Radio Sheffield Interview 2/2/05

Radio Sheffield Interview - 2nd February 2005

With Dave, Liz & Jan

Click here to listen to the broadcast (thanks Jools) - 1.5Mb MP3 - hosted on Sheffield Kite Fliers web site.

One cold day in January I happened upon this posting on the message board:

Hello, Is anyone available between 12.30-1 / 2pm on Wednesday 2nd Feb for a spot of kite flying?? Radio Sheffield are doing a 15 minute piece on kite flying, to go on air at 2.45pm. They want someone / people who can demonstrate the flying, give the presenter a go and talk about flying on t'radio. Dave'll be going, but it'd be nice if there were someone else there as well. E-mail me back if you're able to go Cheers Liz

And as I'm lucky enough to work close by and it happened to be in my lunch time anyway the date was entered into my diary.

I arrived before the Radio Sheffield people arrived - only Jools, Boxer and Granville were already up there doing some buggying and boarding. I decided on getting my Revolution and the somewhat obscure Freevol LX quad line kite out. For once there was a nice wind blowing which would make the whole thing easier.

Very soon the Radio Sheffield presenter Bernie Clifton and his producer/ assistant Sarah arrived. It was quickly arranged that they would interview Dave and Liz about power kites and kiting in general, then talk to me about what I was flying and then Bernie would have a go with an Ozone Imp (small dual line parafoil). I continued messing around with the Revolution until the moment came when I heard "and lets go over to Jan". And then I had to think of good answers to questions quickly......

The interview bit done Bernie started going over to Dave & Liz with the Imp when Bernie decided to try his hand at Revolution flying (he had asked if it was OK before, but I assumed he was still going to go for the Imp as arranged). Now this put me on the spot - I find it hard enough trying to explain Revolution flying at the best of times (as anyone who has heard me explain will testify - e.g. "you know push your hand like this, not like that a bit more, you know...."). Trying to explain to a radio presenter whilst being recorded was even harder.

Upon Bernie's first attempt the Revolution did the usual trick of, spinning and crashing - which is what just about everyone experiences. Then the second attempt did the same. Then the third attempt Bernie managed to get the kite flying really well - but of course I hadn't explained anything other than launching and so after a few moments of flying (accompanied by the "whoooah" noises from Bernie on the broadcast) the Revolution went into the spin-of-death to the ground. I was then completely at a loss of how to explain to Bernie what had happened as I had never expected he would manange to fly the Revolution at all. But well done Bernie!

And after that he interviewed Liz and Freddy about dog dancing.

All that remained was to listen to the interview as it was broadcast later on. And the teasing from my family even later on.......

Text taken from my report on the Sheffield Kite Fliers web site