhounds at the
starting block. To the Wagner opus "Ride Of The Valkyries"
(remember the helicopter scene in "Apocalypse Now"?),
they flew an intricate, crack-snap-stab-lunge routine, very
reminiscent of Airkraft in their prime. When they stabbed the
final landings on the last beat of the tune, my mouth was
hanging open."
"Lending an even more surreal air to Swarm's sneak
attack is the fact that team captain Paul DeHope has just
finished chemotherapy in his battle with cancer. He doesn't
sport Michael Jordan's hairdo by choice.... in his case, it is
the sign of a warrior."
Rest in peace, our warrior friend.
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Good Grief! Has The Kite-Eating Tree Finally Triumphed?
Fans of the Sunday funnies know that Charles Schulz, the creator of
"Peanuts," is retiring in early 2000. He was recently diagnosed
with colon cancer, and now Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Schroeder, Pigpen,
Peppermint Patty, and Snoopy will retire after decades of not growing up.
Over the years, Charlie Brown's third biggest failing - after never
kicking the football that Lucy held, and never winning a baseball game -
is that his kite can never escape the clutches of the kite-eating tree.
Every single kiteflyer has viscerally identified with Charlie Brown as
we've struggled to disentangle a kite from some arboreal menace. Charles
Schulz has probably done more to keep kiteflying in the public eye than
any other human in history.
We at KiteLife.com want to wish Charles Schulz a happy retirement, and
hope he recovers speedily from his illness. We promise to keep Charlie
Brown's kiteflying legacy alive by landing at least one kite in a tree
every year.
If you want to send your own best wishes to Schulz, you can write to
him care of:
United Media
200 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Or e-mail comics@unitedmedia.com
Buggy Events
Racing vs. Fun
Challenge 2000 and NAPRA
Kite buggying/Parakarting has grown, flourished and diversified all
over the world in the past few years. Racing happens to be just one
facet of this ever growing diversification.
In observing the latest developments and trends of Parakart
Associations from around the world, one sees a harmonizing effect
bringing all associations to a common ground. In Racing, this has been
the adoption and membership to FISLY (Federation International de Sand
and Land Yachting).
To date, no one has stepped forth to fill the void in North American
Parakarting with other countries. On Dec. 1, 1999 the North America
Parakart Racing Association was formed for this purpose.
Our mission is to bring North American Parakart Racing to the same
international standards. NAPRA will be actively participating in both
racing and organization on an international level, but also to foster
the development and promotion of Parakart/Buggying as a whole.
NAPRA will be holding it's first International Race this year.
"Challenge 2000 - Parakart World Cup" (Mar. 2-7, 2000, Ivanpah)
is the first FISLY Class 8 race to be held in the US. Participants from
all over the world will be here to pit their skills, techniques, and
stamina against each other. A very challenging circuit race consisting
of five, thirty minute qualifying races and a forty minute Grand Finale
over the span of two days. This tough challenge comes with big prizes,
$1500 US cash and $2000 in equipment.
If you would like to witness or participate in this World class event
go to the NAPRA web site [www.parakart.org]
and click on the Challenge 2000 link.
Provided by the NAPRA
SBBB VI, March 8-13 2000
Immediately following the NAPRA event, the "For Fun" Spring
Break Buggy Blast will be occurring, also at Ivanpah. This event looks
like a lot of fun, and we have heard great things from past years'
attendees. Our own Mike Dooley will be there, kickin' up dust and
bringing back great pictures and stories from this annual event.
Complete details are at http://www.kone.org/sbbb2000/index.htm
No News Is Bad News
We had hoped to report more information on the World Sportkite
Championships in this issue, but unfortunately there is really none to
give you. It is unsettling that with the event only 4 weeks away, there
has been no information offered on travel details for competitors,
media, and spectators. We will forward info as it becomes available to
our maillist members.
