It's all over. The organizers of the most prestigious wake-style kiteboarding event on the planet will no longer run the Triple-S Invitational.
The announcement was made in a lengthy statement issued by Real Watersports.
The kiteboarding event has been held non-stop since 2006 in the Outer Banks.
The company headquarters in Waves, North Carolina, is not clear on why exactly they decided to put an end to the iconic slider and kicker kiteboarding competition.
Real Watersports starts by saying that "the world is not ready." Then, they remind us of the evolutionary path from a no-prize money contest to a gender-equal event.
The Slider Park Will Continue
The Triple-S Invitational was also responsible for highlighting the best strapless kitesurfers and the most prolific wake-style kiteboarding performers.
It was also a social event with parties, music concerts, riding clinics, and a gathering of world-class kite riders.
"The riders, our incredible event staff, our sponsors, the musicians, and the fans concocted a piece of kiteboarding history and a road map of how to go forward with our sport," explains Trip Forman, founder of Real Watersports.
The organizers state that they feel they've "achieved our goals of establishing a solid foundation of how kiteboarding events should be run. From here, we will explore new events and endeavors."
Finally, the water sports company confirmed that the Real Slider Park will continue to exist and is free of charge whenever riders stay at Watermen's Retreat.