My condolences to the kids family & friends. I won't even presume to imagine how his family are feeling, but I do know what his friends are feeling.

I raced cars for many years, & as with many sports, most of my friends did also. One mate I raced against in sports cars, & then again in F11 racing cars.

We owned the same type of old Lotus, & swapped bits to help each other get to race meetings, when our old cars were broken.

He was killed when another car crashed into a wall, & bounced back into the track in front of him. It was just bad luck, & we missed him, & had great sympathy for his family.

His wife sponsored a memorial race for him, at the track where he was killed, not far from his home.

I won that race despite a failed clutch operating system. I reckon I could have carried my car, & won that race, I wanted it so much.

The trophy is one of my most valued possessions, & says it all really. The inscription is a quote of Fangio's, perhaps the greatest ever driver, when another driver was killed back in his day.

"To race is to live, & those who died while racing knew how to live, perhaps, more than all others". Good by young surfer, may you be long remembered.

Yes have to agree, we do not yet know what bought about this sad death.
It could be unrelated to the event.
And some comments, one from legal bloke is way out there.
It sadly is our nature to get in to kicking events after they take place.

Risk is to life as salt is to food, a relief to its blandness.
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

As a mother and a gran - I know my choice would
be for a "mortal" child than an "immortal" one
and a "trophy" on a shelf - would be small comfort indeed.
Still it's not my choice to make, such is life.
I would still fight for some sort of age limit - when
kids are a bit stronger - mentally and physically to
bear the full brunt of "mother nature." Is a fourteen year
old really qualified for events such as these? After-all
these events are supposed to be for "iron-men," not children.

Lexi,

I feel pain when I read of this young man's death. Neither of my children are particularly 'sporty'. They are active, but they are totally different to myself at the same age. I was slightly built, small, wiry and strong. When I think of all my adventures on the ocean, it would have been easy for me to come to grief - didn't happen, and I suppose to a certain extent it was due to the luck of the draw, my own competence and strength for my size...and perhaps the fact that I chose my own challenges and not those that were chosen for me.

Lexi on this one you miss the point entirely.

Yes your kids can sit for ever on a big chair, in a nice safe room, watching TV, or movies, & provided they don't choke on their snacks, they will probably remain safe, as they grow fat.

Or they can go out, into the big dangerous world & ride a wave, belt/kick a ball or ride a horse. If done in competition so much the better, as it is the striving that makes the man, or woman. It's the striving that fulfills the emotions, & the soul, & gives life meaning.

Some ladies appear to gain this satisfaction by giving birth, although going by our many world champion ladies I doubt it. I can of course never know on that.

If you can not understand or feel the emotion behind the quote, I am truly sorry for you.