SBC Kiteboard - News

America's Bryan Lake wins PKRA Mexico

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:49:00 -0400

The final day of competition at the MINI kiteboard world cup on the Riviera Nayarit had great conditions. The thermal wind picked up to about 15 knots and two races were run. The first race was won by Bryan Lake and Julien Kerneur won the second race. On the women side, Smunty won the first race and Arroyo won the second race. After the races Kevin Langeree and Alex Pastor put on a great freestyle show in front of the Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta. The day wrapped up with a beautiful prize ceremony crowning Bryan Lake and Smunty as the winners of the Slalom and Langeree and Smunty won the freestyle.

The slalom course was set up with long legs and four marks to push the riders to their maximum speed, while rounding the marks at full speed. The wind was a steady 15 knots and riders were riding their 11 and 13 meter kites. The first race was run in a quarterfinal, semifinal and final format with the top three riders advancing to the next round. Once again all the favorites advanced to the final. Lake had a great start along with Kernuer, Lake just seem to have more speed and reached the mark first. Adam Koch came back strong and overtook Kerneur to move into second. The two battled all the way to the finish line but Koch won the exchange and got his best finish of the event. Lake stayed in front and won his fifth consecutive race.

The final race of the event was set up with two half feet semifinals and an eight-man final. All three races were extremely exciting with all the riders pushing each other right from the start. Once again all the top riders made it into the final and had to prepare for a very competitive eight-man final. All the competitors were within meters of the start line when the green flag went up and were already going full speed to the first Mark. Brian Lake and Adam Koch arrived at the mark first but Bryan hit a wave and kart wheeled into Adam and they tangle kites, Bryan was disqualified and Adam given a redress. Julien Kernuer went on to win his first race followed by Adam Withington who got a second place finish.

"Slalom is a relax approach to competitive racing, going full speed, touching kites and being fair play. No harm, no foul approached to close racing” – Bryan Lake

After six races Brian was first, Julien was second and Adam Whitington was third.

The women’s races were once again very close Smunty kept on winning and solified her lead in the overall points ranking. Arroyo was still extremely consistenet and won the last race giving her a scond overall. Jessica Whitington’s second-place finish in the first race of the day put her in third overall.

Alex pastor and Kevin Langeree came out before the closing ceremony to put on the freestyle exhibition. There were both landing technical handle passes like the back mobe’s and flat 3’s, while also doing some old-school moves. The large crowd on the beach cheered them on every time they landed a move.

“It is great to show the public the latest moves and big air tricks that are really fun to do” -Kevin Langeree

After a full day of kiting it was time to reward the winners of the MINI kiteboard World Cup in Riviera Nayarit. It was a great ceremony on the beach with all the riders coming to cheer on winners and for the winners to claim their trophies and prizes.

2013 Triple-S Wildcard video entries

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:41:00 -0400

Mads Wollesen

Javo Santangelo

Céline Rodenas

Thomas Paris (Freestyle)

Thomas Paris (Waves)

Nick Jabs

Janek Korycki

JP Diban

Alexander Lewis-Hughes

Francesco Maffei

Luke Orton

Blaine Baker

Alex Campet

Lindsay McClure

Aryen Gonzalez

Layne Mullard

Simon Gill

Tobias Hölter

Andreas Toverud

Oliver Umpierre

Justin Worrall

Ewan Jaspan

Kellen Hall

Elliot Drury

Chris Bobryk

Brandon Cordina

Bret Sullivan

Niklas Reymann

Sean Buell

Seb Garat

Maciek "Mlody" Lewandowski

Joanna Kowalska

Julien Kepski

THE SLINGSHOT RPM IS THE KITE FOR DRE

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:28:00 -0400

Andre Phillip is undeniably one of the most influential riders in the industry. He is known for his consistently stylish and innovative riding, staying humble and true to his roots, and has earned much love and respect from his peers. After 11 years riding for Cabrinha he has left the brand to team up and grow Tona boards, which will be his main focus.

This move enabled Dre to try different kites to see what best suited his riding. We are very proud to say that out of all the kites on the market he found that the Slingshot RPM was best suited for him. Here is what Dre had to say about the 2013 RPM.

"I love the RPM because it's so stable, it turns quickly and feels light in the sky. It also gives some slack when I load and pop which makes it easier to do handle passes. I also like the fact that the RPM has great range. I am currently negotiating the possibility to officially join the Slingshot team but for now I'm happy to be flying some great kites! Thanks for the support Slingshot!”

We could not be more stoked about the feedback from such an influential rider! Hopefully DRE will officially become part of our family, but for now we can say that Andre Phillip chose to "ride with us”! For more info about Andre Phillip check out his Facebook and Instagram page.

Check Out Dre's Facebook Page >>.

Mondial du Vent “Sosh Cup” Leucate, France: Speed event

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:11:00 -0400

The American team arrived in Leucate, France 4 days day’s early to prepare for the Mondial du Vent speed event, the largest kitesurfing event in France. The team: Rob, Morgan, Jamie Douglas and myself were on a mission to see if a new course record could be set in the waters of La Franqui. The weather forecast was perfect as the Tramontonia wind was about to hit hard for 4 huge days! 30 to 40 knots with gusts of 45knots. Perfect conditions for speed sailing. Flat water…. Strong winds….Good wind angle…. and the worlds fastest speed sailors in one location.

The day before the event kicked off we had winds 30 to 40knots one the course so we got a early jump on the competitors as we got to train on the course. Tuning in our gear, checking line length, fins sizes, foot strap positions making sure our gear was ready for the up coming days. Raining and cold, the brothers were all looking very fast as they have been training in Martha’s Vineyard over the past few months with temperatures in the 40’s. They felt right at home. I started to feel comfortable maybe to comfortable, as I crashed hard at 40+ knots, cart wheeling across the water snapping my neck like never before. The worst crash I have ever had in my carrier. Reality Check! Never the less I was fine but was going to start the racing with a sever whiplash in the approximate area of C5 and C6.

Race days: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

50 minutes into Heat 1 after a slight technical delay, Rob Douglas landed the first shot with a blistering 44.61 kt average and a new speed record for Leaucate. Antoine Albeau 20 time world champion windsurfer answers back in heat 2 with a bullet after Rob made a costly mistake. I had a good start sailing consistent heats with a 6th and 7th hanging on to my Cabrinha Switchblade 7m.

GPS miles sailed: 65 Nautical Miles

GPS V MAX: 50 Knots

Day 2:

Rougher water and 35 to 40 knots the American team started to find their groove as Morgan and Jamie made their climb up the leader board and Rob holding strong in the battle for top spot with two 2nd’s. I sailed my throw outs early, as I could not find my groove as I battled to wrap my head around 40knots.

Day 3:

Last day of the Tramontonia wind, Rob was .9 points out of first behind Antoine. Morgan, Jamie and myself were holding strong in the top 10. I started to get more comfortable with the windy conditions and dropped two 3rd’s in on the fleet. Beating Rob and Antoine in the 6th heat. Antoine and Rob continued to trade bullets and in the end it was Antoine 1.3 points ahead after 7 heats.

Thanks to: Cabrinha kites, Lynch Associates, The Black Dog, GoPro, Oakley, Meanline Fins, Dakine, Alex Aguera, Cornerfive, NP, Gorilla Rigging. A big Thanks to Pascal Maka for inviting team USA to the Mondial du Vent “Sosh Cup”.

Kindly, Damo

Sosh Cup Results:

Rob Douglas: 1st kite 2nd overall Best speed over 500m: 44.61 knots. (Course record)

Damien LeRoy 3rd kite and 5th overall

Morgan Douglas 6th kite and 11th overall

Jamie Douglas 9th kite and 15th overall

Pastor and Pulido Win the Mondial du Vent

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:05:00 -0400

The final heats of the double elimination were performed in perfect Leucate conditions with side-off shore winds at about 25-30 knots under sunny skies. In the end it was the winners of the single elimination that won the double elimination and the Mondial du Vent PKRA freestyle event. Alex Pastor won his 2nd consecutive title and Gisela Pulido her first of the year. Annabel Van Westerop and Youri Zoon both made a good run at the podium but were stopped short by Bruna Kajiya and Marc Jacobs. The next stop will be in Italy at the end of June for the 3rd spot of the year.

The double elimination gives the opportunity for riders that lost in the single elimination a chance to come back and win. This is done so that in case you break a line or have a bad heat you can still come back and finish with a better result or in the case of the higher seeds they can lose a spot. The competition started with the men’s heats of round 2. The First heat between Tack and Blanc was won by Tack who found his rhythm early while Blanc was unable to land his big moves. Next Zoon defeated Madson from Brazil and Schitzhofer kept on winning by beating Romeu Reno. The last heat of the round the technical riding of Sam Light took out the last Frenchman from the competition Valentin Garat. Next it was up to the women to take to the water. In this round the young riders Switala, Van Westerop and Valesa all went through to the next round.

Round 3 of men was between the 4 riders that were in 5th place after the single and the challengers. Only Da Silva and Mario Rodwald were able to hold their position against the challengers, Tack took down Liam Whaley in a very close heat and Youri Zoon kept his podium run going by taking down his country man and world champion Kevin Langeree. The next round opposed Youri Zoon and Tack and Rodwald versus Da Silva. Zoon and Da Silva’s explosive and technical riding were too good for the challengers. The Zoon versus Da Silva heat was very exciting, both were going big, in the end Youri was ahead and Da Silva went for a big blind judge 5 and crashed it and bowed out of the comp in 6th place.

On the women’s side it was Switala and Van Westerop who kept moving forward in the competition by land their kiteloops and blind judges. When they went against each other Van Westerop landed an S-1 to move on to meet Manuela Jungo. The heat was very close between the two women but Annabel just kept landing her tricks and got a chance to challenge Bruna Kayija for the podium.

Youri Zoon had already guaranteed himself at least a 5th place, but he was not done. He faced the Russian Borisov who had a brilliant competition going through the qualifiers and finishing 4th in the single elimination. Zoon was still on fire and defeated Borisov with his big front mobe and back mobes. Next he faced Marc Jacobs who was not ready to give up his podium spot just yet. Marc’s late back mobe, grabbed slim and S-3 kept him on the podium and gave himself the chance to go against Aaron Hadlow.

The Kajiya versus Winkowska was close, both were landing technical handle passes but Winkowska seemed to have another gear on her tricks and was able to put a little more power and commitment into her tricks and won the heat and got a chance to go after Pulido. On the men’s side Marc Jacobs was against Aaron Hadlow. Aaron came out and landed his tricks with fluid style in contrast to Marc who went all out from the start. It was high scoring heat for both riders but Marc’s explosive riding got him into the final Against Alex Pastor.

The women’s double elimination final was set between Gisela Pulido and Karolina Winkowska. They both landed their blind judges and 313’s, Karolina got another S-1 in but could not get in enough tricks. In the end Gisela got four high scoring tricks in the gusty winds to win. The men’s final was between Alex Pastor and Marc Jacobs; Alex landed some amazing tricks: back mobe 5, double S-1, NIS, BJ and 313. Marc did all he could, but he seemed to be a little of his game and could not mount a solid heat. Alex Pastor Won the event with the highest heat score total of the day 33.86.

The conditions for the past 3 days have been classic Leucate conditions and a lot of fun to run the second PKRA of the year. The 61 riders really made the competition amazing and put on a great show for the public.

Check out the latest news on www.prokitetour.com and follow us on facebook and twitter.

Check out all the heat result and scores here.

Daily Photos Day 3

Pastor and Pulido Win the Single in France

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:53:00 -0400

The second day of competition started with great conditions. The men riding 7 m kites and women were on 5, 6 meter kites with sunny skies. Alex Pastor and Gisela Pulido won the single elimination. Aaron Hadlow defeated Youri Zoon in the second round and lost to Alex Pastor in the final but guaranteed himself a podium spot for the Mondial du vent. The first round of the double elimination of men was started and we will be finishing the competition tomorrow and crowning two champions.

The women took to the water first and had to get used to the conditions, the veterans Rodenas and Bonzom advanced and Vieira show some good tricks to defeat Van Der Snoek. The second round of men was on right from the start with Da Silva versus Tack, with Tack under the weather Da Silva easily won with a perfect BJ7 which set the tone for the competition. The big upset of the competition was delivered by Aaron Hadlow who upset the defending world champion in a close heat early in the competition. The other upset was Alberto Rondina who was battling injuries and lost to Mario Rodwald and withdrew from the competition.

The women’s quarter final was dominated by the top seeds that landed their repertoire of tricks and all made it to the semifinals. The men’s quarterfinals were very exciting starting with Da Silva versus Jacobs who have contrasting styles. Jacobs’s powered moves (back mobe, NIS) defeated the young Brazilian. Hadlow kept his run going by beating Rodwald, Borisov powered riding eliminated Langeree and sent him to his first PKRA semifinal. Alex Pastor’s execution stayed flawless and sent Whaley to the double elimination.

The first semifinal was between Bruna Kajiya and Gisela Pulido, this is a classic battle of two world champions that have been going at each other for years, Gisela got the upper hand by being more consistent in the gusty winds and landing more tricks. The second heat between Karolina Winkowska and Manuela Jungo, the world champion dominated by landing more powered tricks. The first semifinal of the men between Jacobs and Hadlow was very close, Aaron was landing and executing his tricks smoothly, Marc had more power but was not very smooth on his landings. It was close, but Aaron qualified for his first PKRA final since 2009. Borisov was the new comer to the semifinals against Alex Pastor. Borisov was good, but was no match for Alex’s double S-1, back mobe 5 and front blind mobe.

The first battle for the third-place podium spot between Kajiya and Jungo was close until the last minute when Bruna landed a big blind judge and 313; Manuela had a blind judge but could not match Bruna’s power. On the men’s side it was Borisov versus Jacobs who have similar style. Both riders were checking their landings but it was Marc Jacobs that took the podium spot.

The women’s final was between Gisela Pulido and Karolina Winkowska. Gisela was on right from the start and landed a full repertoire of tricks. Karolina had a hard time finding her rhythm and was unable to land all of her tricks. Gisela was back on top of the podium and will do her best to secure her first win of the season.

The men’s final was between Alex Pastor and Hadlow, the action was intense from the start. The two riders traded tricks for the entire heat going back and forth for the lead. In the end it was Alex pastor who took the win with a last minute double S-1. Alex Pastor is in a great position to take a commanding points lead in the 2013 ranking.

All the trick and scores can be seen here

The Double elimination of the men was started in the late afternoon, the wind had dropped a bit and the men were able to put up their 9 meter kites. In the first two heats Tack and Blanc both advanced by being more consistent in the gusty conditions. Da Silva had a bye due to Rondina’s injury and put a little show for the crowd. In the next heat the two fan favorites Garat and Zoon battled it out with Zoon taking the win and looking to chase a podium spot tomorrow. Schitzhofer and Romeu both advance to the next round. Valentin Garat won against Jaspan and Paul Serin bowed out to Sam Light.

Tomorrow competition will resume at 10:00 and the men and women Mondial du Vent Champions will be chosen.

Daily Photos Day 2

PKRA Update: Mondial Du Vent and MINI World Cup Mexico

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:31:00 -0400

We are just one week away from the start of Mondial du Vent in Leucate, France and four weeks from the first slalom event in Mexico; the MINI kiteboard world cup. After a great start to the season in Dakhla, Morocco, with perfect wind and waves, the next stop will be in the challenging conditions of Leucate. Leucate is located in Languedoc Roussillon in southern France at the base of the Pyrenees. It is one of the windiest destinations on tour because the tramontane can blow up to 50 knots.

This event brings many riders from all over the world and Europe due to its convenient location, great media coverage and almost guaranteed wind. The competition is one of the toughest on tour with many freestylers registering and battling for the win. When Tramontane is on the wind is offshore making the spot perfectly flat and very good for freestyle. The wind tends to be gusty because it funnels down a Valley but still the top riders are able to land some spectacular moves on this great spot.

The organizers and city of Leucate really do a great job promoting the sport and providing things to do for everyone. When the freestyle is not running many other activities are available to keep you entertained for the whole day.

Go check out the website: www.mondial-du-vent.com to see last year’s videos and everything that will be happening in 2013.

The MINI kiteboard World Cup Mexico slalom events will be starting on May 9 in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. This will be the start of the slalom tour PKRA 2013. The new slalom discipline on the PKRA is very exciting, and will bring a new format of competitions that will be high-speed, high performance and nonstop kitesurfing action. The will be fun for the competitors because it’s fast and technical and great for the spectators because it will be close to the beach and very competitive.

If you would like more information about this event go to www.prokitetour.com/event.php?id=150

The events will be broadcasted live every day and daily pictures, press releases and videos will be available on www.prokitetour.com, Facebook and twitter.

Industry Insider: Andre Phillip joins Tona

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:26:00 -0400

"With over a decade worth of accolades, numerous awards, and a reputation that is unmatched by anyone, Andre Phillip has become one of the most iconic riders in the industry. He is known for his consistently stylish and innovative riding, and by staying humble and true to his roots he has earned much love and respect from his peers. It's safe to say that any move Dre makes is well calculated, whether it be on the water or in his personal life, and this being the biggest move in his career is no exception. It is with great pleasure and anticipation that Tona welcomes Dre to the family as both a rider and a co-owner."

The new "Golf for Entrepreneurs“- FoundersKiteClub

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:25:00 -0400

• FoundersKiteClub brings business kitesurfing events to Europe
• Kiteboarding becomes the new golf for top entrepreuneurs
• Forbes Magazine relates billion-deals to business kitesurfing events
• World champion league: Kristin Boese, Youri Zoon and Lewis Crathern will co-host the first event 2013 in El Gouna, Egypt

FoundersKiteClub (FKC) hosts several kitesurfing, community and entrepreneurship events supported
by BEST KITEBOARDING at premium kitesurfing venues. Entrepreneurs, investors and innovators meet
like-minded people for networking and improving their kiting skills by learning from the best athletes out
there. The focus of these events are on business and networking in the informal atmosphere of
kitesurfing.

Together with Kristin Boese, Youri Zoon and Lewis Crathern the FoundersKiteClub kickoff event will take
place from 23rd-26th of May in El Gouna (Egypt). Christoph Jost reveals that there are already top
entrepreneurs on the participation list.

“Kitesurfing bonds a certain type of people: entrepreneurial, successful, those willing to take a risk, are
adventurous and at the same time have a relaxed and open minded attitude to life, which proves to be
an explosive mix of characters," positively admit both of the FKC founders Christoph Jost and Sebastian
Heitmann, CEO of Best Kiteboarding. "We are stoked to bring the business - and kitesurf events to
Europe."

The participation is per invite only. Applications can be sent via www.facebook.com/founderskiteclub or
directly on their webpage www.founderskiteclub.com.

The connections which are made in strong winds also can last in business life. Over 7 billion dollars have
already been generated in market value which forbes magazine*
relates to kitesurfing business events that have already taken place in USA.

About FoundersKiteClub
The Founders Kite Club has been initiated by several entrepreneurs at the end of 2012 and has been
founded by Sebastian Heitmann and Christoph Jost in February 2013. Co-Founders are Florian Behn
and Florian Wilken.

As the CEO of Best Kiteboarding, Sebastian contributes the FKC with his understanding of the kite
market and as a German internet entrepreneur, founder and investor Christoph Jost helps to round
things out. The vowed goal is to help to establish the sport of kitesurfing as the new "

New Event IKA/PKRA JR World Championships 2013

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:46:00 -0400

The PKRA/IKA Freestyle Junior World championships will be held in San Pere Pescador, Costa Brava at the Camping la Ballena Alegre July 2-7, 2013. It will be the first event of this type in the history of the PKRA. Many of the top pros will come out and do demos for the young rippers. The winners of each category will be Junior world champion.

This is a great opportunity for young riders from all over the world to become a junior world champion and learn how to compete at the top level on the PKRA.

The Divisions:

Boys 8-11 years old
Boys 12-14 years old
Boys 15-16 years old

Girls 8-13 years old
Girls 14-16 years old

How will the competition be run?

An expression session will be done with all the JR’s of each group and the judges will evaluate them to do a provisional ranking to separate the best riders. This is done so that the best riders do not meet early in the competition and are placed on opposite sides of the ladder.

The competition will be based on the PKRA freestyle judging criteria’s and the winners will be chosen by official PKRA judges that work on the world tour. The rankings in the heats will be chosen by overall impression. This means that the winner of the heat will be the riders that can do the most technical tricks with power, style and a clean execution.

When we get closer to the final we will switch over to electronic judging that is done like on the PKRA world tour, where points are given for the maneuvers so that riders can see how they did for each manoeuver and how they can get better scores.

IKO members can now access International Kiteboard Insurance with Lloyd’s

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:37:00 -0400

After months of searching and tirelessly negotiating, IKO is pleased to announce that its hard work has paid off and members can now access exclusively to an unprecedented new international insurance program provided by the Lloyd’s insurance market located in the UK. Unlike before when the IKO offered insurance to just a few countries, this insurance program is now available to IKO Members and Kite Centers located in most countries around the world.

“This is a unique and exclusive insurance program and is an essential IKO benefit that we are pleased to have helped arrange for our professional community” says Frédéric Béné, president of the IKO. “The program meets all the requirements and is in compliance with local insurance regulations as well as has been approved in most countries where IKO is represented.” Simply upon request, more countries can be added to the existing list of where coverage is provided. Currently, the IKO Kite Centers and Instructors in the following countries can take advantage of this unique program in: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and UK.

The insurance program is affordable to IKO Kite schools of any size and whatever the working season is for the school. This is always the challenging when looking for and negotiating professional coverage for an extreme sport like Kiteboarding especially when it is taught and practiced in so many countries today. The agreement however is worded in English and in order to fit to the professional and general Kiteboarding activities is exclusively for the IKO and its members. The program offers professional and general liability for IKO Affiliated Kite Schools. All kiting activities for Kiteboarding, Snowkiting and Powerkiting are covered under this policy. Best of all, it is easy to apply online. More information HERE.

About the IKO

International Kiteboard Organization (IKO) is the world’s leading Kiteboard training organization with affiliated kite schools in thirty-eight countries including the U.S., U.K. and Australia. IKO specializing in education programs, promoting safe practices and is not only enhancing the highest standards for the industry but is setting the industry standard for safety. IKO strives to reach pure excellence in the teaching experience while finding the perfect balance of fun and safety for all our IKO members. To learn more, visit www.ikointl.com.

About Lloyd’s

Lloyd's is the world's specialist insurance market and occupies fifth place in terms of global reinsurance premium income, and is the largest surplus lines insurer in the US. In 2012, 88 syndicates are underwriting insurance at Lloyd's, covering all classes of business from more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Lloyd's is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Contact: Jessica Chauvin

Communication Manager

IKO (International Kiteboarding Organization)

jessica@ikointl.com

Apartado 197, 57600 Sosua, Puerto Plata

Dominican Republic

www.ikointl.com

Four North American's to compete on 2013 KSP tour

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:31:00 -0400

Hawaii's Moona Whyte, and Patri McLaughlin will be competing alongside Hood River's Sky Solbach and Canada's Mark Moore on the 2013 Kitesurf Pro Tour.

Here is the official release from the KSP:

Following the KSP World Tour Riders application process, which ended on March 1, 2013, the IKA is pleased to announce the list of riders to join the pre-qualified 2012 top 10 male and top 5 female riders on the 2013 Wave World Championship Tour run by the KSP.

With an impressive number of 67 male and 26 female applications from all around the world received during the application period, the formerly announced qualification procedure took place over the past three weeks.

Within that procedure the IKA consulted with the national associations of countries from which more than one rider had applied in order to give them the opportunity to choose their top rider to be put forward for this year’s KSP world tour. The riders were chosen by the IKA under the criteria of creating a slate with the highest possible riding level while also keeping the field of competitors on the KSP as international as possible. A complete list of riders that will receive a KSP wild card by the IKA and be offered a KSP tour license for the 2013 season can be found below.
While the IKA was busy with the qualification procedure the pre-qualified top 10 male and top 5 female riders from the 2012 KSP ranking were offered their tour license by the KSP and all but Guilly Brandao (Best/BRA) and Kirsty Jones (North/GBR) accepted their spot on the 2013 KSP world tour. Pedro Henrique (Best/BRA) and Kari Schibevaag (Ozone/NOR) will move up into the list of pre-qualified riders automatically.

Next to the qualification process the IKA selected their male and female wild cards for the 2013 season, which will go to Marciel “Matchu” Lopes Almeida and Kristin Boese. With the released list of 2013 KSP tour riders the KSP board members will select their male and female tour wild cards shortly to complete the slate of 22 male and 11 female KSP tour riders for the 2013 season.

With the world’s top riders and a total of 18 countries in the slate, the 2013 world title race is going to be phenomenal. Riders that have been selected to receive a KSP Tour License will receive an e-mail from the KSP within the next days and will have until April 10, 2013 to accept the tour license. Any licenses that are not accepted will automatically go back to the pool and the IKA and KSP will select the next rider on the list, either by nationality or other criteria as outlined in the qualification criteria.

The riders selected by IKA and the national associations are:
female riders:
Kristin Boese (Best/GER)
Marie Gautron (FRA)
Melissa Gil (Cabrinha/CRI)
Marina Marselli (ITA)
Moona Whyte (Cabrinha/HAW)
male riders:
Ralph Boelen (FRA)
Ryan Coote (Ozone/IRL)
Gonzalo Gomes (Naish/POR)
George Ide (GBR)
Abel Lago (RRD/ESP)
Kevin Langeree (Naish/NED)
Marciel “Matchu” Lopes Almeida (North/CPV)
Mark Moore (Cabrinha/CAN)
Sergey Mysovskiy (Cabrinha/RUS)
Ran Rave (ISR)
Sky Solbach (North/USA)

The above list of riders will be contacted by the KSP directly and will join the following list of pre-qualified riders on the 2012 KSP World Tour:
female riders:
Jalou Langeree (Naish/NED)
Ines Correia (RRD/POR)
Ninja Bichler (North/GER)
Milla Ferreira (F-One/BRA)
Kari Schibevaag (Ozone/NOR)

male riders:
Keahi DeAboitiz (Cabrinha/AUS)
Mitu Monteiro (F-One/CPV)
Airton Cozzolino (North/ITA)
Patri McLaughlin (North/HAW)
Sebastian Ribeiro (Best/BRA)
Luke McGillewie (RRD/RSA)
Filippe Ferreira (F-One/BRA)
Mauricio Redreira (BRA)
Etienne Lhote (F-One/FRA)
Pedro Henrique (Best/BRA)

One male and one female KSP tour wild card are still to be selected by the KSP board members and will be released shortly. Local and one-event riders will be notified about the qualification process as time draws closer to the relevant event and by the KSP and/or local organizers directly.

Wainman Hawaii International Sales Representative Opening

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 07:51:00 -0400

Country: Singapore / Japan / Thailand / Philippines / Turkey

Salary: TBD

Wainman Hawaii is an international company made up of friends and professionals with a mutual goal: to design and manufacture products that push the boundaries of what man and machine can produce. Our aim at Wainman Hawaii is to provide premium gear and unparalleled support to our partners. Because of our “outside the box” vision with our products and marketing, sometimes we develop some crazy things too. But that is always done only with good intentions and for fun, as a smile is the healthiest thing in this world. We are here so you can relax, live your life, and when the time comes to ride, just get on the water and be 100% stoked with the gear that you have chosen. This is what we aim for, and this is who we are.

Preliminary scope of ideal candidate's responsibilities:

- detailed developing, implementing and supervising annual sales strategy for above territory, based on sales skills, market knowledge and excellent technical and product knowledge within kitesurfing.

- developing, implementing and supervising marketing strategy for assigned territory, based on general marketing policy of the company and local market demand.

- developing database of potential clients through face to face sale, telephone canvassing, direct mailing and business visits.

- maintaining the accurate records and regular reporting of all transactions and sales activities including sales calls, presentations, closed sales transactions or planned activities.

- regular contact with all assigned clients, maintenance and supervision of both set minimum inventory levels and sales, clients motivation and regular activities supporting clients satisfaction and long-termed financial goals achievement.

- professional advising and recommending an accurate business solutions for particular clients, based on clients' financial ability and potential, including season forecasts of all accounts and skilfull managing the account receivable balance.

- higher than average skills and creativity for quick response and solving difficult and complicated technical and sales matters.

- active operation and maintaining an effective cooperation with Company Headquarters and international team of professionals and brand admirers.

Preferred personal skills:

- representative level of kitesurfing skills

- minimum 3 years of sales experience, preferably within the industry

- high level of professionalism, with attention to detail and accuracy in all activities

- motivation and experience in leading complex sale negotiations

- excellent communication skills

- English at good level in speaking and writing

If you think you have got what it takes to join Wainman Hawaii International please send your CV to:

hr@wainmanhawaii.com

Aloha,

Wainman Hawaii International

Jalou and Kevin Langeree win the PKRA Dakhla wave competition

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:12:00 -0400

Today marked the return of wave competitions to the PKRA. The competition was held in Dakhla, Morocco on the right-hand bread next to town. The swell started in the morning at around 1 meter with winds around 15 knots and by the end of the day we had 5 meter sets and 20 knots of wind; we could not have asked for better conditions. The competition featured many international and local riders. In the end it was the Dutch brother sister combo of Jalou and Kevin Langeree who won the PKRA Dakhla wave event. The Best wave scores were by Figueiredo 9.00 and J.Langeree 7.73, and the highest heat totals were Henrique with a 15.87 and Jalou with 13.73.

Today started early with the shuttle ready to pick up all the riders and crew at 8 AM at Dakhla Attitude to be ready for at 10 o’clock start. The forecast was for building swell and strong wind. We knew that we would run the event at low tide with a rising tide and building winds for the afternoon to ensure that the finals would be run in the best conditions. The competition was run in a dingle format, meaning that a rider could lose a heat and still have a second chance to come back and win.

I the first round of the competition was a three-man heat format. This format allows the top men to advance an extra round and guarantees him a better spot. Early in the heats the locals had the advantage of knowing where the best spot would be to catch the waves and had a better read of the waves with their local knowledge. Very quikly the visiting pros learned the layout and were able to shred the waves. The local stand outs were Roussafi Rachid, Bouceta Yassine and Hamaini Soufiane.

In the third round of men competition, many of the heats were close. The first heat between Guias and Lentz was very close, Guias showing his smooth surfing skills while lentz took more risk on the bigger waves and got the win. Morrice and Tringale both got some good rides and put a good fight but failed to advance to the quarters. In the quarter finals Langeree, Henrique, Figueiredo and Lago charged the building swell and made it to the semifinals.

Kevin Langeree: “I am stoked to win, did not think I was going to do this well and on top of that my sister also wins, so cool”

In the first semifinal between Kevin Langeree and Abel Lago, Kevin set the pace from the start and Abel had to try to match his scores. However kevin pushed his lead event more by scoring a 7.77 on his final wave. The second semifinal was between Henrique and Figueiredo, Henrique miss timed his heat and got a wave too early that did not score. Nuno capitalized on his mistake and scored a 7.17 on his opening wave and secured the lead. The final was between Figueiredo and Langeree, Langeree scored a 7 on his opening wave with one hit on a 5 meter set wave. Figueiredo got a couple solid scores but Kevin got a big was in the dying minutes of the heat to secure his win.

The women’s ladder was very tough with the top four girls all being able to win the title. Dominique Cartan and Tanga Rosenkranz tried to challenge the top girls but were unable to pull off an upset. In the semifinals Jalou Langeree was on fire scoring a 7.73 and 6 to get in the final. Kari responded with two big scores a 6.67 and 6.57 but it was not enough. The other semifinal was between Correia and Kirsty, Correira scored a 7 and 6.33 and closed the door on Kirsty who had some good scores but could not match correia’s power turns.

The final heat of the women had some really big waves and the girls had to be careful not to get caught by a closeout sets. Jalou took more risk on the waves, going harder to the lip and was rewarded with a title.

We caught up with some riders and asked them about their thoughs on the event.

Jalou Langeree: “I am really happy to win the event riding backside, having trained frontside the past three month in SA, going to maui really helped with my backside surfing”

Predro Henrique “It was fun to come to an event and meet the best freestylers in the world and hangout in Dakhla”

Nuno Figueiredo “The organization at the event site was great with a BBQ, Tent and big conditions like at home.”

Pastor and Winkowska win the single elimination

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:35:00 -0400

The third day of the PKRA Dakhla, Morocco once again brought perfect 20 knot winds with men riding 9 to 11 meter kites and the women on 7 to 9 meter kites. The action was intense right from the beginning. We started the competition with the women’s single elimination and right from the start we could see that the women had been training hard over the winter.

In the first heat of the day Annabel Van Westerop from Aruba came out and really impress the judges by landing a blind judge, a 313 and other handle passes. The second heat featured Marie Switala from France who was able to land enough tricks to defeat Karpuk. The final heat of the first round featured Novotnno and El Jouhavi. Novotnno landed a nice 313 and an air back to blind to secure a place in the next round. The second round of the women’s single elimination featured the top women in the world with Pulido, Kajiya, Winkowska and Jungo. All four women were able to win their heats and advanced to the semifinals.

The first semifinal was in between Gisela Pulido and Bruna kajiya, Bruna Kajiya was able to land some technical passes but her execution was not as good as Gisela’s. Pulido was kiting really well and was able to execute flawless tricks and an excellent slim chance. The second semifinal was between Karolina Winkowska and Manuela Jungo, the world champion’s power and execution was too much for Manuela. Karolina finished her heat with a perfect front blind mobe securing a place in the final.
The battle for the third place on the podium was won by Bruna Kajiya, whose experience and powerful riding beat Jungo who landed some nice handle passes. The final was really exciting with both girls being powered on 9 meter kites. The heat was very close with the girls landing a full repertoire of handle passes, but in the end, Karolina’s execution secured her win in the singles and gets her closer to her fourth PKRA event victory in a row.

We started the men’s competition with the quarterfinals without the current two time world champion Youri Zoon who had been disqualified in the last heat of day 2. The first quarter final featured Tack and Jaspan. Jaspan was still on fire from yesterday, once again landing his grab KGB and a nice Tootsie Roll. The next heat Alex Pastor easily defeated Corniel with flawless execution of a blind judge five and some powerful tricks. The third heat of the quarters between Kevin Langeree and Marc Jacobs, was won by Marc Jacobs whose go for broke attitude was able to defeat Kevin Langeree who was not able to find his rhythm. The last heat of the quarters featured Reno Romeu from Brazil and Louis Hutter from France. The heat was extremely close with Hutter landing a grab 313 and other nice handle passes but Reno’s experience and big moves were able to defeat the Frenchman.

The first semifinal between Jaspan and Pastor was probably the most exciting heat of the day. A couple of tricks into it, Pastor lost this kite and had to swim back to shore. Meanwhile Jaspan was able land some tricks and advance his lead. Luckily for Pastor the world champion Youri Zoon brought him a kite but without a safety leash and then the last minute and a half of the heat Alex Pastor landed four perfect tricks to regain the lead and advance to the final. The second semifinal featured Reno and Jacobs. Once again Marc’s powerful riding and grabbed handle passes got him into the final. The battle for the third-place was won by Reno, who trick after trick kept going bigger and bigger, Jaspan was unable to land all the tricks that I had gotten him this far and had to settle for a fourth place.
The final of the men’s single elimination was a high-scoring affair for both riders and was won by only half a point. For most of the heat Marc Jacobs and Alex Pastor were evenly matched on the tricks, landing excellent front blind mobes, powered grab slim chances and flawless KGB’s. The difference was made when Alex Pastor in the final minute of the heat landed a blind judge five and took the singles title.

Everyone took a lunch break at Dakhla Attitude and by 15:30 everyone was ready to start the double elimination. By four o’clock the wind was gusting to 25 knots and all the riders were really powered. The first heat of the doubles was between Liam Whaley and Patrick Blanc. They set the tone for the doubles. Whaley and Blanc were throwing the most massive tricks one after the other, but it was Liam’s back mobe five that made the difference and gave him the victory. The other two riders that really stood out in the double elimination were Nico Suriel from Dominican Republic and the world champion Youri Zoon. In the strong winds Youri Zoon put on his 11 meter and landed some of the biggest blind judge fives and 317’s that we have seen on tour recently.
The day was action-packed with many riders performing at levels that we have never seen before. It is exciting to see new talent come on tour and challenge the veterans. The double eliminations are not finished yet and with so much talent on tour, anyone can still win this first PKRA stop in Dakhla Morocco.
Friday, March 22 will feature the return of wave riding to the PKRA, with a forecast of 3 meter waves and 25 knots on the perfect right hand break of Dakhla, we can expect some great action.

World Cup starts in Dakhla, Morocco

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:00:00 -0400

Start of the freestyle main event

The second day of the PKRA Dakhla, Morocco started this morning with heat number 11 of the men. The winds were slightly offshore and a bit gusty but the race director decided to start the competition. The first three heats of the day were crucial due to the fact that the winner would go straight into the main event. The first upset of the day was in heat 11 when Nico Suriel from the Dominican Republic defeated Michael Schitzhofer to go into the main event. In heat number 12 and 13 Liam Whaley and Sam Light both secured a place into the main event.

After the first round of men, 13 men were qualified for the main event and 26 competitors remained for the ultimate three spots. After around two was completed, 12 men remained for the last three spots and three heats had to be run to pick the top three riders. Heat 20 was between Soussi, Hays, S. Garat and Guias. Sebastian Garat’s experience proved to be too much for the other riders consistently landing powered tricks and switch tricks. Garat was stoked to qualify for the main event after recovering from a serious shoulder injury. Heat 21 was between Barker, Corniel, Boulte and Schitzhofer. All four men are seasoned veterans of competitions and anyone could have won this heat; however Ariel Corniel’s explosive riding and 317 got him into the main event. The final heat of the trials was dominated by Mario Rodwald, whose down loop slim and technical riding got him into the main event.

After a short lunch break at Dakhla Attitude we started the main event in perfect 20 knot side shore conditions. With all the riders training over the winter, each rider became a contender to win his heat. The first heat was between Liam Whaley and Set Teixeira, Liam’s training was obvious from the start being able to land solid blind judges and 313’s. Teixeira was late getting to the heat but was able to quickly gain ground but in the end Liam took the win. Another exciting heat in round one was in between Alvaro Onieva and Eudazio da Silva. Onieva being a season competitor took a more conservative approach but da Silva came out throwing 317’s and blind judge 5’s. In the end da Silva’s technical tricks proved too much for Onieva even with all his experience.

Heat number six was between Mario Rodwald from Germany and Sam Light from the UK. Both riders came up through the qualifiers and were stoked to be in the main event. Sam Light went for some very technical moves like the Crow-Mobe but Mario was going for broke on every move, he put on a great display of power and took the win.

The first heat of the second round was between the eighth-seeded Christophe tack and Liam Whaley. Christophe tack set the pace with his first move landing a powerful slim 5, Liam landed a perfect 360 back mobe but it was not enough to defeat Christophe. The next heat was between Ewan Jaspan and Alberto Rondina. Alberto started the heat with a perfect back mobe, but Jaspan battle back with a great grab KGB an excellent S mobe and upset the number three rider in the world. The first heat between Alex Pastor and Eudazio da Silva was very close. At the end of the heats the judges missed a trick from Alex Pastor and the heat had to be rerun to make sure that we have a fair result. When the heat was started again both riders came out strong but the number two in the world had too much experience for the young Brazilian, landing a great front blind mobe and a 317. Da Silva landed a blind judge seven but it was not enough, we can be sure he will be a threat in the double elimination.

In heat 13 Marc Jacobs had a grab KGB and a grab back mobe and a few more big moves to defeat Borisov. The following heat was with Mario Rodwald and Kevin Langeree who came out on fire. Every move he sent was big and powered, this is what he had to say about that heat and is training: “I did a bunch of training this winter but I wasn’t super focused on learning new tricks, I went with a super mellow approach to the first event of the year and that strategy seemed to work pretty well. I’m also pretty stoked on my KGB were I scored a 7.8 which was my high score.” Kevin Langeree. Mario had already done four heats and ran out of steam, but put on a great show for the crowd.

The last two heats of the day were run as the sun was setting, the first heat between Reno Romeu and Sebastian Garat was very close, both riders had very similar tricks but in the end it was Reno who put an end to Garat’s streak. The final heat of the day was with the world champion Youri Zoon against Louis Hutter from France who had just performed a beautiful heat against Patrick Blanc. Youri was riding extremely well and on his way to victory but in the final minutes of the heat he crashed into Hutters kite and was disqualified. Youri he was not happy with the decision, but he knows he has to focus on the doubles to win this event.

Tomorrow the women will take to the water first, we asked to Gisela Pulido as she prepared for the season and how she feels about tomorrow. “I was training in South Africa all winter, I was able to train in different conditions. Then I went to Orlando to train on the cable park. I feel really well prepared for the season and ready to start the year. “Gisela Pulido

The forecast looks great for the rest the week, we should be switching over to her wave kites are discipline Friday morning. Check out the live feed on www.prokitetour.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

Start of the 2013 Season and Trials

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:11:00 -0400

The 2013 PKRA season officially started this morning with the opening ceremony in Dakhla, Morocco. The ceremony was opened with the presence of the wali of Dakhla and all the riders. The 4th edition of the Dahkla PKRA is going to be one of the best ones yet with 47 men freestylers, 11 women freestylers, 18 men and 6 women in the wave event.

The registration started early this morning with over 75 men and women from 21 countries coming to compete in the lagoons and waves of Dakhla. Everyone has had four month to train to learn new tricks and hone in their skills to prepare for this first event. All the top men and women are here to claim the first title of the 2013 season and take home a piece of the 47,000$ in prize money.

This event marks the return of the wave competitions on the PKRA with many of the top wave riders here to compete. Pedro Henrique, Nuno Figueiredo, Abel Lago, Kevin Langeree, Jalou Langeree, Kirsty Jones, Kari Schibevaag, Ines Correira and many more. With competitors of this caliber on the perfect right hand break of Dakhla, the action is going to be top tier.

The wind picked up late afternoon and the first 10 heats of the trials were run. The ladder was set up with a first round of 13 heats, all the heats were very important due to the fact that the winner would advance directly into the main event and the others would have to battle for the last 3 spots. We saw spectacular action right from the start, with Borisov having a solid heat advancing into the main event.

The second heat was dominated by Eudazio Da Silva, who was able to land repeated technical tricks and double handle passes. The third heat featured the return of Alvaro Onieva to the PKRA and showed that he is still a top contender. The first close heat of the day was between Victor Hayes and Teixeira; it came down to a 3 to 2 decision by the judges with Teixeira moving straight into the main event.

In heat five Johnno Scholte showed his solid repertoire of tricks and secured a place into the main event. The most exciting heat of the day was heat six in between Ariel Corniel, Forest Baker and Valentin Marvyle. All three riders were landing KGB’s, slims, back mobes and other technical passes, the main factor in the end came down to power and Marvyle was able to defeat Ariel and Forest with a better kite position and power.

In the next heat Madson from Brazil came out and dominated with massive maneuvers. In heat eight and nine, Ewan Jaspan and Patrick Blanc easily advanced into the main event. The final heat of the day was between Hutter, Rodwald and Ed-Derkaoui. It was a close battle between hutter and Rodwald, but hutter had more power with cleaner execution on his grabbed 313 and other tricks.

We could not have asked for a better way to start the event with a beautiful opening ceremony and 10 action-packed heats. Tomorrow will be nonstop action with the end of the trials and the start of the main event. Check out www.prokitetour.com for the live feed and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed.

Triple-S adds qualifier event for 2013

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 07:25:00 -0400

Triple-S Open

The Triple-S Open is a new competition held May 31st - June 1st that will act as a qualifying event for the Triple-S Invitational. Registration is capped at 32 riders.

Main Event June 1 to 7th.

Mark your calendars now! The 2013 Triple-S Invitational will be held in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on June 1st – 7th, 2013. With the best riders in the world, plus 7 Parties/7 Bands and all events open to the public, the Triple-S will reign supreme as the #1 kiteboarding event in the world.2013 Event Details:
• New and expanded list of invited riders.
• 4 spots will be allotted to Wildcard Invitations, deadline is May 1st.
• The Triple-S Open is a new competition held May 31st - June 1st that is open to the public and will act as a qualifying event for the Triple-S Invitational.

4 WILDCARD SPOTS
Triple-S Wildcard Video Deadline May 1, 2013. Post your 3 minute video to YOUTUBE or VIMEO then email link to
Triple-S@REALwatersports.com. No late entries will be accepted.The Triple-S steering committee will choose 1 Wakestyle Rider, 1 Slider Rider, 1 Surf Rider and 1 Female Rider for the Wildcard Spots. Videos will be judged solely on the quality of riding. Editing and effects will not be taken into consideration.

2013 INVITED RIDERS:
AARON HADLOW
ALEX FOX
ALEX PASTOR
ANDRE PHILLIP
BEAR KERRY 
BILLY PARKER
BRANDON SCHEID
BRIAN SMITH 
BRUNA KAJIYA
CHAD WORRELL
CHRIS BURKE 
CLAIRE LUTZ
COLLEEN CARROLL
CRAIG CUNNINGHAM
DAVEY BLAIR 
DYLAN THOMPSON
ERIC RIENSTRA
EVAN NETSCH 
GISELA PULIDO
GREG NORMAN JR
IAN ALLDREDGE
JAKE KELSICK 
JAMES BOULDING 
JASON SLEZAK 
JESSE RICHMAN
JOBY COOK
JOE RUSCITO
JON MODICA
JOSH MULCOY
KAROLINA WINKOWSKA
KEAHI DE ABOITIZ
KRIS KINN
LULU VROMAN
MARK MIEDAMA
MATT KEENAN
MOONA WHYTE
NICCOLO PORCELLA
PATRICK REBSTOCK
PAULA ROSALES
REO STEVENS
RICH SABO
RICK JENSEN
RUBEN LENTEN
SAM BELL
SAM LIGHT
SAM MEDYSKY 
SENSI GRAVES
SUSI MAI
TEDDY LYONS
TOM COURT
YOURI ZOON
*WILD CARDS (4)

http://www.realwatersports.com/news/2013-triple-s-invited-riders/

On the Cover: Keahi De Aboitiz

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:44:00 -0400

Salt and Speed

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:40:00 -0400

In the strong winds (Force 9) of the past two days, kitesurfers Alexandre Caizergues and Rob Douglas have linked together a number of runs at over 50 knots on the 500m “Volkswagen Transporter Arena” course in France’s Salin-de-Giraud. The best performance so far this year has gone to the Frenchman with a speed of 54.84 knots (101.56 km/hr), whilst the American World Kitesurfing record holder reached 54.35 knots.

They have yet to improve on Rob Douglas’ record of 55.65 knots, but in the space of two days they have demonstrated their great ability to go fast on a regular basis. At the Salins du Midi spot, which lies right at the heart of the Groupe des Salins, the riders have endured a biting cold to remind the ‘speed sailing’ planet, just what they’re made of. With this in mind, “Salt and Speed” Act 2, will continue through to 18 April and is certainly the fastest sailing event in Europe.

“I’m not really far off my personal best,” explains Alex. “That proves that we’re on the right track after just three or four days of sailing at Salt and Speed. With a slightly more northerly wind, like the one we had yesterday morning, we can expect great things. I’m very happy with my performance. The duel Rob and I are having is very interesting. The second “Salt and Speed” session will continue until 18 April. Thanks to the whole team, who are doing a great job here… Thanks to our partners too, who are enabling us to satisfy our thirst for speed sailing at this spot.”

Slalom World Tour PKRA 2013

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:41:00 -0500

Slalom world championship tour PKRA 2013

The 2013 PKRA season will be really exciting with the introduction of the slalom discipline on the PKRA World Tour. With six events and over $60,000 in prize money over the season, the chase for the world championship is bound to be exciting. Slalom racing is one of the most entertaining sports to watch on the water. This will be the first year that an ISAF/IKA slalom world title is granted after multiple events, and the PKRA will ensure it will be as successful as the PKRA freestyle tour. . Having a six event series will ensure that the best slalom racer in the world wins and that the competitors will be able to tune their gear for every event. 2013 will be the premiere season of slalom racing on the PKRA and will be run with an open gear format. This means that racers are not bound by any gear restrictions and each racer is able to optimize his gear.

The Kiteboarding industry completely support the PKRA in the development of Slalom Discipline, as it is the perfect testing ground for the development of the perfect free-ride and slalom gear.
One of the great things about slalom racing is that all the riders are close together, spectators always know who is winning and what it will take from the rest of the fleet to take the lead. The action will be close to the beach whenever possible making it fun for the spectators and the riders. The fact that this is a new discipline will give the opportunity for new riders to test their skills in a new format and to make a name for themselves and their sponsors.

In 2013 the slalom discipline will be represented on five continents and six countries. The first two events of the season in Mexico and Turkey will be dedicated slalom events with $10,000 in prize money per event. The organizers are very excited about the opportunity to introduce this new discipline and see a great future in it. Having events around the globe will give the opportunity for riders from all over the world to prove themselves on the world stage. Conditions will be very different at every event, giving the competitors a chance to test their gear in a variety of conditions.

The tentative Slalom tour stops are as follows:

1 - Mexico May-09-2013 - May-12-2013
2 - Turkey Jun-19-2013 - Jun-23-2013
3 - Germany Jul-12-2013 - Jul-21-2013
4 - Morocco - Essaouira Aug-20-2013 - Aug-25-2013
5 - China Nov-12-2013 - Nov-17-2013
6 - Australia Nov-27-2013 - Dec-01-2013

The PKRA is always leading the kite surfing industry with the latest trends in freestyle, racing and now slalom. The development of the slalom discipline will make for some of the most exciting kiting and racing around. The freestyle discipline is where it is today from the interaction between the riders in the organizers of the PKRA. The PKRA is always looking for ways for the sport to evolve with the vision and the feedback of the riders. After every event feedback will be gathered from all the competitors and implemented at the next event, in the search for the perfect slalom format.

Slalom racing is going to revolutionize the way people see kitesurf Racing. Join us on the PKRA World Tour to be part of it.

Make sure you register for the first Slalom event of the year at the Nayarit Riviera, Mexico happening May 9 – 12, 2013.

All systems go again for Salt and Speed 2 !

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:43:00 -0500

After some initial attempts at the Outright Sailing Speed Record late last year, Alexandre Caizergues and Rob Douglas will be back in action from 10 March to 18 April 2013 at the new speed spot in France’s Salin-de-Giraud.

With an average speed of 53.40 knots for the American and 52.45 knots for the Frenchman over 500 metres, the first “Salt and Speed” session proved to be a popular success, as well as enabling the kitesurfers to validate the Volkswagen Transporter Arena and rack up the year’s best world performance in kitesurfing. Since that time, Alex and Rob have put in a lot of training both on and off the water so as to continue to make technical and physical advances. Alex Caizergues has linked together a series of sessions in South Africa and Qatar, whilst Rob has been in Costa Rica. As such the two guys are honed and ready to boost their record haul, a bid which will initially involve trying to improve on the current World kitesurfing speed record held by Rob Douglas himself (55.65 knots). “We mustn’t let our imagination run away with us. It’s going to take a while to go faster than SailRocket 2 and her 65.45 knots, but at this particular speed spot, Rob’s world record is within our grasp and 60 knots is a reasonable target,” explains Alex Caizergues. “Weather conditions in early March are often excellent with a strong Mistral and we’re feeling motivated. We’ll be working with the same organisation team as you don’t change a winning team.”

Alexandre Caizergues:

Born on 14 March 1979

3 x World Speed Champion (2007, 2008, 2009)
2 x World Speed Record all categories combined in 2008 and 2010
2 x World Kite Speed Record in 2007 and 2009
2 x FFVL (French Free Flight Federation) French Speed Champion
European Long Distance Number Two 2008
World Speed Number Two 2006

1st man to break 100 km/hr on the water, propelled by the wind

Partners: Ouest Provence – AlpEnergie par GDF SUEZ - Volkswagen Véhicules Utilitaires (Commercial Vehicles) – Zenith – Sosh.

Rob Douglas:

Born on 16 June 1971

World Speed Record all categories combined in 2011 with 55.65 knots and 49.84 knots in 2008.

World Speed Champion 2012

Partners: The Black Dog - Cabrinha - Lynch Associates - NPX - Dakine - Curtis Fins- Mike's Lab custom boards

In figures:

65.45 knots: Sailrocket 2 November 2012

55.65 knots: Rob Douglas 28 October 2010 Namibia

55.49 knots: Seb Cattelan 28 October 2010 Namibia

54.10 knots: Alexandre Caizergues 12 October 2010 Luderitz, Namibia exceeding 100km/hr

51.36 knots: Hydroptère on 6 September 2009

50.57 knots: Alexandre Caizergues 4 October 2008 Luderitz, Namibia

50.26 knots: Seb Cattelan 3 October 2008 Luderitz, Namibia

49.84 knots: Rob Douglas 19 September 2008 Luderitz, Namibia

49.09 knots: World Speed Record Antoine Albeau 5 March 2008 in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France

46.82 knots: Record set by windsurfer Finian Maynard in the autumn of 2004, bringing an end to the hegemony of the sailboat Yellow Pages in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France

46.52 knots: Yellow Pages Endeavour in 1993 at the Sandy Point spot, Australia

38.86 knots: Pascal MAKA the first windsurfer to rack up a new official record with 38.86 knots in Sotavento

26.30 knots: Crossbow Catamaran in Portland in 1972

NB: the outright World Sailing Speed Record is the best average speed over 500m by a sail-powered contraption… As such it is different to a peak speed!

Partners to “Salt and Speed”: Volkswagen Véhicules Utilitaires (Commercial Vehicles), Groupe Salins, Zenith, Fédération Française de Vol Libre (French Free Flight Federation).

2013 KSP Application Period Ends

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:33:00 -0500

Perth, Australia — March 2, 2013: Following the deadline of the KSP riders application period the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association), the sanctioning body of the KSP world tour, published the following release earlier today:

International Kiteboarding Association, March 2, 2013: Yesterday, March 1, 2013, marked the end of the 2013 KSP riders application period. Application is now closed for all riders aspiring to compete on the 2013 wave world championship tour. A total of 67 male and 26 female athletes submitted their applications (including tour and single event submissions). The evaluation and selection process in accordance with the qualification system released on February 2nd will start immediately.

According to the qualification system the top 10 male riders (Keahi DeAboitiz, Mitu Monteiro, Airton Cozzolino, Patri McLaughlin, Guilly Brandao, Sebastian Ribeiro, Luke McGillewie and Filippe Ferreira) and top 5 female riders (Jalou Langeree, Ines Correia, Ninja Bichler, Milla Ferreira and Kirsty Jones) of the 2012 KSP world ranking will be contacted by the KSP and offered this year’s tour license. Each of these riders will have until March 15^th to accept their tour license.

All other applicants will be awaiting the official announcement of the IKA, which will unveil the list of riders to receive the highly coveted spots on this year’s KSP world championship tour, joining the pre-qualified top seeds.

A full list of male riders that have applied for a tour license reads as follows: Marciel Matchu Almeida, Luis Matias Almeida Brito, Johnny Berger, Ralph Boelen, Bastien Bollard, Guilly Brandao, Lionel Caputo, Ryan Coote, Sebastian Diego Correia Ribeiro, Airton Cozzolino, Keahi de Aboitiz, Matthew Elsasser, Etienne Lhote, Diogo Fernandes, Filippe Ferreira, Enrico Giordano, Gonçalo Gomes, Pedro Henrique, George Ide, Abel Lago, Kevin Langeree, Dimitri Lemoine, Luke McGillewie, Patri McLaughlin, Oteniel Jorge Mitu Monteiro, Mark Moore, Sergey Mysovskiy, Maurício Pedreira, Cruser Putnam, Ran Rave, Jose Nascimento Silva, Skyler Solbach, João Stopani

A full list of female riders that have applied for a tour license read as follows: Kalia Aguera, Ninja Bichler, Kristin Boese, Carol Bolstad, Isa Cohen, Inês Correia, Milla Ferreira, Melissa Gil, Adriana Harlan, Kirsty Jones, Suzanne Kuiper, Jalou Langeree, Erika Lindberg, Lilian Malschaert, Marie Gautron, Marina Marselli, Thalita Pinheiro Da Silva, Kari Schibevaag, Moona Whyte

Male riders that have applied to participate in one or more single events include: Wesley Anderson, Chris Armitage, Grant Baker, Bastien Bollard, Tiago Candelot, Brandon Cordina, Olivier Coubrun, Todd Davis, Stephan de Figueiredo, Paulo Diaz, Sean Facey, Diogo Paes Fernandes, Damien Girardin, Colin Heckroodt, Ewan Hill, Guillermo Jimenez Muñoz, Top Hat Kevin Senn, William King, Raoni Lemos, Kai Lenny, Jon Modica, Aarón Navares, Josh Nehf, Juan Pablo Padilla, Paulino Pereira, Cruser Putnam, Patrick Rebstock, Philippe Renauldon, Jesse Richman, Borja Rodríguez Garfias, Julio Roig López, Brian Smith, Andrea Tringale, Juan José Vázquez Faza, Ian Warner, Frederick Zamora

Female riders that have applied to participate in one or more single events include: Kalia Aguera, Michel Blinkhorn, Kristin Boese, Carol Bolstad, Dominique Granger, Simone Klug, Erika Lindberg, Lilian Malschaert, Marina Marselli, Almudena Naranjo, Michelle Smith, Alma Suárez Zamora, Glennel Warren, Moona Whyte.

Any rider that has submitted an application but does not find his/her name in the list above is asked to contact the IKA directly and as soon as possible (but no later than March 8, 2013) at info@internationalkiteboarding.

Industry Insider: Helena Brochocka‏ joins Best Kiteboarding

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:15:00 -0500

Best international has confirmed Vancouver's Helena Brochocka has joined Best Kiteboarding.

Bio
Country: Poland
Residence: Vancouver, Canada
Date of Birth: 16th Sep, 1991
Nick name: Hela
Years Kiting: 4 Years
Riding style: Wakestyle
Local kite spot: Nonexistent - living in the big city ! (Ah you should check out Squamish!)
Your motto or slogan?: "If you can't fix it with duct tape - you're not using enough duct tape." not sure where i heard that, but so true...
Best Results: 4th PKRA China 2012, 4th PKRA New Caledonia 2012
Hobbies/other interests: Freeskiing, Wakeboarding, Chilling
Website/Blog: facebook.com/helenabrochocka

Tuva joins Wainman Hawaii

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:47:00 -0500

This just in from the Wainman USA office. Tuva joins Wainman Hawaii.

SBC Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos, Week Feb 16, 2013

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:10:00 -0500

Each week SBC Kiteboard magazine counts down the top kiteboarding videos. The SBC video chart is compiled based on views, shares and editor's choice.

How to do the Salmon!

Punta Cana Kite Fest 2013 Dominican Republic

1.5 Minutes of waves

Dudu Schultz Kitewave session

Slowmo Snippers

Guincho - Peter Henry

Knots & Lines- Part 1

Snowkite Championship 2013 | Reschensee | Wrap up

PUERTO RICO trip with Dimitri Maramenides

Take 2

Lakeland Father and Sons Plan Kite Boarding Event For a Cause

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:53:00 -0500

Funds raised will help build an orphanage in Tanzania

LAKELAND, FL, FEB 14, 2013- A Lakeland father and his three sons will be kite boarding 50 miles from Miami to the Florida Keys in March. Not just any ride, their mission is to raise $50,000 to build a self-sustaining home in Tanzania, Africa for 12 orphaned children. The target date for the first annual FreeRide836 event is a 5-weekend wind window between Mar. 1, and Mar. 31, 2013.

What started as a family mission trip to Guatemala through an organization called Orphan’s Heart, became a life-changing event that took Mark Russell’s family in a totally different direction. As they returned home, they were not only exceedingly grateful for what they had, but motivated to do more. They wanted to go beyond feeding hungry children, they felt called to build them a home and give them a family.

Throughout Mark’s life, riding on the water was always his freedom. Growing up in Miami, he would drive on the 836 to the beach for a day of riding and living. As an avid water sports family, Mark desired to tie his passion for kite boarding to helping others. It was his dream to teach his three boys to participate, and to find a way to use kite boarding to teach them about generosity. Mark and his family created the phrase ride, live, give, and then went on to organize the first annual Freeride836 kite boarding event.

To Mark’s surprise, professional kite boarders have offered to ride alongside them in this event to help them with their mission. 100% of the funds raised will build the first home of a self -sustaining orphanage which will care for parentless, homeless children in a family style atmosphere. Mark, his sons, and his team are seeking individual and corporate sponsorships to raise over $50,000. A $15.00 contribution will purchase one square foot of the home. Donations can be made through their website at www.freeride836.com. All proceeds will go directly to Orphan’s Heart, a tax deductible 501(C)(3) organization. “This will not only be an exciting ride, but a ride with a purpose. One with life changes at the core of its motivation,” said Mark Russell.

About Freeride836
The first annual Freeride836 kite boarding fundraiser is an outpouring of concern, commitment, and a little obsession to ride, live, and give to others. The date for the first annual event is a 5-weekend wind window between Mar. 1, and March 31, 2013, targeting a launch from Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. All funds raised will go directly to Orphan’s Heart, a 501(C)(3) organization that feeds, clothes, and shelters children worldwide. For more information visit: www.freeride836.com or www.facebook.com/freeride836.

SBC Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos, Week Feb 8, 2013

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 08:45:00 -0500

Every week SBC Kiteboard magazine counts down the weeks top kiteboarding videos. The SBC video chart is compiled using a complex algorithm, based on views, shares and editor's choice. Have a favorite video that didn't make the list. Post a link in the comments.

1. LEN10 - Career highlights

2. Official Video: Red Bull King of the Air 2013

3. February 1, 2013 Pe'ahi "Jaws" Windsurf and...

4. Storm Zone

5. Introducing the NEW TWIN TIPS

6. 14 SEC JUMP RAW FOOTAGE

7. 1 FOOT- 1 HIT

8. Hard Times-Strapless with Maurício Pedreira

9. Guincho - Peter Henry

10. Jack Gearing - Island Slider

Jesse Richman (USA) crowned Red Bull King of the Air

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:34:00 -0500

On a day that saw winds and emotions riding high Cape Town’s Big Bay played host where Jesse Richman cinched the prestigious title.

CAPE TOWN (South Africa) – Cape Town’s famed Table Mountain was the perfect backdrop for the sixteen invited kiteboarders and eight wildcards to face-off in a unique ‘flag out’ competition format. It was eventually American, Richman who managed to edge out Sam Light and Nick Jacobsen to emerge victorious in front of 5,000 spectators.

“I never expected this and I’m so amazingly pumped! Red Bull King of the Air has been the biggest event in the world since the very beginning - I competed in it when I was a little kid and it was the coolest thing ever. To come here and win this event is unbelievable! By far the best riders in the world were throwing down in the best conditions for the event today!”

Scored by the judging panel of kiteboarder Susi Mai, editor of Kiteworld Magazine and presenter of ‘The Kite Show’ Jim Gaunt and South African original Red Bull King of the Air alumnus Greg Thijsse, they were judged on the height, creativity and style they executed their manoeuvres with airs reaching up to 25 metres.

Godfather of wind-based watersports Robby Naish was in Cape Town to check out the event first hand.
“I’m a little embarrassed to say this but this was my first time in South Africa. It’s a real pleasure to be here, I’m really stoked I came! I always knew it was good here,” remarked Robby on his first visit to the country.

Robby went on to say: “We’ve been talking about resurrecting Red Bull King of the Air for a while and today we had some of the best conditions - this was best exhibition of high performance kitesurfing I’ve ever seen. Big Bay was the perfect venue for this event. If this place wasn’t on the map before today, it’s definitely going to be after. I don’t think ever seen this many people at a kiteboarding event.”

The South Africans held their own in the field of riders with Andries Fourie making it through to the semi-final.

Final Results:

1. Jesse Richman (USA)
2. Nick Jacobsen (DEN)
3. Sam Light (GBR)
4. Youri Zoon (NED)
5. Andries Fourie (RSA)
5. Lewis Crathern (GBR)
7. Gianni Aragno (ESP)
7. Kevin Langeree (NED)

Ruben Lenten signs with Best Kiteboarding

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:41:00 -0500

Project: Extreme Kiteboarding

All days are good, some are just better. Just like this one. I have found the right partner to push extreme kiteboarding to the next level. Stoked with my new partner in 'crime', Best Kiteboarding.
First of all I would like to thank Slingshot for all their support over the past 10 years. It’s been an absolute blast to ride and work with you guys. Thanks for all the experiences that I will never forget and also for helping me explore the limits of kiteboarding.

Now the time has come to move on and continue to follow my vision. My passion for kiteboarding is big, it’s my life and this partnership allows me to raise the bar of extreme kiteboarding even higher.

At the highest level of sports and in the strongest conditions there is a strong demand for high quality products. That’s why LEN10 likes to team up with companies that have a similar vision and want to put the time, effort and money into accomplishing it. Quality is essential to feel safe on the water and in the air. In order to push the limits of your body and sport you need to feel comfortable. This comfort comes from the performance of the kite and all other gear. In my opinion there are very few products that make riders feel comfortable enough to go as big as they would like. Not because they can’t but simply because the products won't let them. That’s a shame because I feel extreme kiteboarding is the discipline that keeps our sport hardcore and spectacular.

Sebastian Heitmann, CEO at Best Kiteboarding says:
"Best Kiteboarding is incredibly proud to make this next step for our sport. With Ruben Lenten we will push extreme kiteboarding to the next level and are happy to partner with such a great sports icon who will challenge our R&D team more than ever before. LEN10 rides with us so stay tuned because we have many more exciting plans to come!"

Best Kiteboarding and LEN10 will be working closely together to create the ‘best’ products for the rider that wants to ride hard with us!

I can’t wait to get started and will keep you updated on the progress and testing of our new products.

Career-highlights video

Redbull King of the Air this Sunday!

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:37:00 -0500

The window period for Red Bull King of the Air started today and Red Bull have given the go ahead for this Sunday, 3 February 2013.

This afternoon Ruben Lenten hit the water for a pre-event session just as the Cape Town sun was setting.

Ruben Lenten hits the water for a sunset session ahead of this Sunday's Red Bull King of the Air at Big Bay, Cape Town

Ruben Lenten in action

Judges kiteboarder Susi Mai and watersports legend Robby Naish with the Red Bull King of the Air Trophy

Red Bull will be on the beach at Big Bay from 10am on Sunday morning as the participants will take to the water between 11am and 12pm.

KSP releases 2013 world championship tour schedule

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:14:00 -0500

Maui, Hawaii — February 1, 2013: Following it’s second consecutive season, which saw competitive kite surfing being pushed to epic new heights, the KSP is pleased to announce the schedule for it’s highly anticipated 2013 Tour.

The 2013 KSP World Championship Tour is set to kick off at Guincho Beach, Portugal, winner of KSP’s recent Facebook poll, and will again feature the birthplace of kite surfing, Maui, Hawaii. Two exciting new venues will also be included in the 2013 Kite Surf Pro World Championship Tour - Gran Canaria and Puerto Rico. With these exciting destinations on the map, the 2013 KSP season once again promises nothing short of phenomenal surf conditions for the world’s kite surfing elite to battle it out for the coveted IKA-sanctioned World Championship title.

Just as last year, the 2013 KSP Tour will kick off at Europe’s premier kitesurfing beach break, Guincho Beach in Cascais, Portugal, from June 27 to July 6. The powerful right-hand beach break and strong side-onshore winds at Guincho are ideal to elevate the level of exciting and progressive aerial surfing to the forefront of competition.

Next up will be another perfect playground for progressive above-the-lip kitesurfing, offering strong side-onshore winds from the left and punchy surf - Jinamar Beach on Gran Canaria. The Canary Island will welcome the KSP to its windy and wave-rich shores for the first time when riders battle it out for the event title from July 25 to August 2, 2013.

Stop three takes the KSP to another new and exciting venue - the beautiful Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. From October 31 to November 9, 2013 Shacks Beach will become the epicenter of the kite surfing world and show why Puerto Rico is widely considered the secret kite surfing jewel of the Caribbean.

Bringing the Kite Surf Pro World Championship tour to a close for the second year in a row, Maui’s legendary North Shore will host the 2013 KSP World Tour finals from November 22 to December 1. With near-perfect down-the-line surfing conditions, Ho’okipa will once again offer an ideal stage for the culmination of the dramatic KSP World Title race.

“It’s shaping up to be an awesome year,” says Tour Manager Terry McKenna. “It’s going to be a well-rounded tour with a good variety of venues that will cater to the diversity of styles. Guincho and Gran Canaria will showcase the progressive aerial aspect of the sport whilst Ho’okipa and Puerto Rico will offer the purists a chance to illustrate a more power-based style of on-rail surfing. I’m really looking forward to meeting and working closely with local organizers and to make this a memorable year for the KSP,” Mckenna added.

As reigning World Champions Keahi De Aboitiz (AUS/Cabrinha) and Jalou Langeree (NED/Naish) look to defend their titles amidst a field of the top 24 men and 12 women umpired by an International Surfing Association-accredited panel of judges, each KSP event will once again feature live webcast with live scoring, broadcasting the heat-by-heat action in real time.

2013 KSP World Championship Tour Schedule:

June 27 to July 6, 2013 — Guincho, Cascais/Portugal
July 25 to August 2, 2013 — Jinamar, Gran Canaria/Spain
October 31 to November 9, 2013 — Shacks/Puerto Rico
November 22 to December 1, 2013 — Ho’okipa, Maui/USA

Vote for January's Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:19:00 -0500

SBC Kiteboard magazine's Top 10 Kiteboarding videos for January 2013!

Kite Porn

Extreme Kiteboarding in Ireland & Holland - Ruben Lenten 2013

Drifting North Shore

Color Your Life

HIGHLIGHTS

2013 Best Kiteboarding Shop Loop

Mavericks - Back Lit

Johnny Berger: Step One

Slingshot PERU 2013 RPM Trip

Don´t touch my Vegas

SBC Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos, Week Feb 1, 2013

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:41:00 -0500

Every Friday SBC Kiteboard magazine counts down the weeks top kiteboarding videos.

Drifting North Shore

HIGHLIGHTS

Fiji & New Caledonia - A Trip We Never Forget

Saki Bombing

Back to Sapinous

2013 PKRA Schedule update

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:20:00 -0500

The 2013 PKRA season will be one of the most exciting in recent years. With over thirteen stops and three disciplines being represented; freestyle, wave and slalom there will be no shortage of action on the PKRA. The 2012 season finished with an amazing title run for the men and the women. First it was Karolina Winkowska, who upset the two world champions Bruna Kajiya and Gisela Pulido, by claiming her first world title in New Caledonia and then the incredible battle between Youri Zoon and Alex Pastor coming down to the last heat of the season to determine who will be champion. With all these riders returning in 2013 to battle for the world title and many challengers like Mark Jacobs, Alberto Rondina and up and comers like Liam Whaley, Patrick Blanc and Paul Serin, the quest for the 2013 PKRA world freestyle title is bound to be exciting.

The 2013 season will be marked by the new discipline of slalom and the return of wave events to the PKRA. The Morocco wave event will be open to all riders, giving the waves riders from all over the world a chance to show off their skills with the kiting world watching. The PKRA will also be holding many slalom events in 2013, this new high-speed slalom format will be very exciting to follow. All the action will be close to the beach, the riders will be close together and the action will be nonstop. The great thing about slalom is that it does not require the strict gear format of the racing and will be much more accessible to everyone.

The 2013 season will start off in Morocco, the lagoon and waves of Dakhla will be the perfect location for riders to gauge their progress in the off-season and surf a perfect point break. This event will show the world who the best freestylers and waves riders are at the beginning of 2013. The second stop of the season will be in windy Leucate for the Mondial du Vent. The strong winds of the Tramontane always provide a challenge for the riders and being in the south of France the competition always attracts all the top European riders. The third event will be the new Slalom Mini Kiteboard World Cup in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; this event will be a great format to draw all the North American and South American talent of the racing world. The Fourth stop will be in Turkey for the Burn kite surfing World Cup, the focus of the event will be on the slalom discipline with a freestyle exhibition. The fifth destination will be the new destination of Sicily; the town of Marsala will host an event for the first time since the 2007 World Cup. The strong thermals, flat water and local scene will make this event one of the highlights of the year. Since the PKRA came 6 years ago, the lagoons of Marsala have become a top Italian destination, and will soon be as world famous as the Marsala wine.

The summer months will bring back our two staple events; the first one being the Beetles World Cup in Germany and the second the Fuerteventura Grand Slam. The PKRA Germany always has the biggest rider turnout with over a 100 riders registered at the spectacular 9 day event and village on the beach that brings thousands of spectators. Fuerteventura’s strong wind at the midpoint of the season is a good testing ground for the riders. By the end of July we know which riders are contenders for the PKRA world title. The last events of the summer will be in Essaouira, Morocco with its strong side shore wind and waves and historical town and the new event in Egypt on the Red Sea. The Clearwater and perfect wind will make this event a perfect wrap up the summer before moving to the Asian and South Pacific events.

The final events of the season have not been confirmed yet but will be set up in the coming months. We are looking at the return of the Chinese event on the on the island of Hainai on the South China Sea , the perfect conditions of New Caledonia and new events in Australia and South Africa.

We are just two months away from our first event; all the riders are still training and getting ready for the new season. The new and old locations will once again provide the best terrain to crown a freestyle world champion, and show off some amazing wave riding and great slalom racing. Please visit www.prokitetour.com and our Facebook page for the latest updates, news, photos, videos, articles and interviews.

SBC Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos, Week Jan 25, 2013

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:57:00 -0500

Every Friday SBC Kiteboard magazine counts down the weeks top kiteboarding videos.

1. Kite Porn (Great film from SPI Texas)

CARPE NATIBUS (How is your Latin? Not really kiting... so we didn't # it)

2. Really Big Air!

3. Lewis Crathern - Mega Loops

4. HAKUNA MATATA

5. East Coast Overdose Part 2 Brazil

6. A mega loop snowkite story (#1)

7. Megaloops

8. BACK 2 BOA - Kitesurfing Cape Verde

9. JOHN BILDERBACK

10. Konstantin Tuludis - Impact

* The top ten list is based on views on the SBC Kiteboard website for videos posted over the past seven days. Be sure to check out our other top 10 lists for previous weeks. At the end of each month be sure to check out the months top 30!

Top North American Riders Invited to King of the Air

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:26:00 -0500

The World’s top Kiteboarders to descend on Cape Town for Red Bull King of the Air 2013

The much anticipated return of Red Bull King of the Air has seen kiteboarders the world over doing anything to get their hands on an entry. Sixteen of the world’s best as well as eight wildcards have been selected to compete. Florida's Billy Barker, Hawaii's Jesse and Shawn Richman, and Ontario, Canada's Sam Medysky are among the 24 riders invited to compete.

CAPE TOWN (South Africa) Red Bull King of the Air returns to the fore after an eight year hiatus since the last running of the event in Maui, USA and wind patterns are currently looking favourable for the window period of 1 – 15 February at Big Bay, Blouberg on Cape Town’s coastline.

Sixteen invited kiteboarders from around the world will be joined by eight wildcards who secured their entry by sending in a video of themselves in action in the water.

Included in the lineup are extreme kiteboarder Ruben Lenten (NED), compatriot and world number 1 in 2012 Youri Zoon and local wildcard Oswald Smith who goes into the competition having just won SA Champs.

The judging panel consisting of fearless female kiteboarder Susi Mai, editor of Kiteworld Magazine and presenter of ‘The Kite Show’ Jim Gaunt and South African original Red Bull King of the Air alumnus Greg Tijsse will be watching the water to gauge height, style and creativity each kiteboarder executes their movement with.

The newly developed ‘flag out’ competition format is unlike any others - it gives each kiteboarder the opportunity to pull their best moves and score high. Four riders hit the water wearing different colour rash vests that matching a corresponding flag on the beach. After an allocated time, the rider with the lowest score will be flagged out (flag will be lowered) and must leave the water. The last man standing is the winner.

The event will also feature the godfather of wind-based watersports Robby Naish who will be in Cape Town to put the title hopefuls through their paces in the lead up to the event. Robby has multiple World Titles across windsurfing and kiteboarding disciplines and still competes internationally, at the tender age of 49.

The Invited Kiteboarders

Ruben Lenten (NED)

Kevin Langeree (NED)

Youri Zoon (NED)

Nick Jacobsen (DEN)

Billy Parker (USA)

Sam Light (GBR)

Lewis Crathern (GBR)

Kevin de Smidt (NED)

Steven Akkersijk (NED)

Jesse Richman (USA)

Tom Court (GBR)

Luke Whiteside (GBR)

Gianni Aragno (ESP)

Shawn Richman (USA)

Luke McGillewie (RSA)

Reno Romeu (BRA)

The Wildcards

Sam Medysky (CAN)

Oswald Smith (RSA)

Johnno Sholte (NED)

Andries Fourie (RSA)

Graham Howes (RSA)

Jandre Fraser (RSA)

Alan Steele (RSA)

Nicolas Falcou (FRA)

For more updates on contest conditions visit www.redbullkingoftheair.co.za or #RedBullKingoftheAir on Twitter.

Best Kiteboarding Director of Sales Job Offer

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:59:00 -0500

Company Description
Best Kiteboarding is a leading supplier of Kiteboarding equipment with a global presence. We have core operations in Barcelona, Berlin, Hatteras, Hong Kong, Lisbon, Los Angeles and New York, and a distribution network that includes retail accounts in over 100 countries. We like working with people, products and companies that are innovative, passionate, reasonable... and fun as hell.

Job Description
We are looking for an experienced Sales Manager to join our dynamic and international team that is able to
work a rigorous schedule. The position is based in Berlin, Germany.

Responsibilities
Our Sales Manager is responsible for selling as much product possible at the best margins possible, and
ensuring that it is efficiently delivered to our customers. It must maintain strong relationships with our
dealers around the world, while also increasing sales through our website. It is responsible for ensuring
that all dealers are in good standing, are abiding by the dealer agreements, and are current with their
accounts payable.

Job Duties
• Establishes sales objectives by forecasting and developing annual sales quotas for regions and territories with maximum accuracy; projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new products.
• Develop and lead the execution of competitive sales programs that meet customers needs.
• Select, train, develop and manage sales force capable of selling new business and retaining and growing existing customers.
• Implement appropriate rewards/recognition and coaching/corrective practices.
• Conducts regular coaching and counseling with Sales Reps to build motivation and selling skills.
• Provide front-line feedback to Marketing department.
• Coordinate ordering together with operations and finance department.
• Organize shipping of product and feed operations team with on time information.
• Work with Collection Manager on getting accounts paid.
• Maintain close relationship with Purchasing Manager.
• Maintains contact with clients to ensure high levels of client satisfaction.

Desired Skills and Experience
• Engaging personality with min. 5 years of sales or sales management experience, preferably within
the water sport industry.
• Experience leading multinational teams with high level of professionalism.
• Outstanding English communication skills, writing skills, organizational skills, and problem solving
skills (with the ability to recommend solutions).
• Experienced in meeting goals and generating value creating sales pitches.
• Experienced in leading complex negotiations.
• Self-motivated and proactive with the ability to work independently.
• Passion for water sports.

Applicants please send a CV to hr@pureactionsports.com

IKA Annual General Meeting takes decisions for 2013

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:03:00 -0500

The IKA class AGM held last weekend in Rome has made some important decisions for the 2013 season. The minutes will be published soon, but here is a brief overview of the most important topics already:

Course Racing:
new material and weight limitation for boards, lines and kites approved
4 kites instead of 3 to be used per competition in the future with no upper wind limit (within reasonable strenght)
The kites are to registered per event (NOT per season), but with one kite in each size category (15m and bigger, between 11m and 15m, 11m and smaller, 9m and smaller). The sizes 11m and 15m are overlapping, which means a 15m kite can either be a large kite or a medium kite, and a 11m kite can be either a medium or small size kite. Details will be fully laid out soon.
The 360 turn penalty is changed so that it includes a tack and a gybe
Redress will be limited to injury, damage, and tangles, with a Q&A to be published on tangles. This will include tangles happening in Addendum Q races (umpired medal races)

Freestyle:
The new PKRA judging guidelines will be adopted for general use

Wave Riding:
The same qualification system as in 2012 will be used, with 10 places pre-qualified in the mens fleet and 5 in the womens fleet from the 2012 KSP results. Details on the application process for 2013 will be published soon.

Slalom:
PKRA will run a slalom tour. Courses and organizational ideas have been presented and the current rules finetuned and published asap.

Other:
A new foilboarding class has been created, with the class rules to be finetuned with ISAF
A Hall of Fame will be introduced rewarding past, present and future world champions and ranking winners

The minutes will reflect on any of the above items in detail, as well as on many more of the 28 submissions and discussion under Any Other Business.

Punta Cana Kitefest 2013 - an Exceptional Kiteboard Event Experience

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:32:00 -0500

The Punta Cana Kitefest 2013 proved once again to be one of the premier kiteboarding events in the country, offering favorable breezes, amazing atmosphere, and organization second to none.

It took place over the weekend of January 19^th and 20^th, 2013 on the stunningly-beautiful Playa Blanca Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and was sponsored by a host of strong commercial brands such as Redbull, Miller 64, and Jack Daniels Whisky, plus a host of local companies such as clothing brand ‘Life is Good’ and Punta Cana Kite Club. Over 50 competitors from 9 countries enjoyed elite competition at this 4^th annual event, which featured a number of kite-propelled disciplines, such as course racing, freestyle and rail riding, before a crowd of hundreds of spectators.

Competitors were greeted by windy conditions on Day One, resulting in a full day of kiteboarding action. The day began with the ‘Redbull Sun Slide’ event, which offered much entertainment and spectacle, as top competitors showed off their best tricks after launching from a slide or a kicker. Aaron Hadlow from UK, the 24-year old five-time World Kiteboarding Champion dominated the top spot, trailed by Hendrick Burgers from Aruba in second and Felix Martinez from Cabarete, DR, in third. Pro rider Susi Mai from Cabarete, DR the only female competitor in this discipline, secured a strong fourth position.

As for the Amateur Freestyle competition, Patrick Agussol from France fought off tough competition from fellow countrymen Jonathan Goldschmidt and Teddy Gery to claim his first win.

The Cabarete hotshots Alex Soto, Nico Suriel and Luis Alberto Cruz were superb in the visually entertaining Men’s Pro Freestyle Competition, as they dominated the event with world-class aerial acrobatics, securing first, second and third spots on the all-Dominican podium.

The breeze lightened up for the next event of the day, the Women’s Freestyle race, in which Susi Mai once again put in a performance of incredible consistency, beating out her competitors Hope Levin from Turks and Caicos and Katie Bowcutt from Cabarete, DR for second and third place. The women were challenged again in the Course Race, with Imma Leal Martin clearly dominating the event, setting a cracking pace on the first reach and claiming clear victory by a photo finish, followed by Lise Shippam from France and Hege from Cabarete, DR.

On Day Two, the Men’s Pro Course Racing Competition started out in squall conditions; but after just a few heats the wind dropped off and the organizers were forced to postpone the race. Several hours later the abandoned men’s heat was repeated, resulting in a final showdown between Alex Soto from Cabarete and Patrick Agussol from France, as they powered their way to first and second spots in light NE winds. Ben Meyer from USA crossed the finish line in third.

Attention then swung towards a fun Stand-up Paddle-board (SUP) Relay Race, in which the sensational 3-men team of Luis Alberto Cruz, Joselito Del Rosario and Felix Martinez from Cabarete showed off their winning paddle-boarding skills in front of a crowd of cheering spectators.

The weekend event was well attended by the locals and international visitors alike, with professional photographers, local media, and even a remote gyroscopic helicopter camera capturing the action. The awards ceremony brought the event to a close on Sunday afternoon, with Arron Hadlow summing the event up in these words: “The Punta Cana Kitefest was such a fun event; it was my first time here and I couldn't believe how perfect the location was for kiteboarding. The atmosphere was amazing and I really can't wait to come back next year!"

If you are looking to participate in a fun kiteboarding event in the Dominican Republic, put this one on your calendar for next year!

Sierra Snowkite Summit

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:49:00 -0500

Snowkite event next weekend in Tahoe. Take a lesson, clinic, or just come ride with the Tahoe/Bay Area kite community. —Aaron Sales

sierrasnowkitecenter.com

or call

Aaron Sales

(541)490-9278

10 Ten Kiteboarding Videos - Week of Jan 18, 2013

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:30:00 -0500

1. Color Your Life

2. Don´t touch my Vegas

3. Moments to Share

4. Air to Whomp

5. Mavericks - Back Lit

6. Slingshot 2013 RPM Story

7. Hot Chicks, Cool Tricks - Kiteboarding and...

8. Reider Decker - Flatspins in 30 seconds

9. Levels

10. CHASTA

2013 Lord of the Wind Results

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:55:00 -0500

LORD OF THE WIND SHOWDOWN Results:

Elite
1st Bryan Lake
2nd Johnny Heineken
3rd Joey Pasquali
4th Alex Aguera

Non-Elite
1st Gabor Vagi

Mens Open
1st Clinton LaTourrette
2nd Peter Biawat
3rd Ariel Poler

Mens Masters
1st Gabor Vagi
2nd Steve Kinney

FREESTYLE Results:

Elite Men Kiteboarding
1st Evan Netsch
2nd Bryan Lake
3rd Adam Super

Elite Womens Kiteboarding
1st Cynthia Brown
2nd Laura Maher
3rd Lisa Tedford

Elite Mens Windsurfing
1st Bryan Metcalf
2nd Wyatt Miller
3rd Tyson Poor

Elite Womens Windsurfing
1st Fiona Wylde

COURSE RACING Results:

Kiteboard Elite Men
1st Johnny Heineken
2nd Bryan Lake
3rd Brian Kender

Kiteboard Elite Women
1st Nuria Goma
2nd Cynthis Brown

Kiteboard Mens Open
1st Clinton La Tourette
2nd Rogelio Basave
3rd Peter Blawat

Kiteboard Womens Open
1st Caitlin Kinney
2nd Keely Bresnahan
3rd Justi Vonada

Kiteboard Masters Men
1st Mark Stiegemeier
2nd Steve Kinney
3rd Gabor Vagi

Windsurf Elite Men
1st Tyson Poor
2nd Casey Hauser
3rd Steve Bodner

Windsurf Elite Women
1st Fiona Wylde
2nd Jacie Skakel
3rd Audrey Davis

Johnny Heineken named 2012 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:45:00 -0500

Johnny Heineken (Larkspur, Calif.), age 24, has been named the 2012 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year for his dominating performances in competitive kiteboarding, including the Kiteboarding Course Racing World Championship in Cagliari, Italy, where he topped 148 competitors to claim the world title for a second consecutive year.

Heineken also proved his racing prowess by besting 45 competitors in the Kiteboarding North American Course Racing Championship in San Francisco and 34 competitors at the Pacific Pilsner Canadian Kiteboard Course Racing Nationals in Squamish, Canada. He set a new course record (14 minutes, 4 seconds) in the Ronstan Bridge to Bridge Race in San Francisco among 58 entrants and rounded out his record by posting victories at PKRA Mexico (20 competitors), PKRA Burn Kiteboarding World Tour (16 competitors) and Copa Mexico Regatta (13 competitors). He finished second at La Ventana Classic (20 competitors) and took third at both the PKRA Beetle Kitesurf World Cup (31 competitors) and PKRA Gold Games Kitesurf (30 competitors).

The selection panel was especially impressed by the fact that Heineken’s racing took him to venues across the globe – including Germany, France and Turkey—where his fellow kiteboarding competitors were considered the world’s best. They also made note that kiteboarding (also referred to as kitesurfing—an athletic surface water sport combining aspects of wakeboarding, windsurfing and surfing and using a large controllable kite to harness the power of the wind) had come into its own as a significant sailing genre. One panelist pointed out that the term “yachtsman,” despite its allusion to the most traditional aspects of sailing, easily befits a sailor with Heineken’s talents and devotion to growing the sport.

“To even be mentioned in connection with this award is an honor; so many of my role models are on the list of recipients,” said Heineken, who was on the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year shortlist in 2011 as well. “But it’s also exciting that kiting has been accepted into the world of yachting. It’s pretty amazing how far the class has come in the last five years and exciting for me to be involved in the development of that.”

Heineken explained that kiteboarding narrowly missed becoming a discipline for the 2016 Olympics and he would be very surprised if it were not included in the 2020 Games. Course racing on kiteboards is mostly windward-leeward with some added reaches at the finish line to bring spectators to the beach “to watch the fleet going 30 knots.”

“I started kiteboarding a lot later than many of the people I’m competing against, but I did grow up sailing and that’s what has given me a strong background to be a good kite racer,” said Heineken, who took third in the 29er Worlds when he was in eleventh grade, finished fifth in the 2008 49er U.S. Olympic Trials, and served as captain of the UC Santa Barbara Sailing Team for two years. “Typical sailboat racing courses are what we’ve optimized our gear for; it’s the same game, the same tactics, really.”

Heineken added that it’s much harder to learn how to be a good tactical sailor, making quick decisions and dealing with every crossing incident perfectly, than it is to learn to kiteboard. “It’s time on the water just like every other class. You can call it a boat or a board or whatever, but kiting is the only kind of sailing where you’re directly connecting the sail through your body to the board and then to the water via the fins. You’re so involved in the dynamic of making the boat go fast through the water that I would argue it’s the most pure form of sailing.”

Heineken, who was born in Greenbrae, Calif., trains and travels with his older sister, Erika Heineken, age 26, who was runner-up this year for the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year and shared the top step on the podium with Johnny at the Kiteboarding Course Racing World Championship as the women’s division winner.

Johnny Heineken has a degree in mechanical engineering and works on the mechanical team at Alameda-based Makani Power, an alternative energy company developing airborne wind turbine technology. He is a member of St. Francis Yacht Club, which he praises for helping pioneer course racing for kiteboarding.

2013 Lord of the Wind - Day 2

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 06:47:00 -0500

"After day one, everybody had high hopes and expectations for the second chapter. They started by picking up where they left off with the slalom the afternoon before, which was not very far. They managed to complete every single heat of slalom for each division, except for the finals. For spectators, the slalom races were the most exciting because of the fast paced nature and proximity to the beach. After all of the slalom races concluded, the race committee decided they were done with the course racing all together. Instead, they moved onto the freestyle competition; another huge crowd-pleaser. The freestylers went through 3 elimination rounds, with the final heat consisting of the top four competitors from the original heats. The conditions were close to optimal; medium ranged wind with plenty of kickers to launch off from, making the final heat very fun to watch. After the wind died off, everybody went home to prepare for the bikini contest/dance party at hotel Palmas de Cortez. Although the bikini contest was cancelled, the dancing portion was pretty good. All in all, day two was a very successful part of the event, and by far the most interesting day to come and watch kiteboarding at it's best."—Dylan Murphy

Dylan Murphy is a 15 year-old kiteboarder currently based out of Los Barriles, B.C.S. and the Gorge. He says he started getting his "first big rides" when he was about 12 years old. He rides 2013 the North Vegas and a 136 Gambler with Parks boots. He likes to compete from time to time, but mostly just enjoys going out and riding with friends!

2013 Lord of the Wind - Day 1

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:55:00 -0500

The day had finally arrived! After weeks of anticipation and stoke before the event, everyone was ready to get racing. The evening before was full of registration, rules and regulations. The whole crew was told to be at the beach for the morning skippers' meeting at 9:00 to review start sequences, questions and concerns other racers might have. Upon our arrival, the water was glass; not a breeze or whitecap in sight. All of the competitors were fairly disappointed, especially since the forecast called for steady wind throughout the day. A few competitors went home for food or more clothes, but as they returned, the wind had come up out of nowhere and the race directors were staring races within 15 minutes. The first course race was a bit of a scramble to be ready, but nearly everybody made it out O.K. They completed 3 rounds of each division for course racing, and then moved to slalom races at about 3:00. I would have to say, out of the two races, slalom is a lot more fun for the spectators to watch since it is so fast paced and you can always see the riders. They managed to complete the first heat of men's elite slalom before buoy #2 escaped and floated down south with the wind and waves. Most assumed the race directors would simply reattach the marker and get on with the next heats, but they decided to just call it a wrap for the day. A few were disappointed, and a few just packed up and drove home, but there were still many riders who hadn't had their fill of kiteboarding that day, including myself. At the end of the day, a bunch of us went out and had a really laid back session as the sun was setting. These conditions made for some great photos and a lot of fun. After the wind had died off, most of the competitors packed their gear up and started taking the shuttles down to Spa Buena Vista for the evening reggae party. A buffet full of Mexican cuisine awaited us, accompanied by good music and a nice atmosphere. Day one was awesome, and I'm excited to see what the next day brings, especially since they will be starting the hang-time and freestyle competitions. Can't wait!—Dylan Murphay

SBC Kiteboard Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos for the Week of Jan 11, 2013

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:53:00 -0500

SBC Kiteboard Magazine Top 10 Kiteboarding Videos for the Week of Jan 11, 2013

1. Extreme Kiteboarding in Ireland & Holland - Ruben Lenten 2013
2. Bêtisier / Bloopers Kitesurf Paradise
3. Johnny Berger: Step One
4. The Free Ride Project (OFFICIAL MOVIE)
5. Kiteboarding Super Slow Motion
6. 2013 Best Kiteboarding Shop Loop
7. Ruben Len10 interview
8. Marc Toth in Barra Nova
9. Australia's Longest Kitesurfing Race - Red Bull...
10. Juan Pablo Diban

*Rated by views on sbckiteboard.com

Blade Kiteboarding

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:04:00 -0500

Blade Kiteboarding has launched their new offical website. You can find information and overview of Blade's full board and kite range. Be sure to check out the new Unibar!

Terry McKenna signs with KSP

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:50:00 -0500

Berlin, Germany — January 1, 2013: Just in time for its 3^rd season, the KSP (Kite Surf Pro World Championship Tour) today announces the signing of its new World Tour Manager Terry McKenna. McKenna will take his new position with immediate effect, relieving former Tour Manager Kristin Boese.

KSP President and Former KSP Tour Manager Kristin Boese states: “We could not be any more excited to welcome Terry on board. With his passion and drive Terry will be an incredible fit to the KSP crew and with his vast expertise will be a great asset to the tour. Having been a mentor to me over the past two years, Terry has already influenced the KSP more than he may realize. Taking over the tour management position I am certain he will now be able to steer the KSP forward even further.”

Having started his career as a competitor on the IPS Surfing World Tour some 30 years ago, McKenna has been involved in wave riding sports ever since. No matter if as a surfing coach, ASP event commentator, team manager, sports administrator or Lifestyle Reporter, McKenna has shone in every challenge he was given.

Most recently however the Australian helmed the IBA (International Bodyboard Tour), resurrecting the sport of Bodyboarding by implementing modernistic formats and developing new events around the globe. After steering the IBA (International Bodyboard Association) to new heights during his 7-year rein from 2007 till 2012, McKenna has now signed a contract to become the KSP World Tour manager.

When asked about his work with the IBA and his goals for the KSP, McKenna explains: “My work with the IBA was a great challenge and the team we assembled was amazing. I am very proud to have been a part of this evolution for the sport of Bodyboarding, but I needed a fresh start, something that I could get passionate about again, and I have found this with the KSP World Tour. It’s an amazing genre of wave riding and I can’t wait to work closely with all the crew at the KSP.“

McKenna’s expertise in the field of event management & media will immensely help promote the sport of kite surfing to the masses.

In 2012 the KSP World Championship Tour traveled to Portugal, Mauritius, Ireland and Maui, following its mission to supply the world's top kite surfers with a series of events in prime locations and to promote kiting surfing to mainstream media and the public.

Launched in 2011 by a core group of surf-focused riders, driven by passion and vision and established as a grass-roots non-profit association, the KSP provides a professional platform for both, established and aspiring kite surfers to showcase the pinnacle of high-performance kite surfing in some of the world's best waves, enabling them to set the performance standard for competitive kite surfing for years to come. Sanctioned by the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) and governed by the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) the KSP is the World Championship Tour of kite surfing.

Stay tuned for the 2013 KSP schedule to be released on February 1, 2013 and sign up for the KSP newsletter at www.kspworldtour.com.

HIDDEN LINES - Chapter III - Nitro City

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:18:00 -0500

In the last chapter of Hidden Lines Youri, Nick and Kevin find themselves in the ultimate kiteboard playground. They discover Nitro City, which proves to be the perfect ending to their trip. Crazy stunts, perfect freestyle conditions and poolside parties conclude their journey.

Watch it here:

http://vimeo.com/56015501