POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME: SUNSCREEN
WE TEST THE BEST
I T ’ S A L O V E H AT E T H I N G Volume 4, Issue1, #9
A I RT O N A N D M A T C H U
$8.99
Display Until: August 31, 2018
Indonesia
SHAPING YOUR
E C N E I R E P EX
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2018/19 KITES
DASH
RIDE
B OX E R
SIZES: 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14
SIZES: 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14
SIZES: 3.5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16
FREESTYLE/FREERIDE
ALL-AROUND FREERIDE
FREERIDE/FOILING
There’s a world of options competing for your attention. How you choose to spend it defines your time. From the forgiving and intuitive controls of the Ride, to the light and lively feel of the Boxer, or the dynamic power of the Dash, our kites are so much more than balanced constructions of polyester and string. They are devices to transform your experience and lift you to reach new milestones. We approach each design with that in mind; carefully crafting each detail to define your best moments on the water. Regardless of your skills or experience level, there’s a kite in our line that’s engineered to work perfectly with your unique riding style. Maximize your time on the water with Naish.
2018 KITES
S LAS H
P I VOT
TO R C H
SIZES: 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
SIZES: 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14
SIZES: 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14
PURE WAVE/STRAPLESS
FREERIDE/WAVE
PRO PERFORMANCE/FREESTYLE
Pacific Boardsports LLC
(509) 493-0043
pbs@naishsails.com
naishkites.com kitesurfingmag.com Photo: frankiebees.com, Riders: Paula Rosales, Jesse Richman, Featured: 2018/19 Ride Kite, 2018 Hero & Motion Twin Tips •
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DARE TO DIVERSIFY
R I D E R : R E N O R O M E U / P H OTO : TO BY B R O M W I C H
THE NEW DICE
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SIZES: 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13
JAIME
JAIME TXT
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CIT MODES / WAVE - ALLROUND - FREESTYLE
4.0 5.0
3 STRUT LIGHT FRAME
6.0 7.0
FUTURE-C SHAPE
8.0 9.0
RADICAL REACTION TIPS
10.0 11.0
6 YEARS WORLDWIDE PARTS & SERVICE AVAILABILITY
12.0 13.5
MULTI-TALENTED UNIVERSAL+ SERIES KITE WITH FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE HANDLING
15.0 17.0
MEET THE NEXUS. AN ATHLETIC KITE THAT IS NEVER TOO COOL TO LEARN A NEW TRICK. WHETHER IT'S ON YOUR FAVORITE SURFBOARD OR TWINTIP, THE NEXUS BRINGS EXCEPTIONAL VERSATILITY TO WAVE AND FREESTYLE RIDING. NEXUS. WILLOW AND AKKIE APPROVED. AND WE’VE SEEN WHAT THEY CAN DO.
FOLLOW US ON
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corekites.com | facebook.com/corekites | instagram.com/corekites | twitter.com/corekites
CORE Kiteboarding +49 (0) 4371 / 88934-0 info@corekites.com Fehmarn, Germany
WAVE + FREESTYLE / STRAPLESS FREERIDE
TWO CHARACTERS. ONE KITE. kitesurfingmag.com
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OFF THE TOP One day I was at home double tapping IG’s (That’s millennial talk for ‘Liking’ photos to gain more followers on Instagram) and I stumbled across a GoPro video of Evan doing a strapless frontroll over a 10ft high pier, with big spikey poles running its length. I immediately started envisioning how epic it would be if we got a well-lit shot of this during one of the many iconic sunsets here in Cape Hatteras. Days of planning, perfect conditions over 50 strapless pier jumps and one insane shot!— Follow me on instagram @RyanEosmond PHOTOGRAPHER: Ryan Osmond RIDER: Evan Netsch LOCATION: Waves, North Carolina
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LOCATION: INDO RIDER: Moona Whyte PHOTO: Jason Wolcott/Liquideye This issue’s cover girl Moona Whyte tucks into a fun one. Check out her trip to Indo on page 44.
VOLUME 4// ISSUE 1 // NO. 9
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FEATURES 44 INDONESIA The best worst place in the world to kite has to be Indonesia, and Matt Elsasser keeps going back! 50 HEAD-TO-HEAD GEAR TESTS Test editor Shane Thompson and the Kitesurfing Magazine team check out the best foil boards, surfboards and surf kites. 50 FOIL BOARDS Whether you are behind a kite, or looking to expand your foil wave riding skills, there are plenty of exciting options available that can help develop your foil riding skills. 64 SURFBOARDS For 2018 there are some great new shapes with improved construction technologies that are making these boards lighter, stronger and more responsive than ever. 72 SURF KITES The increased popularity of wave kites is well deserved as their evolved performance is beneficial beyond just waves. 88 GALLERY A collection of our favorite photos.
UPFRONT 14 OFF THE TOP 20 EDITOR’S INTRO 24 ON THE COVER 28 BOARDSHORTS
DEPARTMENTS 30 ASK A PRO: What’s your favorite sunscreen? 34 PEER PRESSURE Billy Parker 36 PROFILE: Airton and Matchu 98 NEXT ISSUE
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Naish international team rider, Kevin Langeree, gives the Naish Slash surf kite a workout on Maui. Be sure to check out the Kitesurfing Magazine test on page 72. Frankie Bees photo
ion carbon series
FLEX HARDSHELL! PERFECT COMBINATION OF SUPPORT & FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
INDIVIDUAL ANATOMIC FITTING
LIGHTWEIGHT
LESS WATER ABSORPTION
(HYPER FOAM CUSHION)
CS WAVE
CS FREERIDE
MONOCOQUE CARBON-BLADE TECHNOLOGY
CS HADLOW
SURFIN G EL EMEN T S ION-PRODUCTS.COM kitesurfingmag.com
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More than ever before, the surf kites on test this issue are better than ever for crossing over into foilboarding and freeriding. Vincent Bergeron photo
FIELD NOTES
Year of the Surf Kite
At first glance the tests in this issue might seem like a strange hodge podge of categories: surfboards, foil boards and surf kites. While there are a few surf specific foils in the reviews, the main reason our test team chose to combine these categories has a lot more to do with how the test team are building their own quivers these days. With the explosion of foil boarding, more and more riders are complimenting their high wind, strapless surf set up with a light wind foil board. Anyone who knows me will tell you, when it comes to kite gear I am not exactly a minimalist. At the same time, like most of you I don’t want to own three different ten meter kites. That’s where the new surf kites have been gaining in popularity. It’s no surprise they are great in the surf and for strapless freestyle. Over the past couple years they have also become a favorite of the test team when grabbing a quick hydrofoil session in moderate winds. One of the more challenging aspects of hydrofoil riding is going downwind. That’s where
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these surf kites come into their own on a foil. They drift downwind beautifully when working on transitions and downwind riding. Combine this with their exceptional relaunching capability and one can understand why foil boarders have widely embraced surf kites as a go to in their quivers. Another remarkable trend within the surf kite category is their increasing freeride appeal. The kites jump and have silky smooth power delivery with huge wind ranges. Surf kites are appealing to a wider audience than ever before, and this is unquestionably the year of the surf kite. If you haven’t tried one yet, you definitely should. See you on the water, John Bryja / Editor-in-Chief
SIZES
05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 17
● 3 strut delta hybrid shape ● Medium to high aspect ratio ● Quick and smooth turning ● Big jumping and long hangtime ● Great upwind performance ● Most versatile high performance kite ● Light wind sizes (14 & 17m come with 3 m extensions) ● E/8 trusted quality
Eleveight gear is built with innovative and quality workmanship. Details are strategically designed for long lasting durability, while keeping the gear light and agile. eleveightkites.com/e8-trusted-quality
eleveightkites.com
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MASTHEAD VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 1 / NUMBER 9 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOHN BRYJA ART DIRECTOR DAVE AMOS TEST EDITOR SHANE THOMPSON COPY EDITOR COLIN FIELD WEB DESIGN KAI HULSHOF & ERIC FEQUET CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MATT AIKEN, LUCAS ARSENAULT, PHILIPP BECKER, PETE CABRINHA, COLLEEN CARROLL, JULIEN FILLION, CHRIS GILBERT, DAMIEN GIRARDIN, BASTIAN HABERLER, LAUREN HOLMAN, PHIL JANKE, EWAN JASPAN, REECE MYERSCOUGH, RICHARD MYERSCOUGH, BRIAN READY, EMILY REICH, CHLOÉ SCAMPS, MARC SCHMID, GARY SISKAR, PETER STIEWE, LYNDEE TALMAGE, STEVEN VAN AKKERSDIJK CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS LUCAS ARSENAULT, TOBY BROMWICH, VINCENT BERGERON, MIKE HITELMAN, LAUREN HOLMAN, ALEXANDER LEWIS-HUGHES, JON MALMBERG, CLARK MERRITT, AXEL REESE, SVETLANA ROMANTSOVA, BRADLEY RUTLEDGE, ALEX SCHWARTZ, JAY WALLACE, ERIC WOJCIECHOWSKI, JASON WOLCOTT CHRIS ROULLETT, KYLE TOUHEY, YDWER VAN DER HEIDE
Kitesurfing Magazine is an independent publication published three times per year. —Spring, Summer, and Gear Preview — by Kitesurfing Magazine Inc. PO Box 15, Leith, ON, N0H 1V0 Phone: (519)370-2334 Email: info@kitesurfingmag.com Website: kitesurfingmag.com SUBSCRIPTIONS 1 Year - 3 Issues $26.95 Phone: (519) 370-2334 Email: info@kitesurfingmag.com kitesurfingmag.com Change of Address info@kitesurfingmag.com ISSN 2369-3568 Kitesurfing Magazine Inc. Copyright Kitesurfing Magazine 2017, All rights reserved. Reproduction of any materials published in Kitesurfing Magazine is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the publisher. PRINTED IN CANADA Disclaimer: The athletes and activities described and illustrated herein are performed by trained athletes and could result in serious bodily injury, including disability or death, do not attempt them without proper supervision, training and safety equipment. Kitesurfing Magazine Inc, andthe publisher are not responsible for injuries sustained byreaders or failure of equipment depicted or illustrated herein.
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RESORT LIVING HAS ITS PRIVILEGES... WATERFRONT ACCOMMODATIONS • RESTAURANT & LIVE MUSIC • LESSONS & CAMPS
WATERMENSRETREAT.COM • (252) 987.6060 • CAPE HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA kitesurfingmag.com - 23
ON THE COVER | MOONA WHYTE
Rider: Moona Whyte Location: Indo Photographer: Jason Wolcott/LiquidEye
Style, grace, power, flow and a great smile are all words I would use to describe the subject of this issue’s cover. I have spent the past few seasons shooting with Moona Whyte and it’s hard to describe the amount of trust there needs to be shooting kitesurfing with a fisheye lens. To get a good shot the rider must be within a few feet of the lens making injury to the rider and the photographer all too real. Add hitting it on your back hand where the rider has a limited view compounds the danger and difficulty. I am happy to report that she did an amazing job and I still have all my limbs attached. I know Moona will be back again soon and I’m ready to do the dance all over again. —Jason Wolcott
I'M PICKIN' UP GOOD VIBRATIONS. SHE'S GIVING ME EXCITATIONS. 24 - KITESURFING MAGAZINE / VOL 4 / ISSUE 1
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PRO TIPS | SUNSCREEN
Davey Blair got a little crispy during last year's Triple-S. We want to help him find a good sunscreen, so we asked some top pros and kite shop owners: what’s your favorite sunscreen for kiting? “My new favorite sunscreen, that I actually got turned onto just a few days before the 2017 Wind Voyager Triple-S Invitational, used all that week, and have continued to use in the harsh sun of both Mauritius and Australia every day for the past three weeks is Raw Elements Eco Formula. It’s a non-GMO, non-nano, reef-safe, natural sunscreen that rubs in clear and works amazingly well. If only Davey would have remembered to apply it during the 2017 Triple-S excitement, maybe he wouldn’t have been such a crispy critter.” —Jason Slezak, Liquid Force “My favorite is Badger Sunscreen; it’s organic and uses only zinc oxide as the active ingredients which is actually good for your skin. It also doesn’t contain any of the chemicals in a lot of other sunscreens that harm coral reefs. Oh, and it also prevents sunburn too.” —Sky Solbach, North R&D shaper “For years I’ve been using Watermans FaceStick 50+. I mostly only use it on my face. It stays on for hours and won’t burn your eyes when it’s hot and sweaty in the water. It can get expensive, but completely worth it; in
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ten years I will probably look younger than all my friends of the same age.” —Julien Fillion, Liquid Force designer “Don’t think you can get the stuff in the US but feel free to try to search for it in case you can. The stuff I use is called Ella Bache Zinc from Australia. Myself, a lot of the surfers here at Noosa and a few of my friends now in Hawaii use it too. It’s expensive but it’s the only thing that stays on my lips and actually spreads really far as long as someone doesn’t get too greedy when they borrow it. It is actually considered sun guard foundation though, just so you know you’re basically wearing makeup, but it really is the best stuff I’ve used.” —Keahi de Aboitiz, Cabrinha “Raw Elements Stick, can’t be putting sunscreen on with my fingers; slippery bars are the worst!”—Craig Cunningham, North “Bagger and All Good are the sunscreen brands I use; they are organic, coral reef safe, smell good and keep my skin young!”—Jesse Richman, Naish
“Raw Elements. One helpful tip with any sunscreen is to wash your hands with sand after you’re done applying; this will keep the sunscreen off your control bar.”—Trip Forman, Real Watersports, North Carolina “Raw Elements sunscreen!” —Sam Medysky, Dakine “It’s all about Elemental Herbs' All Good. They make some insane sunscreen. Really stoked on it.”—Ian Alldredge, BWS, TDZ “There is no question, hands down the 50 SPF with Zinc from Sun Bum is the best! Or only ride at night.” —Damien Leroy, Cabrinha “My favorite is Swox sunscreen, it stays on for hours when I’m kiting.” —Bruna Kajiya, Airush, Redbull “For the face I use, Sun Bum Signature Facestick, Clear, Broad Spectrum SPF 30. For the body I use Sun Bum Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 30, water resistant (80 minutes ) with hydrating vitamin E.” —Vince Allen, North Shore Ski & Board, Vancouver, Canada
oceanrodeo.com
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CAN YOU DIG IT | CORE NEXUS Willow-River Tonkin R&D testing the new Core Nexus in Mauritius. Thomas Burblies photo
It’s always big news when a major brand like Core releases a new model. New for this summer, Core is rolling out the Nexus. The Core Nexus is designed to bring incredible versatility and customizability to wave and freestyle riding. The Nexus is a combination of the GTS freeride kite, and the Section 2 surf kites. The Nexus gets its three-strut frame, wingtip design and linear power delivery from the GTS. It acquires its handling, huge wind range, and profile from Core’s dedicated wave kite, the Section 2. This higher aspect ratio, future C-shaped kite comes very close to the wave performance of the Section 2 and the freestyle performance of the athletic GTS. Core founder, Bernie Hiss, feels the new Nexus, “drifts like the Section, loops like the GTS, and jumps pretty much like the XR.” The Nexus kite fits between the hugely popular XR5 freerider and the megaloop
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champ GTS. It’s designed to tick a lot of boxes for a diverse group of riders. Wave riders are saying how well the kite remains neutral, drifts and turns on bigger waves. Freestyle testers are impressed by the kite’s power, stability and ease of use especially when trying new tricks. Customizable leading edge bridle connection points make this possible. The wave mode makes the kite turn faster, increases depower and doesn’t pull you off your strapless board. It also provides more lift when you pull on the bar making foot changes a snap. The freestyle mode increases your turn radius, stabilizes the kite for easier freestyle moves and provides a little extra grunt. The kite comes out of the bag in all round mode which provides an excellent balance between the two modes. “The Nexus’s potential is undeniable,” Core designer Frank Ilfrich adds as he recounts the endless hours his team invested
in this project. Its innovative CIT modes, wave pedigree, and freestyle genes endear itself to new and experienced riders alike. The frame utilizes zero-stretch ExoTex Dacron, and the canopy leverages Core’s exclusive, triple ripstop CoreTex. The Nexus is optimized for Core’s ultralight Sensor bar systems. They feature precise kite control, unmatched safety, and uncluttered simplicity. The titanium reinforced, carbon fiber Sensor 2S bar delivers unmatched between-the fingers, single-handed comfort. The all-new Nexus is available in ten sizes while the Nexus LW edition is available in two. All sizes are available now at your nearest authorized Core dealer.
PHISH MANTA FreeRide LightWind 138x43 | 141x44 | 147x46
144x45 | 150x47
2D Composite $299 Composite Construction, Pads, Straps, Fins & Handle
3D Carbon $499
ProgressiveBoards.com
Carbon 3D contoured construction, Pro Pads & Straps Handle & Fiberglass Fins
Aerotech Sails, Inc | 3090 S. Ridgewood Ave. | South Daytona, FL 32119 | (386) 760-9926 kitesurfingmag.com
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DEEP THOUGHTS | FREERIDE KITE REVIEW
ELEVEIGHT RS SIZES TESTED(m): 9, 12 / SIZES AVAILABLE(m): 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17 / CONTROL SYSTEM: CSeries SYNOPSIS Smooth power delivery, versatile for freeride with the boost and range driven by a proven Delta shaped, three-strut platform. Eleveight is the industry’s newest kite brand and has entered the market with a high performance, four kite model range to cover every discipline. The RS is their freeride crossover kite that promises great versatility, with big jumping, high end power and freeride performance for any level of rider. Designed by an experienced team of designers and industry professionals, Eleveight enters the market with some solid performance, some generationally mature and proven kite designs. The RS has some great low end power and has the well rounded performance you should expect form a freeride kite that offers accessible performance for most kite disciplines. The RS design features a three-strut Delta shaped kite with swept tips and a power band that offers big DRAWBACKS The RS is a bit less reactive in the lower wind range, but given the power it has great pop and boost.
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jumps, with plenty of hang time. It has some great upwind performance and smooth and fast pulling speed. It’s a medium aspect ratio design that offers some quick and smooth turning and has solid and even pull through the pivot. The experience of the Eleveight design team definitely shines through the RS with attention to detail in all aspects of construction and kite performance. From the look to the construction the RS is ready for anything. The CSeries control bar is also a clean 4-line bar that is light and streamlined. The RS is suited to intermediate to advanced level freeride enthusiasts that want a well rounded kite for dabbling in any kite discipline.
USERS Any rider that wants a forgiving, stable and easy to handle kite that can handle a variety of freeride conditions. Excellent range and great low end power with big boost and hang time that will excite anyone looking to dial in those old school dangle and board-off tricks.
#BREAKBOUNDARIES
majestic X HARNESS
RIDER: LUKE MCGILLEWIE
P O I NT WEBBING
T H E M A J E S T I C X I S O U R B R A N D N E W H A R D - S H E L L H A R N E S S . I T ’ S B U I LT A R O U N D T H E U N I Q U E B I O N I C C O R E F R A M E , W H I C H I S A R I G I D S U P P O R T P L AT E F O R Y O U R L O W E R B A C K . I T ’ S E XC L U S I V E C O M P O S I T E M AT E R I A L C O M B I N E S A VERY
STIFF
SUPPORT
BACK
SUPPORT
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F L E X I B I L I T Y, CRITICAL
THIS
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CONDITIONS.
FOR
COMES
IN
MORE TEAL,
FREEDOM
IN
BLACK
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M O V E M E N T. M I N T,
SURF
GIVING AND
YOU
MORE
FREEST YLE.
M Y S T I C B O A R kitesurfingmag.com D I N G . C O- M 31
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BILLY PARKER
PEER PREASURE
PHOTOS BY TOBY BROMWICH Sam Medysky: What do you do to stay in shape and injury free? It seems like you’re one of the older guys competing in Triple-S and still making podiums. Billy Parker: Enjoying sports on a regular basis and training at a high level in order to reach certain goals can be and usually is strenuous on the body, so staying in shape and preparation to avoid injury should be a huge part of this practice. I do okay at eating a healthy diet, working out, stretching etc. You never really know when an injury is going to happen until a few seconds and in many situations, milliseconds before it actually does. What I believe helps to avoid injury and keep you in shape better than anything is mental strength and mental preparation. Going through the motions in your head is perfect for all aspects in life because it gives you a glimpse into the future of what is possible before it actually is achieved. If you can mentally prepare yourself for something your possibility of success will be greatly increased rather than just hucking it and hoping for the best. Even still, injuries can happen and when they do we know it can be harder to get back into shape after because both physically and mentally you are being challenged while dealing with pain and discomfort. Questions and doubts can haunt your mind; will I recover? Will this happen again? Is this worth it? Mental strength is going to help when this time comes and injuries happen. Know your goals, fuel your passion and repeat to yourself your reasons and your purpose time and time again, reinforcing the mental strength and drive. You need to take things seriously in order to avoid injury and stay in shape so having a focus and planned mindset is a great start. Know your body and pay attention to its needs, constantly practice your stretching and core strengthening, maintain a healthy and diverse diet as well as exercise routine. And most importantly practice and visualize your goals daily because it is about how long you can do what you love. Colleen Carroll: What are your thoughts on the KPL and where would you like to see it go? Billy Parker: I think they are doing a great job with the KPL tour. This just makes sense to have a way to incorporate park style events into one mega tour for everyone to benefit and not just individual event hosts. Also it gives the riders a fair chance at earning the right to claim season champ for park style kiteboarding which so many board riding enthusiasts enjoy and relate to. With the development of the KPL it is widely increasing the growth and popularity of kiteboarding. I believe they are on a great path and hope they obtain support from more sponsors and find more great locations to become available to enjoy in the future. Kevin Wade: You’ve been involved in the sport for the better part of its existence, yet you manage to stay stoked and continue to evolve. What about kiting keeps you excited? Billy Parker: It changed my life and outlook towards what is important as well as how to live and enjoy the planet I am a part of. Kiteboarding is constantly evolving, it is limitless to the potential of what can be achieved with the power of wind, from traveling across land, flying through the air, crossing small and vast bodies of water. It can help bring awareness, inspire change and positivity to a individual and even a country. Kiteboarding can help poverty stricken areas grow, it can bring a new energy to places that have been overlooked and left behind because they choose not to industrialize but to live simply. This ideology, as well as the fun, exciting, active
lifestyle along with many other reasons is what keeps me stoked on kiteboarding. Craig Cunningham: What’s your favorite part of kiting and what could you do without? Billy Parker: Flying of course. Many of us dreamed as kids about flying like a bird or having the ability to jump really high and far. Well dreams come true and the first time I saw a kite I realized this was it. What I have been dreaming about and searching for; a way to travel and fly through the elements around me while spiking my adrenaline, keeping me active and connecting me to my environment. Even though I practice freestyle and ride a lot of rails and kickers, it is big air still for me that really gets the adrenaline flowing. When I explain kiteboarding to people I always try to give them a feeling of what I get from it and that it’s like I’m attached to a fighter jet that I steer and then follow around on my board. I'm not really sure if it scares them or not but this for me is a way to explain the power and manoeuvrability of the kite itself. It’s crazy to me still after 17 years of kiteboarding, seeing what is possible with a kite and how it feels to actually control the simplicity, power, acceleration and hang time. I absolutely love it and look forward to every time I get to send it. Kevin Wade: Other than kite and wake, I know there are tons of other things that you do that require strength and coordination. Which alternative activity would you say helps out most? Billy Parker: It would be hard to pick one so I will share two: wakeboarding and swimming. Wakeboarding would be the most important because that is where I develop my skills for kiting and is a great crossover sport that gives you a more consistent platform to learn and practice on. Strength, technique, endurance and style will be greatly improved with the addition of riding behind a boat but not without a few major drawbacks. One, you need loads of gas money to run a boat. Not cheap after you consider fees, registration, taxes and maintenance. Two, you need a driver and in most cases a spotter just to have a session. Which means you have to calculate time and daylight between each rider to make it fair and still people are sitting around waiting for an opportunity to ride and someone usually gets the short end of the session. But with the addition of cable parks all over the country we now have a way to train without destroying and stressing the environment with petroleum products and pollutants that we use to run these boats. You and friends can ride at the same time for as long as the day provides and train on countless styles of rails, ramps, boxes etc. This is the way to the future and kiting is at the forefront of extreme sports with a very small carbon footprint left behind. My second alternate activity is swimming, this takes the impact right off the body and the spine reducing joint stress, increasing circulation and exercising the lungs along with many other invisible health benefits. If you asked me what is the ultimate extreme sport with no impact on environment that is sustainable and never changes I would have to say swimming. You need absolutely nothing to swim and will get pushed to your limits by water. I love it and we all need it to keep us healthy. There are so many ways to stay active and cross train for the sports you love and I can't say if one is better than another but I can say that as long as you’re out in nature and active, being good to the environment you will notice improvements in everything. kitesurfingmag.com
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PEER PREASURE CONT...
Kevin Wade: I always think of you as the guy who will shred an obstacle when others won’t. That type of fearlessness comes with great success, but also guarantees some gnarly wipeouts. Are there any hits gone wrong that stick out in your mind? Billy Parker: Countless. Kiting is one thing but when you start doing freestyle, approaching obstacles and hitting kickers and rails attempting Kiteloops you will have some catastrophies. I remember a good one during the Triple-S Invitational a few years back when we still had freestyle as part of the event. It was late in the day, getting dark and storm clouds were moving in on the Slick. We were trying to finish up the heat. I did my first trick in the start of my run, made my tack right and just as I popped off the water for a KGB I got hit with a massive gust. It stretched my legs back and yanked me into the water chest first. The impact was so heavy it instantly knocked the wind out of me and I was disoriented in the water, not able to call for help as my airway was closed. I remember the first person to me was Davey Blair and I was so thankful to see him there. It took a minute but I was able to regain my composure, shake it off and finish my run but I was spitting blood for a couple days after. It was definitely a moment of trauma I will never forget. This wasn't the first and won't be the last injury I have sustained. Craig Cunningham: Looks like you’re having a blast with your toddler! You’re a pretty inspiring father, how’s life changed since having Lincoln? Billy Parker: It has been the best thing that has happened for us and something we have longed for. For us to be able to share, learn and adventure with each other as a family makes being here and enjoying life that much more meaningful. It can be a big change, having a child, but I enjoy teaching and know kids are filled with curiosity and happiness and I truly love being around this type of energy. When you have a child all of a sudden your goals and finances seem to double, your time feels cut in half, but it is just you really wanting the most for your child and feeling that pressure upon you. Life has changed in many more ways than I can explain but the biggest thing it has done is to remind us of the best things in life; simplicity, patience and being thankful. I am truly honored and thankful to have such a loving happy and caring family. Colleen Carroll: You are now kiteboarding’s favorite dad. What’s it like to have your son already showing interest in the sport you love so much? Billy Parker: Fully stoked. I can tell you that I never would have imagined the progression and ability that he has achieved so far with a sport that requires extreme patience, dexterity and practice in the beginning. It feels like yesterday that Tiffany was kiting with him at Fort Desoto while she was pregnant, and now at 27 months old he is controlling the kite and riding the board practically on his own. I am blown away and totally excited for him. We have practiced and played with kiteboarding props and equipment since he was born with the goal being that it would help him understand kiteboarding and increase his coordination very early so we all would be able to enjoy this lifestyle together safely. For me, the best part has been his personal drive and enjoyment in flying his kite. Truly he has a blast and asks a lot to go kite. It’s not that I am pushing to make him a world champion or
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something, I just want him to enjoy what he is doing and be great at it so he can share the stoke and journey with everyone. My dream was to one day share this amazing sport with my kids so they can enjoy it and share it with others too. Sam Medysky: What’s the number one lesson you’re teaching Lincoln as he grows up? Billy Parker: Love and protect all that provides for you so you can enjoy your time here for as long as possible with respect for the simple things. If we do not instill these values in our children at an early age than how do we expect to have a happy, healthy society along with a healthy planet? Yes it is great to have technology and do so many amazing things that inspire and thrill us, but at what cost and how much do you need to consume or abuse to reach your goals or desires? What do we really need to stay alive and be happy? These questions are what I ask myself constantly to prepare myself to guide Lincoln on the right path. It is about happiness and that comes from caring, sharing and a healthy lifestyle. Craig Cunningham: Lincoln is charging it. Bike, kite, wakeboard, he’s getting involved! I think he might be the youngest kid to ever fly a kite. What do you say to people who think that it’s dangerous for a toddler? Billy Parker: I say when I was a very small child I flew a kite, as many of us did, a one-line, traditional kid’s toy kite and this could simply be the first step. Next you can purchase a small two-line stunt kite that has very little pull at almost any beach store and switch the handles out with a small bar. Boom. You have a very inexpensive way to learn the steering and movements of a kite. Obviously these will not hold up as well if you’re constantly crashing them, but you will save a lot initially and will get the effect your are looking for. When they are ready for a little more, shop around and purchase a trainer kite. Eleveight makes a 2.5 meter trainer kite that is very stable and perfect for teaching and there are many more sizes and styles on the market to choose from. Weight is very important in kiting and for children it can be a tough thing to handle because they weigh very little. The smallest of kites can provide way more power than you might expect. A simple way to adjust the power to make it more manageable for your child is shortening the lines, and don't be afraid to take the lines away completely and attach the kite bar pig tails right to the kite bridles/attachment points. This will not only greatly reduce the amount of power the kite generates but also keep them engaged and excited because the kite is so close, and it's much easier to deal with launching and landing while being right next to the student. This is fantastic for young kids which we know can have short attention spans and can easily get frustrated with complicated tasks that require advanced dexterity and coordination. The most important things besides all of the above factors is to know the sport, the equipment and your own abilities. If you are unsure and lack confidence in yourself when involving others, then you should not try to teach them on your own. Always consult with a professional first or better yet hire one. Make it fun, not frustrating, keep it simple and safe, limit the sun exposure, keep them within arm’s reach or with a hand on them. Start them young and always give them positive encouragement and support.
Billy Parker is pure steeze in the Hood River Slider Park. Bromwich photo
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INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS BY AXEL REESE
The World Cup in the strapless freestyle discipline has been dominated by two riders: Airton Cozzolini and Matchu Lopes. The two of them are among the best strapless professionals in the world. At first sight they look quite similar and they are best friends. What separates the two of them? Axel Reese caught up with the pair to find out.
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Airton and Matchu rocking the same hairstyle circa 2015.
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Matchu on his way to victory at the Mercedes-Benz Kitesurf World Cup event in Fehmern, Germany.
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Did you both learn kitesurfing on the island of Sal? Airton: Yes, my father Libero taught me on Sal in 2006. At the beginning with a normal twintip board, and I learned very fast. Matchu: Yes, at home. When I first tried kiting I was on a two-line kites. What an incredible experience! I was ten-years-old, and probably 30-to-35 kilograms. I spent a lot of time with Airton’s father; he had a kiteschool at the Criola Hotel, Santa Maria Bay, where everything started. After two months of playing on the beach with baby kites I started to do body-dragging and ended up trying to stand up on the board, but most of the time my kite was on the water (on the beach break). I was constantly untangling my lines, so after a while I decided to start windsurfing with my father and it was pretty sick actually. I was doing some tricks in freestyle and riding some waves. After three years, Airton’s father came to the island with some four-line kites which were so much easier than those two-line kites. In a half day I was going upwind, and on the next day after a couple of hours I was doing some small jumps. Ever since that moment I fell in love with kiting. Windsurfing is in the past? Airton: I learned it in 2007 and I’m not too bad. I had been windsurfing a lot in the waves on Sal. It was a fun sport as well, but for me now, it’s in the past. Matchu: My father was a good windsurfer when I was a grom. Most of the time I was helping him carry his gear to the beach. We were always talking about his sessions, how were the waves, about pros like Robby Naish, and Josh Angulo who was living on the island. In the end I ended up doing three years of windsurfing which was super, but kitesurfing made me fall in love right away.
Surfing? Airton: I love surfing. I began at the age of fiveyears-old. Many of the kids in the south of Sal learn surfing, and I was on the water every day. In Santa Maria, with a good swell we get some good waves there. Surfing is an important element for our strapless freestyle riding today. Matchu: Surfing is the most import foundation you can have for strapless, especially if you want to catch waves. Being a surfer it’s a huge, huge advantage. If not, no problem, you can always learn (laughing). I grew up surfing at a spot right in front of Santa Maria town and before and after school I was in the water surfing if there were waves. I had a deal with my father; if I’d bring home good grades from school, he would let me go surfing and maybe even buy me a new surfboard. Skateboarding? Airton: You’re right, skating is very important for strapless freestyle. I’ve learned a lot of tricks in the streets of Santa Maria. I’ve adapted some of the movements to strapless freestyle. I love skating and I’ve improved the kitesurfing freestyle tricks because of these basics. Basic tricks like a Shove-it. Matchu: Skating! It’s another great thing if you want good balance. I definitely recommend it to everyone. Do you guys still ride twintips? Matchu: I learn a lot of things on strapless because of the base I got from the twintip. All the rotation, handle-passes, jumping etc. I also had a great time riding twintips, but the thing is that I live on an island which has plenty of amazing wave spots, and there are not any flatwater lagoons. As a result I like waves and freestyle strapless more than freestyle. Airton: From 2006 to 2009 I was only on a twintip board, but not with boots. It was not our preferred style on the Island. We haven’t got many possibilities for outdoor sports. Skating and all the watersport activities are our roots.
And then the strapless surfboard scene started? Airton: It was in 2010. It was a logical evolution because it’s surfing style. And without straps. I feel more free on a strapless board, because it’s surfing style. Matchu: There was a time when I wanted to be good at everything which had to do with waves, and the concept of strapless riding came because of Mitu Monteiro. He was my idol as a rider, and as a person. We all saw him riding waves in Ponta Preta with his surfboard. He had no other board to ride when there was wasn’t any surf, so that’s when I first saw strapless freestyle. Who or what inspires you? Airton: My father Libero has inspired me a lot. And then Matchu. I’ve spent so many hours on the water with him. We are competing with each other all the time. On the other hand Cory Lopez, the surfing professional, was a hero. Matchu: Inspiration is something that I’m always looking for; some of them are surfers, football players, actors. A lot of people that don‘t even surf or kite inspire me. I like to watch and appreciate different styles from different riding. I have learned a lot just by watching. Kitesurfers that inspire me include Mitu, my old teacher Airton for sure and Keahi lately on the waves. What is your opinion about the image of strapless freestyle? Matchu: Still very small but making a good impact on the industry. I really hope it keeps growing! Let’s see in a couple years. Airton: I have a different opinion than Matchu. Strapless freestyle is getting bigger and bigger. Especially with the new GKA Strapless Freestyle World Cup. It’s great to bring our sport to a bigger public. Furthermore it’s safe; you don’t have any stress with your knees. Older guys can do it!
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New haircuts to help us tell them apart? Airton left; Matchu right.
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How do you see your competition? Matchu: For 2018 I wanna come backer strong than ever. I’m all set to do super good next year. My boards and kites are amazing, I just need to do more training. Airton: I’m confident in my style and my performance. I’ll get the world title this year again, I’m sure. Keywords, style and performance. Airton, what are the strengths of Matchu? Airton: I like his style, his surfing and beside this, his life. It’s super funny to share great moments with him. We are like brothers. Airton, what’s Matchu’s best trick? Airton: It’s definitely the Triple Front Roll. I have to say that I have never landed it! Matchu, the same question to you, what’s Airton’s best trick? Matchu: 313 Handle-pass. Airton, which trick of Matchu’s would you like to be able to do? Airton: The Double Front Roll Shove-it. Matchu, which trick of Airton’s would you like to be able to do? Matchu: Well, in my opinion the 313 Handle-pass is his best trick, but what I like the most is the power and speed he uses for his tricks. Impressive. Airton, what makes you friends with Matchu? Airton: Outside of the competitions we are best friends; like brothers. But during the competitions it’s not good. We both want to win, and we both have problems competing together. Matchu, the same question to you. What makes your friendship with Airton? Matchu: We grew up on the same island, same town, surfing and skating everyday together. I know all his faults, we share a lot of moments together, travelling etc. I think this is what makes such a big friendship. Even if we hate each other when we are in the same contest heats, but yeah still brothers! Now that you’re heroes in the kitesurfing scene you must be getting a lot of attention from the ladies. How are you coping? Airton: A lot of ladies! On Instagram I get beautiful messages, I tell you! It’s cool and I like it! Matchu: Right now I have a girlfriend, but before I had a lot of good friends around the world… such a fun moment. How much does your father help you with your training schedule? Matchu: I always did it all myself and never got to worry about that. I always tried to be out there as much as possible. I think my father was asking his friends if I was doing good out there or not. Airton: As I said, he was getting me into kitesurfing and has given me all those opportunities in the past to go for it. I am so thankful for this. On the other hand he had the motto no study, no kite. If he was worried about my performance in school, I was forbidden to go on the water.
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New haircuts to help us tell them apart? Airton left; Matchu right.
How long do you kitesurf when conditions are good? Airton: More or less five hours per day. Independent the conditions and the discipline, waves or freestyle on flatwater. Plus my physical training, Bulgarian bags. It’s a free body training which I practice three times per week for 40 minutes. Matchu: For me it’s different to Airton. If it’s too good five-to-six hours, if it’s okay three-to-four hours and if it’s bad at least oneand-a-half-to-two hours. Do big waves scare you? Airton: I train a lot in big waves and it’s not a joke. Matchu: I’m not big wave rider, but I ride all and I definitely wanna ride Jaws! Top Career highlights of Airton? Airton: My world title in 2017! Matchu: 2016 world title and this year’s world vice-champion title.
Envy? Airton: If I lose against Matchu, yes I’m a little bit envious. Matchu: Not at all! Brothers are brothers.
me the right power to do the heat in the right way. It was amazing to come out on top of that one and to have the whole crowd on the beach supporting me.
Airton, how was the defeat in the final at Fehmarn, Germany? Your performance in all heats–until the finals–were brilliant. You got the highest scores. In the final against Matchu you didn’t show your true ability. Airton: It was pretty bad. I had been out with a 12-meter Neo and it was too big. But I did not make the decision to change sizes, and then I did not show the tricks I should have. It was not my heat. Matchu: The final was good for me, but I knew it was going to be hard. At the same time I had a good feeling about it, but also didn‘t want to go out with pressure. Thirty minutes before the final started I spoke with a friend that could give
Matchu, in the beginning of last year you got a new haircut. What gave you the push to change the haircut? Matchu: Well, I have to say that for those who know me and Airton by videos and photos it was quite confusing to distinguish us. Even on the photo shoots with North and ION sometimes we had these issues with the photos. At the beginning we didn’t care about it that much, and on the other hand it was quite funny in some situations... After a couple years when I started to see kitesurfing more as a job, I started to feel the need of having my own image, so I started to look for a different style.
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First ideas was on how to dress inside and outside the water, maybe different gear from Airton, different kite sponsors etc. Most of my friends and parents were telling me to grow my afro again and in the end I decided to do it because it was the simple way to do it. The only thing I had to do was cut my dreadlocks off and let it grow on its own. If you weren’t answering these questions about haircuts and so on, what would you be doing right now? Airton: Travelling to the best places for kitesurfing! Matchu: Going to the gym, something that I don’t like!
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WORD BY MATT ELSASSER PHOTO BY JASON WOLCOTT The best worst place in the world to kite has to be Indonesia. Like many of you I saw the cover photos and the videos from Indo and got suckered over there for the first time five years ago. It was the first trip I took as a pro kiter that I financially funded myself, with the hopes of making the money back through videos and photos from the epic Indonesia waves. I figured I would fly over to Indo, get barreled surfing and kiting everyday with no crowds and come back with hard drives full of the best shots of my life. I booked a ticket for Brendan Kerr and I to fly over and crossed my fingers that in five weeks I could find some kite spots and come home with enough content to pay for the trip. What I learned was that five weeks was hardly enough time to discover spots, wait for conditions, and score perfection. Indonesia is as fickle of a kite spot as you could ever imagine, but that’s why it keeps me coming back for more.
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The best worst place to kite...
Matt Elsasser tucks in deep.
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Jason would simply tell us to get out there and any resulting question from us would get the answer,“kiting isn’t my job, get out there.” 46 - KITESURFING MAGAZINE / VOL 4 / ISSUE 1
The first trip to Indo has to be the most exciting but also the most nerve-wracking trip. While I had spent some time in heavy-ish Hawaiian waters and cold sessions along the west coast of the US. Indo seemed like a different beast. I had heard stories of people breaking 20 leashes on a trip, long paddles, and the need for a 7ft gun to surf when the waves picked up. When I got there for the first time, I actually ended up feeling most at home in the water. The waves weren’t so different from any place I had ever been before, other than the fact that they were seemingly perfect everyday. The culture however was the shocker. When we arrived in Bali the place was an instant zoo of people, taxis, and scooters. It was a far cry from the empty paradise I had imagined. Traffic there is as tight as you have ever seen. Brendan and I were able to quickly adjust to the pace of life and began to roll with the mentality of drive it like you stole it and don’t be afraid to use your horn. After a few close calls on the scooters and a few too many nights drinking Bintangs in Bali we learned that the windy season in Bali was over and we took the opportunity to chase some wind and solitude on the other Indonesian islands. I gathered info on where to head primarily by asking traveling surfers if they had been to any of the other islands in Indonesia, hoping for them to mention the word “windy.” After gathering some information from surfers and a few kiter friends that had been through Indonesia before, I was able to pin point an island or two that might provide some wind. When Brendan and I arrived at the first location, we realized we weren’t the only people chasing wind 40+ hours of travel from home. A couple Australians were there and quickly informed us that we were probably a little bit early for the windy season on the island. I didn’t sweat it much as we had a month to spend in Indo before heading back to California for college. We took full advantage of surfing, drinking, ping pong, and crashing local weddings while we waiting for wind. There weren’t many other options in the Indonesian jungle. As the weeks passed and the wind still had not shown I began to become worried that we may never score what we came for. Right when I lost had all hope of wind, the best day of kiting I had ever had fell into my lap. An Australian by the name of Rob Kidnie helped share some knowledge on how to kite the barreling wave we were at. I had never gotten barreled kiting and I had never gone left kiting. Two things were going to have to change that day, and they did. Rob and I spent the late evening breeze pulling into kegs. It was simply mind blowing how good it was, I even shed a tear or two of joy after pulling out of a few trip-changing waves. I might even consider them life-changing waves, as I have spent the past five years since then chasing waves of similar quality.
Matt Elsasser calm as a cucumber. Rob Kidnie photo
At the end of that trip renowned kite photographer Jason Wolcott and Hawaiian ripper Reo Stevens showed up to town the day before we were leaving back to school in California. After a quick dinner with them it was clear that they were dialed into kiting in Indonesia like no one I had met before. I left knowing that the next time I went to Indo, I wanted the opportunity to learn from Reo and Jason. Fast forward 11 months and I got a message from Reo that he was headed back to Indo for his tenth time to shoot with Jason Wolcott and Keahi DeAboitiz (3x world champion). I quickly invited myself and began to wrangle up some sponsor money to pay Jason. The trip that ensued changed my outlook on what was even possible in kiting.
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Keahi De Aboitiz lip smack attack.
“On that trip I confirmed that the secret about kiting in Indo is; the kiting is only world class for a couple hours each trip, so you better be on the water when it turns on.”
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Matt Elsasser lines up photographer Jason Wolcott.
It turns out that I had not even began to scratch the surface of kiting in Indo the year before. Reo and Keahi were tuned into kiting spots and conditions I thought impossible the year before, and they were ripping these spots to shreds. I had no choice but to attempt to join them, humbling myself and also progressing my riding in unfamiliar conditions. While Reo and Keahi have the motivation to kite fiveplus hours a day, Jason Wolcott was the pulverizing force to push us to be out there all day long. Jason would simply tell us to get out there and any resulting question from us would get the answer, “kiting isn’t my job, get out there.” . The consistency of conditions wasn’t any better than the years before, but I was kiting three times as much with this crew. If the wind was too light to ride we would body drag to get upwind, if the waves were too small to get barreled we would shoot airs over dry reef. It didn’t matter the conditions we were always trying something. On that trip I confirmed that the secret about kiting in Indo is; the
kiting is only world class for a couple hours each trip, so you better be on the water when it turns on. Like the past three or four years, this year only provided a small window of true Indo magic, at least the kind of conditions you fly across the world for year after year; barrels. That’s not to say we didn’t score plenty of fun conditions for turns and airs, but its easy to have high expectations of what you know can be possible there. On this particular session, the sun was already beginning to set as we launched our 13 meter Drifters on the reef and began scampering our way to the water. If I had to guess at that moment I would have put money on it that the wind would die and we would end up swimming back to shore as it got dark. But the wind kicked up a notch, the tide was perfect, Jason was shooting and it was game on! For about an hour perfect barrel after barrel fired across the shallow reef with Jason swimming inside the barrel with us kiting right past him. I’m still not sure if it takes
bigger nuts to shoot the wave or to kite it, but I definitely would never admit to Jason that the man with the biggest balls might be the one shooting! However, it was humbling for all of us with “balls” to watch 3x world champ Moona Whyte finally score a dream session after nearly two years of being skunked for wind in Indo. With a little bit of coaching from her boyfriend Keahi, she caught some bombs! Moona would tell you that she didn’t get a good barrel, but I saw her parked in waves deeper than most guys who came into the beach claiming barrels. The usual post session Bintangs and a breath of fresh air that we finally scored an epic session followed. Jason later told me he was surprised that we keep coming back every year, but those hour-long sessions are often the best kiting we score all year. Every year we get tempted to roll the dice again, and every year with a little bit of patience we seem to score something that make us come back for more.
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The newest kite-specific freeride foils show significant performance enhancements with improved range, smoother carving and smooth and controlled handlingat higher speeds. Jeremie Tronet photo
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FREERIDE FOILS TESTED: REDEFINING THE GAME WORDS BY TEST EDITOR SHANE THOMPSON / PHOTOS BY DAVE MARSHALL 2018 is an exciting year for the newest kite discipline of foil riding. There’s an explosion of new foil models that are conjuring their magic behind the kite or in the waves under surfboards, stand-up paddle boards and windsurfing and wake surfing boards. Last season the Kitesurfing Magazine test reported that the newest kite freeride foil models were the game-changers that offered very accessible access to learn to ride a foil. This year there are even better options to learn to foil with extra large, surf foil wings that can plane up early and are even more stable at slower progression speeds and in lighter winds. Whether you are behind a kite, or looking to expand your foil wave riding skills, there are plenty of exciting options available that can help develop your foil riding skills quickly. The newest kite-specific freeride foils show significant performance enhancements with improved range, smoother carving and smooth and controlled handling at higher speeds. Many of the foil wings and fuselage set ups have improved hydrodynamics with better construction materials and smart modular options for tuning extra lift and efficiency. Most of the kite brands have adopted modular fuselage and mast connection systems that allow the rider to change the front and rear wings for different kite conditions or foil disciplines behind the kite or with an SUP or surfboard or even windsurfing set up. The surf foil wings
run on shorter mast lengths of 55 to 75 centimeters. They use thick, large surface area front wings and in some cases surf-specific rear wings that are designed to generate lift and power while riding on moving swell and breaking waves. But the surf foils are kite compatible as well and can generate early lift and stay on foil at very low speeds. The surf foils require even less power to ride than their kite specific counterparts and further enhance the lower wind range of your kite quiver. The test team riders found the surf foils can make it easier for the beginner to learn the basics and they also have benefits for learning more advanced carving and transitional manoeuvres while getting pulled behind a kite. The surf foils have greater lift and cruising ability in light winds and they also allow the rider to cruise at slower speeds and can open the doors to foiling in waves and building more advanced, side-toside, carving skills. Kiteboarding is the best way to develop foil riding skills that can be transferred into wave riding because you can practice the required carving and pumping skills before you try and paddle freely onto waves with a surf foil. Ultimately, the foil quivers are expanding and with today’s modular set ups, you can change up the wing configurations and customize foil performance for different styles of riding or wind and water conditions. There were two kite specific models from last season that lead
the way for progression, ease of use and accessible performance. The Slingshot Hoverglide with NF2 wing is essentially unchanged but its early planing and easy cruising set up can get you started and carry well into the advanced stages. The Cabrinha Double Agent is also back with some minor tweaks to its set up. This foil ride is still one of the easiest to carve and turn at really slow speeds. With its wide front wing and short fuselage it provides good early lift with tight radius turning that stays ultra stable and predictable for the less skilled. Several brands have new, specific freeride foils that show advancements in performance, overall handling and efficiency. The North Speedster Combo, the Naish KS Thrust, the Airush Core V2 and Liquid Force’s Thruster all exemplify the next generation, kite-specific wings that offer the ultimate, in well-rounded performance and full speed kite foiling. These mid-aspect freeride wings let you cruise at moderate to fast speeds and run the best using a full length mast. They have stable and accessible lift and they can let the rider build skills for advanced cruising, jumping and manoeuvres. The North Speedster Combo Foil has some of the most well rounded performance for the beginner and beyond. With early lift and intuitive and stable tracking and carving, the Speedster Combo is a solid set up for the up and coming foil boarder. The North Speedster’s
composite carbon construction on the fuselage and front and rear wings, has an optimal durability to performance ratio. The Airush Core Foil V2 also shows the benefits of redesign and evolution this year. The premium construction and distinctive shape of the Airush wings and the modular set up of the system make this a great choice for a broad range of skill levels and styles. The Core Foil V2 features full pre-preg carbon wings that are light and crisp and the ride remains silky smooth through carves and at higher speeds. The test team were most impressed by the larger Airush Freeride Surf wing which features a mid-sized front wing; a great crossover kite foil design. It offers easer carving at slower speeds and works well for carving waves in the surf or for learning with less speed and more lift. It has slightly less surface area and a thinner profile than some of the more surf specific wings from Naish and Slingshot, but the Freeride Surf has some better performance behind the kite at slightly higher speeds and can still be used on a full length mast. The Liquid Force Thrust is the kite specific wing that possessed the most refined performance. The Thrust foil has smooth and controlled lift at higher speed, and remarkable carving and control at slower speeds as well. Premium full carbon wings and optional carbon fuselage set the Liquid Force Thrust apart. Liquid Force also introduces the new Impulse Foil as their surf
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crossover kite wing. The Implulse Foil is slightly less bulky than some of the more dedicated surf foils and has a slightly better performance at higher speeds than the other larger surf wings. The Impulse ride is crisp and reactive in the turns and very smooth to pump up on a plane and carve around at slow speeds. The kite specific Naish KS Thrust Foil was the smoothest and most comfortable cruising foil at higher speeds. It feeds off a bit more power and drive than the North Speedster Combo or the LF Thruster. The Naish KS Thrust has some exclusive features on the tail wing, with a small dorsal fin on the top that helps it track and carve with added control. The Naish fuselage and tail wing attachment system makes it easy and quick to change the pitch of the wing by loosening the bolts and tilting the wing for more or less lift. Naish also offers a full modular system with three different mast lengths so progressing riders can work up to the full speed and long mast, foiling. In addition to the new kite specific shape, Naish has developed a Thrust Surf set up that works on the same mast and fuselage with a large front wing and surf specific rear wing. Developed in collaboration with the foil pioneering legend Kai Lenny, the Thrust Surf large is also great behind the kite with tons of early lift and easy cruising. The extra long fuselage enhances the ability to pump the foil on to a plane and to keep it driving through turns and transitions. It’s also a true surf set up and ready to be rigged to the bottom of your old surfboard or SUP. With long fuselage and downturned wings of the surf foil it’s important to be careful in shallower water that you don’t catch the back wing on the bottom with any back foot pressure, as the glass composited construction is far from indestructible. The Nash Thrust Surf comes in medium and large sizes for different weight classes or smaller and larger waves. The Thrust Surf wings are a must have if you’re interested in learning to carve up some waves or just want an easy cruising, slow riding surf foil to learn the ropes. Slingshot has the most extensive number of foil set ups available with five different front wings that work in their completely modular Hoverglide system. The Slinghshot wings are made of a high density composite that makes them more robust than other brands’ wings and they are also easier to repair any dings. Their only drawback is
the heavier weight. The Hoverglide NF2 is Slingshot’s high performance all around freeride kite wing and is still a top contender for its well-rounded and accessible performance that will get you well beyond the intermediate stages. Slinghshot also has an exciting number of new surf foils that work great behind the kite in lower wind and in rideable waves. The FS Surf with H2 wing has some of the biggest lift of any surf foils in the test and it cruises and gives you the extra glide at slower speeds for practicing transitions. Some of the test team riders that have been foiling for more than a full season on their full carbon race wings found they could learn more carving and transition footwork with this stable but manoeuvrable surf wing. The test team also experienced some great light wind sessions on the H4 wing. This ultra low aspect surf wing has dihedral shaping in both wingtips that give it tighter carving ability and enhanced pumping at tighter carving angles. It was designed for the more advanced foil surfer that’s looking to pull into the pocket of steeper and faster driving waves. The H4’s shaping gives it tighter turns down the line and off the lip. The Slingshot system is completely modular and all the wings work on the same fuselage and the rear wing is also the same for the kite and surf set up. You can also change the placement of the mast to the fuselage for different board riding applications. So if you have Hoverglide with a mid-sized mast from last year it makes it easy to get a new front surf wing and transform your set up from kite specific to surf, SUP or wake compatible foiling. With all these great equipment options there has never been a better time to become a foil boarder. There’s more to do and more to learn on a foil than ever before and the equipment is here to help push your riding experience to the next level. Look to the next generation of kite specific freeride foils for more control at higher speeds and better tracking and carving performance. If your foil riding skills have stalled with your faster driving, kite specific foil, or if you’re ready to build your wave riding skills, the surf foil is an essential addition to an emerging foil quiver and the modular set ups from all the top brands allow customized performance for every condition, style and skill set.
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NORTH SPEEDSTER COMBO FOIL
MAST LENGTHS: 90, 60 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: PRO BOARD LENGTH: 4’11” / BOARD WIDTH: 18.5” / VOLUME: 29.6 LITERS FOIL PERFORMANCE North Kiteboarding’s new Speedster Combo Foil delivers well rounded performance that promotes accelerated skill building with its easy cruising comfortable ride. It’s a brand new design from North that combines ease of use and adaptable performance for a broad skill set. The Speedster does have a broader speed range than some of the other kite specific foils in the test and its easy tracking and tight turn radius is aided by the unique winglets that are located on the wingtips of the front and rear foil. Construction is solid with an optimum weight to durability ratio, with composite carbon wings and fuselage on the aluminum mast. There is also a smaller mast size available for shallow water riding or beginner progression. The test team riders found the Speedster very forgiving and easy to correct minor mistakes in foot pressure or turning as the foil reacts nicely to rider input with smooth glide and intuitive control. This is a very straightforward and easy foil to figure out. The Speedster Combo Foil has great stability for both long, drawn out carves or tighter turns at lower speeds. The shape of the foil and the winglets give you some extra time to correct your pitch if the foil comes out of the water as the winglets keep you tracking until you can correct pitch. The rear wing of the Speedster Foil can also be adjusted with shim options situated between the rear wing and the fusealage. Overall the Speedster Combo Foil is a great set up that’s both easy to learn with but won’t be outgrown anytime soon
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DECK PERFORMANCE The Pro Foil Board is a glass and sandwich construction, dedicated foil that’s shaped nicely on the deck and is lightweight. Lots of float in this board with its longer nose and higher volume, the Pro Foil is a great shape for learning and advancing your skills and its light hull has lots of volume to keep you topside if you touch down off the foil. The bevelled rails and bottom shape disperse the water nicely and the overall set up was one of the larger volumed boards in the test that was nice and light for its size. It would be nice to see an inline strap option as the Pro Foil only comes with the three strap option. The deck is nicely concaved and the North’s EVA foam deck pads provide comfortable grip. Overall the Pro Foil Board combined with Speedster Combos is a solid set up to get into foiling and it has a huge range of use that will catapult your skill level quickly.
AIRUSH CORE FOIL V2
MAST LENGTHS: 40, 60, 80, 96 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: CORE MEDIUM BOARD LENGTH: 141 CENTIMETERS / BOARD WIDTH: 51 CENTIMETERS / VOLUME: N/A FOIL PERFORMANCE The Core Foil underwent some major changes for 2018 but maintained its key defining performance character which includes smooth carving and control at moderate to fast speeds. The Core Foil V2 has two different sized front wings with the Freeride Large Wing for more lift and lower cruising, or faster full speed freeriding. The narrower standard kite wing offers close to race-like speed with less forgiveness at slower paces. Airush moved away from the tuttle box base connection and went to the double US box and track systems making their set ups compatible with other brands. There are also four different mast sizes available from 40 centimeters to 95 centimeters so you can progress with shorter masts or foil in shallow water conditions. The front foil wings are made from full pre-preg carbon which keeps the Core reactive and reduces overall weight. Airush also has some interesting wing shaping with an anhedral front wing and a dihedral rear wing. The wing shapes and new low drag fuselage are some great exclusive features that drive performance into this foil. The back wing pitch can also be adjusted easily to change the lift characteristics for different set ups and preferences. Overall, the larger wing has plenty of speed and planes up really early. It can cruise slow and smooth for easy carving but you can push this wing hard for some good speed as well. The smooth control at speed and the overall low turbulence through the turns sets the Core Foil apart from many on the test. With both front wings and a
full length, and one of the shorter length masts, the Core Foil V2 set up will have you covered for learning the basics to ripping fast at full cruising speeds. The Freeride wing was a blast and a must have for learning and for riders that want to push some turns on moving swell and waves. DECK PERFORMANCE The new Core Foil deck range has three sizes, with some new design features over last year’s model. The wide points moved forward with the board being more narrow towards the tail, making it better for advanced skills where the foil is angled out at faster speeds, while carving turns or higher upwind attack angles. The higher volume and bottom shape of this board make it really easy to touch down and go without being thrown off the board. This board was a little large for strapless riding, but it comes with the centred inline strap options so you can run one single strap upfront. Like the models in the Airush surfboard range, the Core Foil boards are made with EPS foam and utilize eco-friendly construction for reduced harm on the environment. Overall a premium package that you can both learn with and take well into the next levels.
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SLINGSHOT NF2 HOVERGLIDE
MAST LENGTH: 38, 61, 76, 90 CENTIMETERS FOIL PERFORMANCE Slingshot has the most comprehensive line of foils with five models reaching into every realm the foil phenomenon is reaching into today from kite or surf, SUP or wake. The Hover Glide NF2 is Slingshot’s all around performance freeride kite foil. Slingshot also has a comprehensive learn to foil program and the Hover Glide is designed as high performance driven but easy to use for the beginner. On the water the NF2 is solid and stable with a good combination of speed control and efficient lift. It has a wider central front wing but that tapers to more narrow tips and the back wing is fairly long giving the Hover Glide good stability at slower speeds but added control when you hit max velocity. The Hover Glide is also fairly easy to turn and carve at faster speeds but was also quite stable at slower speeds and lighter winds. The overall set up of the Hover Glide gets tops marks for durability and function but it is a bit heavier overall. All of the components have really solid connections though and the aluminum is stiff and the composite wings are ultra-durable against dings and easy to repair if you do catch the bottom. Although you don’t feel the weight when you are riding through the water on a foil it is noticeable when jumping and also transporting the set up to the water. The Hover Glide is a great option to explore the world of kite foiling and it is a system that can make it easy to learn and quickly progress into intermediate levels of foil riding.
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SLINGSHOT FSURF H2
MAST LENGTH: 38, 61, 76 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: ALIEN AIR BOARD LENGTH: 4’8” / BOARD WIDTH: 20” / VOLUME: 31.7 LITERS Foil Performance The Fsurf H2 is Slingshot’s surf wing that’s designed more for wake foiling, SUP or surf foil riding, but it’s also an easy cruising foil behind the kite. The rear wings for the H2 and the NF2 are the same, and all of the wings work and are completely modular. Changing up front wings is quick and easy, so this modular approach is ideal for adding this diverse range of applications to your foil set up. A lot of riders are expanding their foil skills into surf or wake disciplines and will be kitting themselves out with different wings for the desired applications beyond kitesurfing; the modular approach is the key to this. The H2 was one of the slowest riding wings of this test and it’s very stable and can carve at extra slow speed. You can also change where the mast inserts into the foil so for kiting you can move it forward or for surf you can move it into more centred positions on the fuselage. Behind the kite it planes up very early and can carve transitions at very slow speeds. The key to carving and catching waves is to ensure you don’t pick up too much speed. Standard kitesurf foils like the NF2 or higher aspect, less surface area foils can cruise at higher speeds more comfortably but if you carve into a wave, they tend to surge ahead of the wave. Fsurf is the ticket for slower cruising and surf carving foil boarding.
Board Performance The Alien Air is a thicker, higher volume foil board that’s ideal for learning the basics and beyond. The added float ensures you can touch down and ride the deck without getting pitched over the front of the board if you come off plane. Having a larger volume board is key in the early stages as you will find that you come off a foil a lot. If you try to learn with a board that is too small you just end up wasting time getting up and riding again. The Alien Air has full EPS foam core construction and glass wrap, so they are light and durable with foil specific shaping on the deck and bottom.
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SLINGSHOT FSURF H4 WING
MAST LENGTH: 38, 61, 76 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: DWARFCRAFT BOARD LENGTH: 4’6” / BOARD WIDTH: 18” / VOLUME: 20.2 LITERS FOIL PERFORMANCE The H4 wing is a surf wing that is designed for medium to large sized surf and it also works great with a kite. This wing would be an ideal complement as the H4 wing has a ton of lift with its low aspect delta shape. Like all the Slingshot foils, the H4 uses the same fuselage and back wing as the Hoverglide series. So if you have a Hoverglide set up you can simply accessorize your foil set up for the surf or for lighter wind foiling. The shaping on each side of the H4 gives it some tighter turning capability and drives some speed through the foil while it turns. Once up on the foil the H4 keeps driving and lifting and is stable but also turns tighter than the H2 wing. Test team riders that have been using their race foils for the past two years were amazed at how easy it was to learn new manoeuvres and transitions on the H4 wing.
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DECK PERFORMANCE The Dwarfcraft 4’6” is a compact and snub-nosed board, but has just enough float and volume for the aggressive beginner. It’s a board that most riders won’t easily outgrow as foil skills are developed. It has some good thickness in the central area, with an EPS core and glass wrap. This extra central float of the Dwarfcraft ensures you can touch down off the foil without catching the nose and bailing out. Its small and compact nature make it ideal for a board you can use well into your advanced foiling skills. It’s a bit thick in the rails to get going strapless but if you sink the tail first it can work. The narrow tail of the Dwarfcraft lets you angle out the foil without touching the water, or if you are using a shorter mast you won’t catch the rails on transitions.
CABRINHA DOUBLE AGENT FOIL
BOARD MODEL: DOUBLE AGENT BOARD / BOARD LENGTH: 145 CM BOARD WIDTH: 48 CM / VOLUME: 12 LITERS FOIL PERFORMANCE The Double Agent Foil has some unique characteristics that set it apart as a true freeride foil that can up the fun factor in light winds and advance rider foil skills with great efficiency. Both the wings on this foil are very low aspect and the overall length of the fuselage is also the shortest of any of the foils tested. The result is that the double agent pops up on a plane and cruises beautifully especially at slower speeds. It also has a very carvey and tight turn radius, making it really easy to learn transitions and carving upwind or downwind on the foil. Its compact and skatey feel also lends some performance advantages for carving up the surf and for doing some playful jumps and just using the foil to have the most fun in light wind conditions. It definitely cruises at lower speeds than most of the freeride kite foils. The Double Agent is not going to be the fastest foil out there and it reaches max velocity a bit quicker than some of the others. Overall the Double Agent is a great session saver and a perfect choice for the beginner that wants a user friendly foil that keeps its focus on fun and versatility.
DECK PERFORMANCE The Double Agent board was the thinnest of the test and one of the most compact and low volume shapes. It has a directional shape to it with flip nose and a wide squared-off tail. The Double Agent as its name suggests, easily converts to a directional surf skate thanks to its thruster fin set up. The flat deck feels comfortable and with its thin profile you feel very connected to the reactive, lower aspect foil wings beneath you. This board is available in a larger size which might be recommended if you are heavier and want to use it as surf skate, as it will give you a bit more traditional surfboard feel. You can ride the Double Agent with a two or three strap configuration and the full deck pad works well for some strapless action. The thinner PVC rail and the overall shape of the Double Agent board make it really easy to tip the board on its side. This is a great board for learning to get up on a foil board strapless but they are a bit sharp if you accidently land on the side of the board. The thinness and low volume make it a bit harder to plane up and it can dig under the water a bit easier than the higher volume shapes. Overall, the Double Agent is a versatile board that you could use in a pinch for some bump and jump wave bashing.
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LIQUID FORCE THRUSTER FOIL
MAST LENGTH: 60, 94.5 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: GALAXY BOARD LENGTH: 4’8” / BOARD WIDTH: 56” / VOLUME: 20.2 LITERS Foil Performance The Thruster is the new high performance freeride foil of the Liquid Force lineup. Paired with the Galaxy foil board, this was one of the most dialed set ups fusing higher comfortable cruising speed with smooth and controlled carving through a very broad range of speed. The Thruster Foil was smooth and quicker to plane and quite stable even at lower speeds. Its size resembles more of a race foil but performance wise it still has some super smooth carving and can cruise and stay powered at surprisingly comfortable slower speeds. It is built with carbon front and back wings and built within the Liquid Force modular mast wing and fuselage system. Liquid Force has wings and masts for learning to foil and taking it to the next level and the Thruster has the next level of freeride performance. For riders that learned last season with the lower aspect foils, this a great option to upgrade your quiver.
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Deck Performance The Galaxy board was one of the lighter decks in the test which has its own advantages for getting down to the beach, manoeuvring in the water and for jumping. There are a lot of great things about the Galaxy that test team riders loved in addition to its crisp and light weight. The overall shape and length is great all around, for riding with straps or without. The rails are thin enough to tip the deck when getting up to ride strapless. The Galaxy also has nice concave on the deck and very comfortable EVA foam for great grip. The Galaxy is a well designed and constructed board that’s a step up from the molded compression boards which are more economical but heavier and have less deck and bottom shaping.
LIQUID FORCE IMPULSE FOIL
MAST LENGTH: 60, 94.5 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: GALAXY BOARD LENGTH: 4’8” / BOARD WIDTH: 56” / VOLUME: 20.2 LITERS FOIL PERFORMANCE The Impulse is Liquid Force’s crossover kite, surf and wake hydrofoil model. The larger and wider wing has rapid and efficient lift. The Impulse delivers a ride that is very stable and generates some driving speed. It was one of the surf foil wings that had access to decent speed while still maintaining its low speed carving ability. The test team rode the shorter 60 centimeter mast length and it performed perfectly in shallow conditions. The Impulse was one of the surf foils that performed very well behind the kite at moderate speed and the wing doesn’t top out as quickly as some of the other more dedicated surf and SUP wing designs. This is a foil you want in your quiver for carving up waves behind a kite that can also crossover into wake foiling or SUP or surf. It has slightly less lift than some of the jumbo foils, but the Impulse might be the best crossover foil of the test from kite to surf/SUP/wake.
DECK PERFORMANCE The Galaxy board was one of the lighter foil decks in the test which has its own advantages for getting down to the beach, manoeuvring the foil in the water and also for jumping. There are a lot of great things about the Galaxy that test team riders loved in addition to its crisp feel underfoot and optimum weight. The overall shape and length is great for riding with straps or without. The rails are thin enough to sink the rail and tip the deck for strapless water starts. The Galaxy also has nice concave on the deck and very comfortable EVA foam for great grip. Overall, Liquid Force nailed it with this foil board with the right shaping on the deck and bottom and nice light weight construction. The Galaxy will suit the aggressive beginner to the advanced level rider that wants a board they won’t outgrow anytime soon. A great evolution in shape as well as the construction which is lighter and higher performance than the molded compression, or sandwich wood core construction boards which may be lower priced and durable, but have the drawback of that extra weight.
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NAISH THRUST KS 1
MAST LENGTH: 55, 90 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: HOVER 130 BOARD LENGTH: 130 CENTIMETERS / BOARD WIDTH: 56 CENTIMETERS / VOLUME: 19 LITERS FOIL PERFORMANCE The Naish Thrust is the kite specific foil in the new Naish range of foils that include two surf foils and a windsurf foil. The Thrust foil features a flat, medium aspect wing design that offers a great balance between speed and steady flight. The mast fuselage has an aluminum construction and the wings are made of a fiberglass composite with an optimum stiffness to weight ratio. Similar to a lot of the brands, Naish’s foil series are all modular allowing interchanging different sized masts, front and rear wings, so you can have foils ready for surf, SUP or kite or any combination you desire with a quick swap of the wing set up. The rear foil on the Thrust can also be easily adjusted at the tail to pitch the wing forward or back which will change lift efficiency of the front wing. The Kitesurfing Magazine test riders found the Thrust Foil was one of the most stable foils at higher speeds. It also planes up early but requires a bit of power and rider finesse to reach its sweet spot. Once upon a foil and moving with some speed the Thrust tracks easily and smoothy into turns and can be pushed to the limits. It’s a fun foil to carve around at higher speeds. Overall, the Thrust KS 1 is a foil that you can learn with and not outgrow anytime soon. It has control and adaptability that will keep you stoked well into your foiling career.
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DECK PERFORMANCE The Hover 130 foil board is a short and thin design that can be used by the aggressive beginner but is designed for the more intermediate to advanced levels of riding. Naish has five different sizes of Hover so you can dial in your perfect set up. The nice thing about these boards is they are very durable with Paulownia wood cores and glass reinforcements, they are basically made the same way that twintip boards are made. The Hover 130 is thin but still has some shaping in the deck for enhanced stability and they are really easy to tip on the rail to start off with or without straps. You can set up the strap configuration with three straps or the inline, two strap set up. The foil mounts on a track system with inserts that stay locked in the track so it’s harder to lose them. Great all around foil board for the aggressive beginner or rider that wants to take their foil experience to the next level.
NAISH FOIL THRUST SURF LARGE
MAST LENGTH: 55, 75 CENTIMETERS / BOARD MODEL: HOVER 130 BOARD LENGTH: 130 CENTIMETERS / BOARD WIDTH: 56 CENTIMETERS / VOLUME: 19 LITERS FOIL PERFORMANCE The Thrust Surf Foil was designed in collaboration with Kai Lenny, who is one of the pioneering experts of surf and kite foiling. Both the front and rear wings of the Thrust Surf Foil work on the same fuselage as the Thrust KS 1 foil so you can interchange all the components. The thing about large surf foils is you can put them on a surfboard or SUP, but they also work great for low speed kite foiling and offer a more manoeuvrable ride. The Naish Foil was one of the quickest to plane of the group tested and made it really easy to practice transitions and carves without coming off a foil. You can quickly learn to pump the foil onto a plane and practice all the carves and transitions you need to work on to do some surf or SUP foiling. Having a slow running foil like this makes using a smaller mast more exciting because you can intiate tighter turns at lower speeds and reduced angles. Less power is required from your kite that just needs to be able to fly and pull you upright to get moving. The Thrust Surf Large works for the larger sized riders above 160 pounds and they also make a medium size for lighter weight foil riders.
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DIRECTIONAL SURFBOARDS DECIPHERED Riding a directional surfboard continues to speeds. On the other end of the lineups be one of the fastest growing disciplines there are models that are better suited for of kiteboarding and the number of models freeride cruising and strapless freestyle. continues to expand. For 2018 there are Theseand models can handle smaller or midDriving Performance with New Shapes High Tech Construction some great new shapes and some highly sized waves and are also better for the less refined models with improved construction developed riding skills with their added technologies that are making these boards stability and early planing performance. lighter, stronger and more responsive The Kitesurfing Magazine test team logged than ever. All the top brands offer several some solid sessions on an assortment of models in their directional lineups with different models that spanned the full range riding performance catering to different of performance and discipline capability. conditions and styles. At the top end of The amazing thing is that the directionthe line sits the pro wave or competition al surfboard is a kiteboard category that performance surf shapes. These boards are continues to evolve with new shapes and designed for riding bigger waves and solid enhanced construction technology to keep surf conditions. These models are generally driving their riding and handling character more technical to ride with more rocker and to higher levels. Overall 2018 is a great higher sensitivity to foot pressure for faster year to update or add to your surfboard edge to edge handling. They require more quiver. There are some great new models power to drive them and reward more dethat can help push your directional riding veloped skills with higher levels of control experience to new limits in the waves and while carving down the line at faster driving beyond.
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FUNBOARDS, FREERIDE AND STRAPLESS FREESTYLE The Ocean Rodeo Duke and Jester models, the North Pro Whip and Core 720 are boards that offer good cruising speeds, easy tracking and great upwind drive. They also have great stability and track across the wind easily which makes them a good option for learning to ride a directional board. Ocean Rodeo’s funboard category includes the Duke and Jester models and these boards have some unique shaping features that include a deep concave that eats up chop and provides solid edging and reduced chatter. They are great for popping off chop or boosting with straps and can be an ideal first directional shape for their added stability both on edge and while riding flat. Almost defining a category of their own, the OR funboards track through the turns with lots of grip and the smaller Jester is quick from edge to edge. The Duke is the larger of the two and has more power and float for catching some rides in waves. This series is also one of the most durable with Ocean Rodeo’s thermo molded skin that protects against dings and scratches better than most fiberglass or epoxy constructions. Ocean Rodeo also comes with a top quality five-fin set up, so they can be ridden with Thruster or Quad to equip them for different conditions and turning feel. The Core 720 and the North Pro Whip represent the cutting edge of construction and progressive shapes for strapless freestyle and small to moderate wave riding. The Core 720 is a pure strapless freestyle shape that is also suited to learning with its quick planing and smooth cruising nature. Lots of pop off the wide tail makes the 720 an Ollie machine. It’s a bit chunky in the tail, for bigger waves but the 720 will work great for sloppy onshore conditions or smaller waves. Core’s surfboard construction uses polyurethane closed cell foam with twin wood stringers and a traditional glass surfboard construction that’s beefed up with more layers in critical areas and some carbon wrap in the tail. The 720 definitely feels like a real surfboard with nice flex and feeling underfoot that’s exclusive to glass constructed boards. North and Airush have new constructions for their pro lines this year as well. The North Pro Whip has some amazing strapless freestyle performance with its wide tail and parallel rails. Great pop and Ollie, that’s just shy of the 720. The Pro Whip however, ups its game with even more precision and control on the wave. This is a board that feels fast and smooth in the flats and tracks over chop with little chatter but it can loosen up and feel lively on a wave as well. Unique bottom shaping and new lighter weight VacuumEpoxy construction, with cork inlay gives the board a snappy flex and the feel of a real surfboard with the durability needed for kitesurfing.
Performance Crossover–All Around The Airush Amp, the Slingshot Mixer and the Cabrinha Spade are models that offer some great performance in the waves, but are also still accessible for freeride cruising or some strapless flat water sessions. The Airush Amp II takes wave versatility and all around kitesurfing performance to the next level. This is a board that can plane up early and is smooth and fast driving in flatwater, but has a narrow, more rounded outline and a thinned out tail that gives it even more snappy turns for riding waves. It’s more of do-it-all shape that suits the rider that doesn’t want the square nose and very parallel board but still wants some crossover performance for freeride and flatwater freestlyle. It’s also a stable and easy board to build skills with. The new Airush construction also ups the Amp II’s game with weight reducing, custom epoxy construction which blends the classic surf style with premium, Ecoboard construction and advanced core technology. The AMP II might be the perfect single travel board as it can adapt from medium to small waves and still be a fun board to just freeride, Ollie and carve up the flatwater. The Slingshot Mixer and the Cabrinha Spade are also versatile boards that work in a wider range of wave riding conditions. The Mixer is a new addition to the Slingshot lineup and offers smooth and loose handling on the wave. The Mixer’s quad fin set up and unique tail shape give this board some tight, slashy turning capability that reacts quickly to back foot pressure. It might be better suited to bigger waves than the Amp II but it’s not as light or compact. Nice width through the center and some aggressive quad concave bottom profile also get the Mixer up on a plane quickly and smooth out chop. This a great board to transition into a full on performance wave shape. Also new for 2018, the Cabrninha Spade, which has a similar concept shape and performance to the Mixer. The Spade is even looser on the wave and feels lively and manoeuvrable driving off the back foot. At the same time, the Spade has more parallel rails and extra width and volume in the front, so it planes up early and gives some great pop for strapless freestyle. WAVE WARRIOR SPECIALIST For the more advanced wave riders there are models in every kite brand line that offer more control and loose edge to edge carving at higher speeds on driving waves. These boards have a more narrowed outline and thinner tail and rails so they don’t plane up as early but have more control with higher speeds and at higher levels of power and pull. On a wave these boards mimic the feel and control of the modern performance short board. In fact many experienced kitesurfers use performance short decks from surf companies. Some companies like Rusty and Firewire have the beefed up construction that can handle the added pressures a board faces when kitesurfing. The Rusty
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Yes Thanks is one of these performance short board shapes that joins the S:Quad, the Airush Comp, the North Pro Wam in the high performance wave category. Rusty has a stiff and more durable closed cell foam core with Kevlar reinforced rails and the right amount of durability to handle the added pressures of kitesurfing. The Yes Thanks is light, loose and reactive underfoot and in the pocket and can get vertical with snappy cut backs. Designed for real surfing it doesn’t ride as smooth across the wind or upwind as the kitesurfing models. The higher levels of rocker require the right foot pressure to mitigate the bounce when driving the board upwind. Once you’re on the wave though the board has no limits to its control and snappiness off the lip. The Cabinha S:Quad and the North Wam have been leaders in the waves for a number of years and have been fined tuned in 2018, for no compromise, top to bottom, wave bashing. The S:Quad is in its sixth version and it has built a reputation for performance designed for pushing hard, driving turns in fast down the line wave riding conditions. This is one of the most reactive shapes in the test and has great control and quick reaction on the wave. The concave construction on the deck really gives the S:Quad some great grip and feel for strapless riding as well. The Pro Wam from North is another long standing model and has some great upgrades in construction and some tweaks that make it a go-to model for almost any wave session. It has some extra width in the front and generates some extra power for making the most out of smaller wave days or onshore conditions but it also won’t let you down if the waves get serious. The new North Pro series construction is ultra-light and reactive. It feels more like a glass board, but with the right durability so they don’t break down after many hard sessions. North also has some amazing new traction pads that are very thin but provide great grip. The Wam is one of the more versatile shapes in this group with enough power in the low end to handle smaller waves, but it really excels in bigger waves and fast driving bottom turns. The Airush surf lineup has been totally revamped with new custom Ecoboard construction that ups the performance and feel of Airush’s highly evolved shapes. The Comp blends competition and all around performance into a shape that’s snappy and reactive on the wave. This board has a really light, crisp feel underfoot, with a dynamic flex that enhances control through the carving and cut backs. Similar to the Wam, the Comp features a more narrow tail and mid-range width for conquering any decent wave break. The Comp rides smooth and controlled on the wave but it planes up early and rides well upwind without much bounce or chatter. Both the Comp and the new North Wam take it to the next level with their light, higher tech constructions and the reactive, surfboard feel they deliver.
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SLINGSHOT MIXER
AIRUSH AMP II
AIRUSH COMP
Length: 5’10” / Width: 18.33” Thickness: 2.25” / Fins: Quad
Length: 5’4”/ Width: 19” Thickness: 2.3”/ Fins: Thruster
Length: 5’10” / Width: 18.75” Thickness: 2.3” / Fins: TRI
The Mixer is the new surf shape in the Slingshot lineup this year and it’s designed for wave performance in a broad range of conditions. It fits nicely between the full-on, down the line wave bashing Tyrant, and the more freeride oriented Celeritas. Built for the rigors of kitesurfing, the Mixer has an EPS core with carbon stringers and carbon lay up in the tail, and full bamboo top sheet. No heel dents to worry about with this construction with lots of dampening and durability. The Mixer features a low concave in the bottom shape and through its wider outline. This allows it to plane up early and keeps the Mixer powered up at slower speeds. The tucked rails also keep the board loose and reactive from edge to edge, and the narrowed-out pin tail makes it nice and slashy on the face. The test team riders were impressed with the versatility and more universal applications of the Mixer as it works well in most wave conditions from sloppy onshore breaks to moderate sized surf. The Mixer is a great choice for the rider that wants a board that’s more manoeuvrable and reactive on a wave but still pushes upwind easily and tracks with some good speed and direction for general freeride cruising.
Airush has completely revamped their surf range, with two new construction options for each high performance shape. The Amp II is a compact, low rocker shape with a parallel fore body and wider central hull, but a more narrowed tail. It planes up really early and feels lively and skatey on the water. The Amp ride is quick and smooth with some concave bottom shape and it doesn’t get overpowered too quickly as the narrowed outline in the tail keeps it manoeuvrable at higher speeds. It’s a fun board to ride in the flats and the low rocker makes it an easy shape to Ollie and punt some strapless manoeuvres. The round central hull and narrow tail give it some snappy off the lip turns and its skatey edge to edge feel lets you carve into the ramps or face without hesitation. The test team had a blast lacing into turns and for onshore mushy waves the Amp II is ideal. For more performance on larger down the line, and faster driving waves, look to the Airush Comp. The Amp will be an amazing addition to someone that wants a compact, but early planing board that doesn’t just do freestyle. All the Airush boards come in two styles of high tech construction that make them light weight but durable, with the right flex in the right areas to give them great feel on the wave.
The Airush Comp is a more traditional short board shape that’s designed to be on a wave and offers a more authentic surf feel. The higher tail rocker and rounded pin tail keep it smooth and manoeuvrable at faster driving speeds. This a board that you want for that big wave day and wind day at your favorite spot. The longer outline and rail length keep this board controllable and smooth from top to bottom and the narrow tail and thin rails grant biting bottom turns and snappy off the top performance. The custom Epoxy construction also keeps the classic surf style look and feel but employs some technology like the EPS core which is lighter and stronger than traditional cores. Laminates are also reinforced in the key areas to minimize heel dents and improve hull integrity over the long term. The Airush lineup uses futures fins but the boards come blank, so riders can fit them with their desired fin size and stiffness. The Comp is best suited to advanced riders that want to make the most of the big days.
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NORTH PRO WHIP CSC
NORTH PRO WAM CSC
OCEAN RODEO MAKO DUKE
Length: 5’4”/ Width: 19” Thickness: 2.375” / Fins: Tri fin
Length: 5’10” / Width: 18.33” Thickness: 2.25” / Fins: Thruster
Length: 5’6” / Width: 19” Thickness: 2.875” / Fins: Quad or tri
The new Whip comes in CSC as the versatile ripper of the impressive North range. This board has some great features and riding style that promotes skill development but with great rewards for all skill levels. The Whip’s bottom features consist of a flatter double concave channel through the center which drives speed and upwind ability into the shape. Fast and manoeuvrable from rail to rail, the Whip is comfortable and smooth through drawn out turns. It’s also surprisingly controllable and agile on the wave and the feel of the board underfoot is very comfortable. The cork shock absorbers feel solid but the flex seems more dynamic than some of the bamboo reinforced constructions that tend to deaden the ride. The square tail, and fast but low rocker line, makes the Whip a great board for freestyle jumps; the shape and volume distribution keep it well balanced in the air. The Whip also has a very smooth ride with tons of control over chop at high speeds. Good incremental improvement over previous years, the 2018 Whip is a great performing directional board for any level of rider and will keep a big smile on your face in a huge range of conditions from freestyle bump and jump to real waves. This is a board that might be the most cherished and useable in your surf quiver with great applications for when the surf is less than ideal.
The North Wam is a high performance short board shape for the coveted great wave day, but still has some good performance for a broad range of conditions. It has a thruster fin configuration with tail rocker and shape that is well suited for the big days and hard driving conditions. This year’s version also has some added playfulness or enhanced usability for lesser conditions with better low end planing power than the Wams of the past. For 2018, North’s shaper Sky Solbach, added some additional width in the Wam’s center and extended the wide point which gives the board some front foot planing surface and better upwind drive. The Wam drives nicely off the front foot and has a smooth riding double concave hull. The new construction on CSC gives the board a very light and reactive feel and it’s quick and snappy from rail to rail. North’s CSC technology is light but strong and the Wam has the familiar flex and feel of a traditional surfboard, but with durability and dynamics required for the added pressures of kitesurfing. All the test team riders agreed that the feel and performance you get from the North’s high end construction is worth the premium price. This board is well suited to intermediate to advanced level riders that want uncompromised performance on big wave days but can still perform admirably when conditions aren’t ideal.
The Duke is the big brother of Ocean Rodeo’s funboard directional line and it planes up early for light wind cruising. It features a deep central concave that runs through most of the hull and lets it hover over chop while riding flat. This is a fun shape to drive into speeding turns with lots of front foot pressure. It has a ton of fin set up options this year that let you tune the board for different conditions and riding styles from flatwater strapless freestyle to barreling surf. Ocean Rodeo also equips the series with five sets of high quality fins that connect to the Futures fin box system. For riding waves the quad set up mode works the best and enables deeper biting bottom turns and improved upwind drive. On a wave the Duke has its own unique feel and is well suited for the intermediate to advanced kitesurfer that wants a smooth ride over choppy water. The outline and shape of the Duke eliminates the chatter and bounce of more traditional surf shapes. The Duke can be ridden strapless for freestyle or with straps and the light weight but ultra grippy OR deck pads are amazing. The construction is stiff and durable with a thermo molded skin that can handle any amount of clumsiness or aggressive riding.
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OCEAN RODEO MAKO JESTER
CABRINHA SPADE
CABRINHA S:QUAD
Length: 5’1.25” / Width: 18.125” Thickness: 2.3125” / Fins: Quad or tri
Length: 5’6” / Width: 19.8” Thickness: 2.17” / Fins: Thruster
Length: 5‘9” / Width: 19.1” Thickness: 2.21” / Fins: Thruster
The Cabrinha Spade has a thruster set up and offers the performance inspired by the modern day wave rider and freestyle manoeuvre specialist. It features a wider curvier fore body but with a narrow, thinned out tail that lets you get vertical in the pocket and offers some snappy turning off the lip. It’s a versatile shape that will excite advanced riders that want all the advantages of a good punting and freestyle board, but also a surf stick that is responsive and can get vertical on real waves. The extra volume and width in the fore body also let you make the most out of pumping into smaller surf, and the board is reactive and playful driving off the front foot. The bamboo sandwich construction is very durable so you don’t have to worry about heel dents or compromised durability. The double concave top deck makes it comfortable and adds stability for strapless riding, and the Spade is equipped with inserts if you want to ride with straps. The narrowed out swallow tail and step down rails help keep the Spade lively and tight turning off the back foot. The Spade is really a doit-all shape and if you don’t want a full-on, blunt nose light wind or freestyle board this can be both a versatile wave board and freestyle manoeuvre specialist that checks all the boxes.
The S:Quad model has been the higher performance short board shape of the Cabrinha lineup for many years. This is the sixth version and it shows no signs of diverting from its down the line riding prowess and smooth and powerful grip on pumping waves. Whether you ride straps or strapless, the S:Quad has the rocker and deck shape to keep you locked. This is a board for riders that want to push the limits with higher speeds and bigger faces. The narrow outline and thinner rails and squash tail keep the S:Quad snappy and controllable at higher speeds and through driving bottom turns. Cabrinha boards come fully equipped with great deck pads and a high quality, RTM quad fin set. Bamboo sandwich construction keeps the boards durable through heavy wave action or hard landings. Advanced level riders that want a board for big wave days will want the S:Quad in their quiver.
The Ocean Rodeo Jester is a fun directional board that will appeal to both the burgeoning directional rider or to the advanced freestyle trickster. It’s a compact shape and narrow outline that’s nimble from edge to edge but also offers substantial grip while the board is turned on edge. This is aided by its deep concave that runs very close to the rail. The thinned out rails and deep rail to rail bottom concave also help to keep the Jester stable and smooth through chop. The flatter central rocker and short length make it a fun board to Ollie off chop with as well. With a short and symmetrical shape, the Jester is also nicely balanced underfoot during aerials. The Jester can be driven through hard carving turns and you can use this shape to get great acceleration into and out of transitions. It’s a very compact shape that feels small and nimble underfoot. The OR deck pads with their low weight design provide great grip that make it comfortable for riding the Jester strapless, but there’s still the option of riding straps and boosting jumps which the Jester excels at. Ocean Rodeo has some great construction and durability on these boards with thermo molded skin that ensures they can handle the rigors of strapless or strapped jumps. The Jester comes stock with a high quality five fin set for thruster or quad fin set up.
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CORE 720
RUSTY YES THANKS
Length: 5’3” / Width: 18.5” Thickness: 2.2” / Fins: Thruster FCS 2
Length: 5’8” / Width: 19.1” Thickness: 2.21” / Fins: Thruster
The Core 720 is a compact, strapless surf shape that offers excellent grip and power and easy punting ability for the strapless freestyle rider or for tearing up small to moderate sized waves. This a chop hop machine that features a fatter rocker and a wide and parallel outline, with a snub nose and squared off tail. This board is short but its wide tail and parallel rails give it a ton of low wind capability and it rips upwind while on its rail or riding flat on the fins. The 720’s light weight glass construction and concave bottom shape lets the 720 also rip over chop and keeps you in control until you can find a wave lip to punt off. The wider tail and low rocker also provide tons of pop, letting the rider Ollie on demand. This is a key performance element for riders trying to learn strapless manoeuvres. The outline and snub nosed shape keep the 720 glued to your feet while in the air. The 720 is reinforced with carbon in the tail area but the traditional glass construction gives the flex and feel of a real surfboard with just enough durability necessary to handle the pressure of strapless jumps. Rail to rail, the 720 has a skatey and reactive feel and holds its power through hard carved transitions. Like most wide tailed, parallel shapes, it can generate extra speed and power that can make the board harder to snap the tightest of turns or carving at speeds or on steeper faces. The punting and freestyle ability of the 720 are unmatched and for smaller wave days the 720 is an ideal wave riding board. For less advanced riders that are just learning to ride strapless or more experienced rider that want to push the limits of strapless freestyle, the 720 is a great addition to your quiver.
The Rusty Yes Thanks is a real world performance surfboard built for traditional short board surfing. Nothing beats a real surf shape on waves and Rusty’s high tech construction gives the Yes Thanks the required stiffness and durability to double as a real wave kitesurf board. The core is made from a lighter weight closed cell foam that keeps the board stiff and light. Kevlar reinforcements on the rail also add some stiffness and durability. The Yes Thanks wants to be on a wave and it requires more power to get on a plane and drive upwind than most dedicated kitesurf designs. The bottom shape has some concave in it which helps the Yes Thanks drive smoothly over rough water. The light weight and stiff reactive hull keep the Yes Thanks smooth and controllable behind the kite and it doesn’t bounce too much while driving across the wind like some higher rockered surf shapes. On the wave face nothing beats an all around ripper like this surfboard. Light reactive and snappy off the lip, the Yes Thanks is a great travel board for the experienced surfer that wants a board to pull into waves behind a kite. The true surf shape feel is hard to beat and with the increased durability of the advanced construction, the Yes Thanks is ready for hardcore wave sessions.
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WAVE KITES DECIPHERED: The Performance Edge in the Surf and Beyond
WORDS BY TEST EDITOR SHANE THOMPSON / PHOTOS BY DAVE MARSHALL
Kitesurfing in waves or freeriding with a directional board continues to be one of the fastest growing kite disciplines. This exciting discipline continues to evolve as the industry’s talented pro riders push the limits with increasingly technical strapless aerial manoeuvres and more fluid, top-to-bottom, wave riding styles. The refined and highly evolved performance of today’s top wave kites has helped push this evolution. The increased popularity of wave kites is well deserved as their evolved performance has not only helped enable these top riders to reach new levels, but they also have key handling traits that are beneficial for a variety of conditions and riding disciplines, beyond just waves. Ultimately, wave kites are designed to have lots of complete depower, or the ability to turn off most of the kite’s pull. This is important when wave riding because you don’t want to get pulled off your board or out of the surfable section of the wave. These kites also are designed to float and drift and not turn helmet down and lose flight as quickly as most freeride models. These are key features to have in a kite when riding down the face of breaking waves as the kite stays balanced and drifts. At the same time a wave kite also needs the ability to come alive at critical times. So these kites can initiate turns at lower levels of power and line tension, than most freeride kites. The Wave kite loops and turns differently than a lot of freeride or freestyle oriented kites. These wave kites typically have less aggressive forward pull and generate less power as the kite completes a loop. All of these features can be key components to improving your overall board riding skills as they allow you to focus more on what is going on under your feet rather than
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driving a kite that has more pull when it’s not wanted. Whether you are learning to ride a new freeride foil or advancing your carving and transitional gybes and tacks on a directional board, the right wave kite can be an essential element to pushing your game to new levels. In this round of head to head tests, the Kitesurfing Magazine test team caught some great sessions on the industry’s top wave models. Sessions were conducted in the waves, and on the flatwater, riding a host of the hottest new surfboard shapes and some of the latest freeride foils. There are some distinct differences in feel and function between these wave kites, but all of them have some similar key performance traits. All of these higher performance wave models have stable and balanced drift when underpowered, and they all transfer some excellent positional feedback from the kite lines and have quick and reliable water relaunch. There are some differences when it comes to boosting and crossing over into more general freeride. If you are used to your freeride kite you will likely find that some of the wave designs sit further back in the wind window and some of them don’t boost airs quite as high or have the hang time of their freeride counterparts. Some of these designs have addressed this by adding bridle setting options that can change how forward or back the kite sits in the window. The forward setting gives a more freeride feel to the kite with better lift, lighter touch steering and even more depower. So there has never been a better time to fit a wave kite into your quiver. Anyone looking to up their game in the waves, or learn how to ride a directional board or foil, should consider one of these top performing wave kites.
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Back in the Window Wave Warriors The Slingshot SST, the Ocean Rodeo Roam and Eleveight WS are all mid-aspect ratio, three-strut kites with very short and cut off wing tips. Their pull comes from more of a central position of the canopy which lets them sit back in the wind window and deliver some silky smooth pull. Having a kite that sits back can be beneficial when riding waves especially in side or side-off conditions where you can sit the kite and just let it drift as you get vertical on the face. If a kite sits too far forward in the window it can surge out of the sweet spot too quickly and lose its sweet spot unless rider input corrects it. All three of these kites sit back and drift beautifully and really let the rider concentrate on riding the wave or performing the manoeuvre. They also have a bit heavier, surf tough build and are designed with a thick leading edge which gives them effortless and quick water relaunch but reduces some efficiency in pointing upwind. For direct handling and smooth power delivery the SST also stands out from all the kites in the test and this kite really eliminates any on-off turbulence through gusts and the pull of the kite remains smooth and controllable. It sits the deepest in the window of any kite on the test and it delivers some of the smoothest pull and its turning can be initiated even when the kite has very low line tension. The Ocean Rodeo is also a smooth pulling kite; it has some of the most instant and complete depower of any of the kites in the test. Combine this with Ocean Rodeo’s Stick Shift bar which allows the rider to depower the kite with a simple click of the knob at the end of the bar, and this set up is ideal for pulling into a wave with the perfect amount of power. The Roam also has a very central pivot with very little pull through the turns and it also turns tight and quick. The Eleveight WS is also similar to both these with a bit more freeride handling as it has some decent boost as well. It has quicker pivots than both the Roam and the SST and solid depower of the Eleveight make it a gem in the waves. It has the edge for jumping and hang time over the other two in this sub category. The Roam and SST don’t have the biggest lift and are not bigger boosting kites of some of the designs in the test, but they don’t lose any feedback and respond well to rider input during boosts with the kite overhead. All three of these kites are well suited to foil board riding and learning the nuances of any directional discipline. Their ability to sit back in the window with lots of depower and their response to turn initiation at low levels of power and line tension make them ideal for the early planing ability of today’s top directional and foil designs.
High Performance Wave Specialists The Airush Wave and the Core Section are two similar designs that are well suited for intermediate to advanced level wave riders. They both have narrow leading edges and light weight and well balanced, three strut frame. They can float down the line and disappear but also come alive with fast and reactive turning and control. Their longer and more squared wingtips give them really quick and reactive pivots and great direct handling and feedback from the flying lines. They both have similar low end power levels that are true to their size and their range extends well into the upper end. The Airush Wave has some of the quickest loops and handling on the test and its shows the refinement inherent to a generationally mature design. The Core Section may have a bit more power in its delivery than the Airush Wave but both these kites are quick and responsive. The Core has some of the best direct feedback from the lines which really lets the rider know where the kite is and it can react with precision when it needs to. It also features adjustable bridles and back lines settings to tune the kite to the desired depower and line tension. Core’s Sensor2 bar also enhances the wave riding experience. It’s one of the lightest weight and low profile bars on the market and its comfort and feel really let the rider focus that much more on making the most out of every wave. The Wave has slightly more boost and glide than the Section but both run shy of a freeride kite. This moderate controlled lift can pass to freeride jumping, but their performance is really geared towards advanced wave riders that want fast pivoting and fast reacting kites to tackle serious wave sessions. Strapless Bliss and Good Boost The Naish Slash and Liquid Force Wow are two wave kites that both have amazing drift and balance in the waves, and are similar shapes with narrow leading edges and three strut frames. They sit more forward in the wind window and have lots of depower and crisp and direct handling. The Wow has one of the skinniest leading edges as well, and has fast and tight pivots. The Wow also gets extra freeride marks for its jumping ability. This kite also has some of the best hang time and jumping ability of any of the wave kites in the test. In the waves the Wow is stable and balanced and you can set it and it will disappear on the wave for you and when you need it, it comes alive. The Slash shows refinement in its second generation design and still offers the similar smooth and controlled power through its turn. It’s not as quick and aggressive as the Section or the Airush wave style kites, but it has smoother power delivery and the
right pull and control through the turn that let the rider flow down the line. The lift and jumping and hang time as well as the upwind ability have been improved on this year’s Slash with its faster pulling and narrow leading edge. This kite also has great feedback and controlled lift for punting strapless airs. Both the Slash and the Wow worked well for foiling with their stable drift and great response at low line tension. Both the Slash and the Wow will excel in waves and have ideal handling for any strapless or directional discipline. Refined Wave Masters The two most refined wave kites in the test go to the North Neo and the Cabrinha Drifter. Both these kite designs have undergone several generations of evolution and it’s reflected in their refined power delivery and handling. The new Drifter has great low end power, that’s just shy of the Neo, size for size. The Drifter continues to be one of the best drifting kites down the line with great balance and less tendency to curl helmet down when the power comes off the lines. It’s not quite as quick and nimble or tight pivoting as some of the other kites in the group but its smooth control and pull through its pivot keeps the Drifter at the top of the leaderboard. The Drifter is also more versatile this year with bridle settings for freeride and onshore wave riding or traditional wave settings. It doesn’t boost big but it at has the better lift and drift than its previous versions. The Neo is a powerhouse that has amazing amounts of low end power but also upper handling that keeps it at the top of its game. Great range, amazing stability and float combine with crisp and efficient handling. The Neo has highly refined performance with tight and quick loops and nicely controlled power. It can also change up bridle settings to make it a better jumping kite and equips the Neo to almost any freeride application. It’s not quite as floaty and ghostlike on the wave as the Drifter but it’s a close second. The new Click Bar from North also adds to the Neo’s wave set up. The Click bar comes with a premium price but also adds premium performance to the wide wind range of the Neo. With depower at the click of a button you can depower the Neo as you pull into the waves with unprecedented levels of ease and fluid movement. Both the Drifter and the Neo are dynamite wave kites that will also be ideal for anyone wanting to advance skills into foil boarding or any directional discipline. Their power, range and handling, drift capability and overall performance make theme great wave kites or just great kites in general.
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AIRUSH WAVE SIZES TESTED (m): 7, 9, 12 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Core Bar Synopsis Solid, dedicated wave performance, fast and reactive and built to last. LIKES The newest version of the Airush Wave has some nice upgrades to its wave shredding performance. The Wave’s key design elements remain unchanged with its narrow leading edge, wider and squared wingtips and a three-strut frame that’s light and very responsive. The Wave’s tight pivotal turning, well balanced drift and high levels of depower give it the ideal wave capability. New refinements in the wingtip angles and some added sweep back from the leading edge have enhanced the progressive levels of depower available especially when driving the Wave across the wind window. The Wave can sit forward in the window with lots of depower and it pulls nice and smoothly through the gust. This was also one of the fastest turning kites in this category and can be flown aggressively with smooth power delivery and direct response. It has great feedback from the kite with the right amount of bar pressure to keep the rider well informed of the kite’s position. The Wave is an awe-
some kite for punting strapless airs with less aggressive lift and smooth glide and drift. It doesn’t boost like a freeride kite but has smooth lift and is easily controlled for launch and landings. The Wave is also built with Airush’s canopy technology that includes the Dyneema Load Frame V4 with what they call, WebTech. The tough Dyneema fabric strips are strategically sewn throughout the canopy for extra strength and stretch resistance. There is never a lack of confidence that this Airush Wave will let you down on a good surf session. Kiteboarding in waves subjects kites to some extra abuse when they go down in the pounding surf, and having a kite that can take this added punishment is a big bonus. The Wave checks all the boxes for a wave kite but it also shouldn’t be overlooked as a great all around kite for freeride and foil. Positive feedback, great drift, decent low end power, quick and responsive pivots, the Wave will work well for a lot different sessions and skill levels.
DRAWBACKS The Wave’s power band is not as refined as some but upper end handling and precision steering are top notch.
USERS Intermediate to advanced level wave riders should consider the Wave for its no compromise wave performance with fast pivots and high levels of depower. It also has ideal handling for foil boarding and strapless aerial trickery.
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CABRINHA DRIFTER SIZES TESTED (m): 10, 12 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Overdrive 1X SYNOPSIS More power and versatility, smooth pivots and buttery drift for wave riding domination. LIKES The Drifter has become a legend for many dedicated wave riders. In 2018 the Drifter has raised the bar even higher with some better low end power, more range and increased versatility. The Drifter keeps the solid feel as the Drifter but adds refinement and feel with some added low end power, better jumping prowess and improved overall wind range. The Drifter may have moved itself a bit more beyond just the waves. Test riders were impressed with the Drifter for its smooth power delivery, and the smooth and consistent pull through its entire loop. The reliable feedback and overall power range, combined with perfect drift and balance make the Drifter a champion in the waves. Whereas the older Drifter models were ideal at the setit-and-forget-it and let it drift, this version is more reactive and responds quicker to turn initiation and seems faster through the full pivot. It offers just the right amount and the equal amount of pull through the full pivot so you won’t get yanked off your
board when riding strapless and transitioning or finishing bottom turns. The Drifter also has some great tuning options for riding in onshore or more side-off waves. The setting can essentially keep the kite more forward in the window for onshore and deepens it for side-off action where you need the kite to depower in the window for perfect slack line drift. With the added low end power, the Drifter is definitely a more universal design for freeride disciplines and can boost and pop for freestyle or twintip riding, or freestyle surf. The multi-disciplined rider that focuses on waves, directional and foil board riding will appreciate the overall performance of this kite. The new Cabrinha control bar set up is more streamlined and much lighter than previous versions and its design enhances feedback and direct handling of the kite.
DRAWBACKS Not a lot of faults to this new Drifter in the waves, it doesn’t have the aggressive boost and glide of freeride kites like a Switchblade.
USERS More universal than ever, the Drifter will appeal to the intermediate to advanced level riders that want smooth control and handling for riding waves or just a great performing kite that’s adaptable to most freeride applications.
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NORTH NEO SIZES TESTED (m): 7, 9 11 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Click Bar SYNOPSIS The benchmark for refinement and precision in the waves with huge range and versatility across disciplines. LIKES The Neo is the wave-specific design of the North lineup and it’s one of the most award winning and refined wave kite designs of the group. The 2018 has undergone some small refinements to this exceptional performer. Having a 9 or 10 and a 7 meter Neo in your quiver equips any rider with a massive wind range and this kite not only has tons of low end power for each size but it also has great amounts of upper end range. The Neo is fast turning, reactive and excels in the ability to grant lots of power that can be adjusted and shut off in quick order. Great balance and drift, the Neo comes close to the best at drifting down the line. Combined with the North Click Bar, you can instantly adjust the power as you’re heading into the wave if needed. This kite is no slouch in the freeride category either. You can change the setting to alter the kite to give it better freeride capability with lots of boost and glide and lighter steering. The Neo directional is ideal for foil riding and lets you keep the kite size
down which guarantees greater efficiency and faster turning. The Neo combined with the North Click Bar also creates the ultimate instant trim system for riding waves or foiling. A click of a button and the back lines are lengthened giving the kite more depower. Great for pulling into waves where you want to quickly kill some extra power to set up the perfect ride and link your bottom and top turns while the Neo drifts down the line. Overall, the Neo keeps its top spot as one of the most refined kites for waves and beyond. For serious kite surfers that want a kite that is dynamite for waves but can also adapt without compromise when the surf is shot.
DRAWBACKS The Neo has few faults but if you like riding with boots and are interested in twintip wakestyle when you’re not in the surf with your directional, look to the North Dice.
USERS Any level of rider that wants a kite to tear up the waves or push your directional board skills to new levels. The Neo’s low end power and amazing range gets you in the surf with the smallest kite possible resulting in a faster turning kite for every session.
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SLINGSHOT SST SIZES TESTED (m): 10 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Compstick Guardian SYNOPSIS Smooth and ready for any wave, sweet pull through the turns and stable control through gusts. LIKES This year’s kite from Slingshot has a shortened name to simply SST. It reflects the trend of this kite and many other wave kites of their increased versatility for disciplines other than just waves. The SST is great in the waves for a lot of reasons, but there are also key performance traits in this kite that are advantageous for other disciplines and skill levels beyond waves. What you notice most about the SST is how smooth the power delivery and how solid everything remains even when the kite is aggressively flown or the angle of attack is adjusted. The SST is designed to sit back in the wind window and drives with unmatched smooth pull. When sheeting out the bar, the depower deploys very smoothly and progressively and the kite remains inert and drifts perfectly with the rider down the line or in transitions. Whether you’re riding your new foil set up or bashing waves in the surf, the SST has some of the silkiest smooth pull and offers fast turning pivots that can be initiated at any angle of attack or when highly depowered. The SST has a compact canopy shape and short wide
wingtips ensuring great drift and balance and the kite steers and initiates turns on demand. The smooth delivery and tons of depower make it ideal for foil boarding or general freeride cruising at any level. The SST features a Compact C canopy profile, framed by Slingshot’s Surf Tough build and split strut technology. It also has a short and compact bridle system that includes a shock absorbing bungee feature that helps to smooth out the gusts and enhances the SST’s ability to keep the rider on the wave and drift down the line without surging out of the sweet spot. Quick pivots and smooth, consistent pull through the turn, the SST remains calm and controlled even in the upper wind range. With its mid-aspect ratio and ability to sit and pull smoothly the SST also is one of the better wave kites for unhooked freestyle. The SST also has some decent and good control for boosting jumps. The SST’s easy water relaunch and superior stability make it an ideal kite for any freeride discipline including foil boarding and twin tintip riding.
DRAWBACKS Not as light in the air as some wave kites but more than makes up for it with such smooth depower and precision handling. The kite can handle the upper wind without compromising its handling making a lighter weight build less essential.
USERS Any level of rider that wants a kite that offers the control and drift capability required for waves but with handling and performance that’s adaptable to more freeride disciplines.
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CORE SECTION SIZES TESTED (m): 9 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 LW, 14 LW / CONTROL SYSTEM: Sensor2 Pro SYNOPSIS Dedicated wave performance for down the line surfing, with tight, snappy turns, smooth pull and precision handling that ups your game. LIKES The new Section wave kite from Core shows improved handling and better low end power for 2018. Unlike other brands that tweak models each year, the Core kite models are redesigned over a two-year period. This ensures increased levels of incremental improvement over the previous year’s version. Core’s kites are packed with quality materials like their exclusive Exotex Dacron frame. This allows for a rock solid frame with a high functioning, narrow diameter leading edge design. The Section’s bridle system is also ultra-short and compact which eliminates the chances of any bridle wrap ups if the kite gets munched in the surf. For steering and handling in the waves this kite is in its element and does what it needs to do for wave riding. Great drift, and smooth pull through a quick pivot, the Section rarely stalls through the turn which in turn ensures reliable handling every critical moment. It’s not a big jumping kite but its got the type of lift and pop that’s ideal for strapless airs. This means the Section doesn’t ever yank you too high and the smooth depower helps
with landings. Overall Section’s power is smooth and this kite has some of the fastest and snappiest turning speeds of any kite in the test. This speedy handling allows the rider to loop and send the Section to the right spot when and where it’s needed. The Section also has some of the best positive feedback, that’s not fatiguing but great for the rider to know where the kite is while riding a wave. The Section has a light weight frame that drifts with the right balance and it’s a kite that you can back up nicely into the window if you need to ride down the line with the leading edge facing the wave face. The Section delivers performance for waves but is also great as a foil kite. The light wind versions of the Section in the 12 and 14 sizes also open up the lower wind range for foil riding or light wind surf days.
DRAWBACKS A no compromise wave kite but may not be as universal or big jumping as some crossover models.
USERS Intermediate to advanced level riders that want a no compromise wave kite or foil board riders that seek a high depower, high performance kite that can be flown aggressively with solid rewards.
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NAISH SLASH SIZES TESTED(m): 7, 9 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Fusion Control Bar BTB SYNOPSIS Smooth depower, with quick, reactive and controlled pivots, ideal for surf, foil or freeride action. LIKES The Slash was a new model in the Naish lineup last season and was admired for its great drift and consistent pull desired from a pure wave kite. While the Pivot can work well in waves, the added drift and wave specific handling of the Slash made it a great wave kite for dedicated surf kiters and strapless riders. The newest version has some solid performance tweaks that make it a bit more versatile while maintaining its core wave roots. The all-around performance of the Slash has been improved by its slightly faster pivots and turn initiation, opening up the doors for more aggressive handling. With improvements to the speed and reactivity, the new Slash also has better boost with more lift and hang time than last year’s version. The leading edge has been narrowed which allows the Slash to push upwind with better drive and faster pull speed over last season’s version. Overall low end power on the Slash is solid, but less low grunt compared with some of the wave kites that can be downsized, the Slash remains true to its size for power delivery. Premium construction materials keep the Slash at the top of its game. Naish uses an exclusive Quad Tex rip stop
nylon that is framed with their Octopus inflation system. This combo keeps the kite crisp and durable through heavy gusts and pounding surf. The Slash is designed to have smooth pulling pivots through the whole turn and is smooth and controlled across the window. Its smooth and solid handling is up there with the best in the test. The Slash can be flown aggressively and best suits the more aspiring wave and foil board riders.
DRAWBACKS If you are used to the extra power of the Pivot, the Slash doesn’t have quite as munch punch. It’s not as snappy and quick turning as some of the wave kites but the refinement of its smooth and consistent pull through the turn keeps it toward the top of the leaderboard in the waves.
USERS Wave enthusiasts and multi-discipline freeriders that want a high performance, high depower kite that drifts well in the waves and can be used aggressively in any situation.
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OCEAN RODEO ROAM SIZES TESTED (m): 9.5 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 7, 8, 9.5, 12 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Stick Shift SYNOPSIS Balanced, stable with great direct feedback from the back lines. LIKES The Roam is the dedicated wave kite in the Ocean Rodeo line, and shows some quality refinements in handling, feel and response from its predecessor. This kite works its magic in the waves and has great handling for learning to ride a foil or for any directional freeride blasting. Its canopy has a slightly lower aspect ratio and it’s framed with three struts and connected with a wider leading edge. This means the Roam sits back in the window allowing for optimum drift and instant response. This kite pulls very smooth and is stable and well balanced in the air with lots of instant depower to help keep you in the pocket or while driving down the face. Compared to last year’s version there were some tweaks that seem to give the Roam better feedback especially when jumping with the kite higher in the window or moving the kite overhead on a transition. The Roam also worked well for testing freeride foil boards with its great drift and good response at high levels of slack line tension or depower. The low end grunt is solid with this 9.5 meter and it sits back in the window and never back stalls. In addition to the improved feedback and smooth power
delivery, the Roam has gentle and consistent pull through its loop which is ideal for learning transitions on a foil board or for smooth carving turns and transitions. Riding the Roam with the new Stick Shift control bar also sets the set up apart in the waves or gusty conditions. The new Stick Shift bar can instantly depower the kite by lengthening the back lines with a quick nudge of the knob at the end of the bar, giving the rider instant trim and depower without even taking your hands off the bar. This is an ideal feature for riding waves because you can power up the kite with a quick twist of the bar end to rip upwind to get to the backside and then when you see the wave you want, click your right hand to the end of the bar and you’re instantly riding with more depower to slash some turns on the wave face. The Roam and Stick Shift set up are an ideal combo for any serious surf specialist that wants a great wave kite with instant trim options and lots of depower.
DRAWBACKS Larger diameter leading edge slows the Roam’s pull speed a bit which can actually be beneficial in certain wave conditions, but the kite may not be as slick upwind as some of the narrow leading edge wave kites.
USERS Wave and foil kiters that want a kite that’s built tough and can sit back, disappear and drift with the best of them should consider the Roam.
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F-ONE BANDIT SIZES TESTED(m): 9, 12 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Linx Bar SYNOPSIS Legendary eleventh generation one-kite-wonder for refined performance in any situation. LIKES The F-One Bandit is one of the longest standing models that has incredible refinement in overall precision handling, power delivery and cross discipline performance. Its light weight Delta shaped, three-strut frame is stable and well balanced and the Bandit delivers great drift for riding waves. It’s a kite that can work as well in waves as most wave kites but is friendly and easy to jump and fly for any level of rider. The Bandit’s steering and handling is direct and the kite loops and pivots quickly and with intuitively smooth pull. If you like to fly your kite aggressively this kite can be driven to the max. It is extremely tight and fast turning and the canopy stays rock solid at almost every point of the wind window with very little flutter. The newest version has very smooth power delivery improvements in low end power over the previous year’s Bandit along with more positive and direct feedback from the kite. The Bandit is great for boosting hooked in with good lift and crisp handling with
amazing performance for every kiteboarding discipline. The Bandit has the depower, range and handling that’s adaptable to waves, foil boarding or twintip or directional riding. Also new for 2018 is the Linx Control System. F-One has been running with a slightly outdated control system design for a few years, and the Linx puts them back in the game. New integrated bar float ends that can adjust the length of the bar and clean, easy to use above the bar trim system. A new swivel below the bar also lets you manually untwist your lines and the safety system of the Linx also features a new single line flagging that’s now employed throughout their lineup of kite models. With this new control system and flying refinements from one of the industry’s most revolutionary models, the Bandit is ready for anything you can throw at it.
DRAWBACKS Not as much low end grunt as some of the lower aspect, back in the window wave kites, but it more than makes up for it in the upper wind range and it’s a top performer for overall efficiency and handling.
USERS Intermediate to advanced level riders that want a refined kite model with the least amount of compromise in performance for different kite disciplines.
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LIQUID FORCE WOW V3 SIZES TESTED(m): 7, 9 / SIZES AVAILABLE(m): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 / CONTROL SYSTEM: Mission Control System SYNOPSIS Great drift, responsive steering for waves and great all around kite with amazing freeride boosting ability. LIKES The third generation Wow has some significant refinements that enhance its flying performance in the waves and beyond. This is a favourite LF kite model for many riders because it not only performs amazingly in the waves but offers some great boost and lift for great jumping and general freeriding. It’s one of the most freeride capable wave designated kites out there because of its jumping ability and adaptable handling and range. The Wow V3 has a very narrow leading edge and this lets its sit very forward in the wind window and drifts with great balance for down the line riding. On a wave it has all the performance elements that you want in a wave kite which include, responsive and direct steering, quick pivotal turns and lots of on-demand depower. It’s not as much as a sit back in the window set-it-and-forget-it wave kite, but more of a kite that has quick response at any part of the window and can get to that forward position and offers quick responsive turns to exit out when you
need it. The Wow V3 also has good low end power, and some good lift and boost. It relaunches quickly with its swept leading edge and Liquid Force has solid build with solid tech and materials to keep it long lasting and withstand some pounding surf. A lot of wave kites don’t jump like freeride kites, but the Wow V3 has some great boost and glide to it. Its balanced drift and ability to fly forward in the window also make it a great foil riding kite. If you are a wave rider there’s a good chance you are foiling or about to learn, and the Wow has the performance needed for the multi-disciplined, intermediate to advanced kitesurfer.
DRAWBACKS Make sure you have a good working pump as this kite requires more pressure than the average kite. Pump it rock solid to ensure you get all the performance it has to offer.
USERS Riders that want a versatile kite with some ideal wave DNA that slays it in the waves and beyond.
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ELEVEIGHT WS SIZES TESTED(m): 7 / SIZES AVAILABLE (m): 5, 7, 9, 11 / CONTROL SYSTEM: CSeries SYNOPSIS Compact and nimble, smooth through the gusts and great drift and balance for the waves. LIKES The Eleveight brand of kites has stormed onto the scene with some proven kite designs from experienced designer Peter Stiewe. The WS is their wave kite of the four model, lineup and features a 3-strut open C hybrid canopy shape with a medium aspect ratio. Peter and his team of designers haven’t missed any attention to detail on these quality built and engineered designs. The WS proved to be a great kite in the waves, with quick pivotal turns, that are very central which mean little forward pull and light bar pressure. This kite has some of the tightest looping of any wave kite in the test. The WS drift is excellent and balanced for parking and bashing the lip. When needed the WS responds quickly to rider input and can get you into the right spot or out of the wrong one with solid control. The quick pivots let the rider change direction or loop the kite into the area of the window to get some solid turns, down the line. The 7 meter jumped with good lift, control and the kite has the ability to loop
quick, ensuring you can nail those soft landings. Overall, this is a wave kite that can stand in as a general freeride kite or even as a progression model for learning to foil. The WS mid-aspect shapes and wingtip sweep ensure great quick and reliable water relaunch and the overall depower and stability of this kite make it suitable for a broad range of skills and disciplines. Wave riders will love the quick response, the tight loops and the well balanced drift this kite offers.
DRAWBACKS Not as much low end for its size and bar pressure has less feedback than some freeride designs. Larger diameter leading edge makes it less slippery upwind than some.
USERS Intermediate to advanced wave specialists that want a quick turning and tight pivoting kite that can easily adapt for progression in other disciplines.
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Rider: David Tonijuan / Location: Brazil Photographer: Andre Magaro David Tonijuan gets steezy on the F-One WTF. Style like this was enough to propel Tonijuan to a third place finish at the Virgin World Championships in 2015.
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LEFT: The Gorge’s Fred Hope knows how to go large on the Slingshot Ghost Whisperer foil. Adam Lapierre photo RIGHT: King of the GoPro, Florida’s Damien LeRoy. LeRoy photo
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Four time Triple-S champion, Sam Light, gets in some Jurassic Park style training. Andre Magaro photo
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Canada’s Craig Cunningham impresses in the Gorge. Bromwich photo
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BC’S BIGGEST, BEST AND MOST SEASONED KITE SHOP ASK US ABOUT LOCAL KITEBOARDING LESSONS
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LET’S GET HIGH: BOOST FEST 2017
SKY SOLBACH TALKS SURF DESIGN
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Hardshells / Twin Tips / Kites & Freeride Foil boards
BEACH CULTURE
Paula Rosales in the Philippines. Frankie Bees photo
Coconut Cam That night they came up with a plan. They would keep it simple, no fancy gear; they would take down a GoPro, two batteries and a coconut to see what they could create. The results will amaze you. Wipeout The big wave spot Peahi, more commonly called Jaws, is located on Maui’s North Shore. Whenever Jaws breaks, Patri McLaughlin is there. We talked to Patri about wipeouts, how to avoid them and, if necessary, how to handle it. The Philippines Experience Hailing from the Philippines, Paula Rosales shared our passion for exploration and a desire to share the beauty of her home country. The potential of being the first kiters to ride locations had her Naish teammates chomping at the bit.
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Shaper’s Corner Sky Solbach made his first board at the age of 15, and for the last eight years this Maui local has been responsible for the surfboard designs at North Kiteboarding. With more than 25,000 designed boards sold, he is one of the most successful shapers of the past ten years. We talk to the 34-year-old about how CAD design assists with his hand-finished shapes. Plus: Mid-season releases tested, behind the scenes at the 2018 Triple-S, Peer Pressure, Tools of the Trade and more.
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FREE RIDE
XO SWITCHBLADE
XO
Performance Freeride / Big Air
Freestyle / Freeride
Skylar Lickle James Boulding
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See all the new gear at cabrinhakites.com
