Come fly your kite

Organisers of the Tip Top Kite Day are hoping for a steady easterly to showcase the huge number of kites expected this Sunday at New Brighton.

Following a poor showing by the wind at the Nelson Summer Kite Festival last week-end, fliers and organisers are banking on the predominant and reliable easterlies to perk up flying at the Christchurch event.

Several of the international names at the Nelson event are making their way down to New Brighton where faithful easterlies have swept Kite Day to ever-soaring participation each year since 2005.

Fliers from England, Holland, Germany and Scotland, some of them regulars on the world kiting circuit, will demonstrate a wide range of inflatable kites at the event while Ashburton’s Peter Lynn, the Guinness World record holder for largest kite, will field a team for his world-famous kites.

The Peter Flynn team kites include orange octopus, maxi spiky fish, teddy bear with blue t-shirt, a maxi ray – as well as kite surfing and boating kites. (website: http://www.peterlynnkites.com).

The Kite Lady, Julie Adam, who has played a major part in putting the Christchurch event together since its inception, wishes for a nice and steady easterly. Ms Adam says a lot of the kite aficionados use the local kite festivals to test out new designs before showcasing them internationally.

Last week-end was not ideal kite flying weather, with high winds on the first day and none on the second, she says, adding that she was banking on past trends to bring about the perfect day for kite flying this Sunday.

Ms Adam, who will be flying the Sting Ray, Teddy Bear and Panda kites, Tapa Cloth and Tivaevae kite arches, operates the Kite Shop at Opawa and will be selling kites onsite at Kite Day.

Her other contributions will be many other small and interesting kites, windsocks and line and ground junk. (website: http://www.kites.co.nz/pages/gallery.htm)

Kite Day continues to grow, in number of participants, number of kites and the level of creativity and expertise, says Paula Hannon of the Christchurch City Council’s Events Team.

The fourth Kite Day is offering the opportunity for locals to fly kites alongside internationally-renowned kite flyers, and to sample the biggest, the best and the extraordinary from 1 pm to 4 pm at New Brighton Beach, says Ms Hannon.

ENDS

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