I found these interesting

[nG]

Interesting Video about those crazy thermals lifting ppl straight up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjrFW_yXCzY

100+ may seem like a bid distance, but not when kite starts looping w/o control
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1A9L95WhXo

[adseguy]

Oh man. I've had the second video happen to me. It's scary and makes you stay away from obstacles for awhile. I'm getting too careless again. Thanks for the vids

[jojy]

All I got to say about the secound clip, is that even the pro's can have accidents no metter if their certified or not - AND NO, I'M NOT AGAINST BEEN A CERTIFIED KITER - my point is that nobody is immune from having a fall from time to time.......

Saying that as a noob of curse..

[nG]

yup, and especially those little kids! there were in kites path!

what can one do in moment like this? pull suicide leash?

[Rorke]

regarding the second vid...
Imagine that loop happening in onshore winds.

Onshore = Bad

I love the Grasshopper's style. There are old vids of him where he'd just jump or bust a little move every 2 seconds.

Thanks for the vids

[themooshes1]

The second video happened to me on Maui, I had already released my kite but was still getting dragged by my leash. I had to cut it off of me. Thankfully I was a ways off shore but I still lost the kite and bar but walked away with nothing more then a bruised ego and a bill for the replacement. I was honestly surprised that I could even get to my knife and physically get it done, lots of forces pulling on you at that moment.

Moral, practice...make sure you are comfortable enough to get to your equipment even with other factors (skipping off the water by a powered looping kite for instance) working against you.

It made me feel a little better when the people on the beach told me I did the right thing though. Scary but made me feel good that I now know I am capable of keeping my head when a situation turns bad.