SBC Kiteboard - Kiteboarding 101 Display

Slingshot Sports, LLC Separates with Ruben Lenten

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:14:00 -0500

Press Release: 2/1/2013 - Slingshot Sports, LLC Separates with Ruben Lenten.

Slingshot Sports has separated with Ruben Lenten. According to Slingshot Team Manager Mauricio Abreu, “Slingshot has always been a brand that builds both leaders and champions, but we don’t buy them. It is an end of a great era - a time when our products and Rubens riding literally took the sport to the highest level possible today. We are now looking forward to kiteboarding’s next era of champions to take the sport beyond what we are currently capable of.”

According to Jeff Logosz Slingshot CEO “Ruben has been a part of our family since he was only thirteen. We have deep-seated roots with Ruben as we have watched this kid grown into a man and transform the realm of possibility in our sport. On behalf of the entire global Slingshot family we wish Ruben the best in achieving his dreams. “

With the end of an Era comes a new chapter for kiteboarding with new faces and new possibilities. Slingshot has always had a firm belief that eventually “Youth Serves.” The company is excited about the opportunity to build a new Youth Brigade and support them in their dreams of advancing kiteboarding to the next level.

Slingshot is deeply committed to the Fuel and the hardcore riders that have made this kite a legacy. Over the last 14 years the Slingshot crew has dedicated endless time and effort channeling their passion for Watersports to people throughout the world. Established in 1999, Slingshot Sports LLC has worked diligently to establish a solid reputation in the Kiteboarding, Wakeboarding and Standup Paddle markets by manufacturing high-quality products through innovative construction and design standards, and presenting an image that is unique, edgy and young.

The Slingshot vision is steadfast and the company will continue to innovate legendary products for riders who have incredible dreams. Stay tuned – Slingshot’s track record of creating champions is unrivaled. You won’t want to miss the excitement that is sure to accompany this next era.

JUPITER KITE INVASION 2012 - RESULTS

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:48:00 -0500

9th ANNUAL JUPITER KITE INVASION RESULTS -

SUP Berger Pro Comp
1st Packet Casey
2nd Dasher Films
3rd Damien LeRoy (Cabrinha)

Am Freestyle
1st Shawn Buel
2nd Brandon Cordina
3rd Kai Calder

Masters Freestyle
1st Michael Carson (rides Cabrinha)
2nd Ritchie Gardner
3rd Shawn Cole (rides GK)

Pro Womens Freestyle
1st Melissa Gil (Cabrinha)
2nd Alexandra Menk
3rd Monica Banks

Pro Mens Freestyle
1st Luis Cruz (StarKites)
2nd Nico Suriel (StarKites)
3rd Tom Fields (North)

Pro Womens Strapless
1st Melissa Gil (Cabrinha)
2nd Marina Marcelli

Pro Mens Strapless
1st Matt Collins
2nd Jon Berger
3rd Jeremy Lund

http://www.sbckiteboard.com/video_display/video:4864/Jupiter-Kite-Invasion-2012

2012 JUPITER KITE INVASION VIDEO PLAYLIST - http://bit.ly/2012-JKI -
DATE: January 27-29 2012 -
LOCATION: Shower head # 33 - http://bit.ly/JunoKiteBeach -

2012 KSP Tour Schedule

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:20:00 -0500

2012 Kite Surf Pro Tour Schedule

Maui, Hawaii — February 1, 2012: Following a groundbreaking and highly successful inaugural season, which pushed competitive kite surfing to epic new heights, the KSP is pleased to announce its widely anticipated 2012 World Championship Kite Surfing Tour schedule.

Featuring world-class venues, the KSP Tour once again promises nothing short of the most phenomenal surf conditions for the world’s kite surfing elite to battle it out over the coveted IKA-sanctioned World Championship title. All four Kite Surf Pro events will feature a 10-day holding period and a €15,000 prize purse.

The KSP Tour will kick off at Europe’s kite surfing mecca, Guincho Beach in Cascais, Portugal, from June 1 to 10. The side-onshore wind conditions at Guincho’s right-hand beach break will surely expose the progressive new school aerial movement, bringing it to the forefront of competitive kitesurfing for the world to witness.

Stop two will take the KSP back to 2011’s kickoff location, Le Morne, Mauritius for the One Eye Pro, scheduled September 7 to 16. A long, left-hand reef break famous for its strong side-offshore winds and barreling, near-perfect, head-high to quadruple-overhead surf, One Eye will keep this year’s crowd on edge, waiting to see what conditions it dishes up — especially after last year’s jaw-dropping spectacle.

Next up, Europe’s secret kite surfing jewel and home to one of the planet’s biggest waves, Ireland. Running from October 19 to 28, Ireland’s Kite Surf Pro will incorporate a unique mobile format, capable of showcasing each day’s action at the choicest of locations on the country’s wild and swell-abundant west coast.

Bringing the KSP’s 2012 tour to a close, Maui’s legendary North Shore will host the pinnacle of the Kite Surfing World Championship Tour — the Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro — running November 29 to December 8. One of the world’s most highly regarded wind and wave locations, Ho’okipa is generally reserved as a surfing and windsurfing only venue. The Ho’okipa Kite Surf Pro will mark the first-ever World Championship kite surf competition at the infamous Hawaiian reef break.

“I really don’t think we could have wished for a better and more well-rounded tour for the 2012 season,” says Tour President Kristin Boese. “It is going to be exciting to see which riders will do best in all the different conditions. We managed to meet the demands of the riders to add a side-onshore beach break to the calendar with the event in Guincho. We are just as excited about the Ireland event that is going to be a total box of chocolates with amazing potential. And Ho’okipa and One Eye are without a question two of the places that we had on our wish list from the very first talks about the tour.”

“I am also really looking forward to working with our amazing group of local organizers that have already become such a strong part of the KSP,” Boese continues. “We are all so excited to see what incredible treasures await us in 2012.”

As reigning World Champions Airton Cozzolino (Italy/North Kiteboarding) and Ines Correia (Portugal) defend their titles amidst a field of 24 men and 12 women at each Kite Surf Pro event, an International Surfing Association-accredited panel of judges will once again score the year’s next-level riding. With 20 countries represented on tour last year, 2012 will surely draw a wide range of talent from across the globe.

Featuring a live webcast with live scoring, 2012’s Kite Surf Pro events will broadcast the heat-by-heat action around the world in real time. Additionally, the new season will also bring another round of Fantasy League, with some major prizes up for grabs.

For more information about the KSP World Championship Tour, please visit KSPworldtour.com or email info@kspworldtour.com. Follow the KSP on Facebook at facebook.com/KSPworldtour or on Twitter at twitter.com/KSPworldtour.

2012 KSP World Championship Tour Schedule
June 1 to 10 — Cascais, Portugal
September 7 to 16 — Le Morne, Mauritius
October 19 to 28 — West Coast, Ireland
November 29 to December 8 — Maui, Hawaii, USA

ABOUT THE KSP
Sanctioned by the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA), the Kite Surf Pro (KSP) is the official World Championship kite surfing tour, an e.V. non-profit association launched in 2011 by a visionary group of World Champion kite surfers, aiming to showcase the pinnacle of kite surfing in the best conditions on the planet.

A class association within the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the IKA governs the sport of kiteboarding, which is broken up into three main disciplines: freestyle kiteboarding, kiteboard racing and kite surfing (surfing with a kite).

2011 Triple-S Results: Best Events Recap

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:42:00 -0500

Best Kiteboarding Events of 2011 Recap
Triple-S, Cape Hatteras, NC, USA

Friday, June 10th, the final day of the Triple-S Invitational, saw strong SW winds and a full day (and night!) of action on and off the water. Riders hit the water at 10am for SLICKS freestyle action. This session lasted about 3 hours with riders throwing down every trick in the book in nearly perfect flatwater conditions!

After a quick lunch break, the winds built allowing riders to rig down to 6m-9m kites, to head out and hit the entire REAL Slider Park, all in one run! Riders would start at the top of The Slick and hit the rails in this order: Best Rooftop, JWCF A-Frame, Liquid Force Wallride, REAL Kicker then the REAL Up Flat UP! After the run was completed, they’d work their way back upwind and do it all over again!
The Triple-S Awards Ceremony and Dinner kicked off at 7pm with Mojo’s Sunset Café serving up Prime Rib on the grill, and Dub Island Sound System and The Dubplates winding up the crowd into a dancing boil!
This year’s Triple-S winners saw even more specialization and advancement within each riding discipline, as well as many riders rolling all three SSS dice in hopes of winning the Triple-S Overall Crown. What went down during the last week in Cape Hatteras, truly represents the forefront of our sport. There’s no doubt in anyone’s minds.

THANK YOU to all the Triple-S riders for attending and riding in this year’s event. THANKS also to all the Triple-S spectators who came out every day and night to cheer them on!

SPECIAL THANKS to all the 2011 Triple-S Invitational sponsors including REAL, Kona Brewing Company, John Wayne Cancer Foundation, Outer Beaches Realty, Watermen’s Retreat, Ocean Atlantic Rentals, Best Kiteboarding, BWS, Liquid Force Kiteboarding, Slingshot, Loopio Light and Sound, LTR, Red Bull, Oakley, Dakine, Kiteboarding Magazine, Rebootizer and Mojo’s Sunset Café!
Don’t miss next year’s Triple-S Invitational June 2nd-8th in Cape Hatteras, NC!

2011 Triple-S Invitational Final Results

Men’s Surf
1. Mark Miedama
2. Josh Mulcoy
3. Jon Modica
4. Sam Bell
5. Davey Blair

Women’s Surf
1. Adriana Harlan
2. Bruna Kajiya
3. Lulu Vroman

Men’s Slick
1. Aaron Hadlow
2. Billy Parker
3. Sam Light
4. Brandon Scheid
5. Brian Smith
Women’s Slick
1. Bruna Kajiya
2. Kris Kinn
3. Lulu Vroman
Men’s Slider
1. Billy Parker
2. Brandon Scheid
3. Aaron Hadlow
4. Sam Light
5. Tom Court

Women’s Slider
1. Bruna Kajiya
2. Lulu Vroman
3. Kris Kinn

Men’s Overall
1. Brandon Scheid
2. Brian Smith
3. Billy Parker
4. Aaron Hadlow
5. Davey Blair

Women’s Overall
1. Bruna Kajiya
2. Lulu Vroman
3. Adriana Harlan

Best Session
1. Billy Parker
2. Aaron Hadlow
3. Brandon Scheid

Best Wipeout
1. Brandon Scheid
2. Brian Smith
3. Jake Kelsick

Slickstyle Attitude Award
Jason Slezak, who then gave it to Joby Cook!

Rookie of the Year
Rick Jensen

Grinch Winch Rail Jam
1. Billy Parker
2. Chris Burke
3. Sam Light

Day 2- La Ventana Classiic 2012

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:05:00 -0500

The day started bright and early! 7am as we loaded the boats and headed over with 99 racers to the uninhabited island. As we waited for the wind to fill riders built fires hung out, had scavenger hunts and more….

Team Cabrinha was on a mission as Rob Douglas is all about Power and Speed. He influenced the whole team to race 11 meter kites across the 11 mile run back to land. Most racers were on 9 meter kites and 7 meter kites.

The new boys Daniel and Brandon hung on to their 11 meter kites as their 130 pound bodies were being towed at max speeds across the water. The smiles on the kids, as they finished was something to see as they blew by people on the downwind leg. Rob Douglas, Brian Lake and Myself got in front with the lead pack and battled. Rob exploded and kept on fighting but lost valuable ground. Brian and myself were battling for second as Johnny had a nice lead. Brian and I rounded the home stretch neck and neck and about 10 feet from the finish I stuck my nose in and cart wheeled across the water. It was so awesome…. Photo Finish!

We wasted no time going in to freestyle. As teammate Richey and I were up in the first heat. It was game on the two of us managed to put on a show and advance…. Not bad for the “Old Guys”. They tried to run a few more heats and the wind shut off and we went on hold….

That’s all for now….. Course racing tomorrow….. Damo

Ponta Preta KSP update: Day 5

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:24:00 -0500

Sal Island, Cape Verde — December 6, 2011: With wind and waves lacking this morning at the 9:30 a.m. rider’s meeting, KSP organizers called a lay day.

Less than promising, the wave forecast projects no swell for the final five days of the Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro’s 10-day holding period. Given the dismal forecast, KSP organizers and the rider’s committee made a joint decision to move the awards ceremony forward to Wednesday, December 7.

“The KSP’s aim is to run events in prime locations in the prime seasons, ideally in world class conditions,” states Sky Solbach, Vice President of the KSP World Championship Tour. "But even with a 10-day holding period and prime locations on the schedule you can not guarantee to get the conditions.”

While sufficient swell failed to materialize for the event, some swell did hit Cape Verde’s Sal Island during the holding period. However, event directors only allowed the completion of one heat, as the surf fell far below the KSP’s contestable standards.

“From the KSP’s perspective,” Solbach says, “we would rather not run a competition than run a competition in poor conditions where riders are not able to ride to their full potential and which does not reflect positively on the image of kitesurfing.”

Concluding the third leg of the KSP’s World Championship Kite Surfing Tour awards for the expression sessions held will be given away tomorrow night at Odjo d’ Agua. As the highlight of the event, the KSP will also crown the men’s and women’s 2011 Kite Surfing World Champions.

Don’t miss the live webstream broadcast at kspworldtour.com/live, starting at 7 p.m. Cape Verdean time.

The KSP 2011 Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro is supported by Camera Municipal do Sal, Cape Verde Investment Promotion Agency, CVTelecom, Melia Tortuga Beach, Villaggi Bravo, Cabocan, TAP Portugal, ASA, APP, Sal Affitti and BoinxTV. The KSP World Championship Tour is sponsored by ION and Vitamizzer.

KSP update: Ponta Preta KSP closes in

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:38:00 -0500

Sal Island, Cape Verde — December 1, 2011: Bringing the KSP’s 2011 Kite Surfing World Championship Tour to a close, the Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro will kick off tomorrow, Friday December 2 with an online broadcast streamed live at KSPworldtour.com/live.

During the event’s 10-day holding period, running from December 2 to 11, the world’s best kite surfers will come together at one of most mind-blowing kite surfing waves on the planet — Sal Island’s infamous right-hand point break, Ponta Preta.

Competing for the tour stop title at the pinnacle of the World Championships — the third and final leg of the KSP’s “dream tour” — riders will also vie for valuable points that count toward the 2011 Kite Surfing World Championship title. The male and female World Champions will be crowned at the event’s conclusion.

“Going into this final event of the first ever KSP season, everyone is especially excited,” says KSP President Kristin Boese, “not only in anticipation of the action here at Ponta Preta, but also to see who is actually going to take the world championship title.”

After the first two KSP stops in Mauritius and Peru, current standings put Airton Cozzolino (Italy/North), Mitu Monteiro (Cape Verde/F-One) and Guilly Brandao (Brazil) in first, second and third, respectively, while Ines Correia (Portugal), Marie Gautron (France/Naish), and Kristin Boese (Germany/Best) lead the women’s pack. (Visit KSPworldtour.com/2011-rankings for the full list of standings.)

Led by Head Judge Brad Price (HI), the team of IKA-accredited judges includes Carla Twelkemeyer (GER), Caro Duby (FRA), Felix Pivec (AUS), Lex Donse (NED) and Jerome Boggio-Pasqua (CBV). Competitors will be scored on a scale of .1 to 10 for each wave ridden, with a heat score that combines the best two waves for a maximum of 20 points total.

Designed to give undiscovered talent a chance to compete with kite surfing’s elite, Local Wild Cards for the KSP’s Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro were awarded through a local competition. Jose Djo Silva and Matchu Almeida won the male Cape Verde wild cards while Diamira Lopez will be representing her country on the women’s side.

The women’s lineup will include:

Adriana Harlan (HAW), Diamira Lopez (CBV) LWC, Ines Correia (POR), Kirsty Jones (GBR/North), Kristin Boese (GER/Best), Maayke Tadema (NED/Best), Marie Gautron (FRA/Naish), Melissa Gil (USA), Ninja Bichler, (MAU/North), Odile Cavin (FRA), Suzanne Kuiper (NED/F-One), Tomoko Okazaki (JPN)

The men’s lineup will include:

Airton Cozzolino (ITA/North), Bastien Bollard (FRA/Underground), Bear Karry (USA), Bruno Bordovsky (BRA), Cameron Dietrich (USA), Diego Anta (SPN), Etienne Lhote (FRA/F-One), Gonzalo Ribba (CHI/Best), Guilly Brandao (BRA), Ian Glaza (BRA), Jeremie Eloy (FRA/North), Jesse Richman (HAW/Naish), Jose Djo Silva (CBV/F-One) LWC, Juan Pablo Diban (CHI), Lee Harvey (GBR/North), Luis Brito (CBV/North), Matchu Almeida (CBV/North) LWC, Mauricio Pedreira (BRA), Mitu Monteiro (CBV/F-One), Nuno Figueiredo (POR/Best), Patri McLaughlin (HAW/North), Paulino Pereira (POR), Sebastian Ribeiro (BRA), Sky Solbach (USA/North)

Each day, starting at 9 a.m. local time (if not otherwise announced), the Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro will be live broadcast online at kspworldtour.com/live. If you miss any of the action, the heat-by-heat action will be archived for your on-demand viewing pleasure. And don’t miss the daily video updates that will be posted at kspworldtour.com. Follow the KSP World Championship Tour on Facebook at facebook.com/KSPworldtour or on Twitter at twitter.com/KSPworldtour.

The KSP 2011 Ponta Preta Kite Surf Pro is sponsored by Camera Municipal do Sal, Cape Verde Investment Promotion Agency, CVTelecom, Melia Tortuga Beach, Villagi Bravo, Cabocan, TAP Portugal, ASA, APP and Sal Affitti. The KSP World Tour is supported by ION and Vitamizzer.

Adam Koch World Champion Kiteracing Secrets

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:47:00 -0400

Adam Koch shares knowledge on technique and performance.

http://vimeo.com/25127199

Episode 10: Jo and Jalou in South Africa

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:53:00 -0400

Man does this video ever make us want to go to South Africa kiteboarding next year. Wave at the end of the video look sick!

Episode 10: Jo and Jalou in South Africa

www.naishkites.com

Len10 Escapes Death

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:43:00 -0400

Ruben Lenten thought jumping the Tarifa pier would be a great way to film a comeback video after a recent injury. He narrowly escaped with his life. The wind lulled and he didn't get the lift he expected. Check out the video, it is a close call.

Len10's third attempt

Triple-S Bikini Show

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:42:00 -0400

During the 2011 Triple-S Invitational the girls from REAL put on a Bikini show to raise money for cancer research. Money likely isn't all they raised.

Check out all the photos here: http://www.bryanelkus.com/sunset-swim-bikini-show/

Be My Guest Episode 4

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:19:00 -0400

F-One has a great video series. Check out some of the strappless aerials in episode 4!

http://videos.f-onekites.com/Videos/_Be-my-guest-EPISODE-04

PKRA Teneriffe Wave event cancelled, Freestyle Kitemasters instead

Mon, 30 May 2011 09:00:00 -0400

The Tenerife PKRA 2011 event will have a change of competition format. Due to reasons beyond the event organizer’s control, the Wave discipline world cup event will be cancelled and a freestyle KiteMasters event will replace it. The format will be Men’s KiteMasters round robin 12 and Women’s KiteMasters round robin 4. The event will be open to all riders who will have to go through trials to make it into the main event.

The event will take place in Playa del Medano, Tenerife, Spain, from August 9 -13 with registration on August 8.
The prize money of 16.000 Euros will be divided among the top 6 men and top 3 women

The KiteMasters will be judged taking into consideration both old school and new school tricks, rewarding the rider that can perform both tricks in the most outstanding style and fashion. Basic new school and old school tricks will be expected but not required.

The Freestyle KiteMasters will run in a Round Robin elimination format with 12 participating male riders divided into two groups of 6 riders. The 6 riders of each group will compete in men to men heats 5 times and will compete against all riders in the group.

Two judges will score the heats with a point system, each choosing a winner or a looser. Therefore each rider will get 2 points for winning each heat (both judges giving it to the winner), 1 point for tying (each judge giving the heat to different riders), and 0 points for loosing.

Due to the difference in format, the kitemaster's event won't be counting towards the 2011 Freestyle World Tour Title.

The event will be organized by Easy Events Solutions, with the support of Reserva Natural, Ilustre Ayutamiento Granadilla de Abona, and Turismo Granadilla de Abona.

EVENT INFORMATION

Reminder: upcoming major championships and wildcard applications

Fri, 27 May 2011 09:27:00 -0400

This is a short reminder for the fast approaching deadlines, both for registration to the Course Racing World Championships in Sylt, Germany (27.06.-03.07.2011) and to apply for wildcards to the KSP Wave World Tour (application deadline: 01.06.2011).

Other upcoming major events are:

Course Racing North American Championships (and Puerto Rico Kitecross Open): San Juan, Puerto Rico (13.07.-17.07.2011)
European Course Racing Championships: Sopot, Poland (26.07.-30.07.2011)
Kitecross World Championships: Murci, Spain (12.10.-16.10.2011)

Please check the registration website for more details, links to venue and travel information, and REGISTER ! The information on this page will continuosly updated, so make sure to check back from time to time !

Goto: www.internationalkiteboarding.org/registration

KSP Tour Wildcards

Tue, 24 May 2011 10:17:00 -0400

All riders which are interested in participating in the KSP world tour events are reminded to hand in their wildcard applications before June 1st latest. Entry is granted to the top ranked riders of the 2010 world ranking (top 8 men and top 4 women) automatically, as well as to the top 8 men and top 4 women of the 2011 PKRA ranking before August 1st.

Any other interested riders that want to enter the KSP events directly are invited to send in their wildcard application as soon as possible stating the following details:

* first and last name
* nationality
* years of kiting/surfing waves
* appreciable projects from past years
* media samples, clips and pictures (link to a website will be fine)
* your reason why you should be one of the KSP riders

Please email your details to info@internationalkiteboarding.org

Freestyle double eliminations nearly complete day four

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:11:00 -0400

It was an exciting day here in Dakhla, Morocco. The wind was a bit lighter than the previous day, however competitors came prepared with their 10-14m kites. The freestyle double eliminations got underway around 10:00am this morning with winds ranging anywhere from 15-20 knots. The freestyle double elimination ladder was posted announcing the most extreme lineup of awesome riders to battle it out early in the first round of heats.

Riders such as Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL), Alvaro Onieva (Slingshot, ESP), Michael Schitzhofer (Best, AUT), Sebastien Garat (RRD, FRA) and Tom Hebert (North, NCL) were amongst those top names riders. A total of four rounds of the men’s freestyle double eliminations were completed today. Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL) was on fire today winning four consecutive heats moving him up the elimination ladder to compete for 5th or 6th place against Tom Hebert (North, NCL). Jacobs had to surrender the heat against Hebert due to an injured hand from a previous heat. Hebert has been on top of his game today defeating three contenders leading him to fight for 4th or 5th place against Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA), which will resume tomorrow. Sebastien Garat (RRD, FRA) also had a great competition day defeating Michael Schitzhofer (Best, AUT) in the first round along with Liam Whaley (Naish, ESP) and Ariel Corniel (Ozone, DOM) but was later eliminated by Tom Hebert (North, NCL) in the fourth round.

A total of three heats in the women’s freestyle double elimination were held today. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR) defeated Holly Kennedy (North, GRB) as well as Celine Rodenas (Best, FRA) whom eliminated Nuria Goma (Liquid Force, ESP) in heat #18, which led Schibevaag to the next round of heats to take on Asia Litwin (Nobile, POL), which will resume tomorrow.

The freestyle double eliminations will resume tomorrow when the Minister of Sports joins in on all the kiteboarding action and to witness the end to the great event here in Dakhla, Morocco.

Shortly after 3:00pm the competition moved to the wave discipline where a total of one round of the men’s double elimination was completed. The wind and wave conditions began to diminish therefore the competition wrapped up for the day.

Tomorrow is the final day of competition here in Dakhla, Morocco. The mandatory skipper’s meeting is set for 9:00am tomorrow morning.

Freestyle single eliminations complete day three in Morocco

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:10:00 -0400

It was an exciting competition day here at the Dakhla-Attitude in Morocco. The freestyle single eliminations got underway early this morning at approximately 9:15am with great wind conditions. Riders were mostly on their 9-11m kites, which entails that the wind was quite a bit lighter than the past couple of days averaging roughly 20 knots.

Just briefly after 2:00pm the freestyle single eliminations wrapped up with a great outcome. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED) defeated Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP) in the men’s final earning him another single elimination title here in Morocco. Pastor is back on the podium finishing in second place while Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS) takes third place in the freestyle singles eliminations. The riding level of all riders is extremely high this season therefore making the fight for the freestyle world title very intense.

Robinson Hilario (F-ONE, DOM) hailing from Dominican Republic had an awesome heat against Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED) today but in the final seconds before the end of the heat he required assistance due to what it seemed like as a serious leg injury. Hilario was transported to the hospital and treated for his minor injury and is now doing well.

In the women’s division, it was a great day for Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, ESP). Kajiya defeated Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP) in the women’s freestyle single elimination final in a 5/0 judge’s decision. Kajiya is back in the game to earning yet another PKRA World Tour title. Pulido will take second place for the single elimination while Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL) finishes in third place.

Riders and crew packed up and made their way to the wave spot which is near the town of Dakhla about 25 kilometers away from where the freestyle discipline takes place. The first as well as the second round of the wave double eliminations were completed and will resume tomorrow if the wind and wave conditions permit.

The mandatory skipper’s meeting is set for 8:30am.

Freestyle Single Elimination Results:

MEN:

1. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)

2. Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP)

3. Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS)

4. Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA)

WOMEN:

1. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA)

2. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

3. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

4. Asia Litwin (Nobile, POL)

2011 PKRA Thailand comes to an end

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:12:00 -0400

The first event of the season comes to an end in Hua Hin, Thailand. It has been more than an action packed thrilling week here in Hua Hin. From the melting hot days during the freestyle Qualifier event to the cold and fierce storm force weather during the completion of the freestyle single and double eliminations it is no surprise that the ending of the 2011 Hua Hin Kiteboarding World Cup would be nothing less than incredible. After two days of extreme weather conditions, the wind did not let us down allowing for a happy ending to the first competition of the 2011 PKRA World Tour season.

A total of two races completed the final day of competition. In the first race of the day, Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED) finished in first place while Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA) landed in second. Dirk Hanel (North, GER) had a great race finishing not far behind in third place. In the final race of the day, French rider Olivier Dansin (North, FRA) crossed the finish line first while Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED) took second followed by Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA) in third.

In the women’s race division, Steph Bridge (North, GBR) took first place in both races winning 11 out of the 12 races that were held in Hua Hin. Katja Roose (Airush, NED) finished second in both races while Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA) took third place in both races.

In the men’s production board class, Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED) takes 1st place, Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA) finishes in 2nd and Dirk Hanel (North, GER) takes 3rd. In the women’s production board class, Steph Bridge (North, GBR) takes 1st place with a total of 13.00 and 6.00 nett while Aya Oshima (Cabrinha, JPN) takes second with a total score of 47.00 and 35.00 nett.

The results of the highly anticipated board-off competition have Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED) finishing in first place while Toby Brauer (North, GER) takes second place with is unique adventurous board-off skills and Tom Herbert (North, NCL) takes third. In the women’s division, Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL) out jumped her gal pals finishing in first place while Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP) finishes in second followed by Sofia Lennartsson (Ozone, SWE) in third.

An awards ceremony was held in front of the Hua Hin InterContinental Resort. Spectators from all around the world gathered in numerous amounts to see the excitement being held on the picturesque beach.

The Hua Hin Kiteboard World Cup 2011 event is sponsored in part by the Hua Hin Intercontinental Resort, BECL, tourismthailand.org, Prachuapkhirikhan, Hua Hin, KBA, Movenpick, HELLO!, Action Asia, emedia, EEA, KSA, International Herald Tribune, GAC, Nivea, Mont Clair, Yamaha, Thai Tap Water, HSBC, L’Occitane, PKRA World Tour, Tourism Board of Thailand, PKRA Asia, Official Guide Thailand, Singha Light.

MEN BOARD-OFF RESULTS

1. Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED)

2. Toby Brauer (North, GER)

3. Tom Hebert (North, NCL)

WOMEN BOARD-OFF RESULTS

1. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

2. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

3. Sofia Lennartsson (Ozone, SWE)

RACING RESULTS

OPEN CLASS MEN RACE #11

1. Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED)

2. Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA)

3. Dirk Hanel (North, GER)

4. Yo Pudla (Ozone, THA)

OPEN CLASS MEN RACE #12

1. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

2. Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED)

3. Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA)

4. Ozog Blazet (North, POL)

PRODUCTION CLASS MEN RACE #11

1. Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED)

2. Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA)

3. Dirk Hanel (North, GER)

4. Yo Pudla (Ozone, THA)

PRODUCTION CLASS MEN RACE #12

1. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

2. Rolf Van der Vlugt (Airush, NED)

3. Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA)

4. Ozog Blazet (North, POL)

OPEN CLASS WOMEN RACE #11

1. Steph Bridge (North, GBR)

2. Katja Roose (Airush, NED)

3. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

4. Aya Oshima (Cabrinha, JPN)

OPEN CLASS WOMEN RACE #12

1. Steph Bridge (North, GRB)

2. Katja Roose (Airush, NED)

3. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

4. Aya Oshima (Cabrinha, JPN)

PRODUCTION CLASS WOMEN

1. Steph Bridge (North, GBR)

2. Aya Oshima (Cabrinha, JPN)

Slingshot and Airush win double at PKRA

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:13:00 -0400

It was an extremely wet and wild day here in Hua Hin, Thailand. The competition got underway very early this morning in very gusty and extraordinarily fierce weather conditions. Thai natives have declared that these conditions are similar to a winter chaos storm in Europe which is extremely rare, uncommon and simply unheard of. Despite the particularly intense conditions the riders made the best out of what was handed to them by Mother Nature. The rider who can handle all or nothing weather conditions will be the one who comes out on top.

The men’s freestyle single elimination resumed this morning with Heat #20 Cesar Portas (North, ESP) versus Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL). Jacobs defeated Portas leading him into the final heat against Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED). It was an action packed final as these two incredible riders battled it out not only against each other but also in the ferocious conditions. It was a very close final heat between Zoon and Jacobs. Zoon took the single elimination title due to his overall better execution of a variety of powered combo tricks. In the loser’s final Alvaro Onieva (Slingshot, ESP) was up against Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA). Both competitors were struggling with the conditions however Rondina took the win finishing the single elimination in 3rd place while Onieva takes 4th.

In the women’s freestyle division it was a great day for Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL). Winkowska moved up the ladder very quickly defeating Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA) in the semi final leading her to the final heat against the 2010 PKRA freestyle world champion Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP). Both riders executed a variety of powered tricks however Pulido takes the win for the freestyle single elimination while Winkowska finishes in second. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA) took on Holly Kennedy (North, GBR) in the loser’s final winning in a 5/0 judge’s decision.

A short intermission took place in order to make a few adjustments in preparation for the freestyle double eliminations. The double eliminations took off just before noon and wrapped up near 3:00pm. The conditions were as forceful as they were early this morning. During the double elimination the wind picked up significantly from 25 to 30 knots. Cesar Portas (North, ESP) won two consecutive heats defeating Belgian rider Christophe Tack (Liquid Force, BEL) as well as Reno Romeu (North, BRA) in the fourth round.

Two thumbs up for Spanish rider Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP) who was without a doubt on fire today winning 4 continuous heats eliminating Mario Rodwald (North, GER), Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS), Cesar Portas (North, ESP), as well as Alvaro Onieva (Slingshot, ESP). Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA) defeated Pastor in his fifth consecutive heat enabling Rondina a chance to claim third place.

Brazilian rider Reno Romeu (North, BRA) was certainly on a roll today defeating three contenders in a series of heats leading him into the fourth round where his winning streak was ended by Portas. German rider Mario Rodwald (North, GER) had two great heats today defeating Thomas Paris (North, FRA) in the first round followed by Tom Hebert (North, NCL) in the second round but was also defeated by Pastor in the third round. The 2010 PKRA Freestyle World Champion Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS) had a rough start in the single eliminations but proved that he wasn’t going to walk away from the doubles without putting up a fight. Yates defeated Austrian riders Stefan Spiessberger (North, AUT) as well as Michael Schitzhofer in the first two rounds followed by Alex Soto (F-ONE, D.R.) in the third round. Pastor who has been eliminating top riders on a winning streak put an end to Yates’ fast track to the final in the fourth round. Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL) went on to fight Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED) for a second time in the final heat of the men’s freestyle double elimination. Both riders were riding to the best of their ability, landing super powered tricks however Zoon had an overall better execution and added finesse to defeat Jacobs. This event is the first ever PKRA event podium placement for Jacobs and the first PKRA event title of the 2011 PKRA world tour season for Zoon.

In the women’s freestyle double elimination division it was an all around exciting day for Asia Litwin (Nobile, POL). Litwin quickly climbed her way up the ladder eliminating Aina Renolen (Gin, NOR), Sofia Lennartsson (Ozone, SWE) as well as Holly Kennedy (North, GBR) consecutively earning her a spot against Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA) for third place. Kajiya put an end to Litwin’s fast track to the top in the loser’s final, which enable her third place in the doubles while Litwin took fourth. Kajiya was then defeated by Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL) who moved on to the final heat in the freestyle double elimination against Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP). It was an intense final heat where both riders competed with great power and style however Pulido yet again defeated Winkowska enabling her the first PKRA event title of the 2011 PKRA world tour season.

There’s a myth stating that the winner of the first event of the season normally predicates the PKRA freestyle world champion title let’s see if that’s a fact or fiction!

Racers were released for the day at 3:00pm and the board-off discipline wrapped up the successful action packed day, results will be announced on Saturday. Tomorrow’s skipper’s meeting is set for 10:00am.

The Hua Hin Kiteboard World Cup 2011 event is sponsored in part by the Hua Hin Intercontinental Resort, BECL, tourismthailand.org, Prachuapkhirikhan, Hua Hin, KBA, Movenpick, HELLO!, Action Asia, emedia, EEA, KSA, International Herald Tribune, GAC, Nivea, Mont Clair, Yamaha, Thai Tap Water, HSBC, L’Occitane, PKRA World Tour, Tourism Board of Thailand, PKRA Asia, Official Guide Thailand, Singha Light.

DAILY PHOTOS <http://prokitetour.com/event-photos.php?id=105&Day=4>

SINGLE ELIMINTATION RESULTS

MEN’S FREESTYLE

1. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)

2. Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL)

3. Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA)

4. Alvaro Onieva (Slingshot, ESP)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

1. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

2. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

3. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA)

4. Holly Kennedy (North, GBR)

DOUBLE ELIMINATION RESULTS

MEN’S FREESTYLE

1. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)

2. Marc Jacobs (Switch, NZL)

3. Alberto Rondina (Cabrinha, ITA)

4. Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

1. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

2. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

3. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA)

4. Asia Litwin (Nobile, POL)

Boracay Island shows its best side during the first KB4Girls 2011 World Tour event of the year

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:41:00 -0500

Boracay Island shows its best side during the first KB4Girls 2011 World Tour event of the year

Bulabog Beach on Boracay Island, Philippines warmly welcomed KB4Girls this week

High resolution pictures of the KB4girls tour are available here:
http://www.kb4girls.org/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=25

TAMPA/LONDON/MANILA, March 11th, 2011: The KB4girls 2011 World Tour is off to a very successful start this week with the first event of the season in the Philippines. The first tour stop out of 10 took part as a PRO event in cooperation with the KTA (Kiteboard Tour Asia) and focused on coaching female kiters before and during the competition stop.

Boracay Island is known as one of the top kiteboarding destinations in Asia and around the world and did not fall short of expectations, delivering winds and sunny skies for the female kiters as well as the tour stop of the KTA.

Day one of the three-day KB4girls event took place at the Hangin kite center at Greenyard and was designed to prepare the female athletes for the upcoming competition. With theory lessons, simulator training a safety briefing and a kite session 9x World Champion Kristin Boese and co-trainer Jannicke Stav made sure to pass on as much useful information to the girls and women as possible.

On the following days the girls and women entering the KTA competition then had to make use of their newly gained information and knowledge while competing in either the freestyle or racing competitions with Kristin mentoring and coaching from the beach.

Especially for those women that had never competed before this was an amazingly motivating experience as Astrid Berz describes: “I was planning a trip to Vietnam but changed my plans when I saw that a KB4girls event was scheduled to be here on Boracay. I had never participated in a competition before but was having a fantastic time and have learned so much during the last few days.”

Astrid Berz ended up in 6th place in the freestyle competition and was only one of the 24 female competitors at the KTA event on Boracay with all of the other KB4girls participants doing extremely well too. With the former record number of female competitors on the KTA being 12, the cooperation with KB4girls helped to double this number and hopes that some of the women continue to compete in future events. Both parties are very satisfied with the outcome of the event and their first successful cooperation.

While the KTA Philippines are still under way with the finals in the freestyle discipline and more races to be performed in the next 2 days, the KB4girls event has officially ended last night with a glamorous cocktail party and prize ceremony at the 7Stones Resort.

Dani N. Aliaga, 7Stones Resort Manager says about his support: “The dedication KB4girls is giving to the female community is priceless. Motivation, self-confidence, courage and respect for nature are highly valued in the events and are values of 7Stones too. Therefore we are very proud and happy to have had the chance to be part of and support the event. Bravo KB4girls!”

For their exceptional efforts and improvements the following KB4girls participants have received prizes here in the PRO clinic in Boracay: Dorothy Serrano (3rd place), Frida Svensson (2nd place), Astrid Berz (1st place).

7Stones Resort, Greenyard funboard and neilpryde test center, Happy Home, Laventine, Freestyle academy, Valhalla, Lemon Café, Exit bar, Restaurant Alchemy, TIMOG, Crystal Clean water and the KTA supported the event. The girls and women send out their thanks to the supporters above.

The KB4girls foundation and their worldwide tour is supported by Best Kiteboarding, DaKine and Kiehl’s.

The KB4Girls tour schedule 2011 reads as follows:
Philippines, March 8 - 10, 2011
Australia/QLD, April 19 - 22, 2011
Turkey, May 10 – 12, 2011
USA/CA, May 28 – 29, 2011
Netherlands, June 17 – 18, 2011
United Kingdom, June 23 – 26, 2011
Germany, July 8 – 10, 2011
USA/OR, July 16 , 2011
USA/NY, September 16-18, 2011
Australia/WA, December 16 – 18, 2011

About KB4girls
KB4girls is a non-profit worldwide clinic tour for female kiteboarders that was launched in November 2009 by Kristin Boese. While the tour gives female athletes from around the world the chance to get together for a fun time together it also motivates them to push their kiteboarding skills to the next level and possibly start to compete in kiteboarding.

Another goal of the KB4girls events is to support the Surfrider Foundation Europe and the protection of the oceans and beaches. While registration fees are being donated to the Foundation educational materials are being supplied in return and given out to all participating girls, teaching them about their precious playgrounds and how to possibly help to protect them.

About KTA
The KTA is Asia’s international kiteboard competition organization. Sanctioned by the IKA, kiteboarding’s world governing body, riders receive world-ranking points as they work towards being crowned the official Asian champion.

In it’s second season the KTA is holding 6 tour stops and a number of one off Open Events to check out more Asian locations and get more riders involved. Tour stops include Turkey, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, with finals being held in Korea, April 2011. Follow the events, see the results, watch the report video’s and find out about what’s next at http://www.kiteboardtour.asia/

Contact:
info@KB4Girls.com
www.KB4Girls.org
neil@kiteboardtour.asia
www.kiteboardtour.asia

Twitter: KB4Girls
Facebook : KB4Girls
KTA - Kiteboard Tour Asia

Trend setting number of late registrants

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:53:00 -0500

There were an abundant amount of late registrants that rushed their way to the registration line this morning for the last chance to sign up for the 2011 Hua Hin Kiteboarding Qualifier competition.

Riders were eager to receive their lycras and racing numbers in hopes of getting out on the water today for the kick-off of the qualifier event. The sun was shinning in full force, the temperature was scorching hot but the wind was a little on the light side today. It began to pick up in strength in the late afternoon even though the forecast was predicting no wind at all.

Riders eagerly waited on the beach this afternoon in hopes of getting out on the water for some course racing action.

A few of the PKRA World Tour competition riders such as Alvaro Oneiva, Tom Hebert, Andy Yates and Mario Rodwald were lingering about the beach today scoping out the competition area.

The PKRA World Tour will begin on Sunday, March 13th with registration followed by the kick-off of the 2011 PKRA World Tour season on Monday, March 14th.

The wind forecast for the next few days predicts rather light wind however will improve as the week progresses.

Tomorrow’s mandatory skippers meeting for all competitors is set for 12:00pm.

Starkites Pro Rider William Acosta, Champion in snowkite racing!

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:22:00 -0500

The unbeatable Pro Rider STARKITES, William Acosta, once again champion of the Quebec Cup 2011 in the Snowboard Category!

William Acosta has now won for the 5th consecutive year. William obtains the silver medal at the final leg of the Quebec Cup at the national park of Oka, in very gusty winds and on a snowy surface where the powder does not always let you see the buoy. William stayed 1st overall because of the 1st places in all the previous legs of the cup. After a though collision on the first race of the final and with an injury William still managed to get back to second place to get a spot on the podium! William distinguishes himself with his technical port starts which helped him obtain the silver medal at the Last Leg of the cup and is declared Champion du Quebec 2011 categories snowboard for the 5th year in a row.
Because of his injury, William has cancelled his trip to Finland (WISSA) where he felt confidant to win the world champion title for 2011 in the snowboard category. Congrats to William for all your 2011 performances on the snow and good recovery!!

But this is not the only Starkites success for this Quebec Cup 2011!!

Genevieve Leonard, Canadian Starkites team rider completely dominated the final Leg in the womens’ ski categorie winning 6 out of 6 races and wins the Gold Medal! On the overall result Genevieve finishes second! Congrat GE for this great achievement!

Also, young rider, Nathaniel Montminy, 11 years old wins with the SBow 3m, the silver medal in the Junior Category. Nathaniel is following the tracks of his idol, William Acosta. Nathan is a promising rider that will quickly finish on top!

And last but not least. Starkites, being a sponsor of the Quebec Cup 2011, is proud to give away Starkites equipment as participation prizes: SBow 8m 2011 to Claudia Pitre, Sprint kiteboard to Lionel Dion, and Starkites harnesses to Daniel Pitre and Eric Gariepy.

Dakhla Festival 2011 Sports Press Release # 6

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:06:00 -0500

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Dakhla Festival 2011

Sports Press Release # 6 - 02/23/2010

Long Distance in stand-by, surf & bodyboard action, clinics and « modern sailing » exhibition ...

Dakhla’s peninsula can definitely deliver some good surprises ! If the windsurf/kitesurf Long Distance had to be cancelled due to a lack of wind, there were still somes waves and a small breeze to allow all the sports of the festival to be on the water in one day ! This afternoon, Fouim Labour’s bay was looking like a great watersports playground where all the champions could express themselves and have fun…

Not enough wind for the Long Distance…
After an early check and 3 briefings, Philippe Bru - race director - had to quit : the Long Distance could not be run today. In stand-by up to 2pm, the riders have waited till the end, but nothing happened. « We’ll see tomorrow but the conditions need to be optimum, with enough wind and a High tide in order to prevent accidents that can happen on the sand banks » explains Philippe Bru. There are 2 more days to run the race so eveybody is confident as the wind is supposed to be back. Next briefing tomorrow morning at 9am.

Zoher, Dakhla Young local, into the surfing ½ finals !
This morning, moroccan top 16 surfers and bodyboarders met in Foum Labouir to battle on the official competitions. If waves were pretty cool for the bodyboard session, leaving the leaders Iddouch, Abdelghafour and Soussi going into the ½ finals, it was a bit more tricky for the surfers because of the tide coming up. It was no problem for moroccan surf championship leaders El Harim, Jrayfi and Barakat to make their way to the ½ finals but that was good to see the young local of Dakhla, Zoher, joining the champions after he’s been qualified during the trials 2 days ago ! Tomorrow, briefing at 8am for the riders to run the end of the competition. Swell should be pumping so we expect a good show, especially in the afternoon as the Longboarders will enter the arena and the time has come for Mc Philips, Chatain, Skinner and Ingleby to show their skills in the local waves.

The « foil » and Outrigger in action!
Since this year is introduced on the Festival the « modern sailing » discipline. As an exhibition through the stand up paddle, windsurf and kitesurf supports, the aim is to show another way of sailing. With a foil under their board, frenchies Bruno André (windsurf) and Renaud Madier (kitesurf) showed the potential of their carbon tools in the small waves of Foum Labouir and in a light breeze. Also showed as a « demo », the « outrigger » of Rico Leroy impressed a lot as he was surfing the waves with a team of 3 other paddlers.

During this time…
On the other side of the peninsula, the beach of the « camping Moussafir » was welcoming some more kids for the watersports clinics. « We have more than 50 kids every day » says Lotfi, « aged from 5 to 14, these kids come from the local schools of Dakhla. They are all pretty excited and happy to try these sports. Our goal is to see one day one of these kids becoming a champion ». Hawaiian champion Bernd Roedinger (14) and french surfer Benoît carpentier (15) took on their time this afternoon to go and meet the local kids, to share and teach them the basics of windsurfing or paddling.

2011 PKRA World Tour Season to kick-off in Thailand

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:06:00 -0500

The PKRA World Tour is set to kick off its 2011 season with the return of the Hua Hin Kiteboarding World Cup in Thailand.

Asia's first ever Pro Kiteboarding event had an amazing success in 2010 and quoted by international pro-riders as one of the best event setups in the history of Kiteboarding. We can expect another remarkable event this season which will set the mode for this year’s annual pro tour event lineup making Asia a prestigious part of the PKRA World Tour circuit.

This mega event will start up on March 10th through March 13th with a special PKRA Asian freestyle qualifier, high jump as well as long distance race. The top 2 male and top 2 female freestyle winners will be given the chance to test themselves against the world’s best as they will automatically be entered into the main event as wildcards.

The PKRA international crew will be running this qualifier event, which will ensure the highest quality of event logistics and judging. Registration for the main event will take place on Sunday, March 13th whereby Monday, March 14th through Saturday, March 19th will mark the official kick off of the PKRA World Tour season. Top riders from around the world will compete in this Grand Slam event, featuring Freestyle, Course Racing, and Board Off disciplines.

As an added highlight, an SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) competition has been added to the list of disciplines beginning every morning at 9:00am from March 15th-17th, and will have a vast range of prizes for the winners.

Holding a world-class event in Asia has proven to promote the sport of kiteboarding and will open opportunities for new talent to take center stage encouraging Asian riders to partake in the highest level of kiteboarding in the world. PKRA Thailand promises to be an event to be remember, and will set a high standard for professional kiteboarding competitions in the entire Asian continent.

Don’t forget to register!

*** FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO: ***

http://www.prokitetour.com

Twitter: prokitetour <http://twitter.com/prokitetour>

Facebook: PKRA World Tour <http://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/PKRA-World-Tour/127400413970019>

Course Racing Production Division Scoring

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:29:00 -0500

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000149 EndHTML:0000002240 StartFragment:0000000199 EndFragment:0000002206 StartSelection:0000000199 EndSelection:0000002206 Hi all,

here is some important information for riders and manufacturers regarding the scoring of course racing events in 2011.

In 2011, all official event results (this includes world championships, continental championships, PKRA tour events and continental tour events) will be still based on the results of the open division.

The open division includes all riders that signed up for the event, regardless of if they are racing on custom or production equipment.

To encourage competition in the production division (which will be the only allowed equipment from 2012 on !) the IKA will produce a separate production ranking, where only competitors that comply with the production division requirements, are scored.

To be scored in the production division, you need to register ONE board and THREE kites only for the competition. Forms will be available during event registration.

The boards eligible to compete are listed in the always updated IKA registered production board list, which can be found here: http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org/images/documents/etc/registered%20boards.pdf

Manufacturers that want to register their boards, please contact the IKA Executive Office.

The kites used for competitions in 2011 may be still custom, but with a maximum size of 19m.

From 2012 on, ONLY ONE registered production BOARD and a maximum of THREE registered production KITES are allowed to be used in ANY competition, including all world, continental, PKRA, KTE and KTA course racing events.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

All the best,
Markus Schwendtner
IKA Executive Secretary

Preview 2011 Dakhla Festival

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:51:00 -0500

The Dakhla festival, extreme south of Morocco : the incredible encounter between sea and desert, between music and boardsports!

A few days before the start of sports contests that will take place on the festival (from February 22) you will findbelow some interviews with some of the kitesurf champions invited to the event. Next press release aroundFebruary 17th, live from Dakhla ...

KITESURF DIVISION

Alex Caizergues – France - first man to have reached 62 mph on the water with a kite.
"The atmosphere is great during the festival. A super mix of sports and artists. I've never seen it on any other competition or event. "
Is this your first trip to Morocco? If not, do you know Dakhla?
No, in fact, this will be my 4th edition of the Dakhla Festival! It has now became for me the beginning of my racing season and a 1st inescapable « rendez-vous » out of the winter!
What do you think of the concept of this festival, combining sport and culture?
I love it! The atmosphere during the festival is great. A super mix of sports and artists, local or international, I've never seen it on any other competition or event. In addition, we live together on a camp for a week, which creates links between us!
In what mood do you come here? Real challenge with windsurfers or pure fun?
Above all, it gives me the opportunity to put one foot in the competition. Having moved a lot during the winter, it's good to refocus on performance. Anyway it is always a mix of both, competition and fun, otherwise it has no interest. But I'm not going to "negotiate" !
37 miles downwind Long Distance if the wind blows over 25 knots? Not afraid?
Never, however, I can not wait to see what it looks on a real downwind ... Afterwards, the distance does not really make me scared and the stronger it is, the better!
Who will be the fastest on this course? Windsurfing or kitesurfing?
I'd like to tell you kitesurfing of course! Last year we had only had a "small" downwind race and there of course, I had no chance against the windsurfing missiles. But on a real downwind, where I can go full speed, I think I have my chance!
Do you want to participate in other disciplines to try to win the « Dakhla Waterman » title?
We'll see but I'm going to register at least in the kite and SUP wave contests. Last year we really enjoyed the "friendly" standup event, and if there is a big swell this year I'm going to enjoy it a lot!
What type of equipment will you bring?
Half of my garage!! No, seriously, a long distance kite board, 2 kite boards for surfing, 1 SUP, and 5 sizes of kites.
Your ranking
3 x speed kitesurfing World Champion
2 x absolute kitesurfing world record
2 x kite surfing world record
First man to have reached 62 mph on water with a kite.
Your sponsors
Ouest Provence, Alp'Energie, F ONE, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Placide.

Renaud Madier – France - French waverider now involved in developing the foil with a kite…
"I love the concept of this festival that mixes styles. Music and boardsports have always been closely linked. Cutting curves in the waves is like writing a musical score. "
Is this your first trip to Morocco? If not, do you know Dakhla?
I’ve already had a few trips to Morocco, but further in the North. I know rather Agadir to Rabat. 1st time in Dakhla and delighted to discover this place that I heard a lot about.
What do you think of the concept of this festival combining sport and culture?
I love the concept of festival that mixes styles. The opportunity to vary the meetings and soak up local culture by which best represents the identity of a people's music. In addition, boardsports and music have always been closely linked. Cutting curves in the waves is like writing a musical score. Looking for both harmony and rhythm ... I like the fellowship and hospitality of the Moroccans with whom I have the opportunity to work and who have always welcomed me with great warmth.
You come here to demonstrate the potential of the foil that you develop in kiteboarding? Can you briefly explain us the concept ?
It has been three years since I got interested in the potential of the foil. I was first looking for new sensations. To feel the friction on the water is a unique sensation. After an initial test and a first win in competition with this support, I realized the competitive potential of it. Much more efficient upwind as conventional boards, the support was a bit struggling downwind. I now focus my research on improving the speed and control. The goal is not to support the fastest, but one capable of going faster in low wind conditions. To go fast at 55 knots in 50 knots of wind remains a considerable feat, but reaching 35 knots in 15 knots or + seems to be a real challenge.
You will also participate with other disciplines to try to win the title of « Dakhla Waterman »?
For the trophy, I intend to do the contest on SUP and with a kite + on a windsurf (if I find a kind soul who lent me some gear!). In any case, what matters the most is to be on the water!
Your sponsors?
Cabrinha, No Mad, Gasoil, Airtech, NPX.

Fabienne D'Ortoli – France - Kitesurfing Champion with an impressive list of achievements.
"In Dakhla, the scenery is incredible. Being on the water at the edge of the Sahara, it is something pretty magical, special, that takes guts! "
Is this your first trip to Morocco? If not, do you know Dakhla?
This trip to Dahkla is not my first trip to Morocco, because I've made a few trips, especially around Essaouira. I absolutely love this country so close to us and so exotic, a culture, a totally different lifestyle, friendly people! Last year I had the chance to go to the Dahkla Festival and discover another part of the country even further away, and even more exotic.
The scenery is incredible. Being on the water at the edge of the Sahara, it is something pretty magical, special, that takes guts! Festival shows us a different side of Dahkla, everyone is celebrating, the people is very friendly and despite the problems posed by the Mauritanian border, there is peace there.
What do you think of the concept of this festival combining sport and culture?
What I like especially in this festival is that we find ourselves all together on one place, sportsmen & artists. And even within the sport, you meet people and there is a true sharing. We share the sessions, meals, parties, you can really be interested in others. It's a really unique opportunity to share these moments to learn and expand our field of vision. And this is something I did not found anywhere else.
You will participate in the workshop « Women from here and elsewhere ». What do you expect from these meetings with the Sahrawi women?
Already last year, Marion had set up the workshop, and we had learned many things and shared a lot of experience. They were accompanied on the water for a Stand Up discovery session, stretching, etc... We, the sportswomen, howed them what we were doing, how we live, and our relationship with the body, which is quite different from that they maintain. Codes of beauty are totally different, see the opposite. What makes the exchange even more interesting! These women speak French very well, and told us how they used to live before, when they were sedentary... A very rich exchange! This year, I would like to extend the meeting with the Stand up paddle, hammam, and take more time to talk with them, to show us their artwork, their "tips" for beauty, etc. ...
Is it a real challenge to run alongside the windsurfers on a long distance of over 37 miles if the wind is strong?
Yes, absolutely and this kind of challenge, I like a lot! In May, the Guyader Grand Prix at Douarnenez in Brittany, we (windsurfers and kitesurfers), were on the same starting line as the 40, 50 and 60 feet « sea giants », monohulls and multihulls, but on a shorter course. It's really the kind of challenge that is as spectacular as watching live. There is already a good 37 miles challenge, and in addition with another category, it's just huge! I do not go faster than them, but if I get to stay at their side, that would be great! Share this long distance is magic, going from one side of the lagoon to another, bordering the Sahara... sublime and impressive...
What type of equipment will you bring for the occasion?
Everything ! I also participate in the stand-up & surfing contests, so I bring my kites, my wave board (5 "8 Naish Fish), my 9" longboard and my AHD stand up board, the Sealion 7 "6. With this, I should be able... not to get out of the water!
Your ranking
Kiteboarding World Champion 2001 & 2002
Kiteboarding vice World Champion 2003 & 2004
Multiple French & Europe Champion (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006)
1st girl on the Stand Up contests in Dahkla last year, and 2nd on the kitesurf long distance
2nd on the Stand Up Crossing in Paris on the Seine this year
Your sponsors
Naish, Weleda, Envao, Pro Limit, Your Mood, Cool Shoe, AHD / Nah Skwell, Select

Look for daily updates on sbckiteboard.com from the event from February 22 until the end of the festival.

Kitesurf Pro World Tour

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:13:00 -0500

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000149 EndHTML:0000003868 StartFragment:0000000199 EndFragment:0000003834 StartSelection:0000000199 EndSelection:0000003834 Dear kite media,

Two months ago we applied with the IKA for the World Championship title in Wave Kiting
because we were not satisfied with the direction wave competitions were taking and
the lack involvement of the riders and industry in competitions in general.

We proposed a tour with only the best conditions in the world's best wave locations to
create media events (instead of public events) with a worldwide reach, thus making it possible
to bring more attention to our sport and giving the world's best wave riders a reason to compete.

Over the past 2 months we have been in contact and negotiations with the IKA as well as the PKRA
and the IKA published their decision 2 days ago. The solution developed by the IKA is a very inclusive
one that combines the interests of all parties and we believe that the IKA executive committee has once
again done an amazing job.

If you have not had the opportunity to read the IKA press release yet, please do so here:
http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4809:wave-world-championship-2011&catid=1:general&Itemid=140 <http://www.internationalkiteboarding.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4809:wave-world-championship-2011&catid=1:general&Itemid=140>

Since we did not know when the IKA was going to make a decision on the topic or what the final
outcome would be, we were on hold and are now able to take all necessary
steps towards a successful KSP tour.

At this point our main priority is to set up the KSP as a non-profit-association (since we believe
that a non-profit approach will help some of the problems we have seen in competitions and tours over
the past years), finalize the details of a cooperation between the IKA and KSP and to remain
in constant contact with our local organizers to ensure our dream events will happen.

However, the main mission of the KSP tour is to get everyone in kiteboarding and the kite industry
involved (or at least give everyone the possibility) and we have been in touch with industry partners
as well as many or the world's best riders to create a close relationship and gather input.

The feedback and support from the riders, industry and local organizers has been overwhelmingly positive
and we can only hope that your reaction will be the same because we need your help too!

We are open for any ideas and proposals that would lead to a closer cooperation between you as the kite media
and our wave world championship tour and we hope for the support of many (if not all) of you and are looking
forward to hearing from you soon. We believe that TOGETHER we are strong and can make the KSP something
really big for the image and growth of our sport!

Your KSP riders,
Kristin, Sky, Guilly and Mitu

Kristin Boese
info@kitesurfproworldtour.com

Kiteboarding in the Olympics

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:25:00 -0500

The New York Times was recently in Miami to cover kiteboarding's inclusion in the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. Read to full story online here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/10/sports/10sailing.html?_r=4&pagewanted=1&hpw

It's a shame kiteboarding and windsurfing are being pitted against each other. Both would make excellent olympic classes and would be good for olympic sailing.

World Tour heading to Mexico

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:13:00 -0500

Following its success in 2008, Mexico is back on the 2011 PKRA World Tour Calendar as the second official stop of the 2011 PKRA World Tour Season which will be held from March 22nd through March 27th, 2011! The best-seeded racers in the world will have the chance to compete in Riviera Maya Mexico’s warm turquoise waters. This is an epic kiteboarding destination famous for its consistent winter winds ranging anywhere from 10 to 25 knots, hot, sunny days, endless parties and 100% Mexican hospitality. Playa del Carmen is a fun and exciting venue with thousands of spectators who travel from all around the world to catch a glimpse of all the world-class professional kiteboarding athletes in action. The town of Playa del Carmen is known as the heart of the world famous “Riviera Maya” with its many kilometers of powdery white sandy beaches, and crystal clear Caribbean water.

As an added attraction a Freestyle Pro Competition will be held with a $10,000 USD Prize Purse. 2 Top ranked PKRA riders will be invited, all expenses paid. 3 wildcards will be awarded by the organizer to outstanding Mexican riders. 7 spots left will be granted to the top 7 riders from the trials.

Distribution of $10,000 USD will take place as indicated below.

Mexico Freestyle Pro

Men

Place        Money

1                     $3,500.00

2           $2,200.00

3           $1,600.00

4                     $1,200.00

5                     $900.00

6          $600.00

Total   $10,000.00 USD

The Freestyle Pro will be judged taking into consideration both old school and new school tricks, rewarding the rider that can perform both tricks in the most outstanding style and fashion. Basic new school and old school tricks will be expected but not requited. The Freestyle Pro will be run in a Round Robin elimination format described below with 12 participating male riders:

The round robin freestyle elimination format means the 12 riders will be divided into two groups of 6 riders. The 6 riders in each group will compete in men to men heats 5 times. Each heat will be against a different rider of the group. Two judges will be scoring the heats, each giving a winner or a looser. Therefore each rider will get 2 points for winning each heat (both judges giving it to the winner), 1 point for tying (each judge giving the heat to different riders), and 0 points for loosing.

The two riders from each group with the highest scores will advance into a knockout semifinal round, and then into the finals.

Racing Prize Money Distribution

Men

Rank       Money

1              $3,000.00

2              $1,900.00

3              $1,200.00

4              $700.00

5              $400.00

Women

Rank   Money

1              $1,300.00

2              $900.00

3              $600.00

INTRODUCING THE CANADIAN KITEBOARDING ASSOCIATION – SIGHTS SET FOR 2016 OLYMPICS

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:54:00 -0500

COLLINGWOOD, CANADA – The Canadian Kiteboarding Association (CKA) is pleased
to announce its formation as the official governing body for Kiteboarding in Canada.
The CKA will join the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA), the International
Sailing Federation (ISAF) recognized world-governing body for the sport of
kiteboarding.

“Today marks an important day for our sport in Canada”, said Ben McNabb,
Chairman of the CKA. “Not only does it provide Canada with a governing body for
competition, but it fuels the global campaign to have kiteboarding included at the
2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro”.

In its inaugural year the CKA will work with event organizers to implement
internationally recognized competition rules and unify the Canadian kiteboarding
scene with a national ranking. Doing so allows Canada to call upon its best talent
and send a strong contingent of athletes to international competition.

“We are more than happy to welcome the CKA as the latest addition to the IKA
family of national member classes”, said Markus Schwendtner of the IKA executive
committee in Germany. “We look forward to the important input from the North
American kiteboarding community towards the continued development of our rules
and regulations, and for exciting competitions held on the waters of Canada” he
added.

From coast to coast the CKA has received overwhelming support, including that of
Canadian pro rider, Sam Medysky. “I’m really excited to see the CKA come together
and even more excited to officially represent my country at international
competitions and with fingers crossed, the 2016 Olympic Games.”
So is the CKA.

canadakite@gmail.com
Directors:
Kyle Touhey
Daniel Medysky
Ben McNabb

KB4Girls tour schedule 2011

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:28:00 -0500

The KB4Girls tour schedule 2011 reads as follows:

Philippines, March 8 - 10, 2011
Australia/QLD, April 19 - 22, 2011
Turkey, May 10 – 12, 2011
USA/CA, May 28 – 29, 2011
Netherlands, June 17 – 18, 2011
United Kingdom, June 23 – 26, 2011
Germany, July 8 – 10, 2011
USA/OR, July 16 , 2011
USA/NY, September 16-18, 2011
Australia/WA, December 16 – 18, 2011

Quebec Cup 2011

Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:07:00 -0500

William Acosta and Genevieve Leonard win the gold and silver medal at the first leg of the Quebec Cup 2011!!!

Pro Rider William Acosta wins the first leg of the championships of snowkiting of the Quebec Cup 2011 venise-en-Quebec, snowboard category et receives his first gold medal for 2011!
William is fight for the 5th year to keep his title as champion of Quebec in snowkite racing, and its is with fury and compassion that he wins with a perfect score, winning all 8 races out of 8!!
And in womens ski categorie, Genevieve Leonard, instructor and starkites team rider Canada made it to the podium and wins her first silver medal with an extraordinary performance of 3 first places! Congrats GE!

PKRA World Tour 2011 Schedule is out

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:43:00 -0500

The much-anticipated 2011 PKRA World Tour Schedule is finally out. The busy calendar promises to be an exiting professional kiteboarding season visiting 5 continents, with 9 freestyle events, 6 wave events and 6 racing events. The event pages will be updated periodically with updates and new information. Make sure to the check the event status field of each event before making any plans or buying airline tickets.

Freestyle:

Thailand: March 14-19
Morocco: March 29-April 3
France: April 23-28
Cabarete: June 22-26
Fuerteventura: August 2-6
Germany: August 20-28
Brazil: September 14-18
New Caledonia: November 23-27
Australia: December 5-11

Wave:

Morocco: March 29-April 3
Lanzarote: April 6-10
Gran Canaria: April 13-17
Tenerife: August 8-13
Australia: December 5-11
South Africa: December 26-31

Racing:

Thailand: March 14-19
Mexico: March 23-26
Fuerteventura: August 2-6
Germany: August 20-28
Brazil: September 14-18
South Africa: December 26-31

More details: www.prokitetour.com

Flysurfer team gets great results at Quebec Snowkite Cup

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:22:00 -0500

The fifth season of the Quebec Snowkite Cup began last weekend on Lake Champlain in Montérégie, Canada. Even if the forecast winds were rather pessimistic for the weekend, still 30 riders registered who appeared Saturday morning on the beautiful site of Venice in Quebec, Canada to compete for the first time this winter in the Quebec Snowkite Championships.
With a 2nd, 3rd and 4th place during the 1st weekend of the Quebec Kite Cup , FLYSURFER riders dominated the rankings.

The races were held in winds southeast and is 5 to 8 knots on Saturday and westbound varying from 6 to 8 knots and eventually falled down to 14pm Sunday. Final results where 1st place for Simon Gill from Valleyfield which collects the gold, fighting the first place with Norman McGuire from Montreal (FLYSURFER) and Dominique Robichaud from Amqui (FLYSURFER) with the bronze medal.Well done guys!

Huge thank you to the sponsors who made this event possible and to the many volunteers and logistics for the race committee who provided valuable help.

Photos from the weekend can be seen here

Next appointment for the Quebec Snowkite Cup is in two weeks in La Baie, Canada in the Saguenay 29 and 30 January. This second round is made possible with the invaluable collaborations of KiteBroker and Club AirLib kite.

published by Ramon

SnowKiteMasters 2011 - Serre Chevalier

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:47:00 -0500

SnowKiteMasters 2011 is finished and what a week it was for the FLYSURFER team attending the event, with bad weather and no wind during almost the whole week, but everyone there was finally rewarded with a beautiful last day. During this day the Snowkite Freestyle Snowboard and Snowkite Freestyle Ski single eliminations could be finished.

Check out our SnowKiteMasters 2011 Gallery here (more photos will be added soon!)

With both Alex Robin & Lennart van Schuilenburg suffering from injuries but still competing and Yusca battleing hard through his heats at the SKM 2011, FLYSURFER achieved some very nice results.

Well done team!

SnowKiteMasters 2011 results:

Men Ski Freestyle

1. Johann Civel

2. Anton Uzhegov

3. Alexandre Bryand

4. Alex Robin (FLYSURFER)

Men Snowboard Freestyle:

1. Guillame Chastagnol

2. Romain Luppi

3. Marek Zach

5. Lennart van Schuilenburg (FLYSURFER)

5. Yusca Balogh (FLYSURFER)

published by Ramon

2010 PKRA World Champions

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:24:00 -0500

Congratulation to all the 2010 PKRA World Tour Champions!

RED BULL BOARDER X

MEN

1. Mitu Monteiro (F-One, CPV)

2. Mario Rodwald (North, GER)

3. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA)

WOMEN

1. Jalou Langeree (Naish, NED)

2. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

3. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

MEN’S FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Andy Yates (Slingshot, AUS)

2. Alex Pastor (Airush, ESP)

3. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

2. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA)

3. Karolina Winkowska (Slingshot, POL)

MEN’S WAVE WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Guilly Brandao (Mormaii, BRA)

2. Mitu Monteiro (F-One, CPV)

3. Ian Owczarzak Glaza (Mormaii, BRA)

WOMEN’S WAVE WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Gisela Pulido (Airush, ESP)

2. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

3. Ainhoa Garcia (Airush, ESP)

MEN’S RACING WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA)

2. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

3. Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA)

WOMEN’S RACING WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

2. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

3. Kristin Boese (Best, GER)

Speedsailing Outright World Record ratified at 55.65 knots !

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 11:16:00 -0500

The WSSRC has today ratified the last and final record from Luderitz, handing over the crown of Speedsailing to US Rob Douglas.

Earlier in the week, the World Speed Sailing Record Council already ratified the achievements of Charlotte Consorti (FRA, 50.43 knots - first woman ever over 50 knots) and Sebastien Cattelan (FRA, 55.49 knots).
It has been a thrilling month in the Namibian desert, with many national records and finally world records broken. It was first up to the defending kite world record holder Alexandre Caizergues (FRA) to claim back the outright record from the multi-million-dollar hydofoiling trimaran "Hydroptere", before Cattelan rised the bar to become the first sailor again exceeding 55 knots (he was the first one over 50 knots already in 2008).
Unfortunately "Catmans" glory lasted only 14 minutes until Rob Douglas flew down the course, setting the new outright world record to an incredible 55.65 knots.

Congratulations to all record contenders and new record holders of world and national records.

Record: World Sailing Speed Record
Venue: Luderitz. Namibia
Name: Rob Douglas USA
Equipment: Kitesurf. Mike Zajicek custom. Kite Cabrinha Switchblade 9 sqm
Dates: 28th October 2010.
Course length: 501M
Current: Nil
Start time: 14; 10; 25.12
Finish time: 14; 10; 42.62
Elapsed time: 17.50 seconds
Speed: 55.65 knots
Corrected for current: N/A
Comments: Current record: Sebastien Cattalan FRA 55.49 kts, 28th October - 14 minutes earlier.
John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

Here is some thoughts of Rob Douglas' team "NASSP" after being informed about the record:
"Call it amazing…call it ballsy…call it, “The Duel In the Desert Trench.” Drama personified in Ludertiz yesterday resulted in success for Team NASSP. Mission Accompished. Rob Douglas (USA 55 / Blue Leader) has accomplished exactly what he set out to do…he proudly and courageosly recaptured the Outright World Speed Sailing Record yesterday in the Ludertiz, 2nd Lagoon Trench.
With winds in excess of 45 knots and sand storms and sea spray all around, Rob entered The Trench. Riding his 9m Switchblade and speed board of choice, wearing his helmet and all additional padding and protection, Rob sailed down the Ludertiz Trench into a very questionable finishing area (completely closed and close to rocks and sand banks). He has once again sailed into the annals of sailing history…World Record Speed of 55.65 knots !
On Rob’s second run he got fouled up during the finish and fractured his right wrist. The NASSP Team has decided to have Rob return prematurely to Boston, MA. to undergo necessary medical procedures. On his return flight Rob will be accompanied by NASSP founding sponsor Bill Lynch (USA 52 / Green Leader).
Meanwhile, Jamie and Morgan will keep the kites in the sky as the high wind continues to pound the 2nd Lagoon. Coach Gebhardt will remain with The Boys."

A video report of Robs Outright Record run including interviews can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHCCEzXO9vk
Short version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtFxstw9Zjo&feature=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtFxstw9Zjo&feature=related>
Footage of Charlottes Outright Record run can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM4Ri8gPIiA&feature=related <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM4Ri8gPIiA&feature=related>

Get creative and win a 2010 FlyRadical M!

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 14:23:00 -0500

Well it is December again and as some of you expect from us, there is a nice price to win!

So get your creative vibe going and take part in our FLYSURFER Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/flysurferkiteboarding?ref=sgm> Christmas Emotion Special

and secure your chance to win a sparkling new FLYBOARDS <http://www.flyboards.info> FLYRADICAL M 2010!

For more information, click here <http://tinyurl.com/2bp6g7g>

California's John Heineken dominating races in Argentina

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:08:00 -0400

Four races wrap up the third day of competition in Bariloche

It was yet another spectacular day in Lake Nahuel Huapi for the Kitesurf World Cup Bariloche 2010. The wind was yet again in full force this morning at the mandatory skippers meeting. Freestylers took the back seat today for most of the day and were released in the early afternoon due to the weather conditions which were more favorable for the racers.

Race director, Erik Troostheide rushed to re-arrange and set the racing course for today. A total of four races were completed under sunny blue skies and moderate winds. Racers were out on 10m kites and seemed to be enjoying themselves despite the brisk wind and the frigid water.

A large number of racers tangled during the start of the first race of the day causing many problems. A rescue boat was on the scene soon after the entanglement catastrophe and rescued a few riders floating in the cold water. Three or four riders were able to get their kites back up in the air, regaining composure and followed through with the race.

German rider, Dirk Hanel (North, GER) took advantage of this mess lead most of the race and was able to remain in the lead finishing in first place. Hanel has been struggling in previous races but managed to earn his best results in a series of races. California sunny boy John Heineken (Ozone, USA) had complications in the first race due to the entanglement catastrophe however managed to shake the stress away and finished first in the last three consecutive races of the day with a huge marginal lead over all the other competitors. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA) has been speeding his way across the finish line and managed to finish second in the first two races of the day and third in the last two races. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA) has also been riding strong, managing to keep up with his strategic tactics earning him third place in the first two races of the day followed by second place in the last two races.

In the women’s racing division, it was a winning day for French rider Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA). Adrien suffered from the tangles in the first race of the day finishing third, however managed to finish first in the following three consecutive races. Adrien is well in the lead of the women’s racing division here in Bariloche finishing first in 5 out of 6 races. Brazilian rider Nayara Licarinoo (North, BRA) did not let the cold water slow her down finishing second in the last three consecutive races while Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR) managed to take first place in the first race, third place in the following two consecutive races and fourth in the final race. Melissa Gil (Cabrinha, CRC) had a great first race today taking second place however struggled to find the finish line marker in the following races.

Tomorrow’s wind forecast is looking promising yet again. The mandatory skippers meeting is scheduled for 10:00am with a first possible start of 10:30am for the continuation of the freestyle double eliminations.

The Argentina Kitesurf World Cup 2010 was made possible and sponsored in part by: Vari Kites, INPROTUR (Argentina National Institute of Tourism Promotion), U1st-Sports, Rapa Nui Chocolates, Sancor Seguros, Pantagonia, Club de Caza y Pesca de Bariloche, Prefectura, Parques Nacionales.

DAY 3 RESULTS HERE

DAY 3 PHOTOS HERE

RACING RESULTS

Race #3

Men Results:

1. Dirk Hanel (North, GER)

2. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA)

3. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

Race #3

Women Results:

1. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

2. Melissa Gil (Cabrinha, CRC)

3. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

Race #4

Men Results:

1. John Heineken (Ozone, USA)

2. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA)

3. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

Race #4

Women Results:

1. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

2. Nayara Licarinoo (North, BRA)

3. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

Race #5

Men Results:

1. John Heineken (Ozone, USA)

2. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

3. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA)

Race #5

Women Results:

1. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

2. Nayara Licarinoo (North, BRA)

3. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR)

Race #6

Men Results:

1. John Heineken (Ozone, USA)

2. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA)

3. Julien Kerneur (Takoon, FRA)

Race #6

Women Results:

1. Caroline Adrien (Cabrinha, FRA)

2. Nayara Licarinoo (North, BRA)

3. Melissa Gil (Cabrinha, CRC)

Kitesurf World Cup Bariloche Argentina 2010

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 03:05:00 -0400

Registration commenced this afternoon under beautiful spring like weather conditions in the very prestigious and cozy town of Bariloche, Argentina. Rumors of extremely cold weather conditions scattered amongst a few competitors whom arrived a couple days prior to the set registration date, however sunny blue skies and a temperature of approximately 20°C embraced the large number of competitors in line for registration.

An enormous amount of native Argentine’s such as the legend Martin Vari and many riders of different nationalities such as Australia, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, Columbia, Uruguay, USA, Austria, Norway, Holland, New Caledonia and Poland to name a few made their way to Bariloche for the eighth tour stop of the PKRA World Cup 2010.

The wind and weather forecast for the upcoming days looks very promising, and all competitors are eager to get out on the water to experience the conditions of the famous picturesque Bariloche Lake.

Tomorrow’s mandatory skippers meeting is scheduled for 10:00am with a first possible start of 11:30am for racing and 2:00pm for freestyle.

PKRA Argentina 2010 Preview

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:24:00 -0400

Argentina, is not only home to the first ever PKRA World Champion Martin Vari, it will also host the 8th stop of the 2010 PKRA World Tour season. The famous Patagonian town of Bariloche will hold an outstanding event not to mention the first and only competition being held on a lake this season. Freestyle and Course Racing will be the two official disciplines, and we expect to have many new riders from numerous parts of the South American countries such as; Uruguay, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil as well as a large representation of local Argentinians who will join the usual world cup veteran riders in delivering an amazing show to the Argentinan crowd. With only 3 events left in the 2010 season, it will be a tight race for the world championship title. In the men's division, Andy Yates, Alex Pastor and Youri Zoon are only a few points apart and this event could make all the difference as to who will be crowned the 2010 World Champion. In the women's division, 2009 W orld Champion Bruna Kajiya will be competing at her very best in hopes of breaking down the lead that current tour leader Gisela Pulido has.
Riders are to expect very different conditions on Lake Nahuel Bariloche, and possibly the coldest event of the year. The preparations for the event are going very well, and the organizers are getting advice from Martin Vari on the event setup. Argentina 2010 will make a big impact on Kiteboarding.

BEN WILSON SIGNS WITH FCS

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:59:00 -0400

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FCS today announced the signing of world renowned kitesurfer Ben Wilson. Ben now joins the Global Team alongside professional surfers; Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Julian Wilson, and the Hobgood brothers. The partnership will include the production of a signature FCS Ben Wilson fin designed specifically for wave kitesurfing.

Richie Lovett, SHI Brand Ambassador said, “FCS is really excited to be aligning with kitesurfing pioneer Ben Wilson. As the kite scene grows in popularity, so does the demand for high quality kiting equipment and this obviously extends to fins. Ben is the best in his field and his kiting techniques are heavily influenced by contemporary surfing which is of great interest to us. Our collective plan is to offer some exciting products by combining Ben’s expertise and feedback, with our knowledge of fin design”

Fin Control Systems, better known as FCS, offers surfers from a variety of different boarding codes the ability to change their fins and customize their equipment to suit different wave conditions and board designs. The system also has remarkable travel benefits.

Ben commented upon signing the agreement, “I am so stoked to be working with the leading fin company in the world. Kitesurfing is progressing at a monumental speed and it’s only a matter of time before surfers worldwide see the added benefits of using a kite in the surf when it’s all blown out. For me their is no better feeling than surfing in the morning and then when the wind comes up taking the same board and using it with the kite”.

The new FCS Ben Wilson signature fin will signify the introduction of FCS into the kitesurfing market, adding yet another dimension to the worlds most successful fin design and manufacturing company. Ben’s signature fin is scheduled for release in 2011.

Ben added further, "FCS is supporting my vision of bridging the gap between the two codes and taking kitesurfing into the mainstream. It’s so exciting to be working alongside FCS to create the best products for this crossover.”

More information contact bruce@benwilsonsurf.com

or visit the following sites:

www.surffcs.com

www.benwilsonsurf.com

Great results for FLYSURFER at San Teodoro Evento 2010

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:11:00 -0400

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000149 EndHTML:0000003811 StartFragment:0000000199 EndFragment:0000003777 StartSelection:0000000199 EndSelection:0000003777 From 16 to 19 September 2010 the San Teodoro E-Vento <http://www.santeodoroevento.it/> took place, this event brings together the International kiteboarding world to the Italian kite beach: Cinta San Teodoro. This year the conditions were good all three days of the event and the show on the water was incredible. The FLYSURFER <http://www.flysurfer.com> team was also able to take home 2 of the 3 podium places in the long-distance race!

The new FLYSURFER Speed3 <http://www.flysurfer.com/Content/477/?mnid=2002> 21m Deluxe <http://www.flysurfer.com/Content/464/?mnid=1992> was always the first kite to fly over the bay in San Teodoro, the 6-8 knot thermal in the morning made for optimum conditions for this kite and for people to try out. The incredible performance of this kite have amazed more than a few testers.

And the icing on the cake came Sunday, despite the difficult conditions with gusty off-shore winds (between 10-30 knots) the long-distance race took place. Because of the gusty off-shore winds, making a good start was already a battle. But even with a very late departure in the first heats both Ingo Klammer and Eddy Lansink (board shaper of FLYBOARDS <http://www.flyboards.info> , riding with a prototype FlyRace) could qualify for the final with the Speed3 <http://www.flysurfer.com/Content/477/?mnid=2002> 12m Deluxe <http://www.flysurfer.com/Content/464/?mnid=1992> .

After some advise about the local winds and thermal effect by experienced Italian racer and Flysurfer School owner Marco Calbucci <http://www.sunset-beach.it/> , both racers went out to battle for the podium places in the final. The start was better this time, but still around 80-100m behind A. Tonon which had a great start right on the gun.

Reaching the bottom of the bay (4 kilometers out) it was hard to see who was leading, but coming in we could see that Eddy Lansink was in 2nd and Ingo Klammer was in 3rd. The boardspeed of Eddy was impressive, catching up to Tonon fast and finishing only a few meters behind him on the finish line.

Despite the commitment of Eddy and his awesome comeback in the 2nd part of the race the victory went to Tonon, but both Eddy and Ingo where very happy with their results in the difficult and gusty conditions. All in all a great result for FLYSURFER that highlighted the potential of our kites and FLYBOARDS!

The final long-distance Kite Race results from the San Teodoro Evento 2010 :

1st Tonon Ozone (Ozone Edge 13)
2nd Lansink Eddie FLYSURFER (Speed3 12m DLX)
3rd Klammer Ingo FLYSURFER (Speed3 12m DLX)
4th Sterbini Andrea North (Rebel 11)
5th Giovannelli Lorenzo Slingshot (TD2 14)

2011 Kiteboarding Tradeshow Gear photo gallery

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:59:00 -0400

Here is a massive collection of photos from the 2011 US Kiteboard Tradeshow.

Gear Photos

SBC Kiteboard 10th Anniversary Party

Be sure to also check out SBC Kiteboard's in-depth 2011 Gear Preview.

Kiteboarding on NBC

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:36:00 -0400

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/video.

Kite Dudes

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:54:00 -0400

Learning to race at Squamish

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:39:00 -0400

Here I am in Squamish, British Columbia site of the 2010 West Coast Regatta/Canadian Nations for Racing. When I first decided, a few months ago, to try my hand at racing I thought "how hard can it be"? Well I think I'm about to find out that answer, very hard! After a few weeks of trying to figure out my raceboard I have scrapes, bruises and two very sore legs. BUT the time has come to compete my first race so I packed my bags and boarded a plane to Vancouver.

Having done a fair bit of traveling to kite I thought I had developed a pretty good system of packing and sneaking all my gear onto the flight without extra fees or dirty looks from the check-in desk.
Lesson 1: no amount of smiling or pleading can sneak a 6' raceboard past the check-in lady.
Lesson 2: no one who works for an airline knows what kiteboarding is or where to find the rules in the baggage policy. Say "surfboard", hand them your credit card and keep moving.

With those two lessons under my belt I arrived in Vancouver only to learn one more very important lesson.
Lesson 3: the rental car is TOO SMALL. A bigger rental car is too expensive. What would have held kite gear minus the raceboard does not want to hold kite gear plus the raceboard, better make it fit!
Thank goodness for high school geometry and some creative packing. You don't really need to see out the back window anyway, especially when confronted with the view on the Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver to Squamish.

After an amazing drive along the coast and through the mountains I arrived at the spit in Squamish. Squamish has to be one of the most breathtaking spots in the world to kite. The spit is a little piece of land that juts out into the river estuary where the Squamish River meets the Pacific Ocean. Imagine a little slice of rock and gravel in the middle of a river valley with snow capped mountains as a back drop. I even saw a baby seal come up for a breath a few metres from the beach. By the time I arrived it was getting a little bit late to head out on the water, but there was plenty of time to catch up with some good friends and chat about the weekend's racing.

I'm crossing my fingers for some wind tomorrow and little bit of time to warm up before Saturday's first race.

2011 Liquid Force Website Launched

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:56:00 -0400

The new 2011 Liquid Force website launched today. Tight video action from Cape Hatteras on the homepage and some solid riding shots in the team profile section. Check out the site! It's well worth a visit.

http://liquidforcekites.com

Flysurfer Speed3 21m Deluxe - first impression

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:43:00 -0400

Flysurfer head designer Armin Harich goes out on his first session with the first serial Flysurfer Speed3 21m Deluxe that arrived the same morning with UPS.
Armin takes us to his home spot near Frankfurt (Germany).

Watch a stoked out Armin playing around and enjoying his new toy;-)

The session was filmed with an Apple Iphone4 and Armin was able to edit and cut the video the same day and put it online immediately.

Flysurfer Speed3 21m Deluxe - First Impression from Flysurfer Kiteboarding on Vimeo.

Race and wave tour schedules get adjusted

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:51:00 -0400

The 2010 PKRA Freestyle World Tour continues to have a busy season with the Tenerife Kiteboarding World Tour 2010 starting tomorrow. Due to organizational and logistic problems at the country level the racing and wave tour stops will have some adjustments. The first change is for the racing tour, the Brazil stop scheduled September 15 – 19 , 2010 at Barra do Cunhaú, Brazil has been canceled and secondly, the scheduled wave tour event in New Caledonia from November 23 – 28, 2010 at Tenia Island, New Caledonia has been canceled. This leaves the final PKRA racing event of the 2010 season to be in Bariloche, Argentina from November 2 – 6, 2010, and the final PKRA wave event of the 2010 season to be in the Gold Coast, Australia December 5-12, 2010.

Note the Freestyle event in New Caledonia remains as scheduled in Noumea, November 24 -28, 2010.