Design, Development, Testing and Integration of Leading Edge Kiteboarding Technology to Enhance Kiteboarder Comfort, Safety and Performance

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Building on the recent successful applied research project between Camosun College and Ocean Rodeo - Design, Testing and Fabrication of Harness & Control Bar Safety System for Kite boarding (File Number E 479710-15), the partnership is further enriching its collaboration with this exciting new project - "Design, Development, Testing and Integration of Leading Edge Kiteboarding Technology to Enhance Kiteboarder Comfort, Safety and Performance", a three year project. **Ocean Rodeo currently employs a team of 12 people in Victoria BC, up from 8 employees in 2015 and anticipate further increase in employees for 2017 & 2018. The company owns or holds exclusive license to 8 patents with 16 other applications pending. Exploitation of IP is a significant part of the growth strategy for Ocean Rodeo, and a significant component of Ocean Rodeo's goals of maintaining its place as the internationally recognized innovative leader within the industry. Ocean Rodeo currently exports its products to over 40 countries around the world. **Ocean Rodeo's management team have a strong history of success with partnering with Camosun both through the successful execution of a Level 1 NSERC-ARD grant, and also through their former sister company, Whites Manufacturing. **This project will address four themes critical to the development of Ocean Rodeo's next generation kiteboarding equipment system: (1) development of an integrated kite-control and harnesses system which is the next phase of development after the Engage grant activity that resulted in the creation of a safety-enhanced kiteboard control arm; (2) testing and selecting fabrics suitable for use in harsh-environments. This theme includes the development of testing methodology as well as carrying out textile testing, looking at factors that will include abrasion resistance, permeability, bias-testing, and accelerated long-term durability testing; (3) development and testing of a new zipper system and its integration with the most suitable fabrics determined from the second phase of this project; and finally (4) these three themes will be integrated into a highly unified, intuitive, and ergonomically designed kiteboarding system. **