In the last issue, we wrote:

For the last several seasons, the AKM circuit has used a calendar-year season, with their keystone event, the "All American", being held at different times of the year, at different locations. The AKA season runs from August 1-July 31, with their top event, the Nationals, being held as a part of the AKA Annual Convention.

In our last issue, we suggested that the two organizations join forces, and synchronize their seasons, and top events. Our view is that US sportkite competitors would be best served by the AKM adopting the same season as the AKA, and holding the All-American at the AKA Convention.

This move would require compromise on both sides. In recent years, the AKA Nationals have been an invitation-only event. Only the top three placements in each geographic conference are issued invitations. The All-American, on the other hand, has always been an Open event, allowing all to compete. We feel that the time has come for the AKA to make the Nationals an open event, also. All other competitions at the AKA Convention (fighters, rok battle, comprehensives) are open to all comers. To our view, additional time would not be needed, as two days are already allocated. Any extra volunteer needs would be easily covered by the contestants, as at every other US festival.

The AKA would also need to ensure that AKM circuit winners were adequately recognized, and embrace the Circuit as an integral part of the event.

The American Kite Circuit would need to change their season. I spoke with a member of the committee last week, and he acknowledged that they are discussing this move. He suggested that the 1999 season may run from January 1 to July 31, with following seasons spanning the period of August 1- July 31, mirroring the AKA season.

The AKM source also said that they are looking into the possibility of holding the 1999 All-American at the site of the AKA Nationals, in Indiana, the weekend before the event. He indicated that the AKM committee feels that the fliers want a separate event from the AKA. Please take a second to answer the poll below, regarding where you feel the American Kite Circuit should hold the "All American". The choices are as follows:

1. Free-standing event, such as '97 at Long Beach, WA or '97 at Grand Haven, MI.

2. At the same location as the AKA Convention, but the weekend before convention activities start.

3. As a combined event with the AKA Nationals, at the AKA Convention.

Richard Dermer, AKA President, sent us the following response to last month's challenge.

PART 2: Hail to the IRBC

We would like to applaud the efforts of the International Rule Book Committee for their efforts in producing the new sportkite rulebook. It obviously had a lot of time and energy devoted to it, and will make a good structure for the sport's stability and future growth.

In its original form, there were a few items in the book that caused concern among fliers. Chief among those were the severe penalties to be administered to those violating competition field boundaries. As originally written, a boundary violation would have disqualified a competitor from the entire event.

A firestorm of controversy followed, both at events and on the Internet. The feedback led to the IRBC re-evaluating the rule, and altering the language to make the penalties less draconian. Democracy at work, great job, all.

Now that we have that issue resolved, we asked for clarification of another clause in the rulebook, detailing music editing for ballet events.

Here is the section that we questioned (the italics are provided for emphasis):

"The intent of this rule is to avoid performances where the competitor has spliced together two or more disparate pieces of music with no apparent theme.

We at KiteLife hope that this statement clarifies the intent of the music guideline.