Reinventing kiteboard equipment

Catastrophic failure was the fate of the first prototype plastic control bars created by Victoria-based kiteboarding company Ocean Rodeo. Under tests simulating the force of wind, the weight of a kiteboarder and the torque of performing tricks, the bars broke, cracked and exploded. Experts at Camosun College fixed the problems and tested the new bars to prove they exceeded industry-standard strength tests. Now, Ocean Rodeo has increased sales by incorporating the rust- and corrosion-resistant bars not only into its own kiteboards, but also as components for other kiteboard makers.

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