Welcome the 24’th Annual AKA Convention in Billings, Montana The 2001 Comprehensive Kitemaking Competition:

This year’s event will run almost the same as last year except with a few additions, revisions, and enhancements. Last year the committee listened to your concerns and learned that most kite makers wanted a PRE competition meeting to review the rulebook and to go over the procedures of the competition. In response, we are including a question and answer seminar prior to the competition on Wednesday, October 3 at 9:00 am. I urge all those who will be entering to attend this meeting. Members from the Kitemaking Competition Committee will be available as well as Judges who will be scoring your entries.  Bring your ideas, bring your concerns, and bring your questions.  We will do our best to address them.  In addition we will again hold the usual POST competition meeting on Saturday October 6 at 9:00 am. We will review the this year's competition and ask for your feedback for ways to improve next year.

One of the biggest changes for 2001 is the creation of a new category titled “Line Art.” The committee is excited about this addition because we’ve been attending festivals and observing large quantities of unique and decorative line items and themes being made by kite builders. We realized the only recognition available at the convention was the People’s Choice award.  As prestigious as this award is, it doesn’t quantify the skills that go into the creation of these objects. Our committee discussed at length how to run this new category and in the end, decided in order to encourage the most creativity and expression, a simple description would be best.  This year, the official definition for Line Art will be:

LINE ART:
"Line Art includes a lifter kite and everything attached to its line.  The builder is free to use his imagination and is limited only by his creativity and what the lifter kite can raise.  As in every other category, the entry will be judged for Flight, Visual Appeal, Craftsmanship, and Structural Design.  With all things being equal, the entry using a home made kite will be judged higher than the entry with a manufactured kite.”

The rest of the competition will run as described in the AKA’s Rules and Guidelines for Kitemakers’ Competitions, Third Edition.  Partial rulebooks are available for free at the AKA website, or you can purchase a complete hardcopy for $5.00 at the AKA Retail Store (610-395-3560).  The competition will run Wednesday and Thursday, October 3-4.  (Please refer to your convention program for any changes to seminar or competition schedules) We will be judging the following categories of kites at these designated times:

*Cooperatively built kites will be flown with kites of their like category.
Categories highlighted in BLUE historically are the most heavily competed.

In addition, we will be honoring the usual Special Awards: 

Best Use of Traditional Materials
Most Innovative
Mixed Media
Novice 1, 2, 3
Special Recognition
Awards for the highest score in each of the four criteria
Grand National Champion 

I will remind you that every kite will receive a total score that will come from an even 25% in four criteria:  Visual Appeal, Flight, Craftsmanship, and Structural Design.  Each category will begin promptly and will start with a mass ascension from the ground (with the exception of Line Art & Arches/Ribbons). No pre-registration is necessary, however, YOU MUST SIGN UP 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF YOUR SCHEDULED CATEGORY.  In the event that there are too few entrants in any category we may hold an “Open / Combined Category” as the last class of the competition on Thursday afternoon. 

Remember, if you are unable to attend the convention, you can still enter your kite as proxy.  Find a friend who will be attending and let him enter your kite.  All we ask is a small $25.00 entry fee and a letter prior to the convention addressed to the convention manager stating your arrangements. 

If you have any questions please email me directly Here >>>

See you in Billings!

~Steve Ferrel, Head Judge 2001

* For more information on the entire AKA Convention, Go Here >>>
* For more information on how to join the American Kitefliers Association, Go Here >>>
* To view the results from last year's competiton in Treasure Island, Florida: Go Here >>>

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