The San Diego Kite Club (SDKC) has a long standing tradition of holding a annual fighter kite competition on December 31st. This event hugs our annual New Year’s Day fly, January 1st of each new year. The two events typically draw in a crowd and flying friends from out of state. Rainy weather affected both events but it didn’t stop crazy kite folks from huddling in the rain and flying between the showers. This year we expanded our day worth of fun by collaborating with Los Angeles Kite Club (LA Kite) and North American Fighter Kite Association (NAFKA). With 3 groups working together, this years competition was well planned and prepared to host a fighter kite competition and novice flight challenge. Read on to see what was in store had the weather not interrupted our plans. Here is a group photo and living proof that some of us couldn’t stay inside. James (Flash) Quinby drove nearly 900 miles just to hang out with us and compete. SDKC made sure to provide him with kites, merch and more. Much love goes out to you Flash!
The competition & flight challenge could not take place due to weather conditions. We had many things planned on the schedule for registered participants. A registration form was announced on social media and emailed to our subscribers as a formality. The form was used to help the San Diego Kite Club, LA Kite Club and NAFKA facilitate a free and well coordinated event. Listed below you can see most of what we planned for. For example…
-Fighter kite competition with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner prizes
-Novice Flight Challenge with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner prizes
-Prizes consisted of hand made fighter kites
-Lunch provided by SDKC
-Fighter kite souvenir pin
-Line sets and fighter kites provided by LA Kite Club. Along with a flight challenge created by Max Plisskin.
-Fighter kite competition rules, field arena layout, bracket system and other specifics were designed by NAFKA member Scott Bogue
-Free instructor lessons
-A traditional dragon trophy for whoever won first place
Check out the flyer we sent out to the flying community.
Thanks to a generous donation from Gail Lindsay. We had over 30 fighter kites to hand out to registered fliers as a gift and thank you for coming. Since attendance was low, those who showed up were spoiled with new kite gear and everyone got the fighter kite pin.
David Corning, our past president of 20 years always made the traditional dragon trophy. This year, Ziggy took on that assignment with the help of David’s guidance. Several text messages and a couple of phone calls helped get the job done. The trophy takes at least 20 hours to complete. Although it wasn’t handed out on December 31st. There are plans to reschedule the fighter kite competition during the 1st quarter of 2026.
Our founder Dan Willan has mentioned a couple of years when weather got in the way of festivities. It sure won’t be the last time. San Diego sure does bring the sunshine most days of the year. We can all rejoice in the tradition to gather and fly with or without a competition. A happy new year is inevitable. To all you fighter freaks out there. Share the joy, get out and find someone new to introduce fighter kite flying too. Victor Heredia, who makes Vic’s Fighters and owner of Kite Country, said, “We need to keep fighter kites in the sky and the tradition of flying them alive.” The San Diego Kite Club, LA Kite and NAFKA all agree. Thanks for reading and looking.
