Kiteworld Magazine Issue #77 by Kiteworld Magazine

KW #77

U N L E AS H E D ! 2 0 1 6 F I R ST R E L E AS E S A N D A H Y D R O F O I L BU Y E R’ S G U I D E

M A G A Z I N E HANDS OFF MY WORLD TOUR (AGAIN) • 2016 HEADS-UP • MAURITIUS • BOOST TUNING • DEATH OF FORMULA

ISSUE

AS RIDERS CONTINUE TO SMASH THE IMPOSSIBLE AND Q UA R R E L S E X P L O D E I N T H E C O M P E T I T I O N B AC K R O O M S , K I T E B O A R D I N G I S N ’ T Y E T R E A D Y T O B E B O X E D U P…

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CONTENTS

I C O N T E N T S

REGULARS:

FEATURES:

022 > EDITORIAL

072 > PUTTING THE KNIFE IN Foil racing is undeniably going to be the biggest form of racing to come out of kitesurfing. However, five exciting days in Italy might have saved Formula racing from the brink of death as it continues to be the only hope for kitesurfing’s Olympic inclusion - in the next decade at least. After nine days of ruthless racing, Ian MacKinnon assesses the battlefield after Hangloose Beach staged round two of the 2015 Kite Foil Gold Cup series and then, immediately after, the gritty Formula World Championships

028 > GALLERY SUBJECT: SPACE 040 > MOST WANTED A heads-up on some of the 2016 equipment bombs that have dropped

050 > SPY NETWORK The news features the debut of the Hood River Slider Jam, Francisco’s 874 kilometres of non-stop kiting in 48 hours and more

078 > THE KITEWORLD FOIL FINDER Even just a year ago you had to join a long queue if you wanted to get yourself a good foil from one of only a handful of mostly custom manufacturers. Now there are stacks of options and the price is starting to drop a little. You can check a selection out here

060 > READERS’ GALLERY Push the button, send us your snaps and you could find yourself here!

062 > AARON AIRS A rider’s perspective on the public debacle that the 2015 world freestyle tour has become, from the five time World Champion

084 > RIDE AND PREJUDICE In a sport with seemingly limitless possibilities, why would you want to box yourself in to just one small corner? Matt Pearce asks, ‘What kind of kiteboarder are you?’ And, ‘Does it matter?’

064 > MARK MY WORDS Mark Shinn bought a foil, grew a goatie and had an adventurous swim

066 > THE SNAP

100 > ONCE IN A LIFETIME? More and more people are making the dream trip to Mauritius a reality. Jim Gaunt takes on the onerous task of checking out a fully loaded trip to three different destinations on the island. The things this guy does for this mag. Someone get him a medal...

In his regular photography column John Bilderback guides us under the ocean surface and explains how he negotiates his way to capture incredible shots of prolific surfers in heavy surf

094 > GOING OFF-SET Many scientists and researchers believe that some of the eco-systems found in our oceans are now being pushed to breaking point - if they’re not already past the point of no return. In our third feature in this series focussed on sustainability in relation to kitesurfing, Matt Pearce filters the truth from the oceanic garbage

116 > THE TARIFA STRAPLESS PRO Caroline Morris is taking on a series of new kitesurfing experiences for Kiteworld. This issue she checks out the Tarifa Strapless Pro in Tarifa, hosted by Jaime Herraiz and North Kiteboarding

130 > MARC JACOBS’ 7PS OF POWER Give your own performance a nitrous injection with the powerhouse of freestyle kiteboarding, Marc Jacobs

110 > RESORT REPORT: LANGEBAAN Caroline Morris escapes to the lagoon that lies in a beautiful nature reserve 90 minutes north of Cape Town

124 > TESTS The test team has a new recruit to help rinse the 2016 Airush Union, Liquid Force Wow and the Ocean Rodeo Flite kites

134 > GOING WITH THE FLOW Ruben Lenten on channeling your performance mojo

138 > IMPROVING YOUR MAXIMUM BOOST POTENTIAL And feeding your Woo addiction with Lewis Crathern

132 > MOTOR DRIVE Colleen Carroll guides you through the key skills for the very appealing back roll to revert (toe-side) with a tail grab

142 > LET’S GET PEARCED Exercises to increase your mobility, to help you tweak your moves more stylishly and be better able to survive a heavy hit

152 > BKC 2015 NEWS Popping the champagne in Hunstanton as the British Kitesurfing Championships concludes in association with Kiteworld. We also look ahead to the Virgin Kitesurfing Armada and 2015 UK Kitesurfing Industry Awards

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SUBSCRIBE AND WIN! This issue we have a Switch Element kite up for grabs!

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COVER > Roots manoeuvre. Brandon Scheid at the Hood River Slider Jam â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an event staged by the riders, for the riders PHOTO > Andre Magarao CONTENTS > Grenadines play-space for Tom Court, Colleen Carroll and Toby Bromwich PHOTO > Toby Bromwich / North

022

COLUMN

EDITORIAL

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN iteboarding has developed so quickly in its many

riders dropping Formula in favour of foil competition. A

the tour were an embarrassment for the sport. In fact, to

styles and applications, yet there’s an irony at play

considerable number have completely dropped Formula

give you an idea of time-frame on the eve of the Germany

here. Like a blossoming plant in your garden, the

racing – they say just can’t go back to it after the foiling

event, yesterday I read another statement from the IKA

faster the offshoots grow, the harder it is to keep the whole

sensation and the increased speed. Interestingly, many of

claiming that ISAF have just confirmed that the IKA have the

package pruned and healthy. And with the current difficulties

the young riders are doing both and preventing Formula

sole rights to hold the World Championships, and that ISAF

in both racing and freestyle disciplines, the problem has

from dying off completely; they have time on their side and

no longer grant that permission to Virgin. This morning I

never been so evident.

will be in their prime if / when Formula makes it into the

have a statement from the ‘Virgin Kitesurfing World

Olympics in 2020.

Championships’ saying that ISAF have awarded them

Let me explain. Firstly, racing. Some don’t care if kitesurfing gets into the Olympics. Personally, I think it would

Ian MacKinnon was with us at the Formula Worlds in Italy

special event status, ‘similar to the America’s Cup’

be an amazing boost, helping us reach out to the masses

– a keen kiter who - among other journalism roles – used to

apparently. That would mean they wouldn’t be crowning a

currently unaware that a sport called kitesurfing has been

be the Southeast Asia correspondent for national UK

World Champion, but let’s see. What a mess this has been.

invented. Talk about exposure potential. And currently, it’s

newspapers such as the Independent and Guardian. He

Hopefully it can quickly be cleared up so that we can just

most likely that kitesurf racing will be the discipline that’ll

has an incredible nose for sniffing out a story and vividly

get on with enjoying seeing the best riders compete on a

successfully claim one of the International Sailing

dissecting it. He also loves the nitty gritty of racing politics

secure and progressive tour.

Federation’s Olympic slots – in the next decade at least.

as well as the strategy. His feature is a riveting read,

However, the current situation is just so complicated (this is kiteboarding, so hardly a surprise there). Foiling really caught on just as Formula racing had started to regain the

What we are sure of, however, is that when completely

whatever you think of racing. Putting The Knife in is on

stripped back and allowed to breath on its own,

page 72.

kiteboarding is still the most incredible activity and

Politics aside - once you see a good rider on a foil, you’re

spectacle. Recent events where the riders who really care

ground it lost after it was dropped from the Olympics two

going to want one. At first they feel frantic but soon become

about the sport took it upon themselves to organise their

years ago and windsurfing was suddenly reinstated (sadly,

smooth, quick and effortless. They’re breaking world racing

own events with no call for outside sponsors, put on their

not the only embarrassing organisational cock-up I’ll mention

records under the right feet and perhaps in the end will

own media, their own awards and built their own features,

on this page).

shine the brightest light of all on kiteboarding in the future.

especially in the case of the Hood River Slider Jam,

Who would have said that about racing before? This is only

produced incredible results. Read about that on page 50.

committee to even consider it. They were happy with

the beginning, but on page 78 we present an overview of

The rewards transcend the boardroom and take a

Formula – the gear is very similar for everyone as it has to

the current foils on the market for all ability levels.

kiteboarder to appreciate.

But foiling is still way too experimental for the Olympic

be registered and measured and it’s much more evenly

And what’s been happening in the freestyle competition

We’re always in such a hurry in life to sell ourselves and

about rider skill. In foiling, turn up with the latest new

world? The promise of this year’s Virgin Kitesurfing World

to achieve. There will come a day when this sport really

development and the game can move into your hands...

Championships first season was a mouthwatering prospect

blows up internationally but, for now, let’s just enjoy things

if you can stay on the thing.

with six of the world’s most exciting competition freestylers

for what they are – these are the golden days as John

In essence, kitesurfing is tripping itself up on its way to

all fit and eager to compete at the same time. Big brands

Bilderback keeps telling me after his 30 years experience

the Olympics. Right when it needed consolidation among its

were apparently pouring money and event expertise in...

shooting top level surfing – as kitesurfing gets better and

ranks to just fine tune what was already there, along came

how could it fail?

presents new potential with every session.

foiling – all fast, effortless and with more sass and excitement to steal the arm of the pretty girl at the dance. It’s hard to catch something that doesn’t want to be caught. And now there’s a big shift in the older, experienced

Sadly, there has rarely been a steady flow of media from the events and the schedule, even now, is still not

So who cares what you’re riding? Just get out there, smash it and enjoy it! The rewards will come.

completely nailed down for the remainder of the season. The public fracas in the last couple of months over apparent

See you on the water,

breaches of contract and squabbles over the rights to run

Jim

023

“IN ESSENCE, KITESURFING IS TRIPPING ITSELF UP ON ITS WAY TO THE OLYMPICS. RIGHT WHEN IT NEEDED CONSOLIDATION AMONG ITS RANKS TO JUST FINE TUNE WHAT WAS ALREADY THERE, ALONG CAME FOILING – ALL FAST, EFFORTLESS AND WITH MORE SASS AND EXCITEMENT TO STEAL THE ARM OF THE PRETTY GIRL AT THE DANCE.”

CAPTION > Keahi de Aboitiz, surfing with a kite, Hawaii. Fast forward to after kitesurfing has been in the Olympics: even if racing isn’t the best projection of the sport in many people’e eyes, the word ‘kitesurfing’ will move into the greater conscience and there’s more chance of people coming across Ruben’s mega loops, or Keahi’s barrels, or Francisco Lufinha’s world records (more on him on page 56) PHOTO > John Bilderback

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MASTHEAD

I M A S T H E A D

EDITOR JIM GAUNT > jim@kiteworldmag.com

ART DIRECTOR IAN ROXBURGH > Ian@design147.com

TECHNICAL EDITORS CHRIS BULL, JIM GAUNT, MATT PEARCE and NEAL GENT

INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING JAMES ‘STAN’ STANLEY > stan@kiteworldmag.com DANIELE GAUNT > dan@kiteworldmag.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JOHN BILDERBACK YDWER VAN DER HEIDE CHRISTIAN BLACK

ASSISTANT EDITOR MATT PEARCE > matt@kiteworldmag.com

DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT CRAIG SAWYER > craig@kiteworldmag.com

TEA BOY HUGH MILLER > hugh@kiteworldmag.com ADVERTISING PRODUCTION: 328 MEDIA SUBSCRIPTIONS: subs@kiteworldmag.com CORE SHOP DISTRIBUTION: core@kiteworldmag.com ACCOUNTS: admin@kiteworldmag.com PUBLISHER: 328 MEDIA LTD

CONTRIBUTORS ANDRE MAGARAO, TOBY BROMWICH, JOHN BILDERBACK, JENS HOGENKAMP, LANCE KOUDELE, PASCAL BOULGAKOW, RYAN TAYLOR, YDWER VAN DER HEIDE, FINN BEHRENS, QUINCY DEIN, COLLEEN CARROLL, FRANCISCO LUFINHA, AARON HADLOW, MARK SHINN, IAN MACKINNON, ICARUS SAILING MEDIA, RICK JENSEN, GILLES CALVET, SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE, CAROLINE MORRIS, KEAHI DE ABOITIZ, MARC JACOBS, RUBEN LENTEN, LEWIS CRATHERN

HEAD OFFICE KITEWORLD MAGAZINE 5 ST GEORGE’S PLACE, BRIGHTON, EAST SUSSEX, BN1 4GA, UNITED KINGDOM EMAIL: INFO@KITEWORLDMAG.COM TEL: +44 (0) 1273 808601 FAX: +44 (0) 5600 655815

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#girlslovenobile

#nobile

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www.nobilekiteboarding.com SHOP ONLINE: shop.nobilesports.com

Earth & Spaces Collection 2016

028

UP-FRONT

GALLERY

G A L L E R Y

CAPTION – MATTHIAS LARSON IS A PROFESSIONAL MODEL. THAT’S NOT OBVIOUS IN THIS SHOT PHOTO – JENS HOGENKAMP

CAPTION – COLLEEN CARROLL AFTER A HOOD RIVER SEASON OF SLIDE > PHOTO – LANCE KOUDELE

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G A L L E RY # 7 7

S U B J E C T:

S PAC E

S PA C E . N . 1 . A M P L I T U D E , A R E A , A R E N A . 2 . C A P A C I T Y, D I S T A N C E , E X P A N S E . 3 . L O C A T I O N , P L A Y, S P O T. 4 . T E R R I T O R Y, T U R F, Z O N E .

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UP-FRONT

GALLERY

G A L L E R Y

CAPTION – GAUTHIER ALGHISI, LAUTARET PASS, ‘LES TROIS EVÊCHÉS’, JANUARY 2015 PHOTO – BOULGAKOW / HQ POWERKITES

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CAPTION – BRANDON BOWE’S SPATIAL AWARENESS ON HIGH ALERT IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS PHOTO – RYAN TAYLOR

032

UP-FRONT

GALLERY

CAPTION – KEAHI DE ABOITIZ FINDING PLENTY LEFT TO WORK WITH PHOTO – CABRINHA

G A L L E R Y

CAPTION – RUBEN VERSLUIS. SCARBOROUGH, SOLO. CAPE TOWN PHOTO – YDWER VAN DER HEIDE / BRUNOTTI

I CAPTION – MADS WOLLESEN, JIB ZONE, SØNDERBORG, DENMARK PHOTO – FINN BEHRENS

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UP-FRONT

GALLERY

I G A L L E R Y

CAPTION – OLI PALMERS, HARDANGERVIDAA, NORWAY, MARCH 2015. THE SNOW SEASON BECKONS AGAIN PHOTO – BOULGAKOW / HQ POWERKITES

I CAPTION – TOBIAS HOLTER. WHEN YOU HAVE SPACE, YOU HAVE TIME PHOTO – ANDRE MAGARAO

CAPTION – JESSE RICHMAN NEGOTIATING A TIGHT SPOT PHOTO – QUINCY DEIN / NAISH

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GEAR

MOST

WANTED

MOST WANTED <<

INTRO > THE 2016 GEAR DROP HAS BEGUN. HERE ARE SOME NEW PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE SOON TO BE HEADING YOUR WAY

CABRINHA

Cabrinha launched their 2016 full line-up in July and there have been some interesting changes. The Radar and the infamous Switchblade kites have both been reworked to produce even more low end power, while the Drifter - Cab’s dedicated wave kite - has been tweaked to deliver greater slack line drift and increased depower for a pure surf feel in the waves. The FX and Chaos freestyle kites both benefit from faster turning speeds and extra trimming options. The surfboard and twin-tip ranges are improved too, redesigned with stiffer flex patterns in the Caliber and Ace and enhanced edge control, pop and robustness for the CBL wakestyle board thanks to a brand new outline and P-Tex base. Cab’s tight but effective surfboard line also continues to offer something for everyone with the Proto and Phenom retaining high-performance riding characteristics, while the Secret Weapon provides a more freestyle friendly ride and feel that anyone can enjoy in any kind of waves. ww.cabrinhakites.com

F-ONE

F-One have themed their 2016 launch and incredible new video around the theme, 'Color Your Ride' and it's clear to see why! The core of the kite line is still the Bandit, which has been revamped for the coming year along with a twin-tip range which has also been heavily reengineered, now incorporating F-One’s new Lite Tech technology that makes the boards lighter and more responsive. The twin-tips are also now complemented by F-One’s very own bindings, the Platinum. Changes to the surfboard range include the awesome Mitu Pro model now being available in a number of new sizes and with each board sporting unique, hand-painted artwork in a variety of colour combos. The Signature surfboard is also now available in new sizes and F-One are also making a foray into the foil market with the kite foil - which can be paired with the brand new Diablo foil kite for world beating foil or race performance, as Maxime Nocher ably demonstrated when he stormed to victory at the recent Kite Foil Gold Cup in Italy. www.f-onekites.com

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CRAZYFLY

Made in Europe and brand new for 2016 is the Hexa - Crazyfly’s new binding system, featuring a wide array of adjustment options that allow you to find maximum comfort and ultimate fit. The foot strap position can be adjusted via the Quattro Stix, which allows it to be moved towards the heel or the toes, while the angle of the binding is also easily adjustable. Huge levels of comfort come from the Heel Suspension Infix with triple density EVA foam. All this is topped off with an outdoor performance leather finish that is heavily resistant to abrasion, sun damage and salt water. www.crazyflykites.com

FLYSURFER

MANERA

Manera have launched a huge range that includes wetsuits, harnesses, baggage, apparel and even kitesurf-specific board wax that is sure to turn a few heads. Manera’s wetsuit is designed in two different types; the Magma and X10D - both are available in 5/4/3 and 4/3 thicknesses and are built using Tripl3x neoprene with SD2 taped seams, ensuring the suit is watertight without hindering movement. The EXO harness is ergonomically designed using Manera’s Nest Foam and Cocoon Concept construction to ensure it offers the ultimate in fit and comfort and won’t lose its’ supportive shape after multiple heavy sessions. The seamless neoprene hip area eliminates friction on the skin when being worn without a wetsuit. Manera’s new line also includes an impact vest, board leashes and a stylish selection of apparel for on and off the beach with a wide array of travel luggage. Board sleeves finish off this very varied collection of accessories.

The SONIC FR (Full Race) is an all out racing machine optimised for competition with merciless performance on water, land or snow. Extreme lift and hang-time with relentless speed and upwind ability are combined with sophisticated handling in a unique super high aspect-ratio, closed-cell, ram-air foil kite. Constructed from the most optimised fabrics, the Sonic FR delivers maximum performance, minimum weight and incredible stability. Designed in conjunction with the best hydrofoiling and snowkite athletes, Flysurfer have been able to produce their most powerful and performance oriented race kite yet. The kite has delivered results already too - at the Kite Foil Gold Cup in Italy, as we witnessed regular bullets registered throughout the tournament. SIZES: 18, 15, 11 and 9m www.flysurfer.com

www.manera.com

MYSTIC

Updated for 2016 with a funky all-over print to help you feel even more at one with the sea life, Mystic’s poncho is an easy to use and discrete portable changing room that doubles as a comfy towel to relax in after your session. A definite must have for preserving your dignity when getting changed in the middle of a busy car park and for keeping the chill off after your session as the autumn closes in. If you haven’t used a poncho yet, then for such a simple creation, they really are wonderful and make getting changed in colder conditions a vast amount more pleasant. www.mysticboarding.com

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MOST

WANTED

NAISH

It’s always interesting to see what Naish will bring to the table at this time of year and, with one of the biggest product lines in the business, they rarely disappoint. The Park HD remains a dependable, user-friendly freestyle machine with crisp bar feel and unreal lift (KW tester Chris Bull led the Woo hang-time standings during our Cape Town test sessions with this kite last year) while the Torch has retained its’ freestyle thoroughbred status for another year with a reduced leading edge taper for greater stability and depower. The Pivot remains Naish’s dedicated wave kite with rapid handling and incredible drift ability for downthe-line wave riding. Meanwhile the Alana offers a similar ride feel but has been tweaked for female riders’ needs. All the kites are now packing extra reinforcement with reinforced strut zippers and aramid patches on key impact areas to help extend the lifetime of the kites. The new Radial Load distribution system ensures that loads are spread across the kite’s whole canopy to decrease wear and tear on specific areas which further increases the kites’ durability. Naish have also performed upgrades to their twin-tips and directionals for course. Find info on all that and more at: www.naishkites.com

NORTH

Never to rest on their laurels, North have made some big changes to what was already an immense product line with revisions being made to both the kite and board ranges. Even some of their most well established ranges have been taken back to the drawing board - the Evo for example has been transformed into a three-strut kite with an increased wind range while the tried and tested Rebel, Vegas and Neos have all seen some effective alterations too, further improving handling and ease-of-use. The twin-tip line has had no expense spared on it with several of the boards radically redesigned and now benefiting from North’s Textreme carbon fibre construction for improved flex patterns and decreased weight. The addition of new Quattro-V and double concave bottom shapes give the more high performance boards increased speed and pop. Reworks in the surfboard line include the ever-popular WAM that sports an entirely new outline and the super fun strapless freestyle-specific Nugget - now a full two inches shorter and toughened for the demands of freestyle trickery! More at: www.northkites.com

SCULP 5m m / 7m / 8m / 9m / 10m / 11m / 12m / 13m / 14m FREERIDE/FREESTYLE.

One world. One kite.

CRAZYFLYKITES.COM | CRAZYFLYSHOP.COM North America - distributor: Pksdiist stri ribution.com, Corpus Christi, TX , info@pksdistribution.com

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BEST KITEBOARDING

Best Kiteboarding have just announced the launch of their all-new Roca kite. The remit for the kite was for plenty of power and yet it needed to be playful and versatile; basically, it’s a kite for any rider looking for limitless freeride fun in a wide range of conditions. Developed in Portugal in challenging Atlantic conditions, the Roca design team reckon they have found predictable performance with awesome ‘boost-ability’ and impressive wave riding credentials thanks to its responsive turning, direct bar pressure and drift capabilities. The Roca also has an impressive low end for light wind antics and a big wind range, so is aimed at riders looking to make the most of very changeable conditions, while the quick, dependable relaunch ticks the box for every rider, getting you back up and riding quickly when it counts. www.bestkiteboarding.com

LIQUID FORCE

Announcing their 2016 range just before we hit the print button, LF have made changes across their product line-up and have introduced some totally new kit, too. Rather than releasing all their new products at once, LF are now working to an 18 month release programme so that the gear comes out when it’s ready and isn’t rushed to completion. The Envy has long been one of their most popular kites and has undergone changes for 2016, which include the use of less Dacron for reduced weight and more adjustability over handling and turning speed. The Solo has been reworked as the Solo V2 and LF’s extensive board range has also been tweaked. Expect an entirely new surfboard range, featuring the exclusive Ultraflex construction that reduces weight while keeping the boards extremely durable. The twin-tips have all been on a diet, now produced using less resin and materials without compromising performance and durability, plus each model now features profiled cores for optimum performance and minimal weight. There are whispers of two new foils due for release in September 2015 in conjunction with Laird Hamilton’s foil shaper, Mike Murphy. (Check their current foils on page 79.) Plus look out for the foil kite that they have in the works, too! www.liquidforcekites.com

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GEAR

MOST

WANTED

OZONE Ozone have made the Chrono’s high performance a little easier to reach for the more advanced rider who wants an all-terrain kite that can perform in a range of conditions and environments. The Chrono V2 features increased stability and ease of inflation, thicker sheathed Dyneema bridle lines to reduce tangles and the kite comes in a whole new range of sizes to cover even the most challenging of conditions. If floaty jumps, light wind riding and land kiting (be that on sand or snow) are your thing, then the Chrono V2 should be on your must-check-out list. The Reo made its first appearance in Ozone’s line up in 2012 as a dedicated wave kite. The V3 model is still designed with even higher levels of pure wave riding performance in mind, having undergone some integral changes. There’s also a new four metre size option. What remains as the hallmarks of the kite are the ever-impressive drift ability and the intuitive, rapid response steering characteristics that make the Reo V3 an awesome ride in either onshore slop or barreling point breaks. The Ozone control system has been refurbished with soft bar ends to ensure that you don’t damage your surfboard with it during a wipeout, so it’s safe to say this kite has been designed with pure surf as its’ highest priority. SIZES: 12, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and 4m www.flyozone.com

PROLIMIT The new 6/4 Mercury suit will help you get out for sessions this winter no matter how cold. Full neolight neoprene and triple glued blindstitched construction in conjunction with FTM seams ensure you have a durable suit with a flexible fit that will keep the cold water out. Neo quickdry lining helps the suit dry off as quickly as possible after your session. Three colours schemes available: navy, grey or burgundy. The Kitewaist Pro is a top-end pre-curve, moulded waist harness with optimised moulded support and a higher back and side profile for more body contact and greater adjustability thanks to double buckles and multiple duracore straps. Comfortable and supportive, the Kitewaist Pro also comes with ProLimit’s patented pin release FAT bar safety system, multiple leash connectors, a kiteknife and a car-key front pocket. www.prolimit.com

SLINGSHOT Three new kites were launched by Slingshot back in late June – included in the update were the 2016 Rally and Fuel and introduced to the line-up was the all new Wave SST. Featuring a compact-C canopy and compact direct-connect bridal that looks like a cross between an RPM and a Rally, it’s the kite for anyone serious about taking their wave skills to the next level. Constructed with Slingshot’s bombproof construction, the Wave SST is sturdy enough to take a pounding, but light enough to track magically downwind, downloops on a dime and whips across the window at a flick of the wrist. Although built especially for surf, the Wave SST is outstanding for strapless freeriders and the rapidly growing sector of foilboarders looking for an easy kite with featherlight feel. The 2016 Compstick bar is now available with an above-the-bar cleat trim and there are new boards too – including special Sam Light and Karolina Winkowska pro models - called the Refraction. Insane graphics across the range as usual from Alex Fox and there are 2016 upgrades for the Tyrant, Screamer, Angry Swallow and Celeritas surfboards. All the goods at: www.slingshotsports.com

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WANTED

STARKITES The Cabarete based company has a brand new design for 2016 - a landmark for them as their first freestyle oriented C kite. The Sirius is a freestyle kite with a difference thanks to multiple rigging options that allow for two totally different styles of riding. Riders can choose from a conventional C-kite style ride feel or a hybrid profile which allows the kite to utilise its entire bridle system for extra depower and freeride performance. There’s also an optional fifth line attachment for riders who want the ultimate in freestyle performance - so whatever level of freestyle performance you’re looking for, the Sirius has a set-up for you. SIZES: 12, 10, 9 and 7m www.starkites.com

WEATHERFLOW / PKS WeatherFlow Wind and Weather Meters are pocket-sized anemometers that capture highly accurate wind and weather measurements that you can then read from either your iPhone or Android phone using Weatherflow’s free WindMeter app. Just plug your wind or weather meter into your phone’s audio jack, or connect via Bluetooth, and you can view accurate readings on anything from wind speed and direction to air pressure, wind chill and more - so you need never rig the wrong kite again! www.pksdistribution.com

SWITCH The all new Legacy is a premium freestyle C kite with the usability of a modern day freeride kite, presenting performance that anyone can enjoy. As a five or optional six line C kite, it has the stability, line slack and predictability of a C kite combined with the relaunch, 100% depower and a light bar pressure that you expect and appreciate from your SLE kite. The Legacy will help your kids practice doubles like the pros, you will appreciate the smooth and delightful handling during kite loops and your dad will be cruising with a big grin on his face, reminiscing the evolution of the sport. Marc Jacobs reckons it's also so good for top level freestyle that he can land his doubles even when his take-off isn't perfect. SIZES: 14, 12, 10 and 8m. www.switchkites.com

Find more detailed nitty gritty on the latest releases in the ‘gear’ specific news section at: www.kiteworldmag.com

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HOOD RIVER SLIDER JAM THE

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INTRO > THE WAKESTYLE CORE TOOK TO THE WORKSHOP FLOOR TO CREATE A PARK STYLE EVENT IN HOOD RIVER. NO FRILLS, NO FUSS - JUST A PASSION FOR PRESSINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WORDS > COLLEEN CARROLL

CAPTION > Carroll PHOTO > Koudele

CAPTION > Cunningham PHOTO > Magarao

051

“

IT QUICKLY BECAME OBVIOUS WHICH RIDERS WHERE ACCUSTOMED TO RIDING SKETCHY ‘BACKYARD’ BUILT SLIDERS; THEIR LACK OF HESITATION REWARDED WITH HIGH SCORES FROM THEIR PEERS.

”

nce the infamous Triple-S wrapped up in June, Rich Sabo, Brandon Scheid, Craig Cunningham and I made our annual east to west cross-country trek to Hood River in Oregon. There’s now an ever-growing crew of park riding talent there and insane progression goes down daily at the Hood River Slider Project Park. International transplants together with born and bred locals are more motivated than ever to kite in the park and it was obvious that we were all itching for more! We knew it was time to follow through with plans we’d talked over in the last three years after the last Ro Sham Throwdown in 2012. We met at my house and over a few beers came with a game plan. There were only a few weeks before we planned to have the event, so there was no time for fancy event announcements or detailed organisation, but that was just the way we wanted it. It may sound cliché but we truly wanted to create an event by the riders, for the riders. The next day we sent a Facebook message to all the riders on the Triple-S invite list and invited them out to The Hood. We knew many of them wouldn’t be able to make it out in the short timeline, but that was fine as wanted to keep it small for the first year; let the riders get their hands dirty, give input and make changes as we go. We also wanted to open the door for a few lesser-known riders who had recently been turning heads in the park and did so by hosting an Instagram video contest, which granted three additional places.

In little more time than it takes to sink two pints, we had kicked off the making of the first ever Hood River Slider Jam. What unfolded was better than any of us could have expected. Riders showed up ready to push their boundaries on the water, roll up their sleeves between sessions to build new features, lend a hand with cameras and in general do whatever was needed doing to make the event a success. The format was relatively simple and conducive to progressive riding throughout the week. Starting with the ‘Tech’ and ‘Line’ sections - using only the existing park structures - allowed riders to showcase their most technical tricks, firstly by hitting one feature at a time and then followed by a consecutive run through the park to place three solid scores for each feature in one non-stop ‘line’. It was apparent in these early sessions that, while the atmosphere on the water was one of a lighthearted shred-fest of friends riding together, everyone was attempting their toughest tricks and constantly trying to one up the other athletes on the water. We then moved on to the crux of the event - the section of riding we had been preparing for during the entire week and one of the real driving forces behind the event in the first place. The ‘Build Section’ took place on the penultimate day of the holding period after we waited for the best wind of the week. The new obstacles had been designed and built collectively by everyone involved in the event and the anticipation amongst the riders was through the roof to get these new creations in the water.

CAPTION > Brandon PHOTO > Bromwich

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It quickly became obvious which riders were accustomed to riding sketchy ‘backyard’ built sliders like these; their lack of hesitation being rewarded with high scores from their peers which were calculated during the video showing the next evening. Standouts from the day were veteran park riders Brandon Scheid, Sam Medysky, Sam Light and Craig Cunningham. Each consistently executed committed and stylish hits on every new set-up, impressing the onlooking crowds and other riders.

CAPTION > Medysky PHOTO > Magarao

OVERALL HRSJ 2015 RESULTS: 1st Brandon Scheid 2nd Sam Light 3rd Sam Medysky BEST BEST BEST BEST

RAIL HIT: Craig Cunningham KICKER HIT: Sam Light LINE: Brandon Scheid CRASH: Aymeric Martin

THE LIGHT FANTASTIC INTRO > MORE INSIGHTS FROM TRIPLES S THREE-TIME OVERALL CHAMPION, SAM LIGHT

CAPTION > Light PHOTO > Magarao

e have to be the ones to take responsibility for the future of our sport, for park riding in particular, and pull together to make it happen. The whole event relied on everyone taking part, getting a wetsuit on and wading out into the freezing cold water to adjust rails. Everyone did everything for free, even Steven Borja the videographer who filmed every trick so we could do video judging. We also had Toby Bromwich and Andre Magarao, two of the best photographers in the industry who just wanted to help out. I think that’s what created a cool atmosphere as things always get complicated when you add money. People always ask how you can throw yourself at a sketchy rail, but it’s all about stepping stones; building up your skill set slowly through repetition. Experience is all relative, so it doesn’t matter whether your learning your first board starts, hitting your first rail or trying your first double half cab; it all feels good when you succeed. It’s that feeling of accomplishment that keeps us pushing. Kiteboarding can be difficult to line that magical session up perfectly, and for park riding it’s even harder – more technical and with more variables. But when it all comes together, you just can’t beat it!

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NOCHER STRIKES AGAIN IN SAN FRANCISCO Spanning four days from 30th July to 2nd August, the third round of the Kite Foil Gold Cup event took place in San Francisco with yet another action packed schedule of foil racing and a field of 69 kiters. The home of many elite sailing competitions, the San Francisco Yacht Club is iconic in the sailing world. It was, however, Maxime Nocher from Monaco who stole the show, making it back-to-back wins for him (on top of the Formula World Championships) and he came out on top with a huge lead over the rest of the field. (Read more about his exploits at the previous round in Italy in this issue’s ‘Putting The Knife In’ feature on page 72). The fourth and final round takes place in Townsville, Australia from 8 - 13th October www.kitefoilgoldcup.com

BATTLE FOR THE LAKE

LEN10 WORKOUT APP Want to ride like Ruben? Then check out his new app with carefully selected, kiteboarding specific exercises to enhance strength, mobility and explosiveness on the water. Utilising just your bodyweight and with no equipment needed, Ruben’s app provides progressive, challenging exercises that can be tailored to your ability to help improve your physical condition and avoid injuries while pushing your riding. We were surprised to learn that this app also won’t help you become a better DJ, though. Perhaps that will feature as an update? Either way, you’ll be looking pretty ripped by the end of a season if you keep this up! Search the App Store and Google Play bitches!

Building on the success of the ‘Battle of...’ series of events that are getting huge cred from those that the attend them, the Pure Magic crew is about to hit the Irish Kiteboarding scene hard with their second event of the year. This year’s event marks their fifth anniversary and takes place on Achill Island on the west coast with the theme, ‘Burning Lake’, and will be a pure freestyle event with a Stand Up Paddleboard series, two music stages, food and kids’ villages, a fire show and onsite camping. It will be intense and more than just a kiteboarding competition - it’s a celebration of watersports and all the latest updates on the event can be found on their Facebook page and the event website: www.battleforthelake.com

KITEWORLDWIDE SAFARIS

DAVE TYBURSKI JOINS OZONE Ozone has a new addition to their management team with Dave Tyburski now taking up the reins as Sales and Marketing Agent for the USA. Dave has a long history in kiteboarding and has been involved in the sport since the very beginning, with countless riding hours under his belt. Dave has worked as product manager, designer, pro rider, commentator and has navigated other diverse roles in the industry, so we’re sure he’ll be an excellent addition to the expanding international team and a great ambassador for Ozone and the sport. www.ozonekites.com

KiteWorldWide have added yet another location to their impressive portfolio of ultimate kiting holiday destinations that they operate kite safaris in. Atins in northeast Brazil is their latest destination and has expansive flat water lagoons, pristine beaches and they operate no more than eight guests on each tour, so you won’t be jostling for position out on the water. Each day you’ll kite along the coastline followed by a 4x4 truck allowing you to explore large flat water lagoons and superb wave spots under a watchful safety eye. www.kiteworldwide.com

SURFIN SEM FIM Surfin Sem Fim run complete downwinder packages in Brazil from July to January, offering the chance to ride hundreds of kilometres along Brazil’s incredible coastline, experiencing nature, incredible spots and staying in beautiful posadas at night. Pro rider support includes the likes of Mitu Monteiro and Keahi di Aboitiz! If you’re looking for a real adventure, they do some huge journeys as well as shorter quick hits, so take a look! www.surfinsemfim.com.br

Filter news, gear, videos, travel destinations and more by your specific interests at www.kiteworldmag.com It’s 24/7 kiteboarding heaven, yo! KW

WHAT’S WRONG WITH KITEWORLD? Last issue we reviewed sample foot-strap and pad systems made by SP Boarding that are very unique in that they’re available in a huge range of sizes. We mentioned that they are a new company - at least new to you - as their products have only recently launched to the public. But! They have actually been producing windsurfing and watersport accessories since 1988 and list kiting brands such as Shinn, Nobile and Wainman as clients. On top of that they produce pads, bags, covers and more. Shoot the test editor! www.spboarding.com

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INTRO > FRANCISCO LUFINHA, 31, SET A REMARKABLE WORLD RECORD ON 6TH JULY 2015 BY COVERING A GRUELLING 874 KILOMETRES IN 48 HOURS OF NON-STOP KITING. SETTING OFF FROM HIS HOME CITY OF LISBON IN PORTUGAL AND HEADING TO THE MADEIRA ISLANDS IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, THIS IS, AT THE TIME THIS ISSUE WENT TO PRESS, THE FURTHEST DISTANCE THAT HAS EVER BEEN COVERED IN ONE GO BY A KITESURFER. MATT PEARCE GOT THE LOW DOWN ON HIS EPIC UNDERTAKING PHOTOS > Lufinha.com / J Ferrand - MKO

What led to you attempting this? My first oceanic adventure was along the Portuguese coastline in 2013 which was the first world record I set for a single kitesurf journey: 564 kilometers in 29 hours. There were three hours without wind in the middle, which was a pain! I got more sponsors and in 2014 decided to do a crossing between two Portuguese Islands; the Savage Islands to Madeira, which took about 12 hours on an upwind tack. That was my first offshore training ahead of this year’s 1,000 kilometre challenge. I managed to do 874 kilometres non-stop with a support boat that gave me food and water every hour. They passed me the food and I ate it but we never stopped. In the end I did 48 hours non-stop day and night. I’m the first person I know of who has kited through the night without swapping, so it’s a new thing in our sport. How was your body afterwards? I had quite a lot of internal damage but Nunu, my trainer and physiotherapist, took care of me for four days in a row after I finished. The worst areas were my knees after the constant impact, so I’ve been taking ice baths to help recover. Now I only have some bruises on my hands and swollen feet which feel like after the anaesthesia wears off when you’ve been to the dentists. I’m expecting it to have worn off after about a month. How did you prepare? I spent a year preparing. It was difficult finding the right conditions, especially in the winter. I did four hours a day training on land, getting up at 6am to run for an hour, then swam for an hour and then did an hour on an exercise bike

CAPTION > Fransico says that his knees took the brunt of his body’s internal injuries, which isn’t surprising if you imagine dealing with this for 48 hours!

CAPTION > Francisco’s entourage leaves Lisbon before spending an hour doing proprioceptive exercises to improve my balance and build strength in my knees and ankles. I then did a lot of stretching. Depending on the wind I would kite for up to eight hours in the afternoon and then do more stretching. The problem is you can never simulate such a long time on the water and often I would end up swimming back to shore once the wind died. I actually partnered up with the Portuguese Navy who would keep track of me when I was training up to 100 kilometres at a time up- or downwind. I was always in touch with them, they knew where I was via a GPS emitter and I had communications on VHS radio. Training is vital for something like this and I could only manage it thanks to them. What was it that drew you to these challenges? Curiosity at first. My kitesurfing friends suggested kiting the coast for fun and because the wind is always from the north. In the end nobody ever really wanted to do it though, so I decided to do it. That went okay and then it occurred to me that Portugal is small in terms of land, but in terms of sea it’s the fifth biggest in Europe; 97% of Portugal is sea, so I focussed on trying to kitesurf as much of it as I could. I spoke to Mini and approached some other sponsors, too. I’d like to do something in the Azores, but they have very unstable winds and are far from the continent. What kind of advice do you have for someone who might want to try a long distance adventure (albeit slightly smaller)? The first thing is to have the means to be tracked at sea. Whether you go 50, 100 or 200 kilometres, you need to have a GPS tracker. It doesn’t need to be monitored by the Navy but, whether it’s your mother, sister, brother or a friend, they need to be able to track you down. The trackers send your position every ten minutes, which is essential and you can click a button that will send a signal requesting a rescue. Then you need to really study the winds, because

CAPTION > Navy on call and everything went swimmingly... sometimes a little too swimmingly even within 100 kilometres you can experience many different thermal effects that will be crucial for finishing your journey or not. You also need to know there will be wind all the time and take all the protection you can. I’m the typical kiter who never wears a helmet, but if you are out at sea and hit your head on the board it can be just a question of minutes before you die. Did you have any accidents or mishaps? Yes, one in particular was really dangerous. I started in Lisbon at 4pm and finished at about the same time. On the first night the support boat lost me at around 11pm. It was really dark and we were side-by-side averaging 20 knots riding down some rolling waves. I was about 400 metres upwind of the boat when I had a crash, lost my board and ended up being dragged about 40 metres downwind as I was really powered-up on a 13 metre Ozone edge. I was sure the boat hadn’t seen me and was still going in the other direction. I tried a couple of upwind body drags but I still couldn’t see my board or the boat. There was no answer to my VHF or GPS panic alarm. I turned on

VISION

MK4

A L L

T E R R A I N

K I T E

“SIMPLY FUN-TASTIC!” SIZES: 5 • 7 • 9 • 10.5 • 12 • 13.5 • 15

RED/YELLOW/CYAN

BLACK/CYAN/RED

PINK/PURPLE/YELLOW

PHOTO: DAVE WHITE

BLISS

FREERIDE / FREESTYLE BLISS KISS V3 SPECIAL EDITION FOR THE LADIES!

39x135cm

40x136cm

41x137cm

42x138cm

43,5x139cm

39x135cm

40x136cm

www.robertoriccidesigns.com

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CAPTION > In the bag!

“

ON THE FIRST NIGHT THE SUPPORT BOAT LOST ME AT AROUND 11PM. I TRIED A COUPLE OF UPWIND BODY DRAGS BUT I STILL COULDN’T SEE MY BOARD OR THE BOAT. THERE WAS NO ANSWER TO MY VHF OR GPS PANIC ALARM. I TURNED ON MY STROBE LIGHT, BUT THEY DIDN’T SEE THAT AND INSTEAD I STARTED TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT KIND OF CREATURES MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN.

”

CAPTION > Hero’s welcome my strobe light, but they didn’t see that and instead I started to worry about what kind of creatures might be attracted to it in the middle of the ocean. In the end I pulled out my flare gun, which I had only used at parties. I fired it off, luckily they saw that and brought me another board. I took four boards with me, so I could continue, but it was a terrible feeling being in the middle of the ocean with my support boat sailing away from me. I can only imagine! Anything else? On the second day I started to hallucinate from psychological fatigue, which I hadn’t experienced before. I thought I could see the Lisbon Bridge in the reflection of my sunglasses and then, after sunset, I thought the water was covered in algae way out in the middle of the ocean. I thought it was going to grab me and pull me down, but eventually I realised there was nothing there and I could carry on. This continued into the second night which was when the wind dropped and was the worst part of the challenge. My team mates were encouraging me not to quit and to carry on, but even they were falling asleep, so it was really tough. One of the Navy guys told me just to let go, ride in a sort of autopilot state and let my brain have a rest. That was okay but I kept falling asleep; one time I fell fully asleep. The guys on the boat were dozing too and I managed to crash in front of the boat and passed under it before waking up with the hull passing over me. I started screaming and ended up squeezing against one of the engines, which luckily wasn’t running. I was released from the boat after checking I was okay. Before I set off again I thought there was a cartoon whale

CAPTION > The glory near my kite. I asked the guys if they could see it, they couldn’t, so I just carried on. It was really messed up and everything was just fooling around with my brain. What would you like to do next? You mentioned the Azores, but do you have anything concrete planned out? I think I’m pretty much at the limit in terms of breaking these kinds of distance / stamina records. What I would like to do in the Azores is, instead of it being only about me, to create an international competition for people from other countries. The Azores have nine incredible islands and I’d like to do some kind of challenge where you go by land and sea across the islands. That’s my next challenge. Great. And do you think long distance challenges like the one you’ve just done are going to gain popularity or do you think that maybe you just need to be a certain kind of person to want to do something like that - as logistically it’s so difficult?

This kind of challenge is really extreme and you need a lot of support. I had a big team this year with all the communications in place so that I could be on the news, the marketing was all sorted out, the nutritionists, the medic, the mechanic; everyone had to be organised and work together. That takes a lot of people and it’s expensive, so you need big sponsors. What I do see happening that isn’t so extreme however are distances of 100 or 200 kilometres, which still give a great feeling of accomplishment. It’s like running; lots of people run, but this is way more fun! I agree! Do you have anyone you’d like to thank? My main sponsor, Mini, and my Portuguese sponsors, too. Also Ozone who supplied my kites, and Zhik who actually made me a special wetsuit that allowed me to ‘go to the bathroom’ rather than going inside my suit, which was a massive help compared to my first challenge in 2013!

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READERS’ GALLERY Push the button, send photos of yourselves in action and you could win a Cabrinha goody bag, like Russell Farrington this issue who is all about sharing the fun! 1

[1] WINNER – Russell Farrington and nine-year-old Lauren who clearly loved her ride between the piers in Bournemouth this summer. These two will ride anything with a kite – SUPs, dinghys, surfboards... anything they can go tandem on. This time, Russell’s back was good enough for Lauren PHOTO > Matt Dellar

[2] Fabio Ruzzi, One Eye, Mauritius PHOTO > GoPro [3] Tim Nuttall on swell lookout in Cabarete earlier this year PHOTO > GoPro [4] Glyn Britton, Abu Dhabi. Glyn has only been kiting a few months but is loving it. Not surprising with conditions like this! PHOTO > Unknown [5] Zoe Loefstok, 16 years-old at Boca Grande in Aruba. ‘A perfect summer afternoon’ Zoe says, who is another new recruit having only been kiting for three months, and already getting to grips with jumps and transitions PHOTO > Unknown [6] Erik Frang carving up the waves in the summer Tofino heat while Samantha Hill apparently braves the black bears and sunburn on the beach to get the shot! Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada. Dedication! PHOTO > Samantha Hill

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INTRO > IN HIS REGULAR KITEWORLD COLUMN, THE FIVE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION GIVES US HIS INSIDE VIEW ON THE CONTINUING DEBACLE THAT IS THE 2015 WORLD TOUR FREESTYLE COMPETITION SEASON; WHICH, IN REALITY, COULD HAVE BEEN THE BEST YET... WORDS > AARON HADLOW

CAPTION > Hadlow’s not on the fence. He just wants a clean competition PHOTO > Toby Bromwich

t’s one day away from registration for the next world tour stop and even though I fly to Germany tomorrow morning I am unsure what will await me when I arrive. The VKWC have been under criticism since the first event. Although this may have been for several behind the scenes administration matters, as a rider, the actual competition issues were things that I think could have been smoothly solved over time. A month ago, the IKA, who hand out the official world titles, have stepped in over apparent breaches of contract and things have become complicated. The bodies you may or may not be familiar with whose names have become associated with these tour discussions / arguments, include: ISAF / IKA / PKRA / PKT / VKWC – so yes, it’s all a bit complicated and most people I speak to don’t even know what to call the tour anymore. Other associations are also involved so it really is hard to know who sits in what position and who does what. ISAF (the International Sailing Federation) enlist the IKA to award World Championships out to events or tours.

The PKRA had a previous agreement in place for this, but since the VKWC inherited the tour it seems a continued partnership is becoming difficult (for whatever reasons – apparently there are several). It has turned into a political battle for power. About a week before the last event in Fuerteventura the IKA announced they had no option but to step in and continue the tour with their own crew and team. On the other side the VKWC were adamant that their event would still go ahead. So who would be there when we registered? Would there be two associations next to each other, each trying to herd us towards their people? Would the event even count to the World Championship? It seemed like it was settled as the event began with the VKWC crew, but now we are back in the same situation again a day before Germany. The IKA released a statement claiming sole right to the world championships, clearly stating that ISAF will not allow the VKWC to award any world titles. The VKWC have come back saying they now have a sanctioned special event status from ISAF, though I see the Germany event is still being

promoted as a World Tour event on social media. For me, it is all a bit of a joke. The riders don’t have much say in any of it even though, without us, there would not be an event at all. Each time we head to an event we just have to hope there will be a competition that counts to our position in the ranking. One person says one thing and somebody else another; in my opinion this doesn’t have to be made public and certainly none of this should be going on halfway through a season. As a result we’re naturally left wondering whether we should even be bothering to go to the event? It’s all a bit disheartening and the ones losing out the most are the event organisers who have invested in having the tour come to the venue and those riding and wanting to put on the show. There have definitely been some issues with the VKWC and riders have been unhappy with a few things, but there is a structure, it’s in place now and it’s running. I can also understand the other side where it’s probably not ideal to have one large company or person effectively buying a tour and changing whatever they want, whether the riders and the industry agree it or not. Some protection against a business taking over and getting carried away would be good.

Whatever the outcome it will be hard to look back at 2015 as a credible year of competitions and that is harsh, especially as we have four World Champions plus a couple of vice and previous competition winners who are injury free and can fight for a title together for the first time in several seasons. The only motivation I see in all of this business; money and power. Riders are left frustrated and uncertain. A kiteboarding career is already a fragile one, especially if you are dedicated to competing. Sponsors can be hard to come by and you usually rely heavily on the industry. Without a schedule we are unable to plan ahead and we lose out on many other opportunities, both for ourselves and our sponsors. I have realised that one year is a long time in this sport, things can change very quickly and to effectively be put on hold for a season stops you being able to promote yourself. This is usually tolerable as a good result at a World Championship is worth the aggravation - it makes up for it and you can hope that things will improve. But with all this continued uncertainty, I begin to question if it’s even worth it. I really hope things become clearer over the next few days. As I read betweens the lines I don’t see any great outcome in either direction. None of it is

NONE OF IT IS IDEAL AND THE LAST THING “ WE NEED IN MY OPINION IS TWO TOURS. ” But is the IKA stepping in mid-season fair on anybody? Surely they could bite the bullet and let it go for the rest of the season; let it be completed as planned and then come in fresh next year with a plan and new set-up. All this I keep hearing that it’s about the riders and for the good of the sport is a ridiculous claim. How does any of this sour politics do any good for the sport? How do the riders benefit having a brand new crew, judging panel and scoring system halfway through the season? The organiser of the Germany event even now finds themselves having to decide alliance between the two parties if they want the event to count towards the World Championship.

ideal and the last thing we need in my opinion is two tours. We’ve had this in the past and it’s the worst thing for the sport and the riders, but from the information available right now, I do see it as a realistic outcome. At the end of the day I only care for the few minutes that I ride in the box. I don’t go to the event for any other reason. I want what is best to grow the scene for the riders; those that make the event what it is, but it is the competition that counts. We would all be heading to parliament, not the beach, if we wanted a political fight! Good luck to all the riders, and credit to them for continuing to push the level regardless of all this. KW

BoomeR Extended Honeycomb

Get on board

2016 Collection availaBle noW 15-XXXX Kiteworld Advertentie Issue 77 230x280 .indd 1

10-08-15 15:20

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MARK MY WORDS

INTRO > THIS IS NOT COLUMN 50 AND YOU HAVEN’T SEEN MARK SHINN LEARNING TO FOILBOARD

CAPTION > Stealth mode

here was a time that we thought this would be my 50th piece for Kiteworld. Unfortunately, it seems that the numerical skills of both your illustrious editor and my own have failed (perhaps unsurprisingly as it involved a number far higher than either of us have fingers) and it turns out this is number 54. We blew past 50 in a blur with no respect or regard for it whatsoever! My quota is around a thousand words an issue, so that means I’ve done something like 54,000 words till now - I can assure you my high school English teacher would be impressed. In fact, more than impressed as she struggled to even get a few hundred words a week out of me. There’s probably a lesson to be learned there about both the educational system and the benefits of proper motivation, but maybe we’ll leave that one till just before the next general election in the UK. Actually, it’s not the word count that surprises me as much as the passing of time. One of the first pieces I wrote was about the arrival of the ‘next big thing’ the bow kite. Looking at the market now there isn’t a kite design on the market that hasn’t been influenced in some way by this development. Don’t believe me? Try finding yourself a 2004 era Naish X4 and then mega loop it; we’ll restart this discussion from your hospital bed, ha ha. In fact, if you want an even better example of the passing of time, I’m typing this on my iPhone; Mark My Words number one was published six months before the announcement of the first iPhone. Many of my columns have been technique based while others have been material inspired. I’d like to think I’ve imparted some kind of wisdom, or at least some sage advice and tips over the years, so I thought I might try my arm at comedy this month – unfortunately more

satire than slapstick, but enough to have a few people snigger already I’m sure. I’ve taken the plunge and obtained a modern foil; embarking on the process that leads one to becoming a proficient foil boarder. I say ‘process’ because I’m about two-and-a-half hours of water time in now and far, far from calling myself proficient. In my defense things are a little against me; Tenerife is known for several things in summer - crowds and strong winds being two of the more famous. Launching from the popular kite spot was simply a nonstarter due to the huge numbers of kiters enjoying the conditions and the fact that my ego wasn’t really sure if it could handle being a complete beginner in amongst 150 other kiteboarders. It’s a sad thing to let your ego stand in the way of your learning experiences, but... well, that’s life! Of course that leads us onto the second problem – strong winds and waves. All the advice I could find told me to find a nice 15 knot day with flattish water and a sandy beach for the first outing. Hmmm, Tenerife simply doesn’t have those conditions, so after four weeks of looking at my lovely, shiny new Carbon 6ix foil I gave in; there

fact to be the least of my problems. Little did I know but I sealed my fate when I blithely screwed the foil into a wood core board with some nice, meaty wood screws but, having prepared, I embarked on the 100 metre walk to the beach foil in hand. Well, foil in hand, foil on shoulder, board on shoulder, board under arm; how come there is no user manual on how to carry these things? I think I did pretty well to collect only three serious leg lacerations and a bunch of small nicks in my back and head on arrival at the beach. I had of course taken sensible pre-cautions and gone about an hour before sundown to avoid meeting anyone I knew, I had also grown a suitably bushy beard to take on the time honored disguise of stealth. (Actually even that’s not true I started on a beard but noticed a rather distressing amount of grey in it and ended up with a rather dodgy goatie after removing the offending patches.) So, into the water I went. To be honest, the body drag out past the reef was easier than expected and there were no major new injuries to report. I was ready, expectant and even a tiny bit nervous. Feet onto the board, dive the kite gently

precious wing I came to the conclusion that my only option was to blow open the quick release, let the kite flag out on the safety leash and start swimming after it. I’m happy it was bright green and easy to see! This is, of course, a happy story and I did manage to get it before it sank too deeply to recover and, after a very tricky swim UP through the depths, I arrived on the surface foil in hand. If you haven’t tried swimming with a hydro-foil you’ll never understand just how hard a feat it is. I think swimming with an extremely annoyed adult porcupine may be safer and easier! Arriving on the surface, foil in hand, kite flagged out on the leash and board happily sailing off over the horizon at 200 metres offshore is hardly the ideal situation, but at the time it felt like a victory. A short 20 minute flap in the near dark, avoiding the waves, reef and foil edges soon had me back on dry land relishing my experience and sneaking home, tail between my legs and extremely happy to have all parts of my gear with me, if not entirely intact. When I first started writing this column we would have called this experience a

“CONCERNED THAT WAS TO BE THE LAST I’D SEE OF MY PRECIOUS WING I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO BLOW OPEN THE QUICK RELEASE, LET THE KITE FLAG OUT ON THE SAFETY LEASH AND START SWIMMING AFTER IT.” were 25 knots of wind and I screwed the foil into a board that I had lying around (more on this later), grabbed my seven metre kite and headed down to the nearest beach, which happens to be 90% reef and home to some pretty fun waves. The plan was to body drag out to sea past all the hazards (waves, rocks and windsurfers) and then make my first attempts at foiling. In hindsight I may have underestimated the challenges that lay ahead of me, but then hindsight is a wonderful thing and the elements were in

and stand up - no problem at all. Ease the weight onto the back foot and rise up onto the foil - what a piece of cake! All those stories of taking hours to learn and then, suddenly, something went crack and splash! A swift look underneath confirmed my worst fears; indeed those screws weren’t strong enough and my precious carbon foil was now heading south to Neptune’s locker in a decent depth of water (of course - because I body dragged out far past the reef for safety). Concerned that was to be the last I’d see of my

‘kitemare’, but I’m going to own up and call this one the work of someone who should have known better. A few words of advice to you all: don’t think you know better; do listen to the advice of others; and definitely don’t grow dodgy facial hair – it’s not big, it’s not clever and, rather shockingly, the 25 windsurfers on the beach who were laughing throughout my plight had instantly recognised me. Oh yes, one more thing: if you are going to fit a foil to an existing board, buy some BIG bolts and screw them down tightly! KW

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YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR EYES OPEN AND LOOK FOR UNEVEN BOTTOM CONTOURS. ALSO LOOK FOR THE CLOUDS OF TURBULENCE CREATED WHEN THE LIP LANDS. OFTEN THERE ARE CLEAR POCKETS OF LOW DISTURBANCE THAT YOU CAN AIM FOR AND SLIP RIGHT THROUGH.

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THE SNAP

#11 HEAVY WATER!

INTRO > AS A HEAVILY EXPERIENCED NORTH SHORE SURF AND KITE PHOTOGRAPHER, JOHN BILDERBACK HAS LEARNT TO STAY ALIVE IN BIG SURF AND POWERFULLY MOVING WATERS. HERE, IN HIS REGULAR COLUMN, ALONGSIDE SOME OF HIS CLASSIC SHOTS FROM NOTORIOUSLY GNARLY WAVES, HE EXPLAINS SOME TACTICAL LIQUID MANOEUVRES TO KEEP BEATINGS TO A MINIMUM WHEN THE GOING GETS LARGE WORDS, CAPTIONS AND PHOTOS > JOHN BILDERBACK

CAPTION > JB, the office

CAPTION > Felix Pivec, Indo

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I USED TO FORCE MYSELF TO GIGGLE FOR A SECOND OR TWO – MAYBE IMAGINING THE THEME SONG TO THE BRADY BUNCH - TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD BEFORE GETTING CLOBBERED. I’D FEEL A LITTLE BETTER AND RELAX JUST A LITTLE AND THEN, WHATEVER HAPPENED, I WOULDN’T BE CRYING FOR MY MOMMY RIGHT AWAY.

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CAPTION > Sunset Beach fun

CAPTION > Johnny Boy Gomes, secret spot, west side of Oahu

t’s a mighty big ocean; eventually it’s gonna get you. I’ve made a career out of taking waves on the head and have some experience on the subject. There are three things to be really concerned with, whether you are kiting, shooting or surfing in big waves: 1) you don’t want to get smashed into the bottom (too hard); 2) get held under (too long); or 3) get swept out to sea (too far.) Okay, there’s also encounters with big pointy fish and getting run over, but the former is mostly chance and the latter is basically pilot error, which I can’t help you with.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of an imminent beating, the trick to not getting smashed into the bottom is mostly about having your eyes open and your hands out when you go underwater. There are laws of physics that govern how much water a certain sized wave will break, but I can tell you, those laws are meant to be broken. If you are inside a wave and it breaks just in front of you, at most surf breaks there is a zone of undisturbed water along the bottom where the whitewater doesn’t reach. If you swim towards the wave and really

hug the bottom, you stand a pretty good chance of getting through it unscathed. You should have your eyes open and look for uneven bottom contours. Also look for the clouds of turbulence created when the lip lands. Often there are clear pockets of low disturbance that you can aim for and slip right through. This will greatly reduce how much you get tumbled and will help you get back to the surface more quickly. Just a few feet to the right or left can be a very different experience, so take a good look at what’s coming at you. It can make all the difference.

Now, there are places, like Backdoor Pipeline which immediately comes to mind, where the lip will actually penetrate all the way to the reef. This is really scary and pretty rare, but there’s no way to easily get through that and, honestly, your best strategy is to not try. When you are resigned to getting rolled by a ton of water, there are a few things to think about that will improve your chances of coming up - without turning a real ugly shade of purple first. I promise you will come up, no matter what…eventually.

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COLUMN

The human body is more or less buoyant and wearing a wetsuit always helps. I don’t use a buoyancy vest unless it’s absolutely giant because I want to be able to swim underwater. Floating like a cork on the surface can greatly extend the amount of time you get tumbled and it can push you way out of position. So instead, a little bit of wetsuit (even in warm water) is a good idea as it can also reduce the impact if you get bounced off the bottom, particularly on reef. I almost always wear one. The main thing to do when your next thirty seconds are really gonna suck, is to try to relax. If you tense up and fill your mind with fear and dread you will burn up your oxygen much faster. I’m no breathhold expert - in fact compared to many of my free-diving buddies, I’m pretty wimpy but I can say for sure that I’ve worn hundreds of Hawaiian scale 15 footers like a hat, and there’s no substitute for a good attitude. I used to force myself to giggle for a second or two – maybe imagining the theme song to the Brady Bunch - to lighten the mood before getting clobbered. I’d feel a little better and relax just a little and then, whatever happened, I wouldn’t be crying for my mommy right away. People have studied how much energy you can output and sustain yourself, horsepower-wise. If you go past 70% of your maximum output, you won’t last

THE

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very long. I use this as a rule. If I think I can get out of the way of a beating by swimming, I will go for it. But at the point it’s going to require me going beyond using seventy percent of my maximum effort, I will stop where I am and take the beating there. If you push too hard and get out of breath, you can’t hold your breath for very long at all. Just try doing a fifty yard dash and then immediately stop and hold your breath; you won’t be able to hold it for very long. Don’t get into that situation. Never go past 70%. The next thing you can do is determine what depth you want to swim down to. Sometimes you can get deep enough to avoid most of the turbulence. Of course I’m talking about truly big waves breaking in deep water. Sometimes, depending on the situation, you are better off swimming down a little shallower so that the turbulence actually pushes you inside. This can be a good strategy if you know there are many waves coming in a big set, and getting pushed inside of the impact zone will actually help you avoid subsequent beatings later in the set. A third thing that helps is your body position. Sometimes being straight and sleek is good if you are trying to penetrate, but if you just want to survive getting pounded, sometimes it’s best to

curl up and more or less roll with it. If you are surfing with a leash there’s also a neat little trick I’ve learned: if you swim down and then roll over and put your arms out, so that you looking up at the surface, sort of laying on your back underwater, when the wave hits your board above you it will pull you towards the beach but also up towards the surface. You kind of extend your leg upwards like you are laying on a couch pointing your foot at the ceiling. The board and leash will be in the lead, taking you up instead of just facing down at the bottom and having it pull you backwards. Whatever you do, get a few solid breaths and have a good look before you go under; checking for other people, the number of waves that are going to get you, how deep the water is, and if the bottom is flat or not. Then, for the most part, just stay calm. When you are sitting in your living room you can probably hold your breath for a minute, but if you are stressing about impending doom, twenty seconds can seem like forever. The last thing I will address is perhaps the most important. Take your time before going out in big surf to survey the break. Look for where the water is moving away from the beach. At my home break, Sunset Beach, on a big west swell a river runs east to west along

the shore and then straight out the back. It’s so strong that you can jump in and shoot right outside into twelve foot surf with dry hair. On a north swell it’s a little different; there’s a thumping shore break and you’re going to have to penetrate through that before you even get into the rip. Once you are out the back, the current dissipates and you can move into position. All too often I see inexperienced surfers who have gotten outside quite easily and then come face to face with big, scary-ass Sunset. They realise that their board or their balls aren’t quite big enough and suddenly really just want to go back to the beach. Most inexperienced guys will try paddling towards the beach in the channel. The same river that carried them out there will now be preventing them from doing anything other than tiring themselves out. They will get nowhere, become frightened and, at some point, will see me with my camera just outside the impact zone. I know the look they get in their eyes and that it’s time to offer some friendly advice and a little pep talk. The bad news is that they need to trust me when I say their only possibility of getting back to the beach involves going over towards the breaking waves and getting in the whitewater - if not catching a wave and getting washed towards the beach. If they don’t listen they get to struggle

CAPTION > Gnaraloo bomb with no takers. Northwest Australia

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IF YOU GO PAST 70% OF YOUR MAXIMUM OUTPUT, YOU WON’T LAST VERY LONG. I USE THIS AS A RULE. IF I THINK I CAN GET OUT OF THE WAY OF A BEATING BY SWIMMING, I WILL GO FOR IT. BUT AT THE POINT IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE ME GOING BEYOND USING SEVENTY PERCENT OF MY MAXIMUM EFFORT, I WILL STOP WHERE I AM AND TAKE THE BEATING THERE.

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against the rip for a while longer until they believe me. It happens all the time. The point: look before you leap. At any break, know what the water is doing, because no matter how strong a swimmer you are, you will be out matched. You need to know where the water is going and how it can help you. Getting over-excited and rushing out is a sure way to underestimate the size of the surf, too. Big swells have long intervals between waves and between sets and, if you are going out in surf big enough to test your limits, you need to make sure you’ve watched at least a couple of sets break. Sometimes this can mean watching for an hour or more. It’s better to sweat on the beach than cry in the water. Last thing, I guess, is that everyone has different limits. There’s no shame. Mark Healey can handle closing-out Waimea, or a twenty-foot Mexican beachbreak. He can also hold his breath easily for over four minutes. Always be humble and know when it’s time to just watch. While there’s no better feeling than coming in after riding or shooting the biggest waves of your life, everybody has a limit and it’s best to be honest with where yours is. KW

CAPTION > Shane Dorian, Kandui, Mentawai Islands

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SOMETIMES, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, YOU ARE BETTER OFF SWIMMING DOWN A LITTLE SHALLOWER SO THAT THE TURBULENCE ACTUALLY PUSHES YOU INSIDE. THIS CAN BE A GOOD STRATEGY IF YOU KNOW THERE ARE MANY WAVES COMING IN A BIG SET, AND GETTING PUSHED INSIDE OF THE IMPACT ZONE WILL ACTUALLY HELP YOU AVOID SUBSEQUENT BEATINGS LATER IN THE SET.

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CAPTION > Jason Slezak, Lakey Pipe, Indo

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FORMULA

CAPTION > Swift, silent and deadly - a Formula class killer PHOTO > John Bilderback

PUTTING THE KNIFE IN

HYDROFOILING IS KILLING FORMULA RACING – BUT WILL T H E O LY M P I C S B R I N G I T BAC K F R O M T H E B R I N K O F D E AT H ? INTRO – Foil racing is undeniably going to be the biggest form of racing to come out of kitesurfing. However, five exciting days in Italy might have saved Formula racing from the brink of death as it continues to be the only hope for kitesurfing’s Olympic inclusion - in the next decade at least. After nine days of ruthless racing, Ian MacKinnon assesses the battlefield after Hangloose Beach staged round two of the 2015 Kite Foil Gold Cup series and then, immediately after, the gritty Formula World Championships WORDS > IAN MACKINNON ALL PHOTOS > KITEWORLD (UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE)

CAPTION > Levitaz were the new boys on the block at the Kite Foil Gold Cup in Italy – and caused a huge stir with the speed of their wing. The freedom and experimental nature of foiling is one of the attractions for many

CAPTION > The F-One Diablo. Foil kites have significantly increased the performance levels of racers, and doubled the financial commitment needed by hobby racers. Steph Bridge believes as a result we’ll see the top racers get stronger and we’ll lose many of the bottom level of enthusiasts turning up to events like this

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Yet the excitement of what was a seamless kite jamboree masks an underlying malaise. Formula kite, the course-board racing discipline the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) believes offers the best hope of securing kiting a 2020 Olympics berth, finds itself at a cross-roads, if not in a crisis.

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CAPTION > A clean getaway from a hectic startline can be everything. Maxime Nocher leaving Olly Bridge to lead the chase PHOTO > Icarus Sailing Media

y any measure, a sport that boasts a pair of backto-back world-class kite events featuring nearly 100 of the planet’s fastest riders doing battle over 96 high-octane races in nine breathless days, would appear to be in rude health. Few would deny the enthralling action at the KiteFoil Gold Cup and subsequent Formula Kite World Championships represented anything other than an exhilarating spectacle at kite racing’s cutting edge. Both events delivered the kind of theatrical intensity expected of athletes at the top of their game. The tightest racing pitted the sheer sizzling pace of raw, youthful talent against the wily tactical nous of some of the world’s most experienced competitors. It threw up intriguing battles on the flat, warm waters, all conducted at mind-boggling speeds. Inevitably, there were game-changing tangles and angry words between competitors unwilling to cede the tiniest advantage to bitter rivals. The wafer-thin margins produced a clutch of nail-biting photo-finishes on drag races to the line. Off the water there was no shortage of drama either. With accusations of skullduggery and flagrant rule violations in gripping races, the protest jury was kept busy long into the evenings. Decisions for and against top riders often reshuffled the pack and continuously re-arranged the leaderboard. For some the tension was too much, resulting

CAPTION > Hangloose gold

CAPTION > Formula, bound by the box rule, is still the fairest kiting discipline to sort the true human talent from the technological advantage – which is why it would be so attractive in the Olympics

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FORMULA

CAPTION > Jockeying for position – a foil race start PHOTO > Icarus Sailing Media in remarkable histrionics. There were tantrums and spats over perceived injustices, all worthy of the high-stakes poker game being played out just off southern Italy’s Hang Loose Beach, a sliver of coastline blessed with a freakishlyregular pumping thermal wind that makes it a kiter’s dream. When all was said and done, though, one rider proved himself peerless — Maxime Nocher. In the KiteFoil Gold Cup, the second of the four-stop world tour series, the young Monaco racer was virtually untouchable over four days’ competition and 36 races when he racked up a series of wins to give him top podium spot. For the course-board racing worlds (known as Formula), Nocher again snatched the crown, earning him consecutive world titles. Britain’s Olly Bridge, 17, gave Nocher a close run for his money and may have seized the title but for several crucial errors that cost him dearly. On the eve of her 18th birthday, Russia’s Elena Kalinina also grabbed the course-board Formula Kite world title, seeing off the concerted challenge of Olly’s mum and multiple reigning World Champion, Steph Bridge. Yet the excitement of what was a seamless kite jamboree masks an underlying malaise. Formula kite, the course-board racing discipline the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) believes offers the best hope of securing kiting a 2020 Olympics berth, finds itself at a cross-roads, if not in a crisis. Numbers of riders attending the world championships have plummeted in the past three years, though the 73-strong roster battling in Gizzeria represented a stabilisation; even a slight increase on a year earlier. Waning interest is down to several factors. The 2012 move by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to include kiting in next year’s Rio Olympics, only to quickly reverse the decision, at first caused a spike in competitors before enthusiasm tailed off. Kiting may also have shot itself in the foot. The appearance of parafoil kites over the past 18-months dramatically altered racing’s landscape. Their speed and upwind performance left those with tube kites uncompetitive and trailing the pack. But at almost twice the cost, foil kites radically changed the economics of racing for

CAPTION > Technical light wind conditions – but you’d be amazed how fast these guys and girls go

CAPTION > Maxime Nocher kept the coolest

unsponsored riders, discouraging some. Ironically, while kitefoil shared the bill with Formula in Italy, the arrival of the sport’s newest, fastest and most exciting discipline is also a culprit in the plot. Interest in foiling surged after kiters in San Francisco were blown away by the performance of America’s Cup yachts, building on French interest. The KiteFoil Gold Cup series’ emergence in 2014 led many — particularly leading US riders like world champions Johnny and sister Erika Heineken — to abandon Formula altogether, further diluting the course-board fleet. Nocher and the French teenager Axel Mazella, who took Italy’s second kitefoil podium spot, are unusual as they are top-level competitors in both kite race disciplines. Over four days the duo, with third-placed fellow Frenchman Julien

Kerneur hard on their heels, blazed around the course. Their scorching speed and incredible upwind angles on the two laps of each race, puts kite racing on another plane. The ‘open’ developmental class ensures boundaries are constantly pushed by riders using the latest foil kites and hydrofoils. F-one’s new Diablo foil kite was Nocher’s weapon of choice used to such devastating effect. But Flysurfer’s Sonic Full-Race kite also burst onto the scene in the hands of German riders Benni Boelli and Peter Mueller, who placed fourth and six overall in the 48-strong fleet. Along with the latest ParaAAvis GVX kite, those foils pushed the established order of Elf’s Joker and Ozone’s Chrono and R1 hard. Similarly, in the kitefoil ‘arms race’, the constant evolution of hydrofoil design is re-writing

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Though blisteringly quick and efficient around a windward-leeward race course, the boards are punishing on the athletes’ bodies compared to the hydrofoil. A few days into the Formula worlds both Nocher and Mazella sported bandaged shins and could be seen standing in ice baths between races, such was the toll on ankles.

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Above top: CAPTION > Olly Bridge, consistently the fastest Formula rider on the water won so many races by so far, but a mixture of personal mistakes and unfortunate ‘racing incidents’ cost him dearly in the end as he finished runner-up Above: CAPTION > Florian Trittel’s brother urging Olly Bridge to hold it all together for just two more races

CAPTION > Ice bath recovery for the shins

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CAPTION > Drag races for the line are common throughout the pack. Whoever you’re racing and whatever your overall position, this feeling never gets old PHOTO > Icarus Sailing Media

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FORMULA

CAPTION > Gutted. Florian Trittel was one of the most entertaining and talented racers to watch, yet a tangle with Maxime Nocher on the second downwind leg of the third race on day four led to both being forced out of that race. Heated discussions followed on the beach, but the result was that Trittel slipped to fourth and would be out of contention for the win on the final medal race day where the top ten men and women faced off over four more races with no possible discards

CAPTION > Elena Kalinina had been pushed all the way by reigning world champion Steph Bridge, but three bullets from four in medal races secured her the IKA Formula Kite World Championship crown and gave her an early present one day ahead of her eighteenth birthday CAPTION > Maxime Nocher sealing the Kitefoil Gold Cup Italy win with one more victory on the final day

CAPTION > Olly Bridge gathers opinion and corroborating evidence from co-competitors ahead of a protest he lodged to have his penultimate race disqualification overturned. Maxime Nocher had broken a fin on the last race and finished eighth, leaving Bridge able to take victory depending on the jury’s ruling of whose fault his tangle with Blazej Ozog (POL) was. The two had tangled on a tack while ahead in the third of the day’s four men’s ‘Platinum’ fleet medal races. The jury’s call went against the Brit who was awarded the costly disqualification and was inconsolable after seeing his title bid evaporate for the second year in succession

CAPTION > Blisteringly quick, so often Olly Bridge finished way out in front PHOTO > Icarus Sailing Media

the script and elevating speeds on the course to more than 35 knots. Taaroa’s Sword2 helped Nocher and Mazella keep their noses in front with new high-aspect wings, but the Spotz2 foil and the thrilling new kid on the block, Levitaz’s Aspect Bionic foil, ridden by Boelli and Mueller, challenged closely. The contrast to Formula, which appears hide-bound by rules, could hardly be more stark. Strictures on kites and boards, bounded by a ‘box rule’ strictly limiting dimensions, aim to level the playing field and make it acceptable in order to secure kiting an Olympics berth, something again on the cards. Though blisteringly quick and efficient around a windward-leeward race course, the boards are punishing on the athletes’ bodies compared to the hydrofoil. A few days into the Formula worlds both Nocher and Mazella sported bandaged shins and could be seen standing in ice baths between races, such was the toll on ankles. Long-time Formula stalwart, Italian-Colombian Riccardo Leccese, voiced the disillusionment of some when he revealed after the kitefoil cup that he would skip the worlds. “I’m not stopping Formula racing for good,” he said. “I’m just having a break from it. I am staying up to date with what is going to be decided for the Olympics and, if Formula racing is confirmed for 2020, then I will go back to it. I think our [Formula] class has become a bit of a testing ground for organisers and I don’t want to play that game any more. When I foil I find the freedom of the early days of Formula and I really enjoy it.” Key industry players are on the fence. Vital for supporting athletes in the niche Formula discipline, many in the business have pulled out because of uncertainty. Every board maker bar one failed to enter a new shape for the fresh registration window beyond September for the coming year’s competition. Jimmy Mazzanti, owner of Italian brand TemaVento, pulled the plug when he had no market for the 60 boards he would have had to produce by the deadline to qualify. But he clings to hope that an Olympics slot could save it. “I think there is a future for Formula, but only if it’s in the Olympics.” Simone Vannucci — Flysurfer-Levitaz team foil racer and founder of ASV Performance — harbours no such

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CAPTION > Something else you can take from this report is putting Hangloose Beach at the top of your must-visit summer holiday freeride destinations list – whether you’re foiling, looking for daily 12 metre freestyle weather or wanting to start out and learn safely in warm waters. Plus, the beach parties in the summer are something else! www.hangloosebeach.com

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People are more likely now to jump on a foil. It’s cool. There’ll be an increase in the intermediate market for foiling. In Formula the top will get stronger and you’ll lose the bottom. So the top end is holding out for the Olympics. That’s why the Olympics decision is ‘do or die’ for Formula.

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STEPH BRIDGE, MULTIPLE WOMEN’S RACING WORLD CHAMPION

illusions. “From inside the industry we declared Formula dead six months ago,” he said. “Most of the industry and most of the riders have abandoned Formula. At the worlds in China we had 150 riders, but only 45 in Turkey last year. People were not showing up and hydrofoil came along and finished it off.” Word of Formula kite’s untimely death seems premature to some. But Steph Bridge accepts there are huge challenges presented by foiling’s growth on one side and Olympic uncertainty on the other. “The massive problem we have for this high-level racing is that it’s really, really difficult,” she said. “So difficult that you don’t see people out recreationally on these [course] boards. People are more likely now to jump on a foil. It’s cool. There’ll be an increase in the intermediate market for foiling. In Formula the top will get stronger and you’ll lose the bottom. So the top end is holding out for the Olympics. That’s why the Olympics decision is ‘do or die’ for Formula.” Yet an Olympics decision for kiting could be as far off as early 2017. The IKA put all its eggs in the Formula kite

CAPTION > Women’s Kitefoil Gold Cup Italy podium: Winner Steph Bridge (UK), 2nd Alexia Francelli (FRA), 3rd Elena Kalinina (RUS)

basket, in particular ‘short track’ racing, which was trialled before an International Olympic Committee (IOC) delegate at the ISAF World Cup finals in Abu Dhabi last year. Olly Bridge triumphed in the series of engrossing four-minute, ‘roundrobin’ heats. The format ticks all the IOC boxes; that it should be intense, televisual and easily understood by audiences. A recent overhaul of the criteria for admission to the Olympic club should make kiting’s entry easier. Why Formula rather than foiling? Formula is closer to the ‘one-design’ concept that best fits the Olympic goal of fairness and universality where the best athletes, rather than the best equipment, triumphs. Foiling’s pell-mell development — desired across the sport — rules itself out for the time being on those grounds. But if the 2015 Formula Worlds’ intensity is any gauge, course racing still shows signs of life. Sixty races over five sometimes fraught days illustrated a voracious hunger among riders, many of them still teenagers, and is perhaps a good omen. Kalinina, at 17 (turned 18 the following day), topped the women’s podium, with her

CAPTION > Men’s Kitefoil Gold Cup Italy podium: Winner Maxime Nocher (MON), 2nd Axel Mazella (FRA), 3rd Julien Kerneur (FRA)

countrywoman Anastasia Akopova, 16, getting faster by the day, taking the third spot. Olly Bridge rode many flawless races with a tactical acumen that marked him out as the fleet’s fastest rider, only to stumble occasionally and see the prize wrenched from his grasp for the second successive year. His frustration boiled over at one point and, incredibly, he jettisoned his bar and safety as he hit the beach, allowing his 18 metre kite to fly off in the breeze. Attempting to read the runes is probably a thankless task. Kite racing has been utterly and unexpectedly transformed in just two years by foil kites and hydrofoils. But Markus Schwendtner, the IKA CEO, sees cause for optimism amid the uncertainty. “With foiling it’s exciting to see the limits pushed. How fast can we go? What angles can we take? But there’s a limited amount of racers and some have gone to foil. But we’ve seen here in Italy there are a considerable number of riders that do both disciplines and do well in both. Only time will tell how it plays out. But the Olympics are pretty crucial for the future.” KW

CAPTION > Women’s Formula Racing Worlds podium: Champion Elena Kalinina (RUS), 2nd Steph Bridge (UK), 3rd Anastasia Akopova (RUS)

CAPTION > Men’s Formula Racing Worlds podium: Champion Maxime Nocher (MON), 2nd Olly Bridge (UK), 3rd Blazej Ozog (POL)

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THE KITEWORLD FOIL FINDER

INTRO > ONCE YOU’VE SEEN A GOOD RIDER ON A FOIL, YOU’LL WANT ONE, TRUST US. HERE’S A GUIDE TO A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE HYDROFOILS ON THE MAIN MARKET

AXIS > Now into their third year of foil production, Axis are taking things a step further with the Maroro series (Maroro being a type of flying fish, if you were wondering). Whether you’re a die hard race fanatic or just taking your first steps into foiling, there are four different boards in the range, offering something for everyone. The Convertible 5’1’’ and 5’9’’ boards can also be used independently as wave boards; while the Free Race (152 x 52cm) and the Race Pro (150 x 52cm) both feature Axis’ super-light performance carbon construction. All the boards are compatible with the Maroro 100% pre-preg carbon, promising ease-of-use with incredible performance, stability and speed thanks to its incredible stiffness and responsiveness. All Axis boards come with either a Tuttle fin box that is tuned for the Axis Maroro foil, but also for any other foil that uses the Tuttle box, such as Taaroa, Spotz etc. Or a 90mm plate system that is compatible with foils such as Levitaz, LF, Magma and more. www.axiskiteboarding.com

CABRINHA > Another big brand recently making their move into the foil market, Cabrinha’s Double Agent is a performance hydrofoil that can be converted into a surf skate style directional board if you remove the foil and insert the supplied fins. Offering the potential to get you going in just ten knots, the Double Agent board features a Paulonia wood core, volcanic Basalt fibre construction and Ultra Bond PU rails. The foil itself has an aircraft grade 6061-T6 aluminum shaft and fuselage while the wings benefit from the same wooden core as the board itself, for durability and response. www.cabrinhakites.com

I CARBON

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6IX

> Carbon 6ix, based on the Isle of Wight in the UK, have developed hydrofoils for both racing and freeriding. Stable at both low and high speeds, the freeride specific Hanno foil is set-up for learning, but also has a great top speed to keep you busy as you progress. The Kaze race wing is a top end racing foil aimed at advanced riders. The Carbon 6ix board boasts a CNC cut core-cell foam core and a titanium and carbon construction, combining strength and light weight benefits. www.carbon6ix.com

F-ONE > The large volume and wide tail make the F-One ideal for beginners, generating float for quicker planing with limited drag. A pronounced nose rocker and high rails help keep the edges out of the water. F-One have gone all out construction-wise with ‘Forged Carbon’ to ensure that the board is as light as possible while still highly durable. The foil technology has been applied to the popular Mitu surfboard, which is now available in a 5’6’’ size specifically for foiling. The foil can be removed and the board can be ridden with regular surfboard fins when the waves are up. Both boards also feature F-One’s patented K-Box which allows for easy removal of the foil and attachment to other F-One boards so that you don’t just have to use one board with your foil. www.f-onekites.com

LEVITAZ > Based in Austria, Levitaz have combined 25 years of manufacturing experience with advanced composite materials and a kite foiling passion that has built up over five years. The all-new Element freeride foil is aimed at riders who are new to foiling and looking for a set-up they can progress quickly on, but also won’t be held back on as they improve. The wide surface of the wing allows for exceptionally early planing, even at lower speeds and this can adjusted by changing to the Levitaz Aspect 3.0 wing once your foiling has progressed. Modular in design with adjustable beam lengths and interchangable wings, the Element foil can be tweaked for use in a variety of conditions and to suit any rider’s style. Durable and functional it features a salt-water resistant, high alloy steel and carbon composite construction. The Levitaz Aspect 3.0 foil combines the characteristics of a freeride and race foil and is ideally suited to advanced foilers. The very slim design of the Aspect 3.0 lowers the water resistance and increases top speed potential. The design also allows for high manoeuvrability and excellent driving characteristics, especially for upwind courses. www.levitaz.com

LIQUID

FORCE

> Building off the success of LF's robust and modular Foil Fish are two models – the Happy Foil (blue) and the Rocket Foil. The Happy Foil is fast, light and durable with an adjustable track mast mounting system, longer cord length, thinner profile mast, multi-position fuselage and medium profile wing. The Rocket Foil is all about making foiling easy and affordable and Liquid Force are aiming this at those riders who are tempted to add a foil to their arsenal, but are apprehensive about taking the plunge. The multipurpose, adjustable mast mounting system, thin profile mast and low-aspect bombproof polymer low aspect wings make this a super easy set-up to get the foiling bug on. Get involved! Both boards can be ridden for freeriding with fins with the foil removed. www.liquidforcekites.com

MHL > Fresh out of Puerto Rico, MHL utilise the latest technology in composite materials and claim to not hold back in their ongoing quest to produce the ultimate foils with maximum strength and performance at the minimum weight. MHL’s focus is very much on making high-performance foils, so if that’s what you’re looking for then they’re worth a look. www.mhlcustom.com

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FOILS

MOSES > Hand-made in Italy, Moses cater for all foiling experiences and have a wide range of modular carbon parts to semi-custom make your foil. Although there are options for a good value, entry-level foil, most of their production is geared towards more experienced foilers who know what they want out of a board and don’t feel the need to hold back on their budget. Using full carbon in the construction of their foils and race boards, if you’re in the market for a top end board with ultra-refined riding characteristics then check these guys out! www.moseshydrofoil.com

NORTH

KITEBOARDING

> North have entered the foil market with a design to suit someone taking their first steps into foiling. Extreme upwind ability and amazing light wind performance are the essential attractions and the wide, stable surface area of the front foil helps to keep the board quite easily under control. As well as helping with early planing and low take-off speeds, the safety rails that connect the front and rear foils make this one of the most user-friendly foils. The board itself is full carbon, so it’s light and with its rounded rails will cause less damage to you in a wipeout. www.northkiteboarding.com

SLINGSHOT > The Slingshot Alien Air combines usability and freeride fun with absolutely top end performance and extremely high build-quality. Slingshot are pushing the Alien Air as the ideal board for someone who wants to get the absolute most out of a high end foil and progress their foiling to a higher level. Designed over five years by Nick Leason of Lift, the snubnosed design of the board keeps it out of the water while the chinned rails limit the drag caused when the board touches the water. A variety of options over strap placement mean this board can be ridden strapless, in a freeride configuration or in a ‘V’ shaped race position. www.slingshotsports.com

ZEEKO > Zeeko’s precision foil range features three specific hydrofoil boards. The Bullet is the race model, the Pocket is the freeride stick and the Slash is a multi functional wave board that can also fit a foil. Zeeko have been making foils for a whopping eight years and are now shifting their focus to producing foils for the masses without compromising on quality. Combining high-pressure moulds of UD and bi-axis carbon, Zeeko claim their foils are now 25% more rigid than previous models with 10% more lift as well as increased manoeuvrability. Check them out, whatever your riding style, aspirations or experience. www.zeeko-kites.com

TAAROA > Taaroa have been designing high performance racing foils for the last eight years and their experience and expertise have come to a head in the form of The Sword 2 – demonstrating wicked performance under the feet of several elite racers, including Maxime Nocher. The high-performance design is very apparent and it comes complete with freeride and speed / race foils depending on your preference. www.taaroa-hydrofoil.com

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PREJUDICE

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The kind of kiteboarder we perceive ourselves to be can often come “ to define us, but it’s important to not lose track of the wider picture. ”

CAPTION > Kevin Langeree, strapped,

I In a sport with seemingly limitless possibilities, why would you want to box yourself in to just one small corner? Matt Pearce asks, ‘ What kind of kiteboarder are you?’ And, ‘Does it matter?’

but not tied down. Cape Town PHOTO > Ydwer van der Heide

n the general scheme of action sports, kiteboarding is the new kid on the block. Growing impressively from an outlandish looking sport that garnered little more attention than the occasional mention in some windsurfing magazines in the late nineties, it became the fastest growing watersport in the world in a relatively short amount of time. Although predictions were common about how quickly this fledgling sport could grow, foresight into the direction it would develop were much harder to nail down from one year to the next. When the first windsurfers wanted to learn a new trick they couldn’t refer to a bank of online ‘how-to’ videos, just as the first snowboarders couldn’t go on Facebook and watch videos of their favourite pro-riders tearing it up for inspiration. We’re extremely fortunate in that we’ve been able to do that since the very early days of kitesurfing. Rapid advances in the quality and safety of kitesurfing equipment, alongside huge steps forward in video production, meant that anyone with a computer and camera could make quality content. When combined with the ease of sharing widely across the Internet, our sport has grown faster and in more directions than perhaps any other new ‘action sport’ ever has.

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As kiting developed many riders found their way to a discipline that they enjoyed most and stuck with it. This influences the gear they buy, the companies they support, the video and print content they consume and even the people they ride with. In short, for many of us, our chosen discipline defines us and it’s no longer enough to say that we’re simply ‘a kiter’. Instead, a lot of us would now describe ourselves as a wakestyle kiter, or a waverider, a freestyler or something else altogether. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. When people patronise a certain type of kiteboarding they encourage manufacturers to produce equipment for that specific discipline and this really benefits the riders. There is now something for everyone in our sport. The kind of kiteboarder we perceive ourselves to be can often come to define us, but it’s important to not lose track of the wider picture. If you browse forums or have listened to some of the more ‘hardcore’ kiters at the beach, you may have noticed that (like in many sports) a lot of riders seem to have developed the idea that their discipline is the only one that matters. This way of thinking manifests itself in a variety of ways but, perhaps the most alarming, is the idea that any other type of kiteboarding is inherently incorrect. There has been a marked increase in people heralding their own type of kiting as ‘the future of the sport’ or ‘the right / legit direction kiting should be heading in’. This line of thought extends to people automatically dismissing almost anything outside of the spectrum of what they think is cool and that ranges from steps forward in equipment manufacture, to complaining about competitions and events around the world, to badmouthing videos from pros with a different style of riding. It even goes as far as vilifying a new rider showing up at the beach because they have the ‘wrong’ set up. This almost tribal attitude has developed steadily in recent years and has led many to seemingly forget which special elements it was that inspired most of us to take up the sport in the first place.

CAPTION > Mindblowing. Keahi de Aboitiz, front roll shuvit PHOTO > Cabrinha

PREJUDICE

Kiteboarding is unique in the realm of action sports due to the vast differences between its disciplines. Depending on the board you want to ride, you can have a totally different experience when out on the water from one day to the next. On a flatter day you can shred on a wakestyle set up. The next day when there’s a swell you can ride a wave board. Perhaps you could go foiling in light winds the next day and then when it’s howling later in the week you can just go big on a small kite. Each discipline brings its own unique sets of challenges - and that’s what makes this sport so exciting. I’ve seen so many people (myself included at points in my kiteboarding life) show up at a beach and say they’re

CAPTION > Foiling isn’t just about cruising. Maxime Nocher, crowd pleaser, Hangloose Beach, Italy PHOTO > Kiteworld

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Look around the beach at your “fellow kiteboarders. It’s quite an amazing group to be a part of. Kiteboarding is still a long way from its heyday – we’re really just at the start.

”

CAPTION > Freedom of movement.

Annabel van Westerop, tweaked PHOTO > Cabrinha

not going out because it’s too flat or too choppy, overly wavey or not wavey enough. Maybe also because it’s not windy enough to do freestyle or too windy to unhook. It seems that people can get so caught up in one type of kiting that they forget what lies beyond their, often slightly polarised, view of what kiteboarding is and what they believe it should be. Not long after I started kiting I found wakestyle and decided that was for me. I scoffed at the very mention of straps and rode in boots regardless of the conditions. My friends would laugh as I stormed up the beach cursing the conditions for not being ideal for riding bindings. I’d then sit on the beach and scowl as my friends had an awesome session boosting and nailing megaloops. This carried on until, on one very windy autumn day, I just got over myself and borrowed my friend’s regular twin-tip (with straps!) and went out boosting. I had the most fun I’d had in ages doing something totally different and I was genuinely surprised that I had become so fixated on just one element of the sport. The following winter I headed to Cape Town where all the damn waves were getting in the way of the flat water, so I decided to venture out on a surfboard and see what all the fuss was about. I had been enjoying kiteboarding less and less up to that point with injury after injury and riding a directional totally reignited my love for the sport. I went from going through the motions to being hugely motivated to kite again with a whole new set of challenges.

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For many of us, our chosen discipline “defines us and it’s no longer enough to say that we’re simply ‘a kiter’. Instead, a lot of us would now describe ourselves as a wakestyle kiter, or a waverider, a freestyler or something else altogether.

”

CAPTION > Jesse Richman, happiest under a kite, whatever he’s riding PHOTO > F Berthuot / Naish

I Since then I’ve never looked back and I’ve come to enjoy kiting more than ever. 95% of the time I ride a strapless surfboard, whether there are waves or not, but, unlike the old me, I now understand that there is more to kiting than just my regular discipline and I’m motivated to try new things. It’s great to excel at something and there’s no denying the style and skills that some riders have, but opening up to more possibilities that are available in our sport will lead to better ambassadors and more flourishing careers. There is an undeniable shift in the global consciousness with a more open attitude towards sharing. Similarly, kiteboarding is unlimited and filled with really incredible people from all walks of life: it seems strange to want to box it in and follow other sports that were vastly more confined in their own heydays. Look around the beach at your fellow kiteboarders. It’s quite an amazing group to be a part of. Kiteboarding is still a long way from its heyday – we’re really just at the start. The EyeForce video production team have made some of the most evocative web videos and are an immense source of inspiration to many. Their painstaking eye for shots and CAPTION > The writing’s on the wall PHOTO > James Boulding / Cabrinha

CAPTION > Board-off Airton Cozzolino style PHOTO > North

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I Rapid advances in the quality and “safety of kitesurfing equipment, alongside huge steps forward in video production, meant that anyone with a computer and camera could make quality content. When combined with the ease of sharing widely across the Internet, our sport has grown faster and in more directions than perhaps any other new ‘action sport’ ever has.

”

CAPTION > Aaron Hadlow has ridden

everything, and knows that for him, boots allow for the most powerful and stylish freestyle possible PHOTO > Toby Bromwich / North

CAPTION > When only boots will do. Craig Cunningham PHOTO > Rick Jensen

CAPTION > Who can question foot straps on a surfboard when Pete Cabrinha rides with them? PHOTO > Cabrinha

production detail is made even more powerful by filming with iconic athletes, such as Ruben Lenten, Youri Zoon, Kevin Langeree and Nick Jacobsen in recent years. For their Chapter One movie that they are currently shooting around the world, they have carefully constructed a team of around 20 riders who evoke this magical feeling of enjoyment and leave any one of us in wonder of their incredible skills. They have transcended that tribal need to belong. Watching any of these riders hit the water gives us such a powerful feeling of aspiration as it’s all just so natural and unforced for them. They are just having fun and doing it with a smile. No further story is needed. Who has come onboard to sponsor this video project as a result? WeTransfer. You may have heard of them. They like the look of ‘kiteboarding’.

The kiteboarding industry is bigger than the handful of riders who declare themselves as the ‘legitimisers’ of the sport. Riders who personify the attitude of just getting behind a kite and having fun on the water, regardless of what they’re actually doing, are going to attract more people to the sport. The pros, and would-be pros, who really go far are the ones who kite purely for the joy of it and let their riding do the talking. Keahi de Aboitiz and Kevin Langeree are prime examples of guys who, to me, are at the top of their game and haven’t allowed themselves to get hung up on what other people think of them and the kind of kiting they do. They’re both extremely accomplished wave riders, twin-tip freestylers and everything else in between. Their love for being on the water and willingness to try new things extends beyond even one sport. If you watch

them SUPing or surfing it is clear to see that they simply love being in the water and their stoke is infectious! Brandon Scheid is another good example - an incredible wakestyle rider who has embraced foiling as he recognises how rewarding and exciting it is to try something new. Jesse Richman, of course, is another infectiously fun rider to watch, whatever he’s riding. The beauty of kiteboarding is that we can do whatever we want when we’re out on the water. Our sport doesn’t limit us to one kind of riding in the way that some others do, so we need never get bored. Essentially, we’re all just kiteboarders, regardless of how you definite that, and we’re fortunate enough to be involved in a rapidly evolving sport with endless opportunities in terms of what we can ride, how we can progress and what we can experience.

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That’s what makes our sport what it is and that’s what keeps me coming back time and time again. In the future, if we keep an open mind, we’ll be able to kite every day. On what? Who knows? But I’ve learnt that every discipline of the sport offers different highlight sensations in different conditions. The fun is finding the perfect set up for the day, making many more perfect sessions possible. Surely, that’s the dream! KW

g o i n g

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ENVIRONMENT

off-set

PLASTIC IN OUR OCEANS

As kiteboarders we relish our time in the ocean and like to think of the sea as a clean and a reasonably risk-free environment. Sadly, the pollution of our oceans in the form of solid and chemical waste is rampant and increasing on a yearly basis. Many scientists and researchers believe that some of the eco-systems found in our oceans are now being pushed to breaking point - if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not already past the point of no return. In our third feature in this series focussed on sustainability in relation to kitesurfing, Matt Pearce filters the truth from the oceanic garbage

CAPTION > Kevin Langeree at one with a beautifully clean wall of Indian Ocean in Mauritius PHOTO > Ydwer van der Heide

CAPTION > Rejected by the ocean and handed back PHOTO > Surfers Against Sewage

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In an age in which the overuse of plastics is second nature, the vast burning of fossil fuels and the emission of carbon is ever increasing, we are putting a huge burden on our planet and this is taking its toll on the sea. The oceans of our planet cover more than 70% of its surface area and, perhaps due to the modern attitude that what is out of sight is out of mind, the damage being caused is being left largely unchecked. There seems to be a presumption among some people that, because the sea is extremely vast, whatever waste goes into it will simply be absorbed and won’t have a knock-on effect. This way of thinking has existed for decades now. Thanks to an increase in environmental education in recent years, many of us now accept this to be wrong. Half the world’s population live within 60 kilometres of the sea while threequarters of all large cities are located on a coastline, you’d imagine bringing many face-to-face with the plight of our oceans. However, this is not necessarily the case and in both the developed and developing world, despite our close proximity to the ocean, there seems to be a growing disconnect between human beings and the sea. As a species of land dwelling mammals we don’t spend much time in the ocean. Perhaps we spend more time ‘connected’ to machines and less time outdoors?

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Certainly fewer and fewer people make a living from the ocean nowadays and oceanic travel is not as heavily relied upon as it once was. The result is that ocean cleanliness is not something that people often feel the need to consider.

ENVIRONMENT

PHOTO > Surfers Against Sewage

CAPTION > Imagine how you'd feel if you saw lots of marine litter in this shot at Turks and Caicos islands. So why do we accept it at home? PHOTO > F-One

For kiters though, this is not the case. We spend our free time out on (or in) the water, so we have a vested interest in knowing about the health of our oceans and what this means for us. Whether the potential long term effects on our own health will be affected, or the more immediate concerns, like the experience of the world’s elite racers whose World Championship race success can sometimes hinge on whether their fins snag a plastic bag lying under the water’s surface (sadly, we’re not exaggerating!) the pollution of the oceans is something we need to be be aware of. So what is actually going into the sea? Sadly, in short, there’s loads of stuff going into it. From chemical waste to human waste to plastic refuse and everything else in between, our oceans have become a dumping ground for a vast array of nauxious, harmful matter that we’d all much prefer wasn’t pooling in the bottom of our wetsuit boots at the end of a kite session. Perhaps the most visible form of pollution is marine litter and the most regularly occurring, and perhaps the most damaging material, is plastic. Why is it so bad? Plastic is nonbiodegradable, full of chemicals and will usually takes in the region of 400 years to fully break down. To put that in perspective, if you see someone chuck a plastic bottle into the sea there is every chance that your great, great, great, great grandchild may well be swimming near part of that, still not entirely disintegrated, piece of plastic in centuries to come. While the presence of marine litter in our oceans has accelerated dramatically in the past three centuries as industrial discharge and runoff from farms and coastal cities has increased, plastic has been a relatively new addition. It wasn’t even invented until 1904 and its production didn’t become widespread until the 1940s when, during World War Two, demand for it grew rapidly in the USA causing a 300% increase in the production of plastic products during the course of the war. It was cheap, comparatively light, durable enough and supposedly disposable. Once the war ended its use was adopted by almost every industry going and, from the automotive industry to the manufacture of children’s toys, the use of plastics was heavily employed.

Due to the fact that plastic was so cheap and therefore deemed inherently disposable, it was discarded without any consideration for what effect this might have on our planet in years to come. Landfills have certainly absorbed more than their fair share of the stuff but, as the saying goes, ‘all things eventually return to the sea’ (or at least end up in it) and so too does plastic waste. The ocean is pretty big (about 321,003,271 cubic miles it’s estimated), so surely you could be forgiven for thinking that plastic can be absorbed into it quite comfortably without having any real adverse effects. In the early days of plastic’s widespread use, once the landfills began to fill up, some officials stated that ‘the solution to pollution was dilution’ and plastic’s dispersal into the sea wasn’t deemed to be a problem. However, plastic has had, and is continuing to have, a devastating effect on our oceans. Marine life has felt the effects most. Over 100,000 marine mammals and over a

million seabirds die every year from ingestion of plastics. Year on year this number is steadily increasing. It’s an absolutely staggering number of creatures that are dying solely due to waste products that we have allowed to find a way into their environment. Some of these animals die over time due to ingesting plastics and some suffer a more immediate fate due to becoming tangled in waste products, such as the plastic rings that hold together a sixpack of beer, or discarded fishing line and nets that can cause them a slow and painful death. This is tragic, but the effects of plastics in our oceans are not only felt by marine life. Fish ingest staggering amounts of plastic and research now shows that when we eat fish we are also absorbing it into our bodies, however small the amount may be. The chemicals that go into some plastics have been found to lead to potential hormone deficiencies with a report from the U.S. Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention claiming that 93 percent of the people surveyed had detectable levels of some of the harmful chemicals found in plastics present in their urine. Even if you don’t eat salt water fish you are potentially at risk. 36% of the world’s combined fisheries catch is used to feed livestock and farmed fish, so there’s every chance that you can still be exposed to harmful plastics through the food chain even if you take steps to avoid it. The swallowing of plastic fragments or the toxins released by them when out in the sea is also a very real possibility and it is thought that this exposure to decomposing plastic and its toxic byproducts is going to become an increasingly serious threat as plastic continues to end up in the ocean. It certainly doesn’t take much of an imagination to see how someone who spends as much time in the sea as a kitesurfer could be at risk from this.

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Fish ingest staggering amounts of plastic and research now shows that when we eat fish we are also absorbing it into our bodies, however small the amount may be. The chemicals that go into some plastics have been found to lead to potential hormone deficiencies with a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claiming that 93 percent of the people surveyed had detectable levels of some of the harmful chemicals found in plastics present in their urine.

”

Furthermore, the problems that arise from the presence of plastics in the ocean aren’t limited to the potential ill effects on our health or that of marine animals. The cleanliness of our beaches is greatly diminished by the state of our oceans. If you’ve been to a beach on an area of coastline that has a problem with marine litter then you’ll no doubt have seen a fair bit of plastic that has made it’s way back on to dry land after being deposited by the tide. Practically it’s problematic to deal with, of course, but also saddening as it doesn’t only ruin what should be a beautiful place, but also poses a potential health risk to beach goers. Fully comprehending the associated problems of beach litter is difficult. While the damage caused by plastic in our oceans is a serious issue, it seems easy to ignore due to the vastness of the ocean and the idea that the individual is not personally at risk from the presence of marine litter. Conversely, the issue can also seem too

great to truly comprehend due to the scale of the problem. As a result people often express a feeling of apathy, resignation, or just outright disinterest when it comes to discussing the risks of plastics in our oceans and what can be done about it. If doing the sport you love is going to potentially jeopardize your health due to an increasingly serious problem that, in years to come, will have worsened to the point that future generations are at an even greater risk than we are, then shouldn’t you be at least a little worried? If you are, what can you do? It’s important not to get caught up in the vastness of the problem or the seemingly impossible position of being but one concerned party in a society in which many people don’t seem to be particularly fussed about the cleanliness of the ocean. As with any environmental issue, the key to solving it does very much start with the individual and the things you can do at home. Your daily

habits can affect a change far greater than you might think if more and more people do the same things as you. If you have plastics in your house then recycle them rather than just throwing them in with everything else destined for the landfill. If you know of a beach that is covered in plastic then organise a beach clean with your local community to clean it up. If you have the choice between buying a recyclable and non recyclable product, then maybe consider the more eco-friendly option. You can even take it further. Become part of an organisation or charity like SAS (Surfers Against Sewage, not it’s more shadowy namesake) and be part of a group of people trying to affect change in the government and industries attitudes towards waste management, recycling and the environment. While this might seem like a small gesture, it’s a very real step that you can take to help make a positive change to our planet’s current situation.

It’s important that we all try to take any steps that we can to help clean up our oceans and slow down, with the hopes of eventually stopping the flow of plastics into the sea. If left unchecked the current situation will worsen until it’s not only felt by those connected with the sea, but by everyone. We should not let ourselves imagine that the plastic being thrown into our oceans is confined to a remote Texas-sized gyre of decomposing waste in the North Pacific (although that certainly does exist) or that it will be limited to that either. Mankind, and the earth, depends upon the sea in more ways than many of us realise and to let it become poisoned, toxic and polluted is to allow a similar fate to befall the rest of our planet. If that happens then, even in our lifetimes, we will suffer as a result of it but the outcome in years to come will be even worse; a heavy burden to place on the shoulders of future generations!. That’s not a fair price for them to pay... KW

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MAURITIUS

CAPTION // The immense playground of Le Morne. The wave breaking in the bottom right of this photo is One Eye, and the resort on the beach closest to us in the shot is the St. Regis. The main public launch spot is to the right of there on the corner of the beach. Quite mesmerising, isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? CAPTION // Choose your break! A photo of a map of Le Morne in the Club Mistral St Regis centre

CAPTION // Solis trips to Casela national park, areas of outstanding natural beauty and Chamarel the seven coloured sands

CAPTION // Julien Kerneur racking up the hours of progression PHOTO // Ydwer van der Heide / Airush

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INTRO > Mauritius is one of those destinations that regularly features towards the top of dream trip bucket lists. Although the vast proportion of the kiteboarding action imagery we see focuses on incredible waves like One Eye, Mauritius also just so happens to be one of the most complete kiteboarding islands in the world. Jim and Danielle Gaunt took a Planet Kitesurf Holidays trip to venture beyond the most popular spot of Le Morne to discover vast, spacious lagoons and freeride set-ups in other parts of the island, perfect for all levels, not just wave warriors WORDS – Jim Gaunt // ALL PHOTOS – Kiteworld (unless otherwise stated)

auritius isn’t just a quick hop to summer sunshine like Europe is for us Brits; it’s a big deal. The dreaming, the idle research, the drift towards more serious investigation, the rising belief that you could make the trip a reality and then the hours spent carefully selecting exactly the right booking options before the tidal wave of excitement when you say, sod it, let’s do it. You only live once, right? Well, we experienced all of that apart from the hours spent carefully selecting options as Planet took care of arranging the practicalities and presented a series of options. For us we were hot-stepped straight to the tidal wave of expectation. Often with experiences it’s the build up where the real high is. Take New Year for example – we get excited about it for weeks and there’s often so much riding on it that the night itself can be a bit of anti-climax.

Mauritius is nothing like that. It lives up to its’ hype as an idyllic holiday destination with the added bonus that, as kitesurfers, we can swerve the surprisingly substantial numbers of people who do take holidays in Mauritius as we’ll head to the windier east, south and southwest parts of the island. “Oh great, another cool wind holiday.” might your non-kiting partner mutter, to which you can confidently retort: “Ah but my sweet, just wait till you see the hotel, utterly sheltered from the wind!” Mauritius, for some, has transcended from just being that special occasion holiday to a regular visit as there are ways and means of doing it on a budget. You’ll find most of those folks staying in self-catering houses in La Gaulette for example and kiting at the public beach in Le Morne. It makes for a great mix of people and a brilliant atmosphere as you’ll find a very eclectic cross-section of kitesurfers of all ages and experiences.

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“As the road meanders along the coast just a few yards from the turquoise ocean, you can start to see through the trees on the shoreline that there are waves breaking out on the reef beyond the lagoon. But, wow, that lagoon inside the reef! It’s so big, spacious and flat!”

CAPTION // St. Regis by drone

CAPTION // Julien Kerneur, lagoon leaper PHOTO // Ydwer van der Heide / Airush

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CAPTION // Heading back to the Club Mistral centre looking back along the shoreline towards the main launch

CAPTION // Delicious Mauritius. Food for the eyes, mind and belly

PHOTOS // St Regis

KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR We arrived very early in the morning after an 11 hour overnight flight from the UK. All our ground transfers over the fortnight were through Planet’s agent, Solis. Our designated driver was called Judex, a kind man with a deep, warm voice and filled with Mauritius wisdom. On this first morning he started with a light history taking us beyond Dutch rule, to the tussle between English and French over the rights to the island during the centuries before independence in 1968. As we listened we gazed out of the window watching the tall sugar cane whiz by the window before we slowed to pass through shabby village streets where neatly dressed school children were beginning their often lengthy journeys to school in distant towns. The drive from Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam international airport is about an hour from Le Morne which lies in the opposite southwest corner of the island. The first stop on our trip is the most famous and well trodden by kitesurfers and is the only spot on Mauritius that I had visited before. The final 15 minutes of the drive to Le Morne is the stuff that your kitesurfing holiday dreams begin with. This section of the journey is like the very moment that you’re drawn into sleep as it envelopes your body from tip to toe, right before you enter intense, vivid rapid eye movement. As the road meanders along the coast just a few yards from the turquoise ocean, you can start to see through the trees on the shoreline that there are waves breaking out on the reef beyond the lagoon. But, wow, that lagoon inside the reef! It’s so big, spacious and flat! You approach Le Morne from the upwind part of the lagoon. Continue driving and you’ll take a left once you’ve rounded the back of the Le Morne Brabant mountain (which Judex told us has a rich history as it was a sanctuary for runaway slaves in the early 19th century) and you’ll follow the road in the direction that the busy cluster of brightly coloured signs that advertise the various schools, shops and hotels directs you in at the junction. We were booked into the St Regis Resort which brought many jealous comments from our friends who have visited Le Morne but hadn’t had the opportunity to stay in the hotel. The six star resort sits on the downwind side of the main kitesurfing beach. We passed the big exterior of the hotel and couldn’t resist checking the beach out first. Judex chuckled, “I thought you might say that!” You have never seen a kitesurfing set-up like this; it’s really the world’s biggest skateboard park, filled with a veritable feast of freeride and wave riding options, benefitting riders of all abilities, all from the same launch. Drive as far as the road will take you, park up under the shady trees and walk to the far right corner: You’re stood on the most popular launch spot on Mauritius, which offers a small area but very sociable crowd (at least it was while we were there early season in June). The beach bends at a right angle creating shelter on the leeward side of the beach towards the St Regis and you’ll find kitesurfer’s families lounging comfortably, eating from BBQs and drinking together out of the wind in the beautiful sunshine.

Look out to sea off the front section of the beach and the wind is straight cross shore from the left. Head to the left, round the corner and where the beach turns 90 degrees it faces the wind blowing straight onshore. Very spacious upwind, this is where most general twin-tip freeriders will head. If you go back to the other side where the St Regis is located, the wind blows offshore from that top corner. It’s just a few minute’s walk along the beach to the main launch spot from the St Regis as you can see from the photos, so it really is a sheltered luxury kiter’s oasis. The launch spot can get busy as it’s not huge and you need to head upwind straight away if you’re just going to freeride in the lagoon, but if you’re a good twin-tipper there’s hours of fun to be had riding in the lee of that launch spot in the butter flat waters on a high tide. The set-up on the water is hard to beat, especially for wave riders. Directly in front of you if you head straight across the wind is the break of Chameau – a playful wave for good riders. Look diagonally left and upwind of there and you have Small Reef – a wave that breaks just outside (and on big days inside) the lagoon quite safely for average wave riders. Look beyond that and you’ll see Manawa – a big, thick rolling beast that breaks much further out. It gets nice and big and steep, but holds for a long time and rolls more than it throws. It can be like riding a rolling hill but can get busy with windsurfers too, but it’s great fun if you’re up to it and being confident a relatively long way offshore. Back at your original look out position on the beach, now look 60 degrees to the right – downwind – and you’ll see One Eye – a clean jacking face of a wave that grinds its way along the reef for hundreds of yards. It’s one of kitesurfing’s most photogenic waves and gets its fair share of talent posing on it. The set-up for performance riders is just perfect; cross-off wind and a perfect reef angle.

ST. REGIS Okay, if you are wanting to treat yourself and you absolutely want the best, to have total relaxation, the height of luxury, everything done for you, incredible and varied food morning, noon and night and a feeling of seclusion and personal space on the beach or in the hotel, then the St. Regis is absolutely the place for you. So what’s all the fuss about? Well, you’re as close to the kite spot at Le Morne as you could be while still being completely sheltered from the wind. For partners or family members who don’t kite, they will likely hardly notice that you’re gone when you hit the water. The food in the four restaurants is incredible and we tried not to look at the price of things, but if you can forget about that, wow, it’s worth the holiday alone! Suitably, there’s a butler service and, though they insisted to help, I didn’t let them have a go at folding my nine and seven metre into my luggage. There are golf carts to whizz you around the property, a large luxury spa, there’s an amazing games room with American pool, console games, table tennis, a snug to watch films, a huge library, an actual cinema, business meeting rooms, plus all the outdoor entertainment you’d expect, from pools to bikes and of course the in-house Club Mistral watersports centre.

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I CAPTION // The chic Plantation Club building in the Outrigger

CAPTION // Bel Ombre noodle hut! CAPTION // If you get served breakfast each morning by this lady, you’re setting off on the right foot. Complimentary smile with your omelette at the Outrigger

CAPTION // Thanks to drone cameras, we’re afforded the sort of views we could only dream of a few years ago on a much more regular basis. Look how green and velvety the country looks. And it is. The island gets its fair share of rainfall in the winter, but it packs most of it in just before the windy season (though we were there super early so did get a bit wet). But it’s just so warm too. Drive around the island and there’s a lushness that reaches right up to the side of the road and spills onto the streets between the homes and mostly single story ‘buildings’. This shot shows you the downwinder from Bel Ombre to Le Morne. Yum PHOTO // Kite Globing

BEL OMBRE Venturing outside of Le Morne was a first for me but we had been given a slice of the experience when we took a boat trip upwind of Le Morne when Danielle had a private learn to-gybe-asurfboard lesson with Club Mistral. Sixteen kilometres east of Le Morne, the village of Bel Ombre is another warm and vibrant community. It’s not blessed with the type of conveniences you’ll be used to, but there a few local stores that you can buy some basics (you know - the aprés kite session chocolates, crisps, cakes, cokes and beers!). It is also where you’ll find a little blue hut nestled on the road side in the corner of a small parkland and shaded under trees where, for 70p / €1, you can buy the most delicious noodles. It’s incredibly popular with locals and we often sat on the roadside enjoying those if we were passing. The kiting takes place at the C-Beach Club which is where the Kite Globing centre is based. I tell you, there aren’t many centres outside of big hotels with a set-up like this. The beach club has a restaurant, bar and pool and on the beach there’s a children’s climbing area, rope swings and more to keep the kids happy while mum / dad get a kite session in (but that’s not to say that it’s crawling with children – so if you don’t have them yourself, don’t worry, you won’t need ear plugs). There is a volleyball net, sailing dinghies and more and the area is pretty well sheltered from the wind; perfect for the sun beds in the beach club and on the beach.

As Kite Globing have the exclusive launch rights in the area, it never gets too busy here, which is one of the big appeals. The lagoon conditions are more or less the same here as Le Morne, though there is a little bit of a wind shadow on the beach. Experienced riders with adept handling skills will be fine, but anyway there are plenty of staff who will walk your kite out for you off the beach into the shallows to help you launch in the cleaner wind. The tides were unusually low when we visited in June, and there is a lot of coral in this area, but as the water is so clear you can easily see where the water gets really shallow. It’s advised not to ride too much at low tide, but an hour or two afterwards you’re good to go and this section of lagoon is huge. I got to experience one of the lagoon downwinders that Kite Globing often run. Centre owner Kathrin and I kited down a few kilometres to the little village of Baie de Cap, but the more popular route is to head all the way to Le Morne. If you’re used to downwinders, then it’s rare to get such a long flat water downwinder. All 16 kilometres of this downwinder is in the lovely warm, flat and waist / chest deep lagoon. It’s incredible. And the views of the island as you weave your way over the turquoise waters alongside the little villages dotted into the green hillsides and coast is an enlivening experience. Whether you’re into boosting or are getting to grips with carving, this downwinder is an absolute joy. The Kite Globing safety boat follows you along the way for support. I also did a downwinder with Kathrin’s husband, Max, who is a Mauritian local with a lifetime of ocean experience who has also been kiting on the island since 1999. We downwinded in the

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“If you’re used to downwinders, then it’s rare to get such a long flat water downwinder. All 16 kilometres of this downwinder is in the lovely warm, flat and waist / chest deep lagoon. It’s incredible.”

CAPTION // Outrigger food and sun stations CAPTION // Julien Kerneur letting rip outside the reef PHOTO // Ydwer van der Heide / Airush lagoon to a channel that allows us safe passage over the reef to a wave that breaks 400 metres offshore called Macambe. Max knows the place like the back of his hand, but it took me a while to get the confidence to get deeper and deeper on the wave. I had never ridden such a clockwork wave with an easy shoulder and a thicker but predictable heart. You can catch it 150 yards before the thing really starts to jack up allowing you to pick how deep you want to go on the wave. Get too deep and the wave does break onto shallow reef, but the wind pulls you into the channel, so although my inexperience did catch me out on the inside once, I kited away with only a few lashes to the hand and feet, but it was a very real warning that Mauritus waves can be very delicately balanced between heaven and hell - if you don’t get the right knowledge and guidance. For a quieter option to Le Morne if you’re generally wanting to twin-tip day-today, you’ll be pleased you investigated this area.

OUTRIGGER While in Bel Ombre we stayed at the Outrigger hotel which is a 300 metre / 15 minute stroll up the beach from the C Beach club. Built on a huge plot of land, the Outrigger had by far the most spacious feel of all the properties we stayed in. Even their most basic junior rooms are like mini suites with jet baths, plenty of space and enourmous beds. The family rooms have an adjoining bedroom with a bunk bed and single bed. There are three restaurants, three pools and four pool bars / restaurants. For those wanting to relax there are beautiful beach side loungers and poster beds, a Navasana spa and, for the more sporty, tennis courts, a gymnasium, bicycles and more. We’d recommend at least booking half-board or full board for much better value on your food and drinks. Plus, you do have to drive quite a distance and do your research to find good restaurants or bars outside of the property for regular, good food. Wine is an expensive luxury here, but the beer is reasonable, thankfully!

CAPTION // Mixing it up on a downwinder in Bel Ombre PHOTO // Kite Globing

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CAPTION // Solo session at the Maritim

CAPTION // Northern charm at Kuxville

PALMAR / BELLE MARE The east coast of Mauritius has an active kitesurfing population but it’s nowhere near as popular as the south west spots. Le Morne usually benefits from a little more of a venturi effect because of the mountain, but the east and northeast of the island also get good and regular conditions with some of the most beautiful lagoons and settings to ride in. In fact, when it’s wet and there’s no wind in the south, you could find hot sunshine and good wind to the north, so this area is definitely up and coming. The wind still prevails from the easterly direction but that means that it’s more cross onshore from the right at those spots, and you can expect nine to 12 metre kite conditions. We stayed at the Maritim Crystal Beach hotel in Palmar which has its own kite spot right out front and was the ultimate bed-to-board riding destination we visited. The hotel also has a Kite Globing centre right on site which lies very centrally on the hotel beach. It’s very convenient and you don’t find such a priority on hotel kite centres usually, which reflects the positive way that the Maritim looks at kitesurfing and activities in general. Of all the hotels this was the most laid back. It’s an excellent four star in terms of amenities, set-up, food and the service I’d say is five star, but the general air of the place is a little more laid back. The kite centre is a very new set-up here and there are only a few hotel guests riding here, so if you’re looking for a relaxed riding experience that’s very convenient in terms of location, this is a solid option. We were only there for a few days and were very early in the year and out of the main wind season, but we still managed a lovely lagoon session. The low tides were also very low when we visited Palmar and revealed multiple clusters of coral that protrude the water surface, but as the water fills in there are lots of safe areas to ride and the centre has two rescue boats on standby.

Wherever you stay in Mauritius we’d say that it’s worth hiring a car because there is lots to see and do on the island, whether it’s visiting the most popular tourist attractions of the island, such as the coloured earths of Chamarel, the giant lilly ponds in the northwest or the Casela national park where you can walk with lions, but there are also some incredibly beautiful parts of the islands you’ll miss out on seeing if you don’t. Or, you can organise these trips through Solis, like we did. Of course, top of that list are the other waves and other lagoons. Being based in Palmar you have just over an hour’s drive to the spots in the south or a 45 minute drive north to Anse la Raie... where your jaw will hit the floor. When you closed your eyes and pictured Mauritius before arriving, this is what you saw. There’s great kitesurfing up here too and a good combination of lagoon riding and waves. If you’re an experienced wave rider you can find your way out through a channel and smash up the often playful waves. Unlike the lefts in the south, if you’re a natural footer, the waves up there have wind from the right and aren’t as intimidating as the likes of One Eye or as busy and big as Manawa. You’ll have fun here. But again, don’t just head out there thinking you can figure it out. It all looks very heavenly, but as with anywhere on the island you don’t want to end up on the reef in the wrong place. So humbly ask the advice of the likes of Club Mistral or Nico Kux (Kuxville) who both have schools up here and Kite Globing at the Maritim will guide you, too. If you’re really up for a downwind adventure, then once a year check out the Mauritius Kiteival – an annual amateur downwinder event week that Nico Kux runs here in August. Staying in different hotels each night, you’ll do downwind stages that include: Bel Ombre to Le Morne / Pte D’Esny to Mahebourg / Palmar to Poste La Fayette / Roches Noires to Cap Malheureux. As you can see, there’s lots of epic lagoon downwind potential to Mauritius. The website has more info of the routes and spots: www.kiteivalmauritius.com

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MAURITIUS MEMORIES From the moment you step off the plane you’ll experience one of the most genuinely welcoming nations of people you could hope to come across - even those who have so little compared to you. Mauritians are also good at holding onto ownership of their land, so although there are a lot of South African real estate agents and developments moving in, particularly in Tamarind, it’s hoped that Mauritius will never lose its soul. There are dogs everywhere. Literally. Be careful at night because they like to sleep in the road! The buffet at the St Regis is the best buffet I have ever experienced. And having a private Indian Chef (who trained under the famous UK TV chef Atul Kochhar) in the tea garden one evening was an unforgettable experience. As was opening a packet to reveal a tiny pair of disposable knickers I was supposed to wear for my ‘Kitesurfers Massage’ in the spa! Driving from Le Morne in the southwest to the most northerly kite spot, Anse le Raie, is 80 kilometres and will take you an hour and 45, to give you an idea of the size of the island. If you hire a car and drive it yourself there is usually a GPS with the car. And you’ll need it. And you shouldn’t always expect it to not send you the wrong way down a one way street. Or into a field. However, unlike in the UK, if you do take a wrong turn, the locals give you a friendly wave to tell you you’re going the wrong way! Nowhere is too far to drive for a day trip on the island, make sure you get out and about. If you don’t hire a car we can’t recommend Solis highly enough as they offer various island guide and activities as well as regular transfers. www.solis-io.com

PHOTOS // Maritim Crystals Beach

Find out more about Mauritius kitesurfing trips through Planet Kitesurf Holidays for their full range of package options: www.planetkitesurfholidays.com KW

CAPTION // The centre piece, Maritim Crystals Beach

“On the trips that we’ve done, our groups just love the lagoons up north. In the past I’ve kept a surfboard on the rescue boat when we’ve had a group who want to twin-tip in the lagoon. When they head in I’ll grab my surfboard, nip out through a channel and have a hoot riding waves til sunset. There are a lot of spots, but you should get some local advice. When you do, it’s just joy up there.” CHRIS BULL, KITEWORLD TESTER AND CBK-HAYLING ISLAND TRIP LEADER

CAPTION // It’s a good thing you’re not charged by the acres of free space up here

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LANGEBAAN

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LANGEBAAN, SOUTH AFRICA

INTRO > CAROLINE MORRIS WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA AND FELL IN LOVE... WITH LANGEBAAN. CONTRASTING WITH THE OFTEN MENACING CONDITIONS AND PACE OF CAPE TOWN, LANGEBAAN, 90 MINUTES UP THE R27 HIGHWAY, HAS THE WIND AND A MUCH MORE TRANQUIL FAMILY VIBE AND FLAT, WARMER WATER IN THE LAGOON ALL PHOTOS > Kiteworld, unless stated otherwise

f it’s extreme, punchy wind, powerful waves and city living you’re after, then Cape Town really is the place to be. These are among the good reasons that pros flock to Cape Town for the South African summer and why Red Bull host the King of the Air competition in Big Bay each year but, in all honestly, not all kiters would be comfortable with the day-to-day conditions out there. In my best ‘survival mode’, my kiting skills are enough to get me by, but when it comes to progressing as a twin-tip rider, I admit, it’s not the place for me. Having ended most of my sessions being spat out on the beach from the washing machine surf in Blouberg, it wasn’t long before I craved some respite from the power of those awesome waves. I’d heard of Langebaan as a nearby kite spot, but nothing much other than it having flat water where a lot of beginners take their lessons. Just a 90 minute drive on a straight, easy road from Big Bay, I found a much slower paced kiters’ paradise. On the

CAPTION > A view down over town and Main Beach edge of the beautiful West Coast National Park lies the Langebaan lagoon offering white sand beach living with stunning vistas and reliable winds. The small and quiet Afrikaans town sits alongside slightly warmer waters bursting with wildlife and the local people are relaxed and friendly. It might not be as ‘cool’ as Cape Town, but if you’re serious about your kiting progression then Langebaan’s reliable cross-shore winds provide a freestyle heaven. The wind is generally softer in the mornings and will build throughout the day, often cranking up to 35 knots in the afternoon – the southeaster is also very much in effect here! There is a safety boat on hand that does a very good job at looking out for drifters or those in trouble if anything does get out of hand, but don’t treat it like a designated resort boat – make sure you’re self-reliant. The main beach is at the heart of the action, both for kiting and dining, and a number of kite schools take advantage of the flatter water once their students are ready to body drag or

get up on the board. Schools like Windchasers are increasingly forging links between Cape Town and Langebaan, making it easy for their guests to enjoy learning in easier waters even if they choose to be based in Cape Town. However, on very special occasions when the tide turns, you can very occasionally find a wave downwind of main beach with enough surf for wave kiters to have some fun. Just over the hill beyond town and upwind of Main Beach is the unspoilt stretch of lagoon known as Shark Bay; another picture-perfect kite spot near the entrance to the National Park. Despite its name, the sharks that dwell here are the smaller, harmless, sand shark variety that ‘bottom feed’ more like rays, so aren’t any threat to kiters. Facing a slightly different direction to Main Beach, the wind here is onshore but you’ll find waist-deep flat water that’s ideal for beginners who can walk out away from the crowds or get taken out into open water by their instructor. Equally, this is a playground for freestyle tricksters without the worry

CAPTION > Bruna Kajiya, Shark Bay PHOTO > Ydwer van der Heide / Airush

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USEFUL CONTACTS: ACCOMMODATION: PUMPKIN HOUSE offers private en-suite rooms at affordable prices and is well situated on Park Drive en-route to the West Coast National Park. An enclosed garden area makes it ideal for the artistic and nature loving guest. www.facebook.com/ThePumpkinHouse arts2gether@gmail.com +27 82 853 8187 FRIDAY ISLAND accommodates up to 40 people and is the perfect venue for relaxing. Featuring its own little beach, it’s also a very short walk to Main Beach and has it’s own bar / restaurant on the lawn serving great food and after session beers. Highly recommended. www.fridayisland.co.za kathy@intekom.co.za +27 22 7722 506

CAPTION > Shark Bay shot from the hill between there and Main Beach

CAPTION > The ‘strip’ towards Main Beach where you’ll find plenty of restaurants, cafes, one or two bars, surf and kite shops, a Post Office... what more do you need? of losing your board or being out of your depth. I’ve often seen Shark Bay used as a great set up and attractive backdrop for photo shoots, whether capturing pros or people filming themselves to improve, or those just wanting to get that perfect holiday riding shot. For aprés-kiting, Langebaan is ideal for relaxing and there’s not many places in the world like Friday Island where you can get a room with a sun deck extending onto the beach for around 680ZAR a night and be able to virtually kite to your door. You can even have your food from the great restaurant next door brought to your terrace, making the experience all the more intimate and lazy. It’s true that Langebaan may not have the bright lights of Cape Town’s nightly entertainment, but increasingly the likes of Ruben Lenten and his DJ kiting buddies are choosing Langebaan to throw their sundowner parties at venues like the roof bar of boutique kite hotel, Windtown. If that’s not enough for you then the city parties are not much more than an hour away and, let’s face it, crossing a city at home can take that long in travel time sometimes anyway.

Langebaan is also not short on kiting events. The Langebaan Downwind Dash, for example, attracts international acclaim each year as one of the few places in the world where you can race full throttle over a 20 kilometre course with varying conditions against windsurfers. Held annually since 1986, the Dash now attracts around 300 pros and amateurs alike who are all made to feel welcome at possibly the biggest kite and windsurf event in all of Africa; a special experience! Langebaan gets overshadowed by Cape Town, but I think that’s part of its charm and it’s perfect that they both fulfill different things. Although it’s certainly growing as a destination, Langebaan’s relaxed pace will remain, and there’s still plenty of space out there on the water. If you find you really miss the waves, try Paternoster 40 minutes from Langebaan for more of a rugged, naturalbeauty kite spot. I love Langebaan for the slow and easy way of life, but also for the progression it’s given me in my kiteboarding. It’s the place where I have been able to achieve the most as my confidence has grown through the security I have felt in the location and conditions it offers. Unlike my kite buddies in Cape Town, I sometimes like being a big fish in a small pond and was happy to make Langebaan my home for most of the season last year, making good friends and immersing in the more relaxed kite life I found. I can even see myself returning again and again, just like everyone else does to Cape Town each year.

OTHER ACTIVITIES On windless days you’ll find that you’re right on the doorstep of the West Coast National Park with stunning natural bays and indigenous animals. You can chill at the odd eatery perfectly placed to enjoy stunning views and delicious food. Other options include renting a bike, exploring the lagoon via SUP, visiting a nearby game park or just playin’ lazy in the sun. I found it refreshing to be able to ditch the need for a car as most things are within a short walk and it’s mostly safe to do so, too. Of course, the city attractions of Cape Town lie an hour-and-a-half back down the road. KW

CLUB MYKONOS is a family friendly Mediterranean resort. There aren’t many resort-style accommodation options in Cape Town or Langebaan, so this is unique if you’re looking for that sort of set-up. Choose from three self-catering accommodation products, consisting of 361 luxurious Kalivas (apartments), with stunning views of the Langebaan lagoon and a host of things to do. It’s a short five minute drive away from the kite spots. www.clubmykonos.co.za info@clubmykonos.co.za +27 22 707 7000

LESSONS/HIRE/SALES/DEMO WINDCHASERS teach all levels from September to April. They stock a full retail shop, rent Cabrinha gear, have wireless internet, equipment storage and hot outdoor showers. The Windchasers hostel on Main Road is nicely equipped with character and facilities and is open all year. www.windchaserssa.com info@windchaserssa.com +27 82 079 0500 WINDTOWN Lagoon Resort and Spa is in the middle of town close to Main Beach. Relax in the sun by the pool, restaurant or bar. Full range of lesson options, plus hire or buy option on North gear. www.windtown-sa.com info@windtown-sa.com +27 82 2625 289

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CAROLINE COVERS:

THE TARIFA STRAPLESS KITESURFINGPRO

INTRO > Caroline Morris is taking on a series of new kitesurfing experiences for Kiteworld. This issue she checks out the Tarifa Strapless Pro in Tarifa, hosted by Jaime Herraiz and North Kiteboarding ALL PHOTOS – TOBY BROMWICH

‘S

CAPTION > Airton Cozzolino – yes, that’s a strapless handle-pass off a kicker. Madness

trapless’ - it seems to be the word on the beach and something I am trying myself, not that I can do much just yet. ‘Strapless’ is a shortened term for kiting while riding a surfboard without straps; not anything to do with what I am wearing, which a lot of my unknowing male counterparts seem to think when I talk about it. Feeling the power and freedom of catching waves riding a board without straps is the ultimate goal for many, but adding a circa six foot beast to your already large kite luggage used to be only for the diehard wave enthusiasts.

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CAPTION > Airton – huge kite loop bringing the wow factor showing it’s not all about low level technicality

CAPTION > Enthralled

Here in Tarifa, Spain, there’s not usually much in the way of surf in the summer, so I was surprised to see advertisements around town for a ‘Strapless Kitesurfing Pro’ event taking place. With my interest piqued, I began to see a few guys doing some mad stunts on surfboards at the water’s edge in Valdevaqueros. So impressive were they that they’d clear the sea as other kiters got out to watch them. The cat was out of the bag for me and the upcoming event clearly wasn’t going to rely on waves, but focused on using the surfboard for different means. The event day arrived and when it came to the first heats there was already a quickly growing crowd. The freestyle tricks we saw were something I’d never imagined to be possible. I’ve seen older footage of Mitu Monteiro airborne with his board between his legs, but now witnessing unhooked strapless handle-passes, handstands and more - what on earth?! Needless to say it was thrilling to watch. What I didn’t expect was to hear other competitors who were watching the heats amazed by what the other riders were pulling off. I realised that I was at the knife edge of a new emerging area of the sport that was so fresh that there were tricks being invented before my very eyes; it must have been very hard to judge! I needed to get under the skin of some of the competitors so caught up with Californian buddies James Ropner (Best) and Bear Karry (Airush) who both specialise in riding waves strapless. It seems for this strapless freestyle event the invitations were formed out of Airton Cozzolino’s less well known ‘Red Bull Unfastened’ strapless event last year in Sardinia, Italy. But that wasn’t 100% focused on flat water and freestyle like now – and neither James nor Bear had been

quite sure what would be in store. Plus, many of these riders hadn’t even been on the water together before. James said, “I was amazed with the new tricks that I saw go down and the style on old tricks that I know well. I will definitely need to practice more board varials, unhooked reverts, and (based on what went down in the comp) kite loops.” Bear observed that, “For a long time I saw kiteboarding mimicking other sports like wakeboarding and surfing. For the first time I see the sport growing into its own, creating tricks that can only be done with a kite. This will appeal to kiters already in the sport and spectators who can see kiteboarding for what it is. This class of riding will call for new equipment specially designed for strapless freestyle tricks.” Being inquisitive I wondered whether this was just a publicity stunt to sell more strapless boards? So I caught up with Jaime Herraiz (a bedrock of North Kiteboarding, ex World Tour pro and owner of ‘Wet’, the brainchild behind the event) and I’d probably say I couldn’t have been more wrong… Jaime seems such a genuine guy and was one of those who helped create the PKRA to push the limits of kiteboarding and legitimise a sport with no legs back in the day. He’s worried that we’ve been losing the link where the sport connects to the public. He wants to help inspire new kiters and close the gap between those who can be a little far removed from the sport. The aim of the event was to get all brands involved, share and keep sharing the stoke of kiting in new ways. By securing big sponsors and a €10k prize fund to make the event go off with a bang, top level riders were attracted and the bar has now been set. Event organisers set up a great place for spectators to chill

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CAPTION > Matchu Lopes fancy footwork

TARIFA

CAPTION > Airton was the firm favourite and shone throughout

and watch the action at Valdevaqueros and by the weekend the event had attracted a crowded beach, mixing inspired kitesurfers and the amazed general public. Airton Cozzolino was the firm favourite throughout, seen by the other riders as the one to beat, and in the end was the deserving eventual winner. As a first time spectator I really enjoyed how close we were able to get to the action and feel part of it. For me, Jan Marcos Riveras, the Starkites rider from Cabarete definitely seemed to have most fun on water; laughing, smiling and getting the crowd to clap and cheer. He told me the most important thing is to have fun… this new form of our sport certainly looks to be that! Jaime’s business aim is to nurse the stoke of his customers and this new strapless freestyle dimension definitely adds variety to keep existing kiters interested. James agrees, adding, “If you live in the middle of Europe, the US, or anywhere that has water and wind you can train for this new discipline.” So dust off that surfboard you only take traveling once a year and try out some new fancy footwork - master a few tricks and you’ll be wowing your local beach in no time!

STRAPLESS PRO PODIUM: CAPTION > Keahi, juggling

1 Airton Cozzolino (Cape Verde) / North 2 Keahi de Aboitiz (Australia) / Cabrinha 3 Matchu Lopes (Cape Verde) / North

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FEATURE

STRAPLESS

CAPTION > Keahi’s not just a skater boy

KEAHI’S VIEW

INTRO > We caught up with event runner-up and strapless wizard Keahi de Aboitiz to get his take on strapless freestyle, the progression and where it’s heading WORDS > KEAHI DE ABOITIZ

CAPTION > Keahi feathering and feeling his way round a back roll CAPTION > Keahi was pleased to take second behind Airton who he calls ‘a freak’ in terms of talent!

TARIFA

he first time I saw video of Ian Alldredge doing strapless front rolls a few years ago it just didn’t look real at the time. I repeatedly watched the video trying to work out how he did it and if there was some trick that I wasn’t seeing, but sure enough it was real. At the time I was mostly into wave riding and doing some simple strapless tricks, but realised there could be much more to it. I started focusing a lot more time to learning new tricks and as I started to figure them out I was hooked. Although the whole strapless freestyle scene is relatively new, it’s definitely gaining a lot more traction, especially in Europe. I used to do a lot of twin-tip freestyle but I’ve moved away from that because I was getting burned out and not progressing. Strapless freestyle really helped me regain motivation to try new things and show people what’s actually possible without straps. Although it’s technically very difficult, it’s a lot less hard on your body, which is why I think it’s becoming more and more popular. I was really blown away at the level of competition at this event and it was super cool to see just how stoked all the riders and spectators were. The top guys are riding incredibly well and we are now able to do tricks that we just wouldn’t have thought possible a couple years ago. Airton is a freak and he’s really impressive. I have been focusing more on wave riding again lately, but he has inspired me to start trying some more new stuff. I think having a dedicated strapless event is what the sport needed and it will be cool to see where it will go in the future. I really like the idea of having a combination event that is based on both waves and strapless freestyle depending on the conditions, like the VKWC is trying to do. It’s difficult to find perfect conditions for wave riding at an event, so this is the perfect way to open up more event locations and make it more entertaining for spectators. I can’t wait for the next one! KW

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TEST

KITES

FIRST BUZZ

INTRO > THE TEST TEAM GET THEIR FIRST SPIN ON A HANDFUL OF 2016 KITES

Caption > Senior tester Chris Bull

Caption > KW assistant editor and new test team rider, Matt Pearce

ON THE JOB We try to bring as much well-rounded experience and buyer’s considerations into our reviews as we can. We’re not about finding the best products for pro riders, but rather squeezing out the most relevant characteristics for every day riders. Senior tester Chris Bull is 40-something (we’ve stopped believing he’s still 38, no matter how often he tells us), has been kiting for 15 years and tested more gear than anyone we know, outside of gear developers themselves. He runs CBK-Hayling Island (www.CBK-haylingisland.com), a lively school, club and shop and understands what the pros and bros are looking for in their purchases. Jim Gaunt is 36, editor of Kiteworld, has been kiting for 13 years and rarely rides the same gear session to session, so has a good understanding of current directions/trends. Kiteworld assistant editor Matt Pearce has joined the test team this issue. Matt’s 27, 6’2’’ and 95 kilos so adds weight to the team. He has been kiting for eight years, six of those spent as a team rider for Liquid Force, he’s been involved in R&D and is also an experienced instructor. Where possible, we also gather the opinion of amateur guest riders who also jump on the gear. THE FEEL Kitesurfing is a very touchy-feely experience and all our tests are based on what we felt. Of course that’s subjective and views can change when you ride a kite every session having welcomed it into your life, but hopefully our reviews will assist you in finding the kite that has the right character for you a little bit quicker. Here’s a guide to what the scores mean for each kite. (Remember: not everyone wants a kite that scores 10/10 for everything. For example when considering ‘Steering speed’ – you could end up in a hedge if you’re not ready!)

Caption > KW editor and test notes compiled by Jim Gaunt

KITE BALANCE POINT READINGS X / 10: BUILD QUALITY: 1 = Good luck getting it out of the bag in one piece / 10 = Indestructible FULL PACKAGE: 1 = Pigtails sold separately / 10 = Comes with its own wind LOW END: 1 = More power in a handkerchief / 10 = If the leaves are moving you’ll be flying TOP END: 1 = Force 3 feels like gale force 8 / 10 = Trees blow down before you max out STEERING SPEED: 1 = Barely turns / 10 = Blink and you’ll miss it TURNING CIRCLE: 1 = Most pivotal / 10 = Likes to scrape the water POWER THROUGH TURN: 1 = You won’t notice it turning / 10 = Could move a house BAR PRESSURE: 1 = Light as a feather / 10 = Get down the gym WATER RELAUNCH: 1 = Superglues itself to the water / 10 = Has an allergy to water DRIFT: 1 = Rebel without a cause / 10 = Escorts you gallantly down-the-line BOOST: 1 = More lift in a wet towel / 10 = Will take you into space HANG-TIME: 1 = Back to the water before you know it / 10 = GPS needed for piloting UNHOOKED: 1 = Collapses or pulls your arms out of their socket / 10 = Who needs a chicken-loop? EASE-OF-USE: 1 = Will make you give up kiting / 10 = Put your mother on it and she’ll shred *DT = Didn’t test, so not prepared to score

KITEWORLD TEST SESSIONS ARE PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH VOLVO

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>> A I R U S H U N I O N 9 M TESTER: MATT PEARCE Matt Pearce has a solid history in kitesurfing as a seasoned team rider for Liquid Force UK and has years of instructing experience. He’s now Kiteworld’s Assistant Editor and joins the test team to make his debut in this section of the magazine. The Airush was literally hot out of the factory for this test and we’ll be following this up with the rest of the test team after more sessions online – where you can find the rest of our reviews. TEST TEAM NOTES: Straight out of the bag the Union is a good looking and clearly a very well made bit of kit. The Aramid load frame is immediately noticeable in the canopy and is supposed to vastly increase a kite’s lifespan – in fact, Airush claim that since implementing it they haven’t had a single leading edge to trailing edge rip on one of their kites. There are all the bells and whistles you’d expect – quick inflation, one pump, good fixtures and fittings, a series of set-up options and overall the design looks very neat. The kite was so fresh that it wasn’t shipped with the 2016 bar, so I used the 2015 system, which sits fairly wide in the hands and is at the grippier end of the spectrum. For 2016 Airush have apparently reduced the diameter and implemented a new colour scheme, so overall the Airush bar will remain very uncluttered, functional and durable. Airush reckon that this brand new model brings together aspects from the Razor C kite, the Wave and the Lithium freeride kite and this year it replaces the Varial-X in the line-up. I have to say that I’m a real fan of these three strut medium to high-aspect bridled C style kites as their general handling and design is so focused on the allround riding that so many people want to do. Last year the 2015 Varial-X was less grunty and generally softened, and I’m pleased to say that the Union feels much more like the 2014 Varial-X in terms of power, which I really liked. It’s got the juice back, but the manageability is now better for more riders. There are three attachments on the back lines and two on the front which provide a useful difference. In the light winds the closest attachment to the back helps manoeuvre for power and then as the wind picked up the kite settles beautifully on the middle attachment on the back and the most forward on the front line. Sitting forward in the window, the Union creates good forward

turning power. If you have efficient steering skills you can get going in relatively low winds and I was really impressed that I was finding power and getting out through a decent sized shorebreak in about 15 knots – and I’m about 96 kilos – so the low end is impressive thanks to the manoeuvrability. The Union also looks very compact for a nine, and people commented that they were impressed I had got going on what looked like an eight or even seven metre kite. One of the Union’s most positive aspects is its’ stability with smooth and progressive depower and powering up. The bar throw is fairly long but there’s good feel for the kite throughout its length and at the far end of the throw there is almost an absolute shut off of power. For wave riding and for intermediate freeriders this is useful and inspires confidence. The medium bar pressure is greater than the Lithium but it’s not fatiguing and offers the positivity that progressive riders are looking for. Sheet in and there’s a nice surge in power when you need it. Relentless bar pressure in my mind, particularly when strapless, isn’t very helpful, but the Union offers the power when you need it as well as that nice shut-off availability. It’s in the movement of the kite that I enjoyed the power generation the most, however. The kite also generates pull more deeply into the loop than many a hybrid kite but it doesn’t pull your arms off either. There’s a good level of feel and engagement throughout the performance. Getting on a smaller kite on a wave board and being able to generate power and feel through a turn was a really pleasing characteristic for me. Particularly bottom turning when you’re working for power in waves, the Union develops steady power through the turn that you can manage at the bar while the turn itself is responsive to positive input without being twitchy. Also, for freeriding and freestyle the Union’s combination of power, feel and intuitive turning reaction will feel natural to many. I got on well with it slightly underpowered on a surfboard – I’m quite used to riding like that - but I’d say that the kite really comes into its own the more powered it gets and I had a great flat water session fully lit. The jumping is stable and dependable with the kite planted over head and there’s a decent trajectory to the hangtime too. While it’s not an aggressive freestyle machine and you won’t be wanging C-kite mega loops, for the typical riders wanting to punt about doing airs then the Union’s power delivery, manoeuvrability

and steadiness makes jumping progression easy and fun for intermediates and the intuitive handling in stronger winds mean that good riders can really be rewarded by treating the kite aggressively at the bar. In terms of unhooked abilities the Union gives you a solid feel, but it’s more difficult to get a genuine slack line for technical passes, but for the average rider looking to throw the more basic unhooked tricks then the combination that this also offers in a range of different conditions make it a winner. The length of the bridles were a bit of a concern when I crashed it and it got rolled by a couple of waves, but there were no tangles and it relaunched fine each time. SUMMARY: I enjoyed the 2014 Varial-X a lot and this Union has headed back in that direction, but now I was also really impressed with how adaptable it is in a range of conditions for general wave riding, freeriding and freestyle. We can’t comment on what the Union will be like across the range as each of the eight sizes are designed individually for different wind conditions, but this nine metre is really clean in terms of its performance with a very refined air frame. KW LIKED: Intuitive bar pressure, predictive steering and power and real performance in a variety of conditions. KW WOULD CHANGE: The bridle is quite long – some people are fussy about that, but it wasn’t an issue for us at all and certainly contributes to the large depower. UNION BALANCE POINTS: Build quality: 9 / Full package: 9 / Low end: 7.5 / Top end: 8.5 / Steering speed: 7.5 / Turning circle: 5 / Power through turn: 4.5 / Bar pressure: 5 / Water relaunch: 8.5 / Drift: 7 / Boost: 8 / Hang-time: 8 / Unhooked: 7 / Cross-over: 9 / Ease-of-use: 9 SIZES: 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6m www.airush.com

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>> L I Q U I D F O R C E W O W 2 0 1 6 TESTERS: Chris Bull and CBK-Hayling Island members SIZES RIDDEN: 12, 9 and 7m TEST TEAM NOTES: For 2016 the Wow steps up with its now tried and tested brilliant Max Flow wide inflation system which sees you pumped up and ready to go very quickly indeed. Construction is excellent with double layered canopy material, EVA scuff guards on the kite and what LF claim to be the strongest TPU bladder material. No doubt the segmented look of the Wow is unique rather than the flowing constant curve of most models you’ll be used to seeing in the sky, and that, along with the stunning patterns of the material, really catches attention. Liquid Force have had to make a few changes to their chicken-loop this year as, although very few and far between, there were some defects with what seemed to be a really excellent and well-featured chicken-loop last year. This year they don’t have the below-the-bar line untwister, just the ceramic swivel above the trim, so that’s a bit of a step back, but overall is a step towards absolute safety, so necessary. You also have to get used to where you can position your fingers when butted up close to the centre line and sheeting in to avoid occasionally brushing them on the wings on top of the chicken-loop. Moving on to the kite – we were big fans of the Envy last year and much of our comparison is related to that 2015 model as we’ve ridden it a lot – if you’re looking at the Liquid Force range, it’s likely you’ll be weighing up these two options (though we haven’t yet tried the 2016 Envy, but it’s our assumption the distinguishing rider style traits will be similar). The Wow flies further into the window, the air speed is slightly quicker and the canopy is more high aspect. The steering on the Wow is light, easy, not fatiguing at all and the power delivery is very comfortable. If you’re aggressive with the kite it will turn almost on the spot with little power and then drive forward very positively with zero lag between the turn and then kicking into forward gear again, which is fantastic for waves. When you make a mistake in your handling on a wave and you lose line tension the Wow doesn’t back up and suddenly dish out too much power. Instead it naturally wants

to fly forward, which really adds to its legitimacy as a wave kite. Similarly, if you ease off on your input on the bar you can get a wider turn and get it to hold more power – not as much as the Envy, but you can get a nice feel through a loop nonetheless and you’ll be able to throw kite loops and look good without feeling intimidated. Where is it in the matrix of where we position it then? Well it’s wave – but it’s freeride wave because overhead there’s too much lift for a pure blood wave kite, and for delicate strapless riding it can take a bit of time to get used to when powered up and sweeping the kite overhead. For a fairly focused wave kite it has quite a sharp boost, which is unusual and definitely means it crosses very well into freeride as that lift at the top of the window from this nicely forward flying kite means that it’s also genuinely good at jumping. It’s very well behaved around all areas of the window and, as it’s not aggressive through its turns, when you’re coming down from a jump you feel confident enough to be more aggressive with the kite on the bar, throwing helicopter loops on the way down for that lovely, soft float. Off the hook it’s plenty good enough for intermediate and progressive unhookers. Throw dangle-passes or flat 3s off the kickers all day long as it drives forward in the window so well that when you unhook it doesn’t back up and provide a really aggressive pull downwind. In fact manageability is a really big part of the Wow’s performance. Due to its increased speed and forward flight in the window, it does suit a more advanced freerider or wave rider, whereas the Envy has always been very easy for anyone to get on and use as it has a steadier low end, but then the benefit for advanced riders with the Envy is that it also has a dirtier kite loop and an increased physicality to it that some riders like. One more area that the Envy prevails over the Wow is at the absolute top end of the range, especially in the bigger sizes where you’re really testing the air frame. We’re talking about pushing the boundaries; where you’re going out to try and set boosting records. The Wow has a good top end, no doubt, and really does jump very well – especially for a kite that’s also good in waves, but it does start to paddle a bit when you’re pushing it to the absolute

maximum (which most people won’t go anywhere near. However, as it does jump well, we couldn’t help ourselves!). The Envy on the other hand just keeps on going and going until your own quads give out, which is why Bully has been setting so many good Woo stats – most of which have been done on the Envy. The big difference is the lighter, easy handling of the Wow that’s quick, can be very pivotal and with a lovely soft power delivery, compared to the Envy that’s more solid, has more low down grunt and is more ballsy. If you’re looking to freeride and also smash waves, go for the Wow – it’s a jack of all trades. You might call it the Envy Lite. If you’re a twin-tip rider over 85 kilos, you may want to look at the Envy. If you’re under 85 kilos, you’ll be Wow’d by the Wow. SUMMARY: If all you’re going to do each session is hunt out waves on a strapless board then there are more suitable kites. But if you want to ride waves and then not be left with a limp boost when you get on your twin-tip, or you want some freestyle performance, then the Wow is great – sitting nicely between the two camps. KW LIKED: Smooth feel and power delivery matched with adept turns for wave riding mixed with top-of-the-window performance for jumping. It’s very relevant for a large section of the kitesurfing population. KW WOULD CHANGE: The Wow’s air frame does reach its limit if you’re wanting to go out overpowered to set jumping records. WOW BALANCE POINTS Build quality: 8.5 / Full package: 8 / Low end: 8 / Top end: 8 / Steering speed: 7.5 / Turning circle: 3 / Power through the turn: 3 / Bar pressure: 4 / Water relaunch: 8.5 / Drift: 8.5 / Boost: 8 / Hang-time: 7 / Unhooked: 8.5 / Cross-over: 9 (Beginner, all-freeride, freestyle, waves) / Ease-of-use: 9 SIZES: 15, 13.5, 12, 10.5, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5m www.liquidforcekites.com

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>> O C E A N R O D E O F L I T E 1 0 M TESTERS: Chris Bull and Jim Gaunt TEST TEAM NOTES: The Flite is very unique in that it’s a ten metre designed for light wind. In the previous two Flite ranges the 17 and 14.5 metre models have been the more traditionally sized high performance light wind models, but in this third generation, Ocean Rodeo say that this ten metre is the lightest kite they have ever made. So, what’s the deal? Well, the ten metre isn’t going to replace your fourteen metre exactly, but what it does do is inject your marginal ten metre weather days - where you’re kitesurfing, but not having huge amounts of fun - into really exciting sessions where you have bags of power. The low range performance is remarkable. We had it out on the same day as the Cabrinha FX 10m which hands-down was one of the most exciting kites we tested last year, but we were underpowered on that, and it doesn’t matter how good a kite is – if you haven’t got enough power, you’ll struggle. Take the Flite out in average conditions and you’ll have more power than anyone else as it’s a more energetic and exciting kite. It feels quick and punchy because you still have all the agility benefits of it being a mid-sized kite rather than a more cumbersome bigger kite. In reality the ten metre delivers power more like a 12 or 13 metre, but feels faster, more efficient and spritely. So if you’re getting bored with the performance of your 12 and fancy the same power but the speed of a ten, this could be a good option. All this lightweight performance does come at a cost and the Flite’s lightweight, good flight characteristics are because it’s built quite sparingly. Out of the bag it’s immediately obvious that the kite is light in your hands. It’s streamlined, though does feature a Dacron trailing edge and good leading edge seams but doesn’t have added heavy extras such as wide inflation, though it does have one pump. There are also grab safety handles on the tips of the kite and there are two options for bar pressure set-up too. Interestingly, for such a light performance kite there are pulleys on the bridles which

add weight, but no doubt add to the smooth depowering and soft freeride characteristics. In terms of ride, for a freerider it’s got really good power high up in the window, so for your transitions and boosts it naturally wants to help you do all that. By the same token you’ve got a relatively quick kite to experiment with down loops and kite loops in more marginal and less nerve wracking conditions as the kite moves in a tighter and more confident loop around the window. The Flite responds smartly to rider input and behaves very well, so puts a smile on your face. It would also definitely appeal to foil riders because of the light and efficient performance, plus it steams upwind and doesn’t stall. In terms of the bar, the OR system is efficient and definitely does the job, but as with the build of the kite, it isn’t revolutionary in terms of build. Many of today’s modern bar systems feature a multitude of moulded plastic bar ends and parts. Ocean Rodeo have always stuck to their guns of function over form and there’s no doubt that rivets hold a bar together well and this bar is going to last a long time. The line quality is good being quite stiff and shiny, so they’re easy to manage and tangle less. There are oh-shit handles on each leader line which are very useful as a last form of not losing the kite if you have to eject, such as if you tangle with someone, or find yourself on your own on the beach. The trimming cleat is nice and smooth above the bar with a very handy tab to grab. There’s no Velcro to tidy it up, but the throw isn’t so big on this kite so you don’t end up with a lot of trim flapping around. The safety line running up the middle of the bar runs freely to the outside of the chicken-loop, so there’s less chance of it jamming if you do need to eject, although it does put the kite onto two lines (you do have option to adjust the set-up so that it flags out onto one, though). The bar stopper works nicely to finish off the above-the-bar functionality while below the bar the chicken-loop is tidy with a clean and easy push away safety system. Relying on a folded

webbing, it’s light weight and easy to activate. The chicken-finger is just a piece of plastic piping but the leash attachment is very big and obvious. There’s no line untwister below the bar unfortunately which we’re big fans of - but overall the build quality, robustness and reliability is there in this system. It’s just not the most flashy. SUMMARY: The Flite provided us with a very unique testing experience in that it’s a light wind kite that doesn’t really behave like a light wind kite. Any freerider would surely be on a ten metre rather than a 12 or 13 and there will be a more appealing cost to this kite than a bigger kite. It’s an interesting move from Ocean Rodeo and could be really tempting for riders who don’t get out that often or live in a spot that gets 12 to 15 knots a lot but don’t want to just settle for riding big kites all the time. (We can’t comment too much on the top end, but we will be taking it out in more wind and reporting online at www.kiteworldmag.com) KW LIKED: Blowing everyone else on the same size kites off the water. After riding this for a while and then changing back to kites of a similar size, we missed the power of the Flite. KW WOULD CHANGE: The general build and range of features aren’t as high spec as you might be used to. FLITE BALANCE POINTS: Build quality: 7 / Full package: 5 / Low end: 9 / Top end: 7 Steering speed: 8 / Turning circle: 4 / Power through the turn: 4 Bar pressure: 4 / Water relaunch: 8 / Drift: 7 / Boost: 8 Hang-time: 8 / Unhooked: 7 / Cross-over: 7 / Ease-of-use: 8 SIZES: 17, 14.5, 12 and 10m www.oceanrodeo.com KW

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TECHNIQUE

SEVEN

POWER

1. POP

The first and most important element when performing a powerful trick is the pop you need to deliver to execute the action. I focus on ensuring I transfer an optimal amount of pressure from my lines down through the board to produce a hard, explosive pop.

When performing a trick, whether it be when you’re learning a new trick or perfecting one you already know, it takes practice, practice, practice - no matter what sport or discipline you are doing. It’s going to take hours upon hours of practice to achieve the ultimate result, but dig in, because the feelings of reward when you get it are amazing.

4. POSITIONING

For most tricks the position of your body and kite are vitally important. In order to pass the bar the kite needs to be as low as possible without sacrificing too much pop. This again takes a lot of time and practice but, without it, it makes a trick near impossible to perform.

5. PRECISION

Building precision in your skills is important as every trick is different. You need to know exactly where the kite is and where you need it to be in the air as well as how to manipulate and control your body in order to perform precise movements in unison with the kite.

6. PERFORMANCE

In order to perform explosive and complex tricks you need both a body and mind that are ready and willing to perform. You also need high performance gear that can react the way you need it to. For me, Switch has produced the product and I bring the body.

7. PERSEVERANCE

Learning and perfecting tricks can take a long time and leave your body battered and bruised, but perseverance is vital for achieving a new goal and there is nothing more satisfying than landing a new trick.

Get yourself psyched up for riding with more power by performing the New Zealand rugby team’s war cry, the Haka: Ringa pakia! (Slap the hands against the thighs) Uma tiraha! (Puff out the chest) Turi whatia! (Bend the knees) Hope whai ake! (Let the hips follow) Waewae takahia kia kino! (Stomp the feet as hard as you can!) Marc Jacobs gets his weapons from Switch Kites and Mystic KW

3. PRACTICE

MARC

2. PACE

For any trick, generating the right amount of pop, power and precision begins with the speed that you go into the trick with. The faster you go into a trick the higher you will go, the slacker the lines will be and the more extreme the manoeuvre!

JACOBS

POW

INTRO > Prevent your own poor performance with the powerhouse of freestyle kiteboarding, New Zealand’s Marc Jacobs.

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MOTOR DRIVE MOVE > UNHOOKED BACKROLL TO REVERT WITH A TAIL GRAB RIDER > COLLEEN CARROLL PHOTOS > TOBY BROMWICH INTRO > DOING AN UNHOOKED BACK ROLL TO REVERT (ALSO KNOWN AS TOE-SIDE) IS ONE OF THE MORE BASIC POWERED UNHOOKED MANOEUVRES BUT CAN FEEL JUST AS GOOD AS THE MOST TECHNICAL HANDLE-PASSED TRICK, IF EXECUTED WELL. ADD IN THE TAIL GRAB AT THE PEAK OF THE TRICK AND YOU’VE JUST LANDED YOURSELF ONE STYLISH MOVE! BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS TRICK, MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMFORTABLE UNHOOKING, CAN CONSISTENTLY LAND RALEYS AS WELL AS A HOOKED-IN BACK ROLL TO REVERT (TOE-SIDE). WORDS > COLLEEN CARROLL

STEPS • • • • •

• • •

Start with good speed and comfortable power. Position your kite angle at 45 degrees. Move your hands to the very centre of the bar. While maintaining speed, ease your edge briefly, standing tall and bearing slightly downwind as you unhook. With strong arms and elbows in towards your ribs, load your edge with shoulders back and hips forward. Then release from the water as you carve the board upwind and pop hard off your back leg. Keep your arms strong and steady, making sure to keep the kite at the 45-degree position. As you take-off from the water, turn your head aggressively, initiating the rotation with your head and shoulders. Once airborne and facing backwards, release your backhand from the bar while bending your back leg, bringing your board in towards your body. Grab the board firmly on the tail. Continue looking over your shoulder, accelerating your rotation until you start to spot your landing. Once you’ve spotted your landing, release the grab and slightly

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COMMON MISTAKES extend your body to slow your rotation. • As you come in for landing, bring the bar towards your back hip to continue the rotation to toe-side and keep your knees soft and ready to absorb the impact. • Point your board downwind to land. • Ride downwind towards your kite as you hook back in.

BASICS • Come in with good speed and power. • Kite angle at 45-degrees. • Unhook, load and pop hard off the water in a carving motion. • Turn head and shoulders at take-off. • Bring board to your core by bending your back leg. • Grab board on the very tail. • Spot landing and extend body to slow rotation. • Bring bar to back hip to continue rotation to toe-side. • Land with soft knees, riding towards the kite to hook back in.

If the kite goes to the other side of the window (often the bar will get ripped out of your hands if this happens), try moving your back hand even further to the centre of the bar by moving your index finger to the other side of the center lines, commonly called ‘splitting your fingers’. If this helps, but still isn’t quite enough, you can try moving two fingers to the other side of the bar. You may also want to try starting with a lower kite position. The kite will naturally go up during any backwards rotation, so try starting with the kite just below 45-degrees to make sure it doesn’t get sent up too far. If you're unable to grab the board, try completing most of the roll before getting the grab. Once you get more comfortable with the rotation and grab you can start trying to grab the board earlier in the move. You may also need more airtime to successfully get the grab. If this is the case, take more speed into the trick and pop harder at take-off. If you can’t keep hold of the bar (even while

maintaining good kite position) try keeping your elbow in a ‘locked’ position by keeping it bent in towards your ribs. This is a much stronger arm position than allowing your arm to fully extend and will be easier to hold on to the bar while rotating and grabbing. Colleen Carroll rides for North Kiteboarding, Ion and Sensi bikinis. She was also one of the organisers of the Hood River Slider Jam that took place in August. KW

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GOING WITH THE FLOW

Whether you want to increase your kite fitness, boost bigger or learn to be more at one with increased levels of power, Ruben Lenten is here to share a few thoughts

CAPTION > Ruben letting his flair run free on a special late evening session in Cape Town... after plenty of prior preparation PHOTO > Ydwer van der Heide

oing with the flow is about following instinct, doing what feels right and then adapting to things as they occur â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that's what I love doing. It's not always as easy as it sounds because for most people the mind automatically kicks in, applies itself as a brake and disturbs the flow. It's important to be in tune with your body and your mind, to focus on the things that come naturally. After flying a kite for 17 years I know my style and my favourite moves, which narrows down my goals. On the world tour I was challenged to do the most technical moves. It was fun but not in my nature. I ride because I want to feel free; as if time disappears and there's nothing to lose - only the feel of huge adrenaline rushes from big moves

that I've learned to allow to flow effortlessly. In Cape Town I landed a Boogie Loop 900 for the second time. The Boogie Loop is now my favourite move as you go full speed, jump as high as possible and right from the take-off you're committed to dive into the front rotation while pulling the kite into a loop the opposite way. It's a very different feeling and taking this move higher and higher definitely adds to the adrenaline levels. When I go for that trick it just has to feel right. There's no thinking; just committing to and trusting my instinct - that's what I live for and that's how I want to ride. I'm not saying people should ride outside of their limits, but if I can help progressive riders open their minds to what's possible with a kite; to help them learn to just ride

very freely, then that's great. Here are just a few thoughts that I think form the basics of how to progress in my style of riding, slowly taking things a step further to help all of your sessions flow like never before. You'll be amazed what you can do!

BODY, CONDITIONS AND GEAR First of all, it should go without saying that you have to be fit. Warm-up before every session and understand what you want to achieve. Also maintain your gear well, regularly check it over, especially before a big session. Really check the conditions and learn to properly understand them. Make sure you can be as ready as possble in your body and mind to ride hard and fly high.

Preparation and knowledge will really feed your confidence.

FEEL AND AWARENESS You already know what feels good to you and what you feel confident with on the water. Concentrate on expanding that by really becoming aware of your movements. Play around and learn to feel the effect that little adjustments have. Feel what your breathing is doing; control it, feel confident with it and start to use it to help you. Even when you're just riding around, hopping over a few waves or tacking upwind - it really helps if you can learn to control your breathing. Channeling more oxygen to your muscles gives you more feel in your riding and therefore more awareness of your capabilities.

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THERE’S NO THINKING; JUST COMMITTING TO AND TRUSTING MY INSTINCT - THAT’S WHAT I LIVE FOR AND THAT’S HOW I WANT TO RIDE. I’M NOT SAYING PEOPLE SHOULD RIDE OUTSIDE OF THEIR LIMITS, BUT IF I CAN HELP PROGRESSIVE RIDERS OPEN THEIR MINDS TO WHAT’S POSSIBLE WITH A KITE; TO HELP THEM LEARN TO JUST RIDE VERY FREELY, THEN THAT’S GREAT.

CONTROLLED SPEED AND AGGRESSION

Play around a little by making small adjustments to your posture, or try a slightly different stance. Then practice different edging techniques and see which gives you the ultimate pop and more controlled landings. Every landing is a little different as the water surface is never the same. Sometimes I like to land more weighted on the back heelside fin as it breaks the water nicely and allows me to land more smoothly. Don't be afraid to play around with it, see how it works and what feels good. Increasing your awareness for what's actually happening, what's possible to change and really using your mind positively rather than negatively is all part of going with the flow and making things look smooth.

Opening your mind to start to incorporate some of the descriptions above will help you begin to ride harder. When you want to expand on that with some flying I suggest you either start with regular big-air jumps or back rolls – whatever feels natural. These can be done in many ways and you have to find the way that works best for you. Once again, play around with the technique and don't be afraid to crash as that's how you learn – but do make sure you observe the usual safe kiteboarding practices with plenty of space all round you and that you're in deep enough water. Big jumps offer so much in kiteboarding and you'll start to want to go higher and higher; I warn you: it's pretty addictive.

The basics of really improving at big air is to make sure you go into your jumps with plenty of speed. Spot your take-off and then make sure that you learn how to really time your edge and pull with the kite. Pull your front foot up and into the wind and push off with your back foot underneath you. As soon as you take-off make sure you're in control from the first moment by stabilising / tensing up your body. This will help you keep control over you arms so you can prepare for the way down. Once you've reached your highest point and the kite is still slightly out to the side of the window, start moving it back to twelve and beyond so you get some extra lift and forward speed. Once you're almost ready to touch back down, release the tension in your body in order to position yourself correctly to take the landing with the nose of your board pointing downwind and landing with your tail first. If you feel you didn't go high enough then you either didn't have enough speed going into the jump or you didn't edge and / or pull hard enough. It's really about creating as much tension between the board and the kite as possible and then getting as fast a reaction out of your equipment as you can. As for the back rolls, these are lots of fun and I'm still playing around with different variations each session. To begin with, just cruise into it, keep your hands in the middle of the bar as you don't want to move your kite unwillingly and then, with enough speed to be planing comfortably, just edge upwind, pop and look over your back shoulder. You can do this as high or as low as you like in the beginning. As you come around the loop be ready for some impact and, again, as above, play around with how your board touches down in order to ride away with speed.

C-KITE POWER There is one more thing that I'd like to share, especially for those who have been kiting for several years and feel like they're getting stuck with their riding. Before you give up on freestyle and switch to wave riding, make sure you

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spend a season on some gear that has decent power. Although they are fantastic for general freeriding performance, bow kites and most hybrid kites are not ideal for performing really big air moves where you want lots of control over the power. Having too much of a depower range means that you can't let go with one hand very easily because you'll either depower the kite or steer it to one side, which I find annoying when you really need accurate handling at vital moments. I ride a C-shape kite with depower no longer than 35cm and I use my board as a brake instead of having so much depower in the kite. If a big storm passes I just move the kite down to the side and block the power with my board – this is why it's important to build up strength in your legs, too. There's still a safe zone, but way more room for performing the way I want to as there's instant reaction and power in the kite when I want it. There's no delay in the pull; I don't have time for that. Our playground changes in an instant and if I don't get the reaction I want the moment will have passed. A C-shape kite also moves much more efficiently through the window and I really like that feel. The kite also turns around the wing-tip with power and is much more predictable and useful for big, controlled airs. These are just my two cents on how to start to progressing further and attain ultimate control through getting more from your board and kite. Once you go with the flow and really get in tune with your body, mind and gear, your sessions will start to link together much more fluidly... and they'll look much better to anyone who's watching! Ruben is an extreme athlete and his views are aimed at riders who already have the experience to know that they are ready for a higher level of performance. Increasing general knowledge and having a healthy and progressive mindset towards performance goal reaching is something that we recommend for any rider, though. Our advice is to keep on progressing, stay inspired and keep things fresh in order to not stagnate. Progression are a great source of learning, from beginner to advanced. Find their instructional videos at: www.progression.me KW

Call us on 02392 422570 www.cbk-haylingisland.com

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CAPTION > Lewis PHOTO > Craig Kolesky / Red Bull Content Pool

(ASK A PRO)

IMPROVING YOUR MAXIMUM BOOST POTENTIAL

AND FEEDING YOUR WOO ADDICTION! INTRO > THE WOO IS A SMALL DEVICE THAT CLIPS ONTO YOUR BOARD AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, MEASURES THE HEIGHT AND HANG-TIME OF YOUR JUMPS. SYNC THE DATA WITH THE APP ON YOUR PHONE AFTER YOUR SESSION AND YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE WHERE YOU’RE RANKED, EITHER IN A LOCAL LEAGUE FOR YOUR HOME SPOT, OR ON A WORLDWIDE SCALE AGAINST THE LIKES OF RUBEN LENTEN, NICK JACOBSEN OR LEWIS CRATHERN. AS THE RISE OF THE WOO CONTINUES, WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF REQUESTS FROM READERS WANTING HELP WITH IMPROVING THEIR BOOSTS SO THEY CAN CLIMB THE RANKINGS. SO, WE ENLISTED LEWIS TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO SOME OF THE SUBTLETIES INVOLVED IN GETTING EXTRA HEIGHT AND AFFECTING YOUR MBP – MAXIMUM BOOST POTENTIAL WORDS > LEWIS CRATHERN

CAPTION > Lewis competing at the 2014 Red Bull King of the Air PHOTO > Ydwer van der Heide / Red Bull Content Pool

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EMAIL FROM KW READER, BEN MUGFORD, HAYLING ISLAND Hi Kiteworld, I was bought a Woo by my wife as a birthday gift and it has revolutionised my kiting sessions. I’ve been kiting for several years now and my sessions were starting to get a little stale but now I have the Woo I’m very focussed on improving my position on the spot leaderboards. It’s very apparent which kiters have invested in the Woo at my local beach as there are a number of people spending a large portion of their time in mid air with their boards above their heads to get the extra 50 centimetres in height. Sometimes it looks like all the kiters are on pogo sticks!

It’s interesting to see the top ten spot leaderboards split by such a small margin, so every time I go out for a kite I just want to jump ten centimetres higher so that I can beat my friend’s maximum height, or to see if I can go 50 centimetres higher and skip several places up the table. It’s the potential that the next kiting session could be the one that makes the difference that makes me love the Woo so much. My target is to get over the ten metre mark and this is what I focus on every time I go out on the water. However, this addiction that I have for the Woo has also lead me to assess my jumping technique as I know I can go higher if I fine tune my timing. I’ve put 50mm fins on my board for a stronger edge, hoping that when I bring my kite up to 12 I can hold down the power before jumping off the water. However, this is where I need some fine-tuning as I know I’m getting my timing wrong because I can feel that I’m heading slightly downwind, losing my edge and the all important stretch in the lines just before take-off. I don’t know whether I’m riding too quickly or whether it’s just that I’m not stamping down on my back leg enough to hold the edge, or maybe I’m trying to hold an edge too long and missing the apex of power? CAPTION > Lewis Crathern’s Woo profile

CAPTION > Ben Mugford’s Woo profile Can you please offer any help? Thanks! Ben

TIP #01: BOARD CONTROL ‘Boosting’ is one of the most unique elements of our sport. To achieve a good controlled boost it’s really important to understand the many variables involved. We can control some variables, like kite size or line length, while others we have to react to, such as wind speed or the ocean surface, for example. One of the most important factors that dictates the quality of a boost is how well you have controlled your board prior to take-off. Before you can even think of boosting properly, a clear understanding of ‘edging’ (to ride the board upon the rail) is critical. If you think about it, this should be a natural progression from your first board starts as ‘riding upwind’ involves a good amount of edging skill. The real difference between edging while you ride along and edging for take-off is the amount of ‘load’ that is going through the body. Just imagine that you’re happily riding upwind with your kite parked at the side of the window. In order to adjust to any changes of wind, all we need to do is pull/push the bar in or out. As far as balance we should be shoulders back, front leg straight with the energy going through our back foot heel. The body merely finds the balance point through the harness. When loading up for a jump, however, there is a great deal more energy to deal with. This is because when we move a kite (especially fast and over our heads) the kite

tries to take us straight downwind and towards it. In order to ‘load up’ and ‘release’ off of the water when required, we need good contact with the ocean. To achieve your MBP, the perfect technique to loading up is this: RIDE ALONG COMFORTABLY IN CONTROL. • Start to send the kite from 45 degrees back against your direction of travel. • As the kite is moving, slowly increase your edge and head further upwind. • Crouch down just before take-off to further withstand the pull from the kite. • Release the edge. Increasing the edge is a difficult skill and there is a major difference between ‘sliding’ the board and ‘edging’. I have a great exercise that I like to practice with my students to help them improve this area without the use of the kite... While riding along, practice angling the board further upwind and applying more pressure through the heel of your back foot. The back leg should be extending and pushing through the water - displacing it. A great way to think of this is to imagine you’re trying to completely soak something just downwind of you. Experiment four or five times on each tack to improve your skills in both directions. Increase the edge / decrease the edge and repeat.

This is the same skill needed to slash a wave and, once you master it, the next step is to try to ‘pop’ off the water by releasing the edge and extending the back foot. Common mistakes with edging are to slide the board rather than edge. This often happens by applying equal pressure through both feet when angling the board further upwind. The distribution of weight should be at least 90% through the heel of the back foot. Also applying the edge too early can reduce your MBP as it dramatically slows you down and sometimes even stops your momentum. That’s why I like to focus on the first step being to move the kite, rather than to increase the edge. The most powerful yet simple tip that I could give regarding any sort of kiteboarding move is to plan where you take-off. Before any boost / transition / unhook / tack / gybe you must scan the ocean for the best possible area to gain good contact. KEYWORDS FOR BOARD CONTROL: EDGING: Applying pressure to the rail of the board. LOADING UP: Building the tension between you and the kite. CROUCH DOWN: Bringing your weight downwards just before take-off. RELEASE: Releasing the board from its rail.

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TIP #03: AIRBORNE POSITION

CAPTION > To edge correctly work on placing 90% of the force through your back heel as you carve hard upwind just before take-off. Lewis demonstrating a good stance just before popping

TIP #02: THE CONTROL BAR ‘Send It’ - To achieve a Boost we must send the kite from around 45 degrees back against the direction of travel. The more aggressively you do this the higher you go. I believe there is a real sweet spot for where the bar should be as you do this. If you steer the kite up and over with the bar ‘sheeted in’ fully, it’s possible to place too much energy on the body, resulting in a loss of control. It is also possible (especially in lighter wind) to stall the kite. What we are aiming for more than anything is that the kite passes as high over head as possible. When the bar is ‘sheeted out’ it becomes impossible to engage the steering lines to turn the kite quickly so a happy medium between the two must be found. A very key element to boosting big is to sheet the bar in fully at the moment of take-off. At this point you’re about to be fired out of the canon and every possible bit of lift is needed. By sheeting the bar in here you present even more canopy to the wind. A common mistake once airborne is to sheet the bar out again. The bar should stay sheeted in all the time during a boost as this maximises hang-time. Sheeting out at any stage during a boost is to say to your boost, “I don’t want to be up here any more” and can result in a Hindenburg. The bar should stay sheeted in all the time during a boost as this maximises hang-time. BAR CONTROL SHOULD BE AS FOLLOWS: • Position the bar so rear lines are engaged enough to turn the kite quickly. • Send the kite aggressively back against your direction of travel. • Sheet in fully and level off the bar on take-off. • Keep the bar sheeted in throughout airborne flight. • Steer aggressively in the direction of travel for floaty landing.

Once you have a good idea of how to boost it’s very possible that you’re getting up there but then it’s all falling apart. One of the most common tips I give out is that once airborne the body must remain ‘at one with the kite’. Achieve this by bending the legs as this will provide a better centre of gravity. Stay straight and you can expect to find yourself more off-balance. It’s even possible for the wind to blow you further off balance when standing straight. With every jump small changes to the body position are necessary once airborne to react to the gusts, lulls or minor changes in the wind direction. It’s easier to make these changes when you’re in this tucked position using the stomach muscles to keep your balance. After a long big air session, it’s common to find your stomach muscles feel like they’re on fire. I am a big fan of the head and eyes focusing more in the direction of travel rather then straight on and through the bar. Not only can you start to build a picture of what your landing’s going to be like, but you also prevent the ‘slow accidental front roll’ from happening. The ‘slow accidental front roll’ is a common problem, occurring mostly on your least preferred tack. After take-off you can find yourself very slowly rotating into a front roll. Leaning further backwards towards your back foot is a good remedy to counter this. It’s good to imagine that you hang ‘underneath’ the kite when airborne rather then standing straight up with the bar in front of you. Once you rock back slightly, it’s also easier to take all the energy through the chicken-loop and into the harness... and get your board higher for those extra half metre Woo stats! KEYWORDS FOR AIRBORNE POSITION: MBP: Maximum Boost Potential ONE WITH A KITE: Complete control of the kite HINDENBURG: An overfly of the kite over your head and falling out of the sky

We will look at the effect that bigger fins, line length and kite size all have on your MBP in an upcoming issue. For now, none of these will have an effect if you don’t have control, so focus on that and improving your technique, then you’ll really start to see your Woo stats improve! See you on the leaderboard! Find more on the Woo at: www.woosports.com KW

CAPTION > Woo leaderboard – Lewis lies in 13th out of 1585 riders

Other problems can come from sending the kite too far over your head and way past 12. This can result in a heavy landing or ‘bomb out’ as there is no canopy above your head to give you the float. KEYWORDS FOR CONTROL BAR: SEND IT: Steer the kite aggressively back against the direction of travel. SHEETED IN: Bar pulled towards you. SHEETED OUT: Bar pushed away. HANG-TIME: Time spent in the air.

CAPTION > Focus on tightening your core, pulling your legs up and looking in the direction of travel during your boost

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L E T ’S G E T PEARCED INTRO > IF YOU'RE FEELING STIFF AFTER WATER, MATT PEARCE'S SET OF EXERCISES WILL GET YOU BACK ON THE WATER FASTER TO BEND, TWEAK YOUR MOVES AND SURVIVE

A LONG SESSION ON THE TO INCREASE YOUR MOBILITY AND WITH A BETTER ABILITY A HEAVY HIT

S E SS I O N #08:

AR E YO U M O B I LI S E D? Mobility is a term used to describe someone’s level of flexibility and their ability to move their body within its full range of movement. It’s also often left unaddressed by many of us. Getting fitter and stronger can be more instantly rewarding than working on flexibility as the benefits are easier to see. However, spending just a little bit of time working on your mobility will help you increase your body’s flexibility and range of movement - allowing you to get into even more contorted and awkward positions when kiting. At the same time you'll massively lower the risk of injury as you'll move more freely and with less restriction. This issue's exercises will target the key areas of the body that can cause problems. Want to be the kiteboarding equivalent of Stretch Armstrong? Then read on...

TH E LIZAR D FO R Q UAD S AN D H I P S -----------------------------------------------A twist on a classic yoga pose that really targets the quadriceps and hip flexors. If you’ve ever spent long periods out on

the water you’ll probably have experienced sore quadriceps; the muscles in the front of your thighs. Loosening them off will alleviate the discomfort while also speeding up

recovery. This pose is also very effective for stretching out the muscles in the hips which are essential for allowing the lower body to follow the torso when throwing yourself into a rotation, tearing in to a carve or a slashing a top turn on a wave.

your quads, but if you haven’t quite got the ability to get your elbows on the floor yet, just place your hands down alongside your front foot as shown. Then, repeat the process but with your other leg as the front foot.

Start on your knees with your hands on the ground and bring your right foot forward so that it’s level with your hands while pushing your weight over your front foot. Then, if flexibility allows, lower your torso forward so that your elbows are resting on the ground in line with your foot. You’ll feel a deep stretch in the hip flexors as well as in the upper region of

If you want to deepen the stretch and further target the quads, reach back and pull your back foot up towards your backside. This is quite an advanced progression though, so be careful! DO: Try to perform this stretch on both sides for two to three minutes with breaks if required.

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I S EAL P O S E FO R TH E LO W E R BAC K ------------------------------------------------

STAN D I N G TW I STE D C R O SS FO R S H O U LD E R S, U P P E R BAC K AN D AR M S -----------------------------------------------Another move taken from yoga but revised a bit for those of us who aren’t very bendy. This one is fantastic for loosening off the shoulders and the lats which can get particularly sore after a long session out on the water, especially if you’ve been unhooking or sheeting in and out when really powered up.

S E ATE D STR E TC H FOR THE ANKLES -----------------------------------------------If you ride in foot-straps, be that on a surfboard or a twin-tip, you’ve quite possibly tweaked your ankle at some point (or you at least know someone who has) due to crashing hard when one foot has come out of the straps and the other has stayed in. Unfortunately, a hard crash like this is often going to have a nasty outcome and has felled many a kiter. Improving your ankle’s mobility can at least ensure that you’re as flexible as possible in that area and this will lessen the chances of an injury if

Find anything vertical to brace yourself against and then all you need to do is take hold of it with your right hand, cross your right leg behind your left leg and then lean away from whatever you’re holding onto as shown. You’ll feel a stretch in your lats down the right side of your body, in your shoulder and in your tricep which is the muscle on the underside of your upper arm. To stretch the other side of the body simply return to the starting position, cross your left leg behind your right while holding on to your supporting object with your left hand and then lean away.

you take a nasty spill and come out of your straps. Kneel down with the tops of your feet on the ground and then gently move your weight backwards onto your heels. You’ll feel a pressure across the bridge of your foot and your ankle / bottom of your shin in what is called the tibialis anterior tendon. To reverse the stretch and focus on the back of your ankles, simply push your toes down to the ground and the pressure will now be applied to your Achilles tendon. Be careful with this stretch - you only need to apply a little bit of pressure to effectively stretch the muscles and tendons in the area and over exertion can lead to unnecessary discomfort.

Every body is different, so try shifting your weight around to find the position that works best for you as this will give you the most benefit from the exercise.

The lower back is an area where a lot of kiters often experience soreness, tightness or even pain after long periods on the water. The pull of the kite through a harness exerts pressure on the core muscles and the lower region of the spine (otherwise known as the lumbar spine) which, when combined with the constant twisting and flexing of our torso, can leave us feeling pretty beaten up when we finally come off the water. One thing that will exacerbate this further is an ill fitting harness but, even with the right equipment, it’s sometimes unavoidable and the seal pose is a great yoga movement that will help you stretch out the area and release some tension from the muscles.

Remember, it shouldn’t hurt but it should be challenging! DO: This stretch should be carried out for approximately two minutes on each side of the body.

DO: Try to stay in this position for up to three minutes, though if it’s overly uncomfortable, take a break. Try to do the above exercises as a routine three to four times a week and, as your mobility increases, challenge yourself by pushing further into the stretch for maximum effect. You’ll be amazed how quickly your flexibility will increase, how much more resistant to injury you’ll become and how much better you’ll feel after long days under the kite. And you won’t even need to take protein shakes! Enjoy.

Start by lying flat on the floor with your hands outside your shoulders as if you’re about to do a press-up. Then, press your torso up while making sure your hips stay flat on the floor. You’ll feel this stretch in your lower back and it’s important not to over exert the area, so only push up as far as you can without causing any actual pain (although discomfort is fine and to be expected). When you’ve finished, or if you want to take a break, simply lower yourself back into the starting position. This move is also great for releasing tension from the abs and core muscles, which also work hard when you’re kiting. DO: Try two to three minutes at first and try to then increase that to four or five minutes in this position. -----------------------------------------------Matt Pearce is a personal trainer from the northeast of England who focuses on outdoor fitness and sports specific training. For fun he spends as much time running up and down mountains as he can, competing in ultra-marathons, fell races and all manner of unpleasant endurance events. He is also a reserve Royal Marine and Kiteworld Assistant Editor. He knows the drill... KW

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