The Kiteboarder Magazine June 2011

THEKITEBOARDER.COM

2011

Annual TKB

Instructional

Guide

Faster Progression, Better Style, Mistakes to Avoid

Kiteboarding’s

Youngest Designer

Travel Columbia: Still Undiscovered

TKB Puts 9 New Products to the Test

THIS IS

LIQUID FORCE

KITE

BOARDS

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S

D E

E

S

KAOS

133,136,139

CRADLE

photo: BRYAN ELKUS

rider:

BRANDON SCHEID

LIQUIDFORCEKITES.COM thek i teboarde r. com 1

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Rider: Peter Schiebel 5’10” TRESPASS 9M SPITFIRE

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Departments Dimitri Maramenides is no stranger to jumping near and/ or over solid objects like this shipwreck in Aruba. In fact, it’s what he’s known for.

Photo Bryan Harvey

30 Close Up

Best Kiteboarding’s Brian Smith and F-One’s Maika Monroe Buckley profiled.

THEKITEBOARDER.COM

64 Analyze This

TKB’s verdict on 9 newly released kites and boards.

76 Workbench

How to make your gear last longer.

2011

annual TKb

instructional

guiDe

Hal Turner bottom turns on a beautiful spring day. Photo David DeVries

Faster Progression, Better Style, Mistakes to Avoid

KiTeboarding’s

Youngest Designer

Travel Columbia: Still Undiscovered

TKB Puts 9 New Products

Features

to the test

Help the Coast Guard Help Us

10

What you need to do if you lose your gear.

Design

by Julien Fillion

Get to know kiteboarding’s youngest designer.

Puerto Velero, Columbia

34

Still undiscovered: Wind, waves, and wood.

24

TKB Instructional Guide

36

Tips to help every rider improve.

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Ph: A. De Maria

“Superior versatility, exceptionally balanced “

The VISION Kite is amazing fun and accessible from the minute you hit the water. Easy turns with super smooth power and acceleration. Perfect handling in gusty conditions, water re-launchable on the spot!

Usable by the largest variety of kiters in the water today, there are no limits for the riders progression with the Vision Kite in any conditions.

Sizes: 13,5-12-10,5-9-7-5 PROGRAM: ALL TERRAIN KITE ONE-BARFORALLRRDKITES

The new GLOBAL V3 presents many great innovations to make kiteboarding safer, easier and more fun!

The new GLOBAL bar is composed of 5 pieces: • 2 x new side dual density endcaps with soft ends for easy line rolling and a new quick trim for to adjust the bar length.

• 2 x narrower diameter carbon bar tubes to improve grip potential and reduce hand fatigue.

• 1 x middle alu cast and polished integrated piece for de-power rope movement.

www.robertoriccidesigns.com - info@robertoriccidesigns.com

thek i teboarde r. com 7

Paul Lang, Editor paul@thekiteboarder.com Marina Chang, Publisher marina@thekiteboarder.com

Ryan Riccitelli, Executive Editor ryan@thekiteboarder.com

Shana Gorondy, Art Director

Gary Martin, Technical Editor

Alexis Rovira, Editor At Large

Peter Grendler, Web Advisor

SENIOR WRITERS

Marina Chang, Paul Lang, James Brown, Gary Martin

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS

Neil Hutchinson, Stefan Ruether, Rick Iossi, Toby Brauer, Brendan Richards, Matt Sexton, Kevin “Irie Dog” Murray, Kinsley ThomasWong, Members of the Central Coast/Santa Barbara CKA

CONTRIBUTORS

Dan Corbett, Tyler Brown, Mendy Maccabee, Paul Menta/www.thekitehouse.com, Brendan Richards/www.sckiteboarding.com, Evan Mavridoglou/www.live2kite.com, Paul Beiderwell/ www.1stcoastkiting.com, Kristin Boese/www.kb4girls.org, Julien Hosp/www.julienhosp.com, Adam Super/www.kittyhawk.com, Brandon Scheid/www.realkiteboarding.com, Sean Mertens, Kurt Miller, Jeff Howard/www.fixmykite.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

David DeVries, US Coast Guard, Suzy Dorn, SCKA.org, Best Kiteboarding, Susan Farrell, Gavin Butler, Brian Miller, Kitesurfari, Jim Stringfellow, Toby Bromwich, Richard Hallman, Bobby Little, Victor Sellinger, Alina Mongelli, Sky Solbach, Band Original, Steph Bridge, Bonetti, Taylor Congden, Helen Trotman, Hana McDaniel, Bryan Harvey, Jack Jamison, Jacqueline d’Entremont, Andy Witschi/elementfive.ch, Nate Appel, Gregg Gnecco, Henning SandStrom, Bryan Elkus, Dixie Buckley, Paul Menta, Claudine Bancelin, Manu More, Peter McGowan, www.live2kite.com, Alexandru Baranescu, Gilles Calvet, RRD, Andrew Gombert, Brian Caserio, Brian Miller, www. fixmykite.com, Jens Hogenkamp, Chuck Harlan, Alina Mongelli, Florence Oswald, DeeDee Thanks to all editorial and photography contributors for supporting this magazine!

Visit us on:

www.thekiteboarder.com www.twitter.com/the_kiteboarder www.facebook.com/thekiteboardermagazine www.theringmedia.com

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LAUNCH

Zach Kleppe entertains the crowd with a particularly good wipeout.

When the Coast Guard believes someone is in trouble, their motto is to hit it hard and hit it fast. Photos Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

Help the Coast

By Paul Lang

Guard Help Us J

ust as a great Central California session was wrapping up earlier this spring, a few of us on the beach noticed a kite tumbling downwind outside the surf line. The evening wind had shifted and was now blowing slightly offshore.

After crashing his kite, this kite’s owner swam back to shore without it. He had decided to let it go to avoid being pulled further out to sea. Back on the beach, he decided it would be too difficult to get the kite back and it continued its tumble downwind out of sight. A few hours later, I received a call from Coast Guard Lieutenant Ana Thorsson, who was coordinating the search for a kiteboarder they assumed was missing.

After the abandoned kite tumbled downwind out of sight, it was found by a lifeguard. From his perspective, all he knew was that he had just found a piece of gear that usually has someone attached to it, but didn’t anymore. He alerted the Coast Guard, gave them the position of the kite, and they launched a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission to find the presumably missing kiteboarder. A helicopter took off and the nearest Coast Guard vessel was alerted. The lifeguard who found the kite made his way to the beach we were riding at, and a few people were still there packing up. Someone told the lifeguard they saw me talking to the guy 10 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

who lost his kite (I and another rider actually told him to contact the Coast Guard to avoid exactly this) and the Coast Guard was able to contact me to confirm that the kiteboarder was not lost in the water. At that point they were able to close the SAR case and move on to the next crisis.

As a result of this incident, I was invited to visit the Coast Guard station in Channel Islands Harbor to get a tour of the facility and to learn about the process they go through when they are alerted to the possibility of someone being stranded out in the water. I also wanted to find out what we as kiteboarders can do to help avoid a situation like the one above as nobody wants to be responsible for an unnecessary search. The Coast Guard’s motto when dealing with SAR cases is to hit it hard and hit it fast. Every time something like a kite, board, kayak, paddle, or something similar is found, they assume that the person who was using that piece of equipment is missing, and they stick with that assumption until proven otherwise. This is part of the reason why the Coast Guard saves, on average, 17 lives per day, every day of the year, but it also leads to a lot of unnecessary searches because someone’s equipment got away from them. The problem with unnecessary searches is

that it diverts the Coast Guard’s assets and might slow down their response to actual cases where someone’s life depends on them responding instantly.

Once the Coast Guard is alerted to a possible missing person in the water, they immediately send assets to begin a search. This usually involves at least two assets, one in the air and one on the water. While these first responders are on their way to the scene, in the command center they are busy calculating the best search pattern and the amount of time someone is likely to survive in the water. In the case of the non-missing kiteboarder, they calculated that someone could survive up to 13 hours in water of that temperature, assuming he was wearing a wetsuit. Had they not been able to determine that the kiteboarder was safe, they would have searched through the night and into the next day before reevaluating whether to continue the search or not. In the command center, they play the part of detectives to determine whether or not there really is a person in the water in a case like this.

Being able to see the entire SAR process gave me a huge amount of respect for the Coast Guard’s level of organization and their willingness to put their lives at risk when they are called upon. They are a major resource for us as kiteboarders and it should make everyone who spends time on the ocean feel better that they are out there. However, we shouldn’t take that resource for granted. Ultimately, all kiteboarders are responsible for their own safety and should never put themselves into a situation with the thought that someone will save them if they get into trouble. There are a few simple things that all of us can do to help the Coast Guard be able to help us better.

Help the Coast Guard

Help Kiteboarders:

• P ut your name and a phone number on your kites and boards. This will give the Coast Guard someone to contact if your lost gear is found. You might even be able to get your kite or board back if your info is on it.

• Learn to recognize conditions that are above your skill level and avoid them.

• If you lose a kite or board, call the Coast Guard immediately and let them know. All you have to do is call 411 and ask for the Coast Guard. This small step could avoid an unnecessary search.

• As a general rule, if you ever find yourself far from shore with your kite down, don’t ditch it and try to swim in.

Your kite is much easier to spot than you are.

• Avoid riding alone, but if you do, let someone know

when to expect you back so that someone will call the authorities if you get into trouble and don’t make it back to shore.

• Keep your gear maintained. Don’t ride far offshore on gear that isn’t in perfect condition.

• According to the people I talked to, one of the most effective small pieces of gear that would help us be found in the water is a small signal mirror. If you buy one, make sure it’s plastic and not glass.

• One of the best things you could carry is a waterproof VHF radio. The Coast Guard constantly monitors VHF channel 16 and has an idea where you are when you use it to call them (thanks to their network of radio direction finding towers). Realistically, most kiteboarders would not want to carry a VHF radio, but it is something to consider if you want to make sure you can contact help, especially if kiteboarding alone.

To get an idea of how difficult it is to spot someone in the water, the highlighted spot is a life-size mannequin from 200 yards away on a calm day. Photo Paul Lang

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411 Belmont Shores will host demos, a jumping contest, a SUP/kite race, and more at this year’s festival.

Organizers expect over 1,000 kids on the kick-off day.

CAPTURE THE

WIND IN SO-CAL

By Dan Corbett | Photos courtesy SCKA.org

The Southern California Kiteboarding Association is partnering with the Long Beach Sea Festival to present the Capture the Wind Festival from July 22 to 24.

The city has agreed to allow the Association to create a separate beach zone for this event where kiters will compete in the first official jumping contest held in Southern California. Organizers have also partnered with the local lifeguards to set up the first kite race in Long Beach as well as SUP races.

Registration is just $10 with the winners taking the pot! The event will also host many brands that will be on hand to demo their latest 2011 gear.

On Friday the Long Beach Airport and Long Beach Parks and Recreation department will help host an event where 1000 inner city kids will be given single string kites to fly, play games, and enjoy the beach. Some of the older kids will be able to fly trainer kites so they get a feel for the power of the wind and a taste of what kiteboarding is all about. On Saturday and Sunday, they will have a food and beer garden available to make sure no one goes hungry or thirsty.

The SCKA invites all to come out and enjoy the three-day event and to help show the city of Long Beach what the kiteboarding community is all about.

This event is all about giving back to the community and providing riders the chance to try out new gear during the windiest time of the year in Southern California. Admission is free to all. If you would like to participate in any of the events, please go to www.SCKA.org or www.longbeachseafestival.com for more information.

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EAST COAST KITERS: We have something for you too that’s a bit closer!

Check out the first annual Hatteras Kite and SUP eXpo hosted by Kitty Hawk Kites and The Kiteboarder Magazine over Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-30, 2011 in Rodanthe, NC. Whether you enjoy butter flat conditions or waves, North Carolina offers the best of both worlds. There will be free demos from participating brands, clinics, daily raffles, nightly entertainment, and more! www.thekitexpo.com

BEST KITEBOARDING

GETS A NEW HOME

By TKB Staff Photo courtesy Best Kiteboarding

Photo Susan Farrell

Stop by and check out Best Kiteboarding’s new headquarters in North Carolina this summer.

Ozone Kites USA is now the new US distributor for Ozone. Led by Steven Barrett, the new US Ozone Kite Manager, both shops and riders will see some changes in the distribution and marketing of these kites. These changes ring in a new era for the US market in which Ozone Kites will be available and accessible to the public like never before. More Ozone kites will be readily available across the country, but never oversaturated or undercut in any market area.

Barrett said that the 2011 line of Ozone Kites looks to redefine the market in thought, quality, and functionality with a diverse range of models that covers all aspects of the sport. He invites you to check out www.ozonekitesusa.com for more information on Ozone’s super light wind machine the Zephyr; it’s top upwind, boost, and speed performer the Edge; the wave-friendly and hang-time king the Catalyst; the powered wakestyle of the C4; and the newest member of the team coming later in the year, the Reo, which he says will bring a revolution to kitesurfing.

Best Kiteboarding is moving its corporate headquarters to Rodanthe on Hatteras Island this summer. At more than 72 miles long with over 144 miles of accessible coastline and a monthly average of 20+ days of rideable wind, Hatteras Island is an unmatched location for a pure kiteboarding company. The new headquarters will provide 360° views to the Atlantic Ocean and the flat water of Pamlico Sound, making sure the crew can capitalize on all wind and water conditions. Being in one of the world’s premier kiteboarding destinations will also allow Best to be in closer touch with its customer base and the industry as a whole while allowing kiteboarders a view of the inner workings of a major brand. Keep up with the latest news and promotions at Best at www.bestkiteboarding.com David Dorn hard at work at a Seattle instructor training course.

IKO INSURANCE

FOR US KITERS

By IKO | Photo Suzy Dorn

IKO’s US insurance plan covers suits from injury or death of participants, spectators, volunteers, and from property damage, activities necessary to conduct practices as well as cost of investigation, defense, and more. The medical benefit covers up to $25,000 and for accidental death and dismemberment the limit is $5,000. Kiteboard insurance premiums cover a 52-week period. IKO encourages all its members, kiteboard riders, instructors, and schools to obtain the insurance coverage for them, bystanders, and nearby property.

IKO, headquartered in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, with representation in thirty-eight countries including the US, is one of the world’s leading kiteboarding organizations specializing in education programs, promoting safe practices, and enhancing the highest quality of standards for the industry. IKO strives to reach the pure excellence in the teaching experience while finding the perfect balance of fun and safety for all IKO members. To learn more, visit www.ikointl.com.

Photo Gavin Butler

The International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) is now offering a new and unique kiteboard insurance program available exclusively to its members in the United States that offers competitive rates and comprehensive general liability as well as medical and dental coverage of up to $1,000,000 for each kiteboarding incident.

IKO added a worldwide coverage endorsement which IKO says makes their program the leading kiteboard insurance available to US-based kiteboarders, instructors, and schools. “An instructor could have only one accident in an entire career of teaching, and that one accident could cause him or her to lose everything,” said David Dorn, IKO’s newly appointed training director. “For kiteboard riders, lacerations are the most common. I have seen medical costs exceed $100 per stitch and broken bones between $5,000 and $25,000.”

Best Kiteboarding is proud to announce that team rider Kris Kinn has joined their international team. continued on page 14 thek i teboarde r. com 1 3

INSIDE JOB Although based in Florida, Daryl eagerly awaits winter so he can rip it up on snow. Photo Brian Miller

Company: Ocean Extreme Sports & Extreme Kites Job title: President Years in industry: 12 Years Kiteboarding: 12 Kites: My personal kites are Best, but I demo everything Board: Best Armada 135 and JL 5’8” on the water and Volkl on the snow

What did you do before working in the kite industry? What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t? Before the kite industry, I worked in a variety of settings including skiing, diving, and fitness. If I wasn’t in the kiting industry, I would probably return to the ski industry.

What is the best part of your job? The worst?

The best part of my job comes with the people I meet and watching new kiters get excited about the sport. The worst part of shop ownership is that it’s my responsibility 24/7!

How did you end up working in the kiteboarding industry?

After an injury took me out of the ski industry, I moved to Florida with my now wife to finish her schooling. There I began my involvement in kite-powered sports. At that point there were no stores specializing in kiteboarding. I saw the potential for the growth in the sport and decided to take a leap of faith and open Extreme Kites and Ocean Extreme Sports.

What do you think is the most common misconception about working in the industry that the general public has? I think the most common misconception about working in the industry is that we all close when it’s windy to go kite.

As both a brick and mortar and online retailer, do you have any advice for shops on how to survive and thrive in this economy? This economy is a challenge for every industry.

Reducing expenses when times are tough is usually the best scenario as well as finding the highest quality products that are affordable for the general population who may be feeling the stress of the times.

What is your typical day at the office like? I like to be directly involved with my customers. Most of my day is spent on the phone and computer.

Is working in the kiteboarding industry all it’s cracked up to be? Working in the kiteboarding industry has its pros and cons. While owning a shop allows me to test all the great gear out there, because of the responsibility and time commitment of shop ownership I have less time on the water to enjoy riding.

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What do you see as the biggest challenge to the kiteboarding industry as a whole? Trying to keep value in the products while trying to price match all the “Car Trunk” dealers.

What would you like to see change in our industry? Getting rid of all the “Car Trunk” dealers.

What advice do you have for someone that wants to work in the kite industry? Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Do it because you love the sport, not because it seems cool or because you think you are going to strike it rich.

Photo Kitesurfari

Daryl Drown

Kris grew up on the shores of Lake Erie in Buffalo, New York. She began kiteboarding six years ago and now travels the world competing in national and international events. In just a few short years, Kris has proven to be a top rider in the kiteboarding industry by winning the Bridge of the Gods and placing 2nd overall in the KPWT. This year, she plans to compete in both PKRA and Kite Tour Europe events.

She looks forward to representing the USA on an international level and wants to inspire more girls from the USA to compete. She would love to see an organization willing to work with the IKA in steps toward a sanctioned Kite Tour North America. It is her personal goal to be recognized as the best female kiteboarder in the USA. “I ride Best because they have given me the opportunity to pursue my dreams from the very beginning.

Fun, exciting, quality, and leadership is Best Kiteboarding in a few words.

I look forward to my career on the international team for the Best company in the industry,” said Kris.

Kris is sponsored by Best Kiteboarding, Rebootizer, Mystic, and Triggernaut. www.kriskinn.com

Kitesurfari has opened a third retail location on Lincoln Blvd in Santa Monica, just off the I-10 on the way to Leo and other Malibu kite spots. Located about an hour north of their mother store in Huntington Beach and the seasonal tent/shop at Belmont Kite Beach, owners Robert and Danny McCullough saw a need from a strong customer base in the Los Angeles/Santa Monica area for a kite shop with a diverse inventory of continued on page 16

rider / jeff kafka

photo / Jamy Donaldson

ask md Jim Stringfellow suited up for the cold water of Puget Sound.

Photo: Jim Stringfellow

Plug Your Ears!

By Mendy Maccabee, MD FACS

Outside of a great fitting harness, helmet, and untangled kite lines, a pair of earplugs is a must for any kiter. The reason is that ear injuries occur frequently, are very painful, and are easily preventable. Injuries are of two types: acute (immediate) and chronic (occur over time).

Acute injuries are generally eardrum perforations which occur from rapid pressure changes like smacking your head against the water after messing up your landing.

These can occur even with a helmet on. Riders often suffer immediate dizziness or vertigo from exposing the middle ear to cold water which wreaks havoc with the balance organ. Adding insult to injury a middle ear infection often follows. Potentially, an operation is required to fix the perforation if it doesn’t close on its own. While perforations of this sort usually do heal by themselves, I guarantee you the bill for your physician visit and medication are going to cost you more than the most deluxe set of custom ear plugs. Also, you will have to keep your ear dry for two weeks while the infection clears and your ear canal and drum heal.

Chronic injury is usually the formation of bony overgrowths in the ear canal called exostosis. Cold water and wind exposure are a problem for our ears and historically surfers have suffered the most publically. As kiting, white water kayaking, and other cold water sports have become popular and wet/dry-suit technology has improved the problem has become more widespread. Exostosis (plural: exostoses), commonly known as surfers ear, are bony growths (classically three) that develop in the ear canals of people exposed to cold water and/or wind (conditions familiar to anyone?). As an ear, nose, and throat surgeon in a location surrounded by cold water and wind, I have to deal with the problem frequently. Water gets trapped behind these growths leading to ear canal inflammation and infection. Also, these growths narrow your ear canal resulting in less sound wave transmission, a plugged sensation, and conductive hearing loss. If ear infections become frequent, hearing loss noticeable, or they grow large enough to touch each other or block your ear drum, they need to be removed surgically. You can avoid all this by spending money on a good set of ear plugs! A big downside (outside of having an operation) is six weeks recovery time and no water contact during this recovery period! It’s worth mentioning that this condition is also encountered (although less commonly) in warm water locations as the wind cools the water even on a warm day.

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The good news is that exostoses development is a slow process and as they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you wear ear plugs to keep the water and wind out of your ears you shouldn’t develop the problem in the first place. If you already have exostoses they likely will not continue to grow if you prevent further cold water/ wind exposure although the exostoses you already have are permanent and will not recede by wearing plugs. So how cold is too cold to go without ear plugs? I haven’t seen a scientific paper that designates a specific temperature, but I tell my patients that if you wouldn’t jump in naked and be comfortable you should wear your ear plugs!

There are several companies that make generically sized ear plugs to protect your ear canals and drums from cold water and wind. Doc’s ear plugs, for example, come in small, medium, and large. You can buy them at your local surf shop. They are inexpensive, easy to use, and work reasonably well, but I prefer custom plugs for many reasons. They have a large diaphragm that is sturdy, keeps water and wind noise out, and still allows good hearing.

Here in the Gorge, hearing preservation is important for the constant barge traffic we experience on the water.

You will also be surprised how much more peaceful your sessions on the water are in absence of wind noise. Also, they fit your ears perfectly so they stay put. Having seen and cared for many riders with ear drum rupture, I am sure you will be happy to have them stay put when you blow your first kite loop. They float and you can choose up to three custom colors making them easy to find, which can be handy if you accidentally drop them in the water or they find their way to the bottom of your gear bin. They also come on a nylon cord so you can hang them around your neck when you remove them.

Custom plugs need to be molded to your ear canal by an ear, nose, and throat physician or an audiologist and, as far as I know, are made by only one company, Westone.

They also make professional musician plugs, military/ artillery plugs, noise protection plugs, and a variety of water protection plugs. I prefer style #70 (full mold, short canal length). They generally take about 1-2 weeks to arrive once molded (which takes about five minutes) and cost around $80 — a small investment that will more than pay itself off, keep you on the water, and most importantly, save your ears and hundreds or even thousands of dollars in potential medical bills.

gear, water wear, clothing, SUPs, and directional boards. The new shop will also act as a small distribution center and warehouse for their physical and online stores. The local beaches of Marina Del Rey, Venice, and Santa Monica provide great places for their new offering of SUP lessons. Robert and Danny are very excited to be able to open a new shop to better service the kiteboarding community and have tons of fun along the way. Stop by and hi!

The beta version of www.splocs.com is now online. Splocs, the newest project by kiteforum.com founder Toby Brauer, stands for Sporting Locations and already has a huge database of worldwide sporting locations for kitesurfing, snowkiting, wakeboarding, surfing, and more. While there, you will find location information, maps, weather forecasts, pictures, and much more useful info. A community section is in the works so you can connect with like-minded sports enthusiasts worldwide. www.kiteboarding.com is offering $200 off 2011 kites for any used kite trade in, no matter the condition. Old kites will be looked over and given to young deserving riders if they are still safe. If they are not, they will be used for spare parts, making bags, and whatever else they can think of! Rather than throwing away your ancient kite or having it take up room in the garage, get something out of it and let kiteboarding.com recycle it for you. Together, you can help keep our green sport green, and save yourself some green in the process.

To take advantage of the offer, go to www.kiteboarding.com, choose any complete 2011 water kite (7m or larger), and enter coupon code “tradein” to receive the instant $200 credit on your crispy new toy.

Wind Geo, a new mobile app will show you where the wind is coming from and at what strength, regardless of where you are or which way you

continued on page 20

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comps

NAST Wrap Up

By Tyler Brown | Photo Richard Hallman

With the fall colors diminishing and the 2011 winter season quickly approaching, kiters from around the world began waxing their boards and skis for the first annual North American Snowkite Tour. The tour comprised of four stops in Montana, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. Freestyle and racing disciplines put riders to the test, pushing the sport to new heights and crowning the overall tour winners. The tour was created by combining four existing snowkite events with the intent to better organize competition and to create a platform to showcase snowkiting through better marketing and tour sponsorships. As racers crossed the finish and the champions were crowned in Idaho, the tour completed its first successful season.

The 2011 NAST winners.

Competitors enjoyed warm water and waves in Lanzarote.

There were many highlights throughout the month-long snowkite road trip. From falling through the ice into waist deep slush at Lake Dillon to losing Jacob “The Wookie” Buzianis in a complete white out at the Superfly Open, there was never a dull moment. For the first time, having competitions over consecutive weekends allowed everyone to travel in a giant snowkite mob, searching out and kiting new locations between tour stops.

The overall tour comradely was incredible. Just as many other sports have grown through these milestones, I truly feel the start of the NAST will be a big contributor to expanding and legitimizing the sport of snowkiting.

Between 10-year-old Emmit Sproul, 12-year-old Francis Cronin, and 16-year-old Luke Orton, snowkiting and the NAST have a bright future. Final tour standings can be found at http://www.snowkitetour.com/2011-northamerican-snowkite-tour/tour-standings

LANZAROTE HOSTS 4TH PKRA STOP

By TKB Staff | Photo Toby Bromwich

New talent is emerging on the PKRA wave tour with Australian rider Keahi De Aboitiz (Cabrinha, AUS) earning the double elimination title. Strapless maneuvers such as aerials and remarkable cutbacks on the edge of the critical section earned him the PKRA Lanzarote wave title. Fabio Nunes (Phoenix, BRA) took second overall with his impressively fast series of vertical re-entries while maintaining control and stability.

Filippe Ferreira (Wainman, BRA) followed in third place with his powerful cutbacks and invigorating bottom turns. Kari Schibevaag (Ozone, NOR), took first for the women with her sharp bottom turns and explicit cutbacks, defeating Angela Peral (North, ESP) in the women’s final. Peral had amazing heat, charging her way to the top of the critical section in a vertical direction with a smooth continuous speed. Ines Correia (RRD, POR) from Portugal took third place with her impressive style and aggressive maneuvers. For the latest 2011 tour standings, see www.pkra.info

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STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON ALL LITEWAVE BOARDS

shop talk

What’s the best time to ride in your area? Any time there is wind! Summer in Florida tends to get hot and still with mostly south winds but we still get the occasional passing storm. Fall and winter we have stronger N-NW winds with bigger swell so try and come visit before July 4.

Florida has had more than its fair share of access issues. Do you have any specific issues in your area?

While Miami is about as regulated and closed off as it can be, Ft. Walton beach offers almost unlimited unregulated access to both the bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Ft. Lauderdale has dealt with its share of access issues and has successfully kept all of its spots open.

It’s all about communication with local authorities. We have trained our local lifeguards on how to rescue kiters and how to recognize potential dangers.

We have sat in many town meetings to explain how we self police. Best of all we have Rick Iossi living in our backyard who has played a huge part in keeping our spots open.

are facing. Wind Geo also allows you to get remote wind data for any location by easily navigating a map a developed for the application. To learn more about this app and to see some images of what it looks like, check out the app in iTunes: http://itunes.apple. com/us/app/wind-geo/id418243870

What brands do you represent? We represent Naish, North, and Slingshot.

We have a lot of history and great relationships with all three brands and they all make great products and continue to push our sport to the next level.

Liquid Surf & Sail

Shop Name: Jesse Cors Nickname: Hollywood Age: 25 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Years Riding: 9 off with a Favorite Conditions: 18 knots sideclean right

Liquid Surf and Sail operates three different Florida shop locations. Is there much of a difference between the shops? The stores really operate in three completely different markets, but all the stores are built on the same foundation: High end water sports equipment with top notch service and experience. Our shops are always looking for great new young energy to work a few shifts and help spread the love.

Is kiteboarding as popular at each location? Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Ft. Walton Beach all have their own particular kiteboarding scene for sure but in each location, kiteboarding always ranks at the top. Kiteboarding just has sex appeal so no matter where, it always seems to win the popularity contest.

Do you get many people interested in one sport who become interested in kiteboarding once they’re in the store? Over the years we have seen a huge crossover market from the windsurfing and wakeboarding scenes.

A lot of these customers are drawn by the smaller gear size, big air, and let’s face it, not everybody can afford a $50,000 wakeboard boat.

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How often will the Rum Cay trips be happening? Well if you haven’t Jesse Cors with seen the article I strongly recommend dinner. Photo picking up the April issue of The Bobby Little Kiteboarder. Pictures say a lot more than I can talk about but here’s the short and sweet: I have stumbled upon a rare jewel in the Bahamas in the form of a little island named Rum Cay. We offer personalized trips throughout the year with a focus on extreme sports. Winds are pretty consistent averaging 15-20 knots year round. Waves average between 5-15+ feet. We have just recently added skydiving to our growing list of extreme activities following our world class surfing, shark feeding, and spearfishing. No matter what the weather is doing the island has something to offer.

Where’s the best place for people to go for more information about riding in your area? Call me! I’ll personally answer any questions you have at 954-523-7778.

Otherwise visit our website (www.Liquidsurfandsail.com) or check out www.A1Aweather.com for live cams.

What else is there to do where you are, especially if there is no wind? South Florida is an epicenter of activities. I usually grab my paddleboard, head out to the reef, and grab some fresh seafood. You can go for a cable park session or rent a kayak or Hobiecat and just get wet.

Heading to South Beach to do some people watching is another one of my favorites.

Any words of wisdom you want to share with our readers? I see too many of my friends letting their jobs eclipse everything. With 60-hour work weeks, every minute not dedicated to working is reserved for sleeping or drinking.

They counter every argument by saying, ”When I’m old I’ll be rich enough that I’ll be able to do whatever I want,” not realizing that they are trading their time for money. You can’t buy a second youth so live now! I’m not saying to devote your life to kiting but try to get as much water time as possible because in the end, our time should be spent living.

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RhythmicSpark has released a series of Kitesurf Instructional apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch called Kitesurf Instructor: Beginner and Kitesurf Instructor: Intermediate.

In the next few months they will release the Advanced and Expert levels. Developed by IKO instructor Zach Price, each app in the Kitesurf Instructor (KI) series has detailed instructional text, pictures, and videos, showing how to perform a wide variety of kitesurfing tricks (about 15 per app). The video clips are stored on the iPhone/iPod so kiters can view them instantly and while offline. Kitesurf Instructor can be downloaded from the iTunes app store. Each version is currently selling for $2.99. http://itunes.apple.com/ us/app/kitesurf-instructor-beginner/ id336365142

Photographer: Brian Caserio Rider: Sean Mertens

ION EXCELLENCE

ION GREEN

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ION BLUE

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ION RED

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HYBRID EXCELLENCE FROM FLEXIFOIL

The 2011 ION from Flexifoil takes the bloodline to all new levels of refinement, continuing to set the standard for hybrid kites. Improvements in construction and aerofoil precision offer the smoothest ride possible, so contact your nearest Flexifoil retailer now and find out for yourself why the ION is known as the Barry White of kites.

• 6 Strut layout • Simple relaunch • More than enough depower • 4 or 5 line configuration • Multiple line connection points: tune the kite to your requirements • Premium quality Japanese and European materials • Improved construction techniques • Unique Kevlar reinforcement patch material

visit www.flexifoil.com

MSRP $799 (Ion 7.0m - Kite Only) $889 (Ion 8.5m - Kite Only) $969 (Ion 10.5m - Kite Only)

$1,049 (Ion 12.5m - Kite Only) $1,149 (Ion 14.5m - Kite Only) $339 All-In-One Bar and Lines

For a full list of retailers please visit www.flexifoil.com thek i teboarde r. com 2 1

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1. After 20 trips to Punta San Carlos, Victor Sellinger and Taylor Congdon have the proper PCS campsite dialed in.

Photo Victor Sellinger 2. This photo was a part of an elaborate April Fool’s joke on Josh Nehf concocted by Hal Turner to convince him that he was featured on the cover of TKB. “It was almost quite sad because he was really stoked about his cover shot and when I let him down it was like his dreams were shattered and ego crushed,” said Brendan Richards. Hal better keep his head on a swivel, because we already sense some revenge on the way.

Photo David DeVries/Layout Brendan Richards 22 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

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3. F-One’s Alex Soto and Robinson Hillario head to the beach.

Photo Band Original 4. Guy Bridge (age 11) gets a ride from his big brother Oliver (age 13). Photo Steph Bridge 5. Slingshot’s Chris Schey comes into the beach happy after an evening Baja session. Photo Paul Lang 6. Helen Trotman shows off the latest Epic kite. Photo Bryan Harvey 7. DeeDee shows off a Baja dinner. Photo Bonetti 8. Dimitri Maramenides gets a ticket for being too Epic.

Photo Helen Trotman

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9. Kristin Boese, one of kiteboarding’s best ambassadors.

Photo Sky Solbach 10. What’s happening here? Claire Lutz, blindfolded, with a helmet, drinking a beer. Photo Paul Lang 11. Taylor Congdon and Victor Sellinger pause on the infamous road to San Carlos. Photo Taylor Congdon 12. El Vagabundo and Neil Hutchinson discover yet another possible career: Lucha Libre announcers. Photo Paul Lang 13. Gemma McDaniel shows off her Litewave board.

Photo Hana McDaniel

14. Dimitri Maramenides cuts loose in the streets.

Photo Bryan Harvey 15. Kristy Jamison shows off her latest kite. Photo Jack Jamison 16. Gretta Kruesi takes a break in the shade. Photo Paul Lang 17. Julian Hosp and crew at the F-One Talent Camp in Cape Verde.

Photo Jacqueline d’Entremont If you have a photo that you would like featured in The Kiteboarder Magazine, please e-mail paul@thekiteboarder.com

thek i teboarde r. com 2 3

By Paul Lang

Your first impression of Julien Fillion might be that he’s a quiet guy. He always has a thoughtful look on his face, like he’s trying to work out some problem in his head. Get him talking about kiteboarding gear and you’ll quickly realize that not only is Julien not a quiet guy, but his head is so full of ideas that sometimes he has a hard time getting them all out.

When asked about Julien’s strong points as a designer, Liquid Force Brand Manager Gary Siskar said, “His passion, knowledge, and dedication to kiteboarding for one, plus he’s very flexible and rigid at the same time. He takes feedback, processes it, and uses it to make better equipment for kiteboarding, but at the same time he has a forward vision and pushes his ideas that he knows will change the way we kiteboard. He will stick with these ideas even if it is not popular with the group and he has proven over and over by believing in his vision that his ideas have been right on point and have changed the way we use and what we expect from kiteboarding equipment.”

Julien is not only a kiteboarding designer, but he’s also a talented musician, a sponsored stand up paddler, and is a team rider for Liquid Force. We asked Siskar how it helps to have Julien as a designer and a team rider and he said, “How can it not! He is a top level athlete and he is the one designing and developing the equipment. It’s not just a benefit to Liquid Force, it’s a benefit to our customers!” Julien is currently in Montreal recording an album with his band Trusted Waters and we were able to get him out of the studio long enough to answer a few of our questions.

Julien Fillion is the youngest kite designer that we are aware of. Photo Paul Lang

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Julien spends two months every winter chasing waves in Maui.

Photo Andy Witschi/elementfive.ch

Julien and Greg Gnecco get ready to shoot the MaxFlow infomercial. Photo Nate Appel

When did you first see kiteboarding? How did you get started? Originally I was living in Maui for windsurfing. I was working and riding with Neil Pryde and I thought my life would revolve around windsurfing forever. To me kiteboarding looked very dangerous. Most of the guys were not able to make it upwind and it didn’t look like that much of a good time. When I came home to go back to university, windsurfing on the lake or river just wasn’t very exciting anymore. It was actually really boring after riding amazing waves in Maui. I ordered a few kites and I got into it so much that I wasn’t really into windsurfing anymore, like everyone else.

Do you have a background in design? I went to school for computer science. I was always interested in design. With design, it’s always been easy for me to learn on my own and to be surrounded by good designers who are willing to let go of their knowledge. In every sport I’ve been into, I’ve always wanted to make the gear better. That’s exactly what I did with windsurfing. I got really lucky because Neil Pryde really liked my ideas and I was able to ride with the team and learn a lot with them. I love to ride, but I’ve always been a little bored with just riding. I have to do more, and making the gear better is very interesting for me. I love it.

What was the first product you designed? When I was younger, I worked for a board company based in Montreal called Wind Obsession on board designs and ideas, but the first idea I had that was produced worldwide was EVA protection on windsurfing sails. Today, the sleeve on most windsurfing sails has an EVA piece at the bottom to prevent the mast from hitting your board. I invented that with Neil Pryde a long time ago and then every company did it afterwards. For Liquid Force, I was originally a team rider in Canada and then they realized I had a lot of great ideas. The first kite I did was the Menace. It was a very radical C-shape design, but right after the Menace we went into doing bridled kites. The original bridled kite I did was the Assault. It was the least flat of all the SLE kites at the time. Everyone was making really flat kites that were inverting and the Assault was almost a mix between the SLE kites that we have today and the Bow designs that used to be out there.

As a designer, what’s the starting point for designing a bridle for a kite? For any inflatable kite designer, the hardest years are the first three. There’s no school that explains how it all works. There are no books about it, so you just have to try everything. With bridles, you have to play with where they attach to the leading edge, what angles you are going to use, what kind of bridle to use, the number of pulleys, what kind of opening you want to get, where you want the bridle to lock, and where you want it not locked, and all that comes only after you choose the right outline, aspect ratio, and everything else. For me, the bridle comes at the end.

When you get a new prototype kite, are you ever surprised by how it performs? When we get a new kite and it does what it’s supposed to, I’m not surprised, I’m just happy. When we try to go into more edgy areas, especially when we play with the number of struts, that’s when, sometimes, the kite just won’t work. We’re not really surprised by it. For the past few years, we’ve put a lot of effort into removing struts, and it’s a lot more complicated than just removing them. When you choose to build a three-strut kite, the whole structure of the kite has to be built to work with the three struts.

What else do you do other than design equipment for Liquid Force? I’ve been riding for NPX for many years and I’ve helped them design wetsuits. I designed their snowboardstyle drysuit with them. I’m also really into creating equipment to use in big waves and am into SUP as well. I ride for Imagine and I’ve helped them create smaller SUPs. All that keeps me really busy, but the other part of my life right now is music. I have a Julien is currently in the studio with Trusted Montreal-based band, Trusted Waters, and we’re in the studio right now recording a Waters, his Montreal-based band.

Photo Darren Edwards complete album, which will be released in July.

How does being a team rider for LF change your role as a designer? There’s many ways to look at design. Maybe I’m not a true designer. I can basically only design gear that I use. When it comes to designing something like women’s equipment, I’m not very good at it because I don’t use it. I have to be in the water because I love it and I get to spend a lot of time riding with all levels of riders, so I see when they have a problem or when they have a good time, which helps me learn the needs of riders out there. Designing kites is not a normal engineering product. It’s very much about what we believe is right and how we like a kite to behave in the air. You can try to do that on a computer as much as possible, but it’s only when you are on the beach doing the last adjustments that you can really bring it all together. If I wasn’t in the water clocking hundreds of hours a year, I can hardly imagine how I’d be able to create good kites.

You’re the second designer we’ve interviewed who is also a musician. Does your creative musician side help you with your work as a designer? When you have to travel a lot, there are a lot of lonely times. Those have always been the moments when I’m writing music. When I’m home in Montreal, I can kite a lot, but not all the time, so having music helps balance my life. I’ll be working on design in the office for half the day, and then I’ll spend the other half of the day playing music. It’s just a good way to split your life. I’m so into kiteboarding and all these watersports that I need another passion to keep me from getting sick of it all. thek i teboa rde r. com 2 7

What is the starting point of a new product? Usually choosing what to make is related to what the market needs and what our retailers, distributors, and customers want. We don’t try to reinvent the wheel with all our products every year. What we try to do is to look at what people love about our gear and then work off that. We also look at what people might not have been crazy about and we try to make it better.

Between August and October, we ask a lot of questions. What do they love about our gear? What do they love about other brands? What do they want next year? It’s not always the same year to year. Then we create a product line based on what people want and we get to work on it. I’ll be in Montreal doing the drawings and trying the gear, and when the kites are ready, I start mailing these kites everywhere so I can get feedback. Usually the kites are approved by March or April, and then we have to produce and ship them. It’s not a long window and where we’ve been really good in the past few years is to imagine what people will need next year and to nail it.

When we knew that three strut kites would come on strong, we made the Envy and it has killed it. This year we have the MaxFlow and people love it.

When you are introducing a brand new product like MaxFlow, what’s the testing process like to make sure consumers won’t have problems? It’s crazy. It took us more than two years to make it happen. We knew for many years that using an 8mm valve is a horrible way to inflate your kite. There have been wider valves on the market, but we were never crazy about them. A few years ago, a friend was working on a crib for babies that used bladders to create the structure of the crib. We have a lot of knowledge of working with TPU bladders, so we worked with him to make his crib really good right away.

He’s a very good engineer and was working on this valve that would make it very easy for anyone to use and quick to inflate. I grabbed two of the valves and put them on the leading edge of a kite. After being used for a year, they had no problems. Everything was perfect. People who were using those valves told us they would get mad when they couldn’t use those kites and had to rig kites with small valves. We had to work on the valve a lot to get it right for kiteboarding. It has to go on the leading edge, which is not flat, and it has to work in all kinds of weather. Once we were done with the valve, we used it for a year to make sure it was perfect. We knew we were on to something big and everybody loves it.

How do you decide which ideas to pursue and which not to? Usually before we waste our time on an idea that people may not like or want, we investigate it with our close retailers and distributors. Usually we get instant feedback if we’re on to a great idea or not. People either tell us, “Yes, I want it now” or “Umm, I’m not so sure.” We usually don’t waste our time on the not-so-sure ideas and we put all of our energy into ideas that people want. When I was younger, I would waste a lot of time on ideas that people were not into. It’s much better to ask before wasting hundreds of hours. A long time ago I was a pro kayaker and I worked on some crazy ideas. I worked on a brace to use inside the kayak and everything was mechanical. I wasted almost a year on that idea and it never went anywhere.

Do you pay much attention to the products from other companies? I try to know all the product lines to see what the other companies are promoting because that’s a good gauge of where the industry is heading. We have our own way to design our gear and we have our own ideas. I don’t go around and fly all the kites, unless there is a product that everyone is into and I don’t understand why. Then I’ll try to ride that gear, just to know what people like about it. I’m really not into using other people’s ideas; it’s just not my thing. I’d be really bored if I was just copying other people’s ideas all day.

Liquid Force has an image of being a very wakestyleoriented brand. How do you make sure your kites will 28 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

Living in Canada gives Julien a lot of snowkiting opportunities. Photo Greg Gnecco

Julien is also a team rider for Imagine SUP. Photo Henning SandStrom

satisfy the larger market while keeping the wakestyle riders happy? That’s a really good question. We’ve been working really hard for years to get the masses to ride our gear. Our gear is not core wakestyle gear. OK, we have bindings, but that’s because we have a crew of wakeboarding people creating the craziest bindings on the market. Everything else is made for the masses. Sometimes our wakeboarding image works against us. Liquid Force is the largest wakeboarding brand in the world. We have an amazing kiteboarding product line which we create for the masses and we constantly have to tell people. Some riders think Liquid Force kites are only for really good riders or riders who use boots, but we design the gear for all riders. People are usually surprised when they try our kites. For example, the Envy is a really easy kite to fly and a lot of people love it, but some riders don’t even try it because they think it’s only for wakestyle riders. The Liquid Force team riders ride bindings because they love bindings. They love to land hard and to have complete control of their boards. When it comes to the kites, control bars, and everything else, we design them for the everyday rider. A lot of us do a lot of wave riding and a kite that works well in the waves will work good for everything. It needs to have a lot of depower, a lot of power, a super quick relaunch, and to be able to roll around in the waves and come back up. This is what our kites are designed to do. We have to educate people though advertisements and demos that our products are not only for wakestyle riding. Of course, the products work amazing for wakestyle, and we don’t even need to promote it. All those riders already know it.

Can you give us any hints about new stuff you’re working on? It’s still too early to speak about what we’re doing for 2012. All I can say is that we will have three models of kites next year and there will be some new areas that we’ve never explored before. There are crazy new ideas coming that we’ve been working on for more than two years. MaxFlow was a huge idea for us this year and we have one or two more big ideas coming for 2012. You’ll see.

For more info about Julien Fillion, check out http://julienfillion.com or the website for his band, http://trustedwaters.com.

According to Julien, being involved in different sports and music helps him keep from getting sick of any one thing. Photo Henning SandStrom

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close up Brian Smith lived hours away from the nearest kiteboarding spot but was able to progress through a copious amount of mind-shredding while sitting in high school classes. Photo Bryan Elkus

Brian Smith Age: 20 Height: 6’0” Weight: 175 lbs. Years kiting: 4 Favorite Spots: Cape Hatteras, NC, and reef breaks somewhere in Puerto Rico Favorite Conditions: Butter flat water on my 9m in board shorts with some features to hit or a head high right point break with cross-shore 7m wind Sponsors: BEST Kiteboarding, Lifethereal (LTR), REAL Watersports

GEAR SETUP

By Paul Lang

Boards: 2011 BEST Profanity 142cm with 2011 Ronix Reliks, 6’0” Tokoro, 5’10” Xanadou Kites: BEST Taboo 7, 9, and 12m

Brian Smith grew up in Arlington, VA, and used to work at a marina on the Potomac River where he would spend his summers working, sailing, kayaking, and wakeboarding. After learning to kiteboard on a family vacation to Cabarete, he was hooked. Brian said, “I still had two years of high school left at the time so I only got to ride sporadically on vacation every six months or so. That made me progress quickly because I felt like I needed to learn as much as possible each session for fear I wouldn’t ride for another six months.” After graduating, he moved to Cape Hatteras and currently teaches at REAL Kiteboarding.

How did you get started in kiteboarding? I got into kiteboarding on a trip to Cabarete with my family. I had seen kiting beforehand and my mom surprised me with a three-day course she somehow scored for like a hundred bucks!

What do you think can be done to bring more young riders into the sport? In order to get the young kids into the sport a couple things need to happen. We need to get kiting visible to the masses as a legitimate sport so it’s not just seen as “that sport that’s kind of like parasailing” or that is “way too dangerous for me.” This will happen by 3 0 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

continuing to push the level of what’s possible under a kite. Additionally, the start-up costs need to drop to make it economical for more people. The hardest thing for me when I was in school after I learned to kite was the fact that I lived hours from the nearest kite spot, but this actually helped me progress in the end because I did so much mind-shredding in class!

What do you most appreciate about your current gear? I love the fact that I can do anything with my Taboos. I can throw powered tricks on them, I can surf waves with them, and I can teach on them. As for the Profanity, this board absolutely dominates all things wakestyle. It’s super good for pressing on features, booting off kickers, or loading up in the flats.

Why do you use boots? Do you think all riders would like using them if they only tried? Why do I ride boots? The answer is simple: physics. It just seems to me that if you want to be connected to your board with any level of control, boots get the job done much more effectively like with snowboarding and wakeboarding. This is not to say that all kiters should ride boots. Straps definitely have their place. However, if you have any background on the snow or behind the boat, you’ll probably feel right at home in a pair of boots. It couldn’t hurt to try it out.

tips • Do what feels best to you.

• Kiting is about fun, no more no less.

• Keep it low.

What do you do off the water? Off the water I like doing pretty much anything active like hiking, climbing, snowboarding, building - you name it.

What is something about you most people wouldn’t know? I have an apartment that smells of rich mahogany and I have many leather bound books.

What was your worst wipeout? In the spring last year I was having a session on the JWCF slider behind a ski at REAL. I did a nose press on the flat section and buried the nose into a seam in the sliding surface, which sent me head first into the water (two feet deep) from eight feet up. I landed on my head and immediately thought I had broken my neck due to the crazy popping noises it made. I lucked out and was back on the water the next day.

Where is your favorite place to kite? My favorite place to kite changes pretty much every time I ride.

If the conditions are decent and I have a good crew to shred with, I’m happy as a clam anywhere.

What was your most memorable kiteboarding experience? Last summer when I came off the water from one of my best sessions ever in the slick to find out that I had made it into the Triple-S. What are your must-haves that you can’t live without? As long as I have great friends, family, and things to do, I’m pretty much content. Oh, and Nutella too.

Any words of wisdom you want to share with our readers? Negative ghost-rider, the pattern is full.

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Maika has decided to finish high school online so she can move to Cabarete to train for the upcoming PKRA event. Photo Dixie Buckley

Maika Monroe Buckley ’ Age: 17 Height: 5’6” Weight: 105 lbs. Years Kiting: 3 Favorite Spots: Jalama, C-Street, and Kite Beach, Cabarete Favorite Conditions: 25 knots of wind and flat water Favorite Moves: Anything Unhooked Sponsors: F-One USA, CosmicKites.com, Airbound Apparel, Hyperflex Wetsuits

GEAR SETUP

tips • T he learning curve is steep initially, but stick with it. It’s worth it.

• Always ride with someone else.

• A t a new place, talk to local riders to find out about any rules or dangers.

By Paul Lang

Boards: F-One Trax 132 Kites: F-One Bandit 4 Harness: Underwave

At just 17 years old, Maika Buckley has decided to finish her senior year of high school online so she can move to Cabarete to train. Maika said, “I love Cabarete. All of my friends do not understand how I could leave high school my senior year and go live in a third world country.

I think how could I not?”

When and why did you start kiteboarding? My father kites and I was always at the beach watching him. I had windsurfed before, but this looked like a lot more fun. I begged my father to teach me and for my 13th birthday he got me a trainer kite.

Can you talk about why you’ve decided to move to Cabarete during your last semester of high school? I spent last summer kiting in Cabarete. I love it there and was able to kite almost everyday. I decided to finish my last semester online so I could move back to Cabarete. All my friends think I should wait because senior year in high school is the most fun and I am leaving Santa Barbara for a third world country. For me kiting is what I want to do and there is no better place to live then Cabarete. My friends all think I am crazy.

You learned when you were only 13. What do you think can be done to bring more young people into kiteboarding? My dad made me fly the kite for a year on the beach before he would let me on the water. He wanted to make sure I knew the kite. When I was 13 I weighed about 60 pounds so the pull of the kite was 3 2 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

a little overwhelming at first. I love seeing young kids kiting. Not many girls kite, so when people see me kite I think it inspires them to try it. I love that.

What riders influence you the most? I train in Cabarete with Alex Soto and Robinson Hilario. They inspire me because they are absolutely fearless.

Robinson is always on the edge and creating new tricks. I want to ride like them.

Do you have any plans to compete? Yes, I am planning on competing this year in the PKRA. My first competition will be in Cabarete in June.

What do you appreciate about your current gear?

I love the new F-One Bandit 4. They have so much power and are fast and incredibly easy to relaunch.

I have tried so many kites and these by far handle the best.

What is your favorite style of riding? Freestyle. I want to get more into waveriding using a surfboard.

That’s what my dad uses now and it looks fun.

What is something you do outside of kiteboarding that most people wouldn’t know? I am an actress and a model. I am also designing a girl’s line of clothing for Airbound Apparel. Check them out at AirboundApparel.com.

Do you plan on continuing acting and modeling when you return from the DR? Have you been

in anything our readers would recognize? Yes, I plan on continuing while I am in the DR. I will submit auditions via tape. Yes, something is coming out soon, but I am not allowed to say the name yet. Currently airing is a Purina Dog Chow commercial I am in. It just started airing in the DR and it is really cute because a lot of the Dominican kids have seen it. They all think it is so funny to see me on TV. What was your scariest kiteboarding experience?

Probably when I was first learning to kiteboard and I was out at Leadbetter in Santa Barbara. The wind died so I couldn’t get upwind and I ended up at the breakwater. There was a big shorebreak and rocks.

My father came down and climbed on the rocks to land my kite and I had to swim with my board against the current to the beach.

What was your most memorable kiteboarding experience? Right before a big storm in Cabarete the wind picked up for about seven minutes. Everyone ran to grab their gear and get on the water and I did the same. I have never in my life experienced wind like that. I got so much air that I was looking down at the hotel where I was staying.

What are your must-haves that you can’t live without? My ipod, bikini, and my kites.

Any words of wisdom you want to share with our readers? One thing I would say is never ride alone. If you are a girl reading this, try kiteboarding! You don’t have to be super strong (I am not) and you will meet a ton of guys!

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NPX’s Josh Noe adds a little spice to his launch.

Let’s dance! Barranquilla hosts one of the biggest carnivals in the world after Rio de Janeiro. Photo Paul Menta

Northern Columbia: Still Undiscovered

I got the call from Wladamir Paternina from Humboldt Kite School, my partner at The Kite House in Ecuador. He said he was heading back up to Columbia to visit family and that I should meet him. I told him nah, I’d rather go on a wave trip, but let me know how it is there.

Three weeks later, I got an email saying, “Hey man, you going anywhere? There is 25 knots of wind here 24 hours a day and waves!” I start picturing head high waves with a tube, blowing side-off. He tells me he is near Barranquilla, Columbia, in a place I can’t even find on Google Maps. I started researching flights and find I can fly directly to Barranquilla everyday from Miami for cheap. I’m out of here!

After a quick two and a half hour flight, I was picked up and we headed to the coast. Wladamir is excitedly telling me how you can ride flat water on one side with perfect side-onshore conditions for freestyle or racing while the other side, a short five minute walk away, serves up perfect long peeling waves formed by sandbars with side-offshore winds.

Waves, Freestyle, and Racing — Why is no one here? Twenty minutes after leaving the airport, we reached Nautica Velero in Puerto Velero. In the middle of nowhere, the center is owned by Carlos Gomez, a hardcore wave windsurfer and kiter. His center was really rad, albeit rather primitive. With palapas everywhere, Puerto Velero has no water or electricity, but Carlos and his staff more than take care of you with fresh caught fish, beans, rice, rental gear, and tons of wind.

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Words and photos by Paul Menta/www.thekitehouse.com

I see all the flat water and Carlos says to me, “You like to see the waves huh?” We then gathered our gear and food for the day and headed down the fishermen’s trail which was covered with more driftwood than I’ve ever seen in one place. Five minutes later, I see wind swell with a form to it that has a great lip and long, long lines, all rights.

We rode all day – just three of us and I got covered up more times than a cold Eskimo. Over the next four days, I kited waves in board short conditions until I couldn’t ride anymore. I did manage to squeeze in one 30 minute freestyle session in the flats just to do it but the waves were just way too much fun.

Now that I have been back at my home base in Key West for a few weeks, I am still reliving this trip and the good times and epic conditions discovered. There are still a ton of uncrowded spots out there that are wide open for you to discover. You just need friends, internet, and a sense of adventure.

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Drift launching from the Marina dock.

FACT FILE: LODGING:

Since Puerto Valero has no running water or electricity, Puerto Columbia is just five minutes away where Carlos from Nautica Valero offers nice rooms for rent on his property. For $30 a night, you get a private room, bath, cable TV, air conditioning, and internet. Carlos is also building accommodations at the center next year that will get power.

Flat water kiting is just in front of the Nautica Velero center. Photo Paul Menta

FOOD:

Food is good and simple, mostly consisting of rice, beans, fish, and plantains. There is a ton of fruit everywhere and smoothie stands can be found throughout the town. Restaurants are mostly small mom and pop eateries with meals ranging from $3-8 USD on average.

CONDITIONS:

The best time to go is between early December and mid April when it seemingly blows every day. “Light wind” days are around 16 knots, but the average is about 25.

GETTING THERE:

Clean lines and lips await you in Northern Columbia. Photo Paul Menta A local woman cruises the beach before the wind picks up.

Photo Claudine Bancelin

Fly Avianca into Barranquilla or Cartagena. I flew from Miami to Barranquilla for $382 round trip. For transportation, Nautica Velero takes you everywhere or flag down one of the many taxis. If you stay at Carlo’s, you will just go with him to the center every day. If you stay in town, you can take a taxi to the center. Flat water riding is directly in front and waves are a five minute walk away.

SCHOOL:

Nautica Velero offers kite and windsurf rentals as well as lessons. www.nauticavelero.com

WEATHER:

Average temperature is 85-90°F from late November to early April. Trade winds more or less cool it to a more comfortable temperature during daylight hours. Bring plenty of sunscreen, a hat, and a rashie!

WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO:

This is not the place you take a date. You go to Puerto Velero to kite or windsurf. If your significant other doesn’t ride, they can lay out in the sun all day and chill. Main tourist attractions in Puerto Columbia include its swamps, beaches, the Castillo de Salgar (castle), the old train station, and the wharf. You can also try paragliding from the top of Cupino mountain.

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Even riders like Andy Yates had to get started somewhere.

Photo Manu Morel

2011

Annual TKB

Instructional

Guide

Spring is giving way to summer and that means the kiteboarding season has fully arrived for most places in North America. The weather is warm and the wind is blowing — you should be out there! If you’ve never kiteboarded before, now is the perfect time to learn. If you already know how to ride, there’s always something new to try. Once again, we’ve tried to include something for everyone in our annual TKB Instructional Guide whether you are a complete beginner or looking to throw your first handle pass. Remember, there is always room to progress no matter what your level. Now is the perfect time to learn something new!

The Importance of Lessons This is something we have covered before and we’ll cover it again in the future.

Kiteboarding is not an extremely difficult sport to learn and almost anybody can become a kiteboarder. However, kiteboarding gear is dangerous when not handled correctly and with respect. We feel very strongly that every person who wants to get into kiteboarding should take lessons. Kiteboarding is a very safe sport when practiced correctly, but it can be extremely risky for riders who don’t know what they are doing.

Where Do I Get Started?

While you can learn a lot about kiteboarding through magazine articles, online forums, and videos, this is a sport that you shouldn’t learn on your own.

Kiteboarding lessons should be looked at as a required part of learning to kiteboard, not as something optional. If handled incorrectly, kiteboarding gear is very dangerous to you and the people around you. You wouldn’t learn to skydive without lessons would you? Kiteboarding should be looked at the same way.

Where Do I find a school?

Industry pioneer Lou Wainman gets ready to ride. Photo Peter McGowan

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For starters, you can look at the Kite Pages section at the end of every issue of The Kiteboarder.

Our shop directory is also listed at http://www.thekiteboarder. com/kiteboarding-shop-andschool-directory/. You should also ask local kiteboarders for recommendations and your area might have an active kiteboarding association that will be able to give you plenty of info.

By Paul Lang

I Don’t Need a Lesson

Believe me, I’ve heard this plenty of times. When I used to teach kiteboarding, we would regularly get calls from people just wanting to rent gear to use to “try kiteboarding” who would be completely against getting a lesson. The most common line we got when people were explaining why they didn’t need a lesson was “I used to water ski. This will be easy for me.” Kiteboarding is a unique sport and requires unique skills. Experience in any water or wind-powered sport will help you during the learning process, but it doesn’t teach you the skills you need to become a safe kiteboarder. Every rider should start their kiteboarding career with lessons, no matter what other sport experiences they bring to the table.

Get the Most from Your Lessons Don’t look at your lessons as a dull requirement that you have to go through to start kiteboarding. It’s a learning experience and you can get the most out if it by following these tips: • Buy a trainer kite. Before your lesson, fly a trainer kite until you are beyond sick of it and can fly it with your eyes closed.

• Be humble during your lesson. Approach kiteboarding with an open mind and be willing to take your instructor’s directions.

• Ask questions. If there is something you don’t quite understand, ask the instructor to explain again. Your goal is to be able to understand why we do things a certain way in kiteboarding, not just how.

• Consider a kiteboarding vacation. There are certain places in the world that are ideal for learning to kiteboard. You will have a better learning experience and progress faster if you are learning in ideal conditions.

• Have realistic expectations. Kiteboarding has a steep learning curve and even the best riders struggled at first. You’re not going to be blasting around in the surf or throwing massive jumps your first day.

Avoid the largest mistake people make when learning to kiteboard by taking a lesson. Photo Paul Lang

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Top 5

Mistakes

People Make when Learning to Ride

By Brendan Richards/Caution Kites/sckitesurfing.com

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1. Failure to Take Lessons: DIYs and friends teaching friends are not only ruining it for the incoming kiter nine times out of 10, but also make our sport look bad and threaten site access.

Get a real lesson from a real instructor.

2. Failure to Research Your Instructor: Not all schools and instructors are created equal. Ask around and talk to kiteboarders in your area to make sure you’re going to get the best lesson possible.

3. Rushing to the Water: Trainer kite practice with the proper drills will develop crucial precision kite control on land, accelerating your learning on the water. Flying the kite randomly in the air is not a proper drill.

4. Using a Board Leash: Efficient upwind body dragging is a crucial skill that teaches you about edging before you’re up on the board and gives the student the awareness and ability to travel upwind, broadening your options beyond just getting dragged downwind. It also allows you to retrieve your board and avoids the whole slingshot/delayed impact with your board.

5. Buying Equipment Prior to Taking Lessons: The experience you gain with the school’s equipment coupled with an objective review of your instructor’s opinion will help you make the best decision.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying New Kitesurfing Gear Most of you reading this article either have already purchased kitesurfing gear or will be going through the process sooner than later. Let’s be honest – this isn’t the easiest decision you ever made. Choosing your kitesurfing gear is as much of an emotional choice as a factual one. With dozens of kite and board manufacturers offering an overwhelming amount of models, features, and innovations, your decision is even more complicated than you might have originally thought.

After nine years of selling kitesurfing gear to both consumers and retailers worldwide, we have observed a few common mistakes that we would like you to avoid:

1. What a professional rider uses isn’t necessarily the right gear for you.

Many customers are looking at what the top kiters ride and they try to replicate the same gear combination. While this might be the “coolest” gear out there, it might not work for your personal style, skill level, local conditions, and riding habits.

2. Don’t buy kites and boards blindly. If you are just starting, consider purchasing the same gear that you have learned with. You will be more confident with the features and you will progress faster. If you are an experienced kiter, try to demo the equipment before you buy it. Feeling the bar features, how it fits in your hands, the length of the depower line, and the depower system while you kite will give you all the data you need to decide if it is the right setup for you. A kite’s stability, turning speed, jumping and upwind performance, how it behaves in your local conditions, how it relaunches, etc. can only be tested and not described.

3. Don’t go cheap with your wetsuit

By Evan Mavridoglou

There are a lot of choices out there. Take the time to figure out what’s right for you.

Photo courtesy Live2Kite.com

and harness. We have this rule with our customers and we are really passionate about it: The gear closest to your body is at least as important as your kites and boards.

Your wetsuit and harness are critical to your ride. While not necessary everywhere in North America, when you need a wetsuit, it has to keep you warm and needs to be as flexible as necessary for your riding style. Your harness is probably the most important link between your body and your kite. If your harness underperforms your kite session will be miserable.

4. Don’t save your budget on safety equipment. Helmets and impact vests are very important for your safety and will keep your body together when you push your limits.

5. Your old windsurfing or wakeboarding gear won’t cut it. A kitesurfing-specific harness is designed to deal with very specific forces coming from a kite. Also, kitesurfing-specific harnesses have special features to prevent the spreader bar from riding up and offer additional range of motion. Similarly, wakeboarding vests are not designed to work with kitesurfing harnesses and the ones that could work with a seat harness might be too bulky and restrictive.

Evan Mavridoglou is the owner of Live2kite Kiteshop and School in Greenbrae, California. www.live2kite.com thek i teboa rde r. com 3 7

By Brendan Richards/Caution Kites/sckitesurfing.com

Put your

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Board on Right!

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The simple act of putting your board on is something that many beginners struggle with.

Photos David DeVries

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The various pieces of the instructional kitesurfing puzzle vary in degree of technicality and challenge. A good instructor breaks down each skill into pieces, delivers timely concrete physical tips that help the student progress, and reinforces the maxim that the physics of kiteboarding are almost completely based on technique and have little to do with sheer muscle. A perfect example of this can be learning to put the board on your feet. For the physically fit and flexible it can come together in a matter of seconds. For others not so gifted, it can be a frustrating long fight with the board, the kite, and your body’s inability to comply. The root of the problem is often the failure to multitask. Kite control is crucial throughout this process, but typically takes a backseat while the student puts 100% of their attention on the board.

1. Always approach the board from the same side to keep things consistent. For this tutorial we’ll assume that your left hand flies your kite while your right hand maneuvers the board. This builds muscle memory more quickly.

2. Place your kite either directly overhead or slightly off towards the side of your board hand. You should devote 95% of your attention to your kite. This means you should be looking at your kite and periodically glancing at your board, not the other way around. Your kite should not move at all while putting the board on.

3. Use the foot straps to maneuver the board into position, not the board handle.

With your right hand on the top of the right foot strap, straighten your right elbow to get the board as far from your body as possible and keep the downwind edge of the board out of the water so it doesn’t catch while you drift downwind.

4. Put your left foot on the back of the board and fumble around until it finds the foot pad and foot strap. Having just your toe in the strap is good enough for now. If you’re having flexibility issues it’s time to get creative. Make sure your elbow is straight and pull the board around to your side and swing the other end of the board out to give yourself more space to get your left foot to connect with the strap.

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5. Once your left foot is in the strap and your right arm is holding the right strap, you now have complete control of the board. Use your heel pressure to put the board on edge and use the gentle downwind pull from the kite from the kite to stay pressed to your board. Your right foot is next. Keep in mind that you only need to get that foot onto the board, using the kite’s gentle pull to keep the board against your feet. From there you can inch your foot into the right place and then use the board handle with your right hand to sink your feet snugly into your straps.

6. At every stage of the process the kite has to be centered on your board, meaning that the kite’s pull has to be pulling you into the center of your board, otherwise the kite or board will cause you to rotate and pull you off and away from your board. When things go sour, don’t fight it, just reset and get a clean start. To regain the balance between the pull of the kite and the board you can shuffle the board from side to side. Shuffle the board to the left to rotate left, shuffle it right and you will turn right. Keep in mind that sometimes it’s too late and better to let the board go and come back to it with a fresh start. Remember, almost all of your attention should be focused on flying your kite.

It can get crowded out there, but you’ll find that there’s always room for everyone if you follow a few simple tips. Photo Paul Lang

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How to Not Run into Other Riders l

By Paul Menta/www.kitehouse.com

So, now you are riding and it’s time to hit the beach! But wait! There are people, obstacles, and other kiters around and you no longer have your instructor by your side. I can already feel your stress level increasing which in turn will make you less attentive on how to react to any situation that might happen. As kiters, we almost never have perfect riding spots, so you need to adapt.

Here are some surefire tips to help keep you safe and untangled.

• T he launch is the most important part of your session. If you are new to a spot, ask a local for advice on where exactly you should launch and ride and the best way to go about it. Take the time to look around and see who is doing what so you can get an idea of how everyone is riding and if there are any riding patterns.

• After watching the riders on the water for a few minutes, you should be able to tell if there are areas that are more or less crowded. Even on days that look really crowded at first glance you can usually find areas on the water slightly upwind or downwind that are almost wide open.

• Have a plan before you launch your kite. You should know exactly where and how you are going to get in the water before you launch.

After you launch your kite is not the time to realize your board is 100 yards from the water or to discover that there is no safe and easy way into the water where you are.

• Keep your head up and pay attention to your surroundings. Are 10 kiters on their way to the

• •

• •

beach? Is someone approaching you on a wave? It’s probably not the best time to launch. Wait until the area where you want to get into the water is clear before your kite is in the air.

Out on the water, pay attention to the body language of other riders. In crossing situations, don’t stare up at your kite. It’s a lot easier to see what the other rider’s intentions are if you make eye contact with them.

When crossing paths with other riders, make your intentions obvious and do something early to be sure that other riders know you see them and can easily tell what your plan is. If you intend to cross upwind, ride as far upwind as you can with your kite as high as possible. If you intend to cross downwind of the other rider, go further downwind than necessary and hold your kite as low as is reasonable.

Before you turn or jump, always look around to make sure someone isn’t behind you or that you won’t potentially land too close to riders downwind. Most tangles happen because someone jibes or jumps without looking first.

Give other riders room. If you are riding towards the beach and another rider is in front of you, turn around early as the rider in front can’t go anywhere until you turn around.

The most important part of avoiding collisions on the water is staying alert to your surroundings. Too many riders have tunnel vision on the water and are totally focused on what they are doing, not their environment. Pay attention out there and you’ll find that there’s plenty of room for all of us! thek i teboarde r. com 3 9

Get the most out of your gear by keeping everything in tune.

Photo Paul Lang

Keep it Tuned

By Paul Beiderwell, 1st Coast Kiting

Now is a great time to kite, not just because warm weather is here but because the evolution of the sport has improved every aspect of kiting over the years. Back in the late 1990s, manufacturers were still offering two line kites that required complicated cross bridle systems which needed constant tweaking and adjustment. The lines themselves were often different lengths and made from inferior materials that stretched unevenly with every session. Out of the bag, new kites often needed hours of flying time and adjustment. In the early days of four line kites, I remember one student’s new line set having four different line lengths with as much as four feet difference between the longest and the shortest line!

Tuning kites used to be necessary just to keep them in the air, but modern kites come with simple, accurate, and reliable rigging. Because there are so many different brands and each one has its own specific features, we can only deal in general terms when it comes to tuning your kite, but there are a few things that are common to most of them.

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Setting up a bar and line set correctly is critical to the performance of your kite. Having said that, it’s good to know that it’s not rocket science. In most cases, your bar and lines are good to go right out of the bag, but here are some things you should check: • I n most cases your lines are (or should be) all the same length. A quick check is as simple as hooking the end of your lines to a fixed hard point like a nail on a tree or post and stretching them to see if they all have the same tension. With the adjustment strap completely relaxed and the chicken loop against the bar, lean back and put some tension on the lines.

The bar should be parallel to your shoulders with your arms stretched out in front of you. This gives you a starting point for tuning your kite.

• With the kite flying, extend your arms and push the bar out as far as you can. The back lines should be completely slack. As you pull the bar back toward you the lines should become just tight when your elbows are almost bent 90°.

• As you pull in more on the bar, you increase the kite’s angle of attack.

When you have pulled the bar all the way down, the kite and lines should be fully tensioned, but it is important not to have too much tension on the

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back lines as this will cause the kite to slow down, limit its upwind ability, and cause it to be unstable.

• As I said before each brand is slightly different and you should always use extra caution when you launch an unfamiliar kite for the first time. Most kites have multiple attachment points and variable length pigtails. Use the manufactures recommended setting to start with. Time to hit the beach!

During your first session pay attention to how your kite responds to turning inputs from the bar. If you have to pull your bar all the way down before the kite turns well, land it and shorten the back lines or lengthen the front lines.

If you feel that your bar seems too far away from you to ride comfortably, lengthen the back lines (or shorten the front lines) to move the bar closer to you. After you have found the connection points that work best for you and you are able to ride comfortably, experiment with the adjustment strap a bit.

In most cases you will want to be able to set the kite with the adjustment strap completely relaxed as this allows for the largest range of adjustment while riding. By taking the time to learn how your kite’s adjustments affect it in the air you will have a better session and increased comfort whenever you go out to ride.

When I started teaching kiteboarding back in 2002, I very quickly realized that females learn to kite in a completely different way than guys do. In the beginning stages most of them pick it up faster than male students in the same group. Women tend to bring more finesse to the table, think about what they do before they actually do it, and simply listen more closely. Also, many of the more advanced female riders out there need to think through a trick before attempting it on the water. The more they have the feeling they know what they are doing, the more confident they become to actually attempt that trick on the water, although sometimes they might need a little extra motivational kick like someone following behind them and making them do it!

Women often pick up the basics of kiteboarding faster than men. Photo Alexandru Baranescu

The KB4girls tour is all about focusing on the specific needs of the female kiteboarders (young and old) who participate in our clinics. The experience from our events has proven that the following measures work especially well for any girls or women out there that want to take up kiteboarding or learn new tricks. I can only suggest you try them too:

1. Get together with other girls and women that kite, especially with other female kiters that are at about the same level of riding and are working on the same tricks as you.

2. Understand a new trick before you try it on the water because this will help you to actually commit to it. Buy yourself an instructional book or DVD and think through the move. Explanations in which the rider is filmed or photographed from behind usually work the best since this is the closest to your own perspective. This will make it easier for you to think yourself into the situation and through the trick. There are many options out there and many of them are great. You might come across my book or DVD and all points mentioned here have been considered in there.

3. O nce you’ve got the key points of a new move you are going to learn internalized, go and try the move on a simulator (bar hung up on a tree or similar) and go through the key points, thinking yourself through the move. This way you can actually “feel� the trick before trying it on the water.

4. Always work in a trick progression. Especially for us females this is important since we cannot force things with strength like the guys can. If you start with easy things first and break more complex tricks down into little learning goals, you will experience many little achievements and make learning the big trick you have been dreaming of for a long time much easier.

5. Come join one of our KB4girls events to ride with lots of other girls and get instruction and a real motivational kick out of it. You can check out our schedule and much more at www.kb4girls.org.

I hope this has help a little bit and that you will be on your way to improving your riding and enjoying the ride!

KB4Girls events happen all over the world. Find out more at www.kb4girls.org. Photo Alexandru Baranescu

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KB4Girls Progression

Tips

By Kristin Boese/kb4girls.org

KB4girls (www.kb4girls.org) events www.kb4girls.org are instructional and empowering clinics for female kiters around the world. The KB4girls foundation is a non-profit association with the goal of reaching out to and supporting females through the sport of kiteboarding by getting them together into fun female events as well as through fundraising for girls and women in need. thek i teboarde r. com 4 1

Proper Pop

By Julian Hosp/julianhosp.com

When you look at different kitesurfers on the water, some are jumping 30 feet high while others struggle to get just a few feet high, even if both riders are on the same gear. It’s important that you know how to steer the kite when you jump, but popping off the water correctly plays an even bigger role in jumping properly. Without proper pop, you’ll struggle to advance any further than the most basic moves. Learn to pop without relying on the kite to jump and you’ll have a much stronger foundation as you move forward!

1. Start with good speed, but not too fast, as too much speed makes popping more difficult.

2. Keep your kite stable at 11 o’clock.

3. Look for a small wave or piece of chop to take off on.

4. Edge hard and right before you take off, edge even more against the wind, almost stopping your forward motion.

5. Pull up your front leg while pushing your back foot down.

6. Pull your knees up as you leave the water.

7. Spot your landing and land with your board aimed slightly downwind.

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Tips:

• Before you pop off the water, let yourself travel downwind for a bit. This takes some tension off your lines and allows you to get more snap out of your pop.

• When you edge upwind to initiate the pop, you have to do it as quickly as you can.

• Keep a compact position in the air and flex your muscles to make it easier to control your body in the air.

• I see many people go upwind too much before popping and wait too long before they leave the water. This is the biggest mistake people make!

Judging your Pop

Proper pop is the most important skill to have if you are going to be able to progress your kiteboarding skills. Photo Gilles Calvet

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• T he better your pop, the higher and bigger your spray will be. Of course, this also depends on your weight, but in general this is very true about your pop.

• Y ou should be able to feel the snap caused by the tension of the lines of the kite as you take off. In the air, you should also feel the line tension go away quickly.

If you don’t feel this slack, your pop is not good.

• D uring your pop, you should see and feel the kite shoot forward. If it shoots so far forward that you lose power, you are edging too hard before you take off. If the kite does not shoot forward, you aren’t edging hard enough to get any pop!

Make your Gear

Work for You

By Adam Super/Kitty Hawk Kites

Finely tuned gear to a kiteboarder is as important as a finely tuned instrument to a musician. Making your gear work for you is an essential part of an amazing session. When riders first learn about tuning their gear, they are usually focused on just making it work, but more advanced riders can unlock the performance of their gear by moving beyond simply making their lines even. Kiteboarding kites, boards, and control bars come with a plethora of settings which are there to make your sessions better for you. Using all the tuning options available on your gear may seem like a daunting task, but don’t worry. It’s easier than you think.

Kites, bars, and boards have a lot of adjustments and it’s important to find the settings that work best for you.

Photo Andrew Gombert

Understanding Kite Trim

Before you start experimenting with different settings, you need to take the basic steps outlined in the Keep it Tuned article to make sure you are starting off with a properly tuned kite. This will ensure your line lengths are even and your kite is flying correctly. There are many other settings on kites and bars that can affect the flying characteristics and it’s important to understand how changing front or rear line lengths change the performance of the kite. You can change the line lengths a few ways: • Use your depower strap.

• Attach your lines to a different knot either at the kite or at your bar.

Shortening your front lines (or lengthening your back lines) will: • • • • • •

Depower your kite.

Decrease bar pressure.

Slow turning speed.

Increase the forward flying speed of the kite.

The kite will fly further upwind.

If you shorten your front lines too much, you will find it very difficult to steer the kite and the kite will produce little power. If you still have enough power to ride and the kite is slow to respond, it’s time for a smaller kite.

Shortening your back lines (or lengthening your front lines) will:

• Power up your kite.

• Increase bar pressure.

• Increase turning speed.

• Slow down the forward flying speed of the kite.

• The kite will sit back in the window more and in most cases will be smoother flying.

• If you shorten the back lines too much, the kite will become very unstable and generate little power. If you find the kite has any tendency to back stall, your rear lines are too short.

Adjustable Bridles

This is where things get tricky to talk about in general terms because not all bridles are the same and different bridles offer different adjustments or none at all. In general, moving your read bridle forward will decrease your kite’s turning speed and increase the bar pressure.

If your kite’s front bridle is adjustable, you can usually drastically change how the kite feels in the air. Don’t be afraid to try the different settings and the best way to find the setting you like is to ride for 15 minutes on one setting, land your kite, change the setting, and then immediately go back out for another 15 minutes. After a few quick sessions you should have a good idea what settings you like and what you don’t like and this is worth doing as you might find that you like your kite even more on a different setting than what you’ve been using.

Line Length

You can drastically affect the wind range of your kite by using different line lengths. Most stock lines are somewhere from 20 - 25 meters in length and this range works well for most riding conditions and maneuvers. Shorter lines will increase the upper wind range of your kite 10 - 20% and increase turning speed and responsiveness while limiting the kite’s low end power. Longer lines will allow you to generate more power with your kite, but turning speed and responsiveness are reduced.

Board Stance

Adjusting the stance width on a kiteboard can dramatically change its riding characteristics. Depending on your riding style and conditions you can either use a wide stance or a narrow stance.

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Enjoy!

Adjusting your gear is easy. It may seem like an intimidating task or even unnecessary at first but it is essential that all kiteboarders know how to properly tune their gear to ensure a safe and wonderful experience. Remember, a good musician would not perform with an out of tune instrument. The same is true for kiting. Tune your kite and make your gear work for you!

A narrow stance would be considered less than shoulder width apart. Setting the foot straps to a narrow stance on the board will make it easier to concentrate weight on a small portion of the heel edge which will assist in riding upwind and riding in lighter winds, but your stability, maneuverability, and edge control will be decreased. Because of the decrease in stability, a narrow stance is not ideal for creating pop and will make it more difficult to land with power.

Adjusting a board to a wide stance will distribute the weight of the rider over a larger portion of the heel edge. This provides the added benefit of an increase in edge control. Greater edge control gives the rider the ability to generate more pop and adds stability during powered landings. More pop equals more air! Also, a wider stance lowers your center of gravity and positions your body closer to the board, which makes grabs easier.

Feel free to experiment with stances of different widths. Too many riders simply ride their board without ever thinking about their stance. Don’t be afraid to try the different settings and you might be surprised by how much more you like your board once you find your ideal stance. thek i teboarde r. com 4 3

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Kiteboarding Lessons & Vacations Key West • Grand Cayman • Ecuador

Unhooked

By Julian Hosp/julianhosp.com

Front Roll

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After you learn how to do a raley, one of the next unhooked tricks you should learn is the front roll. It is generally more difficult than the back roll, but is also one of the very important tricks to master on your way to becoming an advanced rider. It can be extremely stylish and also difficult if thrown inverted or with grabs. You can do the front roll either hooked in or unhooked, but the odd thing is that many people find front rolls easier unhooked.

1. To help get good pop off the water, don’t keep your kite too low or too high (keep it between 10 and 11 o’clock).

2. As you leave the water, initiate the forward rotation by looking under your back armpit.

Always remember: Where your head goes, your body will follow.

3. As your body continues the rotation, a common mistake is that riders naturally tend to

pull on their front hand during front rotations, leading to the kite shooting down towards the water. Focus on keeping the bar still through the move.

4. Continue the rotation with your head and spot your landing as you come around.

5. Stare at your landing and bring the board underneath your body.

6. Bend your knees on the landing, hook back in, and load up for the next move!

To spice this trick up a notch, throw in some stylish grabs, such as a tail, indy, or nose grab. It always helps to keep one leg bent while the other one is stretched out. This makes reaching the board a lot easier!

Photo courtesy KB4Girls.org

Hop to Blind

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Photo: Jacqueline d’Entremont

If you want to increase your balancing ability and your feel for the board as well as add some style and skill to your repertoire you can try riding blind.

1. To make your pop into blind easier, fly your kite high.

2. As you leave the water, bring your center of gravity

well back and initiate the rotation movement from the center of your body.

3. Now take your back hand off the bar and try to bring

it behind your back while pushing your board around with your front leg. While you don’t actually want to bring your arm behind your back, this movement will

help you bring your body around. Also, support the rotation by pushing your back leg behind you.

4. The landing is undoubtedly the most difficult part of

the move. Prepare for it by looking back (not into the riding direction) and by bringing your weight over your new back leg.

5. As you land, try to flatten your board and head slightly

downwind by centering your body weight on the back leg and then immediately put pressure on your toeside edge to keep tension in the lines and to be able to ride away with speed.

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Unhooking gives you the ability to move your body in ways that simply aren’t possible hooked in.

Photo Paul Lang

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How? The second step to unhooked maneuvers is achieved by pulling out your donkey stick, aka keeper tube, chicken finger, trim finger, etc. This is the tube that keeps your harness loop from inadvertently coming unhooked. With that out of the way, now you are ready to unhook.

Build up your confidence and take a deep breath. You can do this. Exhale as you release your edge and bear off downwind.

Doing this takes the tension off the lines allowing you to unhook your kite. Make sure your hands are positioned in the center of the control bar. Now, in one swift motion pull the bar all the way in and push down with your arms. These three motions, bearing downwind, pulling the bar in, and pushing it down should happen in a quick smooth succession. Keep your arms down, shoulders back, and hips forward. You are unhooked!

Unhooking

By Adam Super/Kitty Hawk Kites

Unhooking will bring a whole new dimension to your riding experience. To many, unhooking seems dangerous, unobtainable, and can only be done with superhuman strength. Lucky for you, it’s easier than you may think and a new challenge is always exciting. Most importantly, it’s fun!

Why Unhook?

Unhooking the kite from your spreader bar adds full power and a whole new level of maneuverability to your riding. Wakestyle, surfstyle, and freestyle are the three most popular disciplines in which the kite can be unhooked to increase the rider’s experience.

Conditions Choosing the right conditions will help ensure an easier and more comfortable transition into unhooking. Ideal conditions are flat water and consistent wind. Unhooking for the first time in very choppy water and high winds may reduce your comfort level. Having confidence in your ability is an essential element before attempting any new maneuver.

Tune It It is also essential to tune your kite for unhooked riding. When you are planning to unhook, your lines should be even when the control bar is fully sheeted in. Tuning your kite for unhooked maneuvers will allow the kite to produce the correct amount of power without any back stalling.

The easiest way to tune your kite on the fly is by using the depower line or trim strap. This is the first step before you unhook the kite.

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Do not edge hard at first! This is the most common mistake after unhooking. Unhooking will fully power your kite. This is typically the aspect of unhooking that deters people from trying it. Edge slightly upwind and gradually increase your edge pressure. This will increase the amount of pull you feel in your arms. Remember to keep your shoulders back and do not bend forward at your hips. Bending forward can cause you to be pulled over your front edge. The less you edge, the easier it will be to remain under control. To hook back in, bear off downwind and hook the loop onto your spreader bar. It is best to look at your harness loop while hooking in. You may need to use your back hand to position the harness loop correctly.

Regain your composure, get excited, and try it again.

The more you build your confidence, the more you can increase your edge. Edging and unhooking swiftly will increase power and pop. Freestyle and wakestyle are not the only disciplines in which unhooked riding is being utilized. Because unhooking gives riders a large range of motion, kite surfers are also finding it to be another way to further their riding experience while barreling down the line.

Unhooking can change the way you ride forever. Whether it is a water start, your first jump, or a kiteloop, there is a fist time for everything. All new maneuvers seem like a daunting task at first and unhooking is the same. Small controlled steps can lead to a career of exciting new possibilities. Take your riding to the next level: UNHOOK!

Try it, you might like it. Photo Bryan Elkus

By Brandon Scheid/realkiteboarding.com

Boots!

Boot riding has seemed to gain traction again in kiteboarding and a lot of people are asking if boots are right for them. The most optimal conditions for boot riding are steady mellow wind and butter flat water. If you find yourself wanting to hit a lot of features (sliders and kickers) or are looking to ride with a bit more power and do a lot of unhooked tricks, boots may be for you. It’s best to start with a more flexible binding that is easy to get in and out of. If you find yourself looking for more from your binding you can try a stiffer boot or closed toe bindings. When it really comes down to it, ride whatever makes you happy, but you’ll never know what makes you happy if you don’t try first.

By Brandon Scheid/realkiteboarding.com

Work up to

Handle Passes So, you’ve find yourself landing some pretty cool moves on the water and you think you’re ready to try some handle passes? My best advice is to build a solid foundation first.

Depending on what you want to do, you can start with a blind judge, 313, flat 3, or a mobe.

I personally learned the back mobe first, but it will vary from rider to rider. The biggest things are knowing how to pass the bar (underhand), being comfortable in the air, and being comfortable with rotations. For any move involving a handle pass, work up to it and make sure you have the more basic versions of the move dialed. For the back mobe, you can start with a back to wrapped. For the 313, you should first tackle the raley to wrapped. I like to do a lot of visualization off the water and when I’m on the water it’s all or nothing.

• W ork up to it. A strong foundation can support a tall building.

• C losed toe bindings give you extra leverage and help keep your feet warm in cold water.

• Riding a bigger (138-142cm) board can help accommodate the larger binding.

• When doing powered unhooked tricks, bindings help with the takeoffs and soften the landings.

• For a first binding, look for something easy to get in and out of and simple to tighten down.

• You may find it a little harder to go upwind with your ankle locked in place, but shift those hips and lean back and you’ll cruise upwind!

• You’ll have to throw your tricks a little harder with the added weight, but you’ll have a lot more momentum!

• Don’t ride boots because it’s the cool new thing. Do it because it’s right for you.

• W hen learning a handle pass move, give it five 100% tries per session. Keep this up and it won’t be long until you’re riding away from some of the hardest moves in kiting.

• Get those hips moving, they power your rotations.

• If you’re getting worked, try to take it a step back and focus on simpler moves. If you’re working on the back mobe, go back to the roll to revert. For the blind judge, step back and go for a few raley to blinds. instruc • Switch tricks can sometimes feel more tional natural. Don’t forget to try both ways.

• Don’t forget to look where you want to go. It will help you finish rotations.

• Practicing on a hanging bar can help begin the muscle memory foundation.

• Try to watch other people do the tricks, either in person or on video, and get your head around the rotation before you go on the water.

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When and How

By Sean Mertens

There are very few things in kiteboarding that beat the feeling of a great strapless session.

Photo Brian Caserio

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Strapless kiteboarding can open up a world of fun. Taking off the straps gives a feeling incredibly close to surfing. I myself recently switched from straps to strapless. However, I think a lot of people make the mistake of switching to strapless too early just because it is the new thing to do. In my opinion, strapped kitesurfing is still a very necessary step in progressing as a rider. Straps provide a more forgiving way to rip. They help when the conditions get gnarly and enable you to blast into the lip fully powered. If you do feel that you have mastered the waves with straps or if you are looking to go strapless on those lighter days where you need to be on a larger board then it may be time to unscrew the straps.

Here are a few suggestions and some information that may smooth over the learning curve: • B ooties and wax work great for traction, but over time the chop will put your heels through your board. A traction pad can increase the lifespan of your board a lot.

• Losing the straps can be a fun challenge, but sometimes the conditions just aren’t right. In big closeout surf, straps can allow you to tear up un-makeable waves and keep you smiling.

• If you are learning to get up and going, consider body dragging through the waves to eliminate crashes and evil glares from the more experienced riders going after waves.

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• R iding strapless allows you to use less power from the kite and more from the wave. This makes wave riding feel just like surfing.

• Try to ride a board that you can also paddle surf on.

• If the wind gets light, try switching to a bigger board rather than a bigger kite.

• When you wax up your board don’t forget to use basecoat wax for the first layer. This little extra effort makes your grip much better and your wax job will last longer.

• Choose your first few strapless sessions carefully. Trying to learn on days with lots of chop, gusty wind, or big surf can be very frustrating. A calm and smooth day will get you hooked.

• To punch through whitewater, hit it straight on. If you are crooked the wave will throw you over sideways.

• Park the kite as much as you can while on a wave. The less you have to mess with your kite the better.

• A board with less rocker will get upwind faster, but a board with more rocker performs better in the surf.

• When jibing, stay light on your feet and eliminate as many steps as you can. Ultimately, you should be able to switch both feet in one hop.

• Do not wear a leash. Spending time body dragging back to your board is much better than having it slingshot back at your head when you fall.

• Have fun and hit it as hard as you can.

You’ll be amazed how well the board sticks to your feet with the correct technique. Photo Paul Lang

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Strapless Airs

By Kurt Miller

Boosting on a strapped board can be a lot of fun, but strapless airs add a layer of technical difficulty that makes a successful landing both challenging and rewarding. There are many different types of airs on a strapless surfboard, each with varying levels of technique and difficulty. This tutorial will focus on strapless airs heading out through the surf.

The key to any strapless air (especially big jumps) is understanding how to keep the board glued to your feet. Obviously a good layer of wax or deck pads will help and I find booties make the board stick to your feet a bit better, particularly on landing. However, the most crucial component of a strapless air is using the wind to your advantage.

The first step is to ride with speed towards a wave that is starting to get steep, but has not yet started to break. Boosting off small (no more than two feet) whitewater on the inside is a good way to start. If you select a wave that is too steep, chances are that you will get launched straight up with little forward momentum. Lateral movement helps keep the board on your feet and makes landing much smoother.

Once in the air, position the bottom of the board into the wind as much as possible. The wind direction makes a large impact on how far you have to angle your board. In more onshore conditions, the board naturally wants to stick to your feet, whereas in sideshore conditions, you should angle the board more aggressively upwind. If you don’t put the bottom of the board into the wind, it will quickly spin out from underneath you and make landing impossible.

With so much focus on the board, many kiters forget about the bar and kite position. The tendency is for riders to put too much tension on their back hand, resulting in the kite zooming past 12 o’clock. Just like with regular boosting, this scenario causes the kiter to pendulum underneath the kite and drop out of the sky. You want to avoid this situation for three important reasons:

1. You will lose the board because there is not enough wind to keep it on your feet.

2. You will land on the board and immediately sink.

3. You might land on the board with a lot of vertical speed, making a catastrophic failure of your precious surfboard likely.

So, make sure to keep your lateral speed by positioning the kite in your direction of travel. As you come down for a landing bend your knees to absorb some of the impact. It also helps to curl your toes a bit to keep the board on your feet as you flatten out the board just before landing. This will prevent the surfboard from slipping out at the last second.

Booties make landings a lot easier because they stop your front foot from sliding up the wax and off the board. Landing is not a good time for the splits.

Strapless airs are tough on surfboards, so if it looks like you are coming in hot, I suggest aborting before you land. Airs are cool, but a broken board is not. With these tips in mind, you’ll be shedding your footbelts without sacrificing your ability to boost.

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If you don’t feel comfortable going for a swim, don’t even rig up when the surf picks up. Photo David DeVries

By Brendan Richards/Caution Kites/sckitesurfing.com

Tackling Large Surf Over the past few years, more and more intermediate level kiters have been venturing into large surf. The ease of use and power of the latest kite technology allows many kiters to get out in waves that they would never consider paddling out into.

For those just getting acquainted with kiting in big waves, the following five skills are essential for tackling large surf:

SWIMMING: Kiting in large waves means that you have to be

JUMPING: Getting out in large surf for the first time requires

KITE CONTROL and PLACEMENT: You need to have your

precision jumping skills. You need the ability to jump at anytime and need to be able to control your height and landing and accelerate to get over the next wave with confidence.

CHICKEN JIBE: You have to know when to turn and run, and when you choose to run, your footwork has to be airtight.

Getting mowed down after a botched chicken jibe is no fun and is potentially dangerous.

prepared to use your release and let your kite go. You need to be relaxed and comfortable with swimming in the lineup while getting pounded by large waves. When sizing up waves, if you don’t think you’d be able to comfortably swim in them, don’t go out.

kite control absolutely wired, know where to place it when you’re getting held down, and how to maintain line tension to keep the kite in the sky.

ETIQUETTE: Getting in someone’s way and potentially eliminating their options of escape in overhead waves is inexcusable. In large surf, etiquette goes beyond courtesy and becomes a safety issue.

Taking the time to learn the rules and having the confidence to abide by them is critical in large waves. thek i teboarde r. com 5 3

S O U TH A FRIC A SO LO SESSI O N “After a few weeks of waiting, a forecast finally told us a good swell was on the way. We immediately began scouting locations for the perfect wave and photo conditions. After days without luck we arrived at this spot and Kim Albrecht decided to go out even though there was nobody that would be able to help if he had any problems. I felt really uneasy seeing Kim out there alone, but he was ripping.

Believe me, I’m really happy with this resulting photo, but these massive waves at the Cape of Good Hope don’t forgive any mistakes. I was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief when Kim reached the beach after his unique solo session.” Words and Photo by Jens Hogenkamp

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N O C H IC KE N LOOP , NO FOOT STRAP S Years ago, Felix Pivec was one of the last pro riders to switch from two line kites to four and he still rides without the use of a chicken loop. Felix has been bouncing into and out of the kiteboarding spotlight recently, but he’s still out there killing it on the North Shore of Oahu regardless of whether he’s getting coverage or not. Photo Chuck Harlan

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U N S T OPPA BLE Sean Reyngoudt is one of the hardest charging riders on the water and is now on the Slingshot National Team. Sean does have a unique problem that the rest of us don’t have to deal with: After especially big crashes, he has to put his leg back on. Photo Alina Mongelli

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T H E C OME B A C K K ID Niccolo Porcella was a 13 year-old kiteboarding phenomenon back in the early days of kiteboarding on Maui. He was heavily featured in magazines and videos before almost completely disappearing from the kiteboarding scene. A few years ago he burst back on the scene and is riding better and with more focus than ever before. Photo Peter McGowan

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Amphibian USA

SPEX AMPHIBIAN EYEWEAR

product watch

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New Products to check out

Including interchangeable lenses, a replaceable strap, and six frame color options, the modular design makes SPEX Amphibious Eyewear a product that will last for many years and make customizing a cinch. SPEX Amphibious Eyewear products were designed to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of the sun, wind, spray, bugs, and other eye related injuries during watersport activities. SPEX are a hybrid design combining the best features of sunglasses and goggles into one unique product. They’re also ideal for contact lens wearers. They float, are polarized, offer 100% UV protection, and the Suspended Lens Design drastically reduces fogging. Suggested to us by a kiter that has purchased every water goggle under the sun, he swears that these goggles are the only ones that have never fogged up on him.

SIZES: One Size Fits All Colors: Frames: black, blue, grey, red, yellow, grey, green; Lens Tints: grey, amber, clear MSRP: $59.95 www.spexusa.com

KITE HERO

Contour Line Mount

The Kitehero Contour line mount works with both the ContourHD and ContourGPS cameras. With a wider footprint, stability while shooting video is greatly improved. Riding with the ContourGPS allows you to use the adjustable lens to ensure you are getting the best shots possible. With features like HD video, Bluetooth, and GPS, it’s hard to ignore the possibilities. Record your riding, speed, direction, and jump heights all with the easy-to-use Kitehero Contour Line mount.

MSRP: $44.95 www.kitehero.com

DAKINE Chameleon

The new Chameleon waist harness offers a lightweight, high performance product at an entry-level price. The Chameleon delivers comfort and support with the combination of a featherweight ES foam molded lumbar pad and inner pre-curved P.E.B. panel. A single overlap power belt gives a custom snug fit. The Chameleon includes a 10” stainless steel spreader bar with pad while a single Power Clip Lock buckle closure system provides convenience and security. The rear safety handle/leash attachment is removable.

Sizes: XS-XL Colors: Black MSRP: $140 (including spreader bar) www.dakine.com

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CONTOUR CAMERA

CONTOUR HD and CONTOUR GPS

The ContourGPS and ContourHD are the ideal hands-free video cameras to shoot and share HD video for your active lifestyle. The ContourGPS captures beautiful 1080p video. It utilizes a 135° wide-angle lens that delivers a high quality image that captures all the action with minimal distortion or fisheye and records full HD in all its glory.

Light enough to fit on your goggles, Contour’s compact and rugged helmet cameras make high def video affordable.

MSRP: $299.99 and $309 www.contour.com

LIQUID FORCE KITEBOARDING

SYNERGY CT BINDINGS

Liquid Force says the Synergy CT binding is the most direct connection to your board available on the market.

This binding offers kite-specific design features for unparalleled support and ultimate control. The Synergy CT is built on the proven IP6 chassis that features a full foot internal airbag to absorb the hottest of landings.

The dual lace system allows for perfect adjustability while the plush liner offers superior comfort.

SIZES: 6 to 14 unisex Colors: Black/Red MSRP: $379 www.liquidforcekites.com

SWITCH VISION BOREAL

The Boreal is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and athletes who need superior optics, unquestionable comfort, and outstanding eye protection while having the versatility to change their lenses in a matter of seconds. These shades feature the world’s only Magnetic Interchange Lens System making changing lenses insanely fast. No matter what drives you to the great outdoors, the Boreal full frame from Switch Vision has you covered. Each Switch Vision Boreal Kit comes with a frame, two lenses, lens pod, and microfiber pouch. Switch sent us a pair to check out and we admit that the lens system is really cool.

SIZES: One size fits all Color: Matte Black, Cactus, Dark Tortoise MSRP: $119 to $189 www.switchvison.com

MYSTIC

CROSSFIRE L/S RASH VEST

The Mystic Crossfire Long Sleeved Rash Vest can be worn underneath a wetsuit to provide additional comfort or as a single layer for sun protection. Constructed entirely from Lycra, it offers enhanced UV protection (UPF 50+), a high neck, flatlock technology for a comfortable, chafe free seam, and a tight but highly flexible fit that won’t inhibit you when riding.

SIZES: S to XL Color: White/Black MSRP: $49.95 www.mysticboarding.com

LEN10 QUICK DRY L/S SHIRT

The LEN10 Quick Dry water shirt is great for any watersport like kiteboarding, surfing, SUPing, and more! The quick dry fabric is perfect in hot or cold weather as it breathes nicely and will help protect you from the elements or provide a base layer to keep the cold out and prevent a rash. Equally as comfortable on the water as off the water, they dry super fast and feature Mystic’s stylish graphics, so there’s no need to change when you meet your buds for happy hour after your session.

SIZES: S to XL Color: Black or White MSRP: $59.95 www.mysticboarding.com

3rd Ave Kite

PCFG Kite Fin

3rd Ave Kite introduces the first kiteboarding fins made from ultradurable polycarbonate fiberglass. The company says that because of their superior strength-to-weight ratio, 3rd Ave Kite’s fins can take a beating without breaking or chipping, are 25% lighter than G10 fins, and are also less expensive and more resilient, thanks to advanced materials and high-pressure injection construction.

Nearly indestructible, these new fins are available in four different sizes and colors.

SIZES: 1.5”, 1.75”, 2”, 2.5” Color: White, Orange, Black, Clear MSRP: Single: $17- $21; Set of Four: $60-$75 www.3rdavekite.com

Transcend Apparel

SEAN REYNGOUDT SIGNATURE T

The Sean Reyngoudt Signature shirt is printed on a new softer material made from a high quality 3.5 ounce 100% combed ring-spun cotton that gives it a super comfy feel. Additionally, Transcend use a dye sublimation process to further improve the quality of the print. This is a premium fitted t-shirt that is very light and breathable, made by kiteboarders for kiteboarders!

SIZES: S to XL Colors: Black, White, Indigo Blue MSRP: $21.95 www.transcendapparel.com

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The Acid is F-One’s new school freestyle board. In 2010, designer Raphael Salles made the board more responsive and better at handling vibrations by making changes to its rocker and adding a double concave for smoother landings and easier riding in choppy conditions.

We spoke with Raphael to find out what riders can expect from the new 2011 model.

In 2010, you introduced the double concave bottom shape to the Acid, derived from R&D on F-One’s 2009 Trax. For 2011, you complimented this shape by adding F-One’s Twist Carbon Cross Control technology, which you introduced on the 2010 Trax.

What effect does this design change have on the 2011 Acid? Our Twist Carbon Cross Control technology changed the way the board flexes and twists and allowed us to change the thickness of the board. We learned with the Trax that controlling the flex and twist the right way offered big performance improvements. We integrated the technology into the Acid and put a priority on the way the board edges, pops, and lands. One of the goals of the new Acid was for riders to be able to edge and throw any move, no matter what the water surface as not everyone has the perfect flat water spot. The new Acid is more fun and easier to ride anywhere.

F-One also integrated Unibox fin technology into the Acid board. Will previous Acid riders notice a big difference with these new fins? With our new Response Fins, the Unibox system has allowed us to use a new thinner profile as well as a more flexible material than our previous G10 fins. Their profile gives better planning and speed but what is interesting for the Acid program is their Product Name

Acid 2011

Category

Style

Freestyle, Wakestyle

High performance

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Sizes

127, 130, 132cm

Available

Now

F-One improved the Acid’s freestyle performance for 2011 while making it more fun and easier to ride in chop and small waves.

Photo Gilles Calvet

flex. The new fins give the board a smoother ride and release pressure on hard landings, especially when you land a little sideways as often happens in freestyle.

What happens if a fin breaks and the user is not close to an F-One dealer or is on vacation in a shop-less area? Can it only be replaced with a Unibox fin or is there a temporary fix a user can do until he or she gets a replacement? If you forget your fins, lose then while traveling, or if you manage to break them you can always temporarily replace one of our fins with a normal one. The length of the box in the board accepts the classic twin tip two screw setup. You might have some water flow going through but you will save your session for sure.

Why would you recommend a rider choose the Acid over the Trax, TX, or Sk8 twin tips? The Acid is clearly the pure freestyle board in our line for unhooked moves, but you will also like it because right away you will feel well balanced on it and ready to play. You just have to concentrate on your moves and the Acid will follow. It’s also an excellent board when sea conditions get harder, like small waves or choppy water.

Does the 2011 Acid still feature a full wood core? Yes, the Acid features a full wood core. We’ve had full wood cores with all of our twin tips since 2002 and it’s a key technology and an industry standard now. A wood core gives you better flex, strength, and allows for a lighter weight board. Also, wood is better for absorbing shocks and vibrations.

Were any other changes made to the footpad/strap system?

No changes were made on our dual density Pro Platinum pads and straps for 2011.

On RRD’s website, the twin tip board page highlights new model boards alongside some past models. What is RRD’s philosophy regarding offering past products next to new products?

We took the decision to change our sales philosophy last year after some meetings with international distributors and national dealers.

We found that it was time to stop the trend of changing every model every season in order to give more value to the stock of the shops, to the brand, and to the products. We decided to introduce new models or a new range only when we feel that a model has really reached its performance limits and we can come out with something that is truly a step forward.

Actually, we found that this is a very strong point in our sales strategy and development process since this helps us to focus on specific tasks. Then, the knowhow we accumulate can be integrated when improved technical solutions are developed.

designer

’s

corner

RRD

The Poison has been RRD’s most popular twin tip for the past few years. For 2011, RRD is offering the Poison Camo, Poison LTD, and the Contest. Why would you recommend a rider choose one model over the other? Yes, the Poison is the most successful freestyle board for RRD, with a very well proven shape that keeps being appreciated on the market. Our decision was to keep the board’s shape exactly the same and then focus on the construction technology to extend the performance range of this board.

With seven twin tip models for the 2011 season, RRD has something for every type of The Poison Camo has the same shape as the rider and condition. Photo courtesy RRD Poison LTD with a construction technology that gives riders a softer board. On a scale from 1-10 (1 being most flexible), the flex of the Camo boards is For 2011, RRD is offering seven twin tips in its lineup, including two light wind models 3. This allows the board to be easier to use in a wider range of and two hybrid wave boards designed to excel in the surf. RRD designer Werther conditions and offers softer landings on tricks, a characteristic Castelletti helps us figure out what conditions and riding style each board was especially appreciated by freestyle beginners. The softer flex also specifically designed for to help you choose which one will work best for you. allows the board to be easier to manage in rougher conditions or in waves. The Poison LTD is exactly the same shape, but with a 2 cm wider stance to provide better control of the board. The flex of the LTD board is 5, so the board is stiffer with better pop. waves. It has a directional outline, but you don’t need You need more skill to appreciate and perform on this board to learn jibing since the board allows you to ride tail since you have to load hard before you pop for a trick, so we first with ease. recommend it for more solid freestylers.

Riders in light wind areas are constantly seeking The Contest is a pro freestyle board. We developed new gear that offers more than ‘lawn mowing.’ What construction technology (with exclusive TEXTRA hi-modulus kind of performance does the 10 Knots and BS46 carbon fibers) to reduce the weight to a minimum (this board light wind boards offer? The BS46 features a more without fins and pads is about 1.9 kg) and to have a stiffer board. curved outline allowing the board to perform free and From 1 to 10, the Contest stiffness is 6. This means insane easy in a wide range of conditions. The 10 Knots has reactivity to the riders input and gorgeous pop for riders skilled a straight scoop line which allows the board to start enough to perform and control this freestyle machine. I’d also performing in less than 10 knots of wind and offers like to let riders know that this year we introduced the new Juice better upwind performance compared to the BS46. board for wakestyle riders. This board can be used with bindings or pads and features a very wide stance and channels to allow the Were any changes made to RRD’s footpad/strap board to be ridden on rails and in wake parks. system for 2011? The straps are softer for 2011.

The Placebo is RRD’s freeride/freestyle board. Now in its third year of refinement, what changes were made to the 2011 model? The Placebo V3 features a completely new outline that we introduced to improve its upwind performance. We think this is our best value intermediate board. With its soft flex, it offers riders an easy ride and excellent all-around performance.

RRD has two twin tip models, the Venom V2 and the Toxic Wave 2, that were designed specifically to offer riders twin tip ease with surf characteristics. How do these boards differ and why would a rider prefer one over the other? Riders with freestyle backgrounds who like to perform tricks and also ride waves will find the Venom answers their needs. The Venom allows the rider to play in the waves and avoid the sinking problems that an average freestyle board can have. The Toxic Wave is a step further. It’s a directional board developed to ride

Product

Category

Style

Sizes

Available

Poison Camo

Freestyle/Freeride All Terrain

130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135

Now

Poison LTD

Freestyle

Flat Water

130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135

Now

Contest

Pro Freestyle

Flat Water

132, 133, 134

April 2011

Placebo v3

Freeride/Freestyle All Terrain

132, 133, 134, 136, 140, 142

Now

BS46

Freeride

All Terrain

148x46

Now

10 Knots

Light Wind

Flat Water

146x46

Now

Juice

Wakeboard

All Terrain

140x42

April 2011 thek i teboarde r. com 6 3

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bestkahoona v3 TESTED: 7.5m AVAILABLE SIZES: 3.5, 5.5, 7.5, 9.5, 11.5, 13.5m TESTED IN: Central California, 18-32 knots, medium-head high waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

The Kahoona V3 delivers the perfect mix of freeride, new school, and wave riding performance.

The V3 combines rock solid stability, smooth power delivery, endless depower, and precise handling, making it the perfect kite for advancing your riding level, regardless of your preferred riding style. When wave riding, the Kahoona V3 serves up its best attributes, combining incredible downwind drift, precise steering response, and huge depower whether you’re going down the line or being chased by the white foam close out. The effortless relaunch motivates you to learn new moves and gives supreme confidence to wave riders who simply have to be able to relaunch their kites before the next set comes in.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

Out of the Box: The Best Kahoona is now in its third year of development and the first change we noticed on the Kahoona V3 was the construction. Especially if you compare this kite to the first Kahoona, the construction has been considerably beefed up. The Kahoona remains a four-strut kite and is not available with a one-pump system. The compact front bridle features one pulley and two metal sliders per side and the rear lines connect directly to the kite. The high-wear areas of the bridle are easily replaceable. The rear lines are adjustable to change turning speed and bar pressure.

On the Water: The first thing we noticed about the Kahoona V3 is its low-end power. It’s a very stable kite with smooth, direct, quick, predictable handling. It seems that this year’s version has a lot less canopy flutter than the Kahoona V2, but it does still flutter some in high-depower situations. Bar pressure is medium and the Kahoona sits back in the window, but remains easy to get upwind. It’s a very easy kite to fly and takes little attention from the rider. Relaunching is very easy and the Kahoona remains stable when unhooked. Jumping performance is average but easy and controllable. Towards the upper end of its wind range, the first few inches of depower can feel a little punchy, especially in strong gusts.

PROS:

• The Kahoona V3 delivers great lowend power.

• Easy predictable handling across an impressively wide wind range.

CONS:

• The Kahoona V3 is not available with a one-pump system.

• In very gusty wind, the first few inches of depower has a fairly punchy feel.

6 4 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

THE VERDICT:

The Kahoona V3 is a simple, stable, directhandling all-around kite. Its construction has been considerably improved compared to previous versions. All riders will appreciate its stability and easy relaunch. Some riders will be disappointed with the Kahoona’s lack of a one-pump system. For better upwind and jumping performance, you might want to look at the Best Taboo or Nemesis HP. The Kahoona has an impressive wind range, especially on the low end. If you want a stable and predictable kite that can handle whatever you throw at it, you should consider the Kahoona V3.

Tester Comment: “I was surprised that I could go upwind and do some tricks with altitude on a 7.5m and my twin tip. Another rider about 15-20 lbs. heavier than me was blown away that I was on a 7.5m while he was on a 12m.”

—Marina Chang, 130 lbs., All-Around Kiter

8 If you ride waves, try the

Tips

Like other Best kites, the Kahoona uses the Redline Performance bar. It features an above-bar depower strap, multiple leash options, adjustable stopper, forged center piece, and a push away quick release with a built in swivel. We would like to see kook-proof connections on the lines to prevent the possibility of rigging the lines backwards, especially for beginners. Out test kite came with a 50cm bar and 20m lines.

Kahoona on short lines to make it feel faster and even more direct.

8 If you are going to store

your Kahoona with the ribs inflated, let a little air out of them before you put it away, especially if you are going to keep it in your car.

bestnemesis HP V3 TESTED: 10m AVAILABLE SIZES: 8, 10, 12, 14m TESTED IN: Central California, 18-24 knots, small waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

The wait is finally over: the Nemesis HP is back with all the unique design features and performance attributes that helped create its legendary reputation for performance and its incredibly loyal customer following. The HP V3 design improves upon all previous incarnations. Advancements in canopy shaping and a revised bridle design have allowed us to enhance stability and unhooked performance while removing all canopy battens. New material choices and aerodynamic refinements mean that when you pull the trigger, the HP V3 will rip you off the water with explosive vertical lift and keep you airborne with a hang time sensation that is simply unique. It’s the most advanced HP we’ve made to date and it defies easy categorization.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

Out of the Box: The Nemesis HP is back in Best’s kite line after a year-long hiatus and it shares the same unique Best-exclusive Cuben Fiber leading edge with the previous Nemesis. About half of the leading edge is made of the strong material and the leading edge of the Nemesis is very skinny compared to other kites. This is a five-strut one-pump kite with a front and rear bridle. The front section of the bridle features two pulleys per side and the rear bridle has one metal slider per side and is adjustable to change the kite’s turning speed and bar pressure.

The Nemesis HP uses the same Redline Performance bar as the rest of the Best kites. It features an above-bar depower strap, multiple leash options, adjustable stopper, forged center piece, and a push away quick release with a built in swivel. We would like to see kook-proof connections on the lines to prevent the possibility of rigging the lines backwards, especially for beginners. Our test kite came with a 50cm bar and 20m lines.

Tester Comment:

“I liked the Nemesis and feel this is an excellent kite when powered up. The jumps feel really nice and it doesn’t feel quite as finicky as previous versions and can more easily cope with gusty wind conditions.”

—Kurt Miller, 165 lbs., Surf Kiter

On the Water: Compared to the previous Nemesis HP, the V3 version is definitely more stable in the air. It’s still an extremely forward-flying kite, but it doesn’t move around as much in the gusts as the previous version. Because the kite flies so far forward, getting upwind is almost effortless. Bar pressure is really light and there is very little feedback through the bar. Turning speed is average and the Nemesis’s power drops off somewhat during sharp turns. Jumping is where this kite shines, especially when you are really powered up. Powered jumps feel like an elevator ride and the hang time is impressive. While the Nemesis isn’t as easy to relaunch as the Best Kahoona, we had no trouble getting the kite back in the air, but it is important that the small leading edge has a lot of pressure in it to make relaunching easier.

Tips

PROS:

8 Ride the Nemesis HP really

powered up. This is when this kite comes alive.

8 Unless really powered, attach the back lines to the knots closer to the kite.

• The Nemesis HP delivers outstanding jumping performance, especially when ridden really powered up.

• Upwind performance is almost effortless.

CONS:

• B ar pressure might be too light for some riders’ liking.

• The Nemesis HP flies really far upwind, which makes it not ideal for down-the-line wave riding.

THE VERDICT:

If you like to ride fast with a lot of power and throw big jumps, take a look at the Nemesis HP V3. Upwind performance is fantastic and the V3 is a lot more stable than the previous Nemesis HP. The light bar pressure will suit some riders, but might be too light for others as it’s not super easy to feel where this kite is in the sky. If you are a wave rider, you should consider the Best Kahoona or Taboo. If you like big air, that’s what this kite is made for and it does it really well.

thek i teboa rde r. com 6 5

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epicRenegade infinity TESTED: Infinity AVAILABLE SIZES: Only one size available, actual size is top secret TESTED IN: San Diego and Central California, 8-15 knots, small waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

Take the rulebook and throw it away! The Renegade Infinity is changing what you know about kiting in light winds and is setting the benchmark for others to follow. The Renegade Infinity is the newest addition to the Renegade line and is dedicated to riders looking to up their game in winds between 7 and 18 knots. In this range you’ll no longer have to work the kite to keep it in the air. We developed the Renegade Infinity so that you will enjoy more sessions than ever before. Everyone will appreciate the snappy turning performance of this kite. That’s right - we created a kite that pulls like most 18 meter kites but flies with characteristics common to 12 or 13 meter kites. You can now have a kite that pulls well in very light winds, but responds like a smaller kite. For the first time, the best of both worlds exists! Try one today and never be stuck on the beach again.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

The Renegade Infinity uses the same Epic XTEND bar as the rest of the Epic kites. It features a push away quick release with integrated swivel, above bar depower strap, adjustable stopper, and is adjustable from 45-55cm. This bar also features a molded grip and is clearly labeled “Wrong Way” on the back side of the bar.

On the Water: The Renegade Infinity has light-medium bar pressure and turns quickly for a large kite. The power delivery is very smooth and the Infinity holds its power well through turns.

This kite has a grunty feel to it and it does generate a lot of power, but the low end is not the best of the different light wind kites we’ve tested. The Infinity sits back in the window and has surprisingly good jumping performance for a kite of this size. The canopy remained very stable on the Infinity, even when depowered. When unhooked on the Infinity, we found it to be prone to back stalling unless you give it a few inches of depower before you unhook. Testing the relaunch ability of large kites in light wind always makes us nervous, but we were able to relaunch the Infinity in about 12 knots of wind with no problems.

PROS:

• The Epic Infinity turns fast when compared to other large light wind specific kites.

• The Infinity offers good jumping performance, even in light wind.

CONS:

• Not the best low end power when compared to some other light wind specific kites, but it is a smaller kite compared to most other light wind kites.

• The front bridle showed wear on the section where the rings slide. According to Epic, this kite had seen a lot of action (it was the only demo kite available) before it reached us.

6 6 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

THE VERDICT:

The Epic Infinity might not have the lowest low-end power of light wind kites on the market, but it’s definitely not a kite for simply going back and forth in light wind.

It turns fast enough to work well in the waves and has surprisingly good jumping performance for such a large kite. It’s stable, delivers smooth power, and can greatly expand your ridable wind range if you don’t currently have a light wind kite.

Basically, if you want a fast turning light wind kite that allows you to do more than mow the lawn, take a look at the Infinity.

Tester Comment: “I’ve been hearing tons about these new light wind kites and to finally experience one was pretty amazing. Wave riding was surprisingly fun as the Infinity turned far faster than I expected.

The Infinity turned a slack day at the beach into one hell of a kite session.”

—Mitch Icard, 185 lbs., Surf Kiter

8 Give this kite a few

Tips

Out of the Box: Epic has not disclosed the actual size of the Infinity, so we were curious to see just how large it is. When compared to other large kites, our best guess puts the size at around 15m. The Epic Infinity is a three-strut one-pump kite with a compact front bridle and direct rear line attachments. The front bridle features one stainless steel ring per side (used instead of a pulley) and the rear line attachment point is adjustable to change the turning speed of the kite. The construction on the Infinity looks to be more lightweight than the smaller Renegades, but the high wear areas still show reinforcement.

inches of depower before you unhook to help prevent it from back stalling.

8 To get the fastest turning from the Infinity, you really have to turn the bar hard. Remember, this is a large kite and it takes larger inputs from the bar.

flexifoilproton

TESTED: 9m AVAILABLE SIZES: 5, 7, 9, 12m TESTED IN: Central California, 22-32 knots, small waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

New for 2010/11 and designed from the ground up, the Flexifoil Proton has been optimized to be the ideal kite for beginners to take to the water and stick with as their skills improve. The Flexifoil Proton kite is forgiving to the newcomer on the beach but won’t hold you back as you quickly improve your skills. Designed using the proven Atom/Neutron aerofoil but with more swept back wingtips, a lower aspect ratio, and new construction methods, the Flexifol Proton kite is perfect for learning on and won’t hold you back. The Proton is an exceptional all-rounder, offering sharp depower and snappy turning. For beginners and advanced riders alike, the Flexifoil Proton demands a place in your quiver.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

Out of the Box: Like the Flexifoil Ion that we reviewed last issue, the Proton’s construction is especially heavy duty. This is a four-strut one-pump kite with a relatively large leading edge.

The compact front line bridle features one pulley per side and has different settings for high and low wind (we only tried the high wind setting). The rear lines connect directly to the kite and the attachment point can be moved forward to slow down the kite’s turning speed. The Proton has three deflate valves (one in the middle and one near each wingtip) which makes it quick and easy to deflate.

The Flexifoil All-in-One bar is simple and very clean. It features a push away quick release, soft ends, and an above bar depower strap. Our 9m test kite came with a 48cm bar and 22.5m lines (20m plus 2.5m extensions). The depower throw is relatively short and the depower strap is long, which could place it a bit far from some riders when set to full power.

The bar itself has a smaller diameter than usual with a raised grip.

Tester Comment:

“I was able to ride the 9m at its upper wind limit and it remained stable and easy to control even through the largest gusts. I was really surprised by the Proton’s excellent jumping performance when riding it really powered up.”

—Paul Lang, 200 lbs., Surf Kiter

On the Water: The Proton is a very stable kite in the sky and takes little attention from the rider when flying. It sits back in the window and has relatively slow turning and forward-flying speed. The Proton has a really wide wind range, both at the bottom and top ends. Power delivery is very smooth and bar pressure is in the high-medium range. The Proton’s depower is smooth and it depowers a lot within a short amount of bar travel. The depower strap on the Flexifoil bar is located pretty far from the rider and requires riders without long arms to bend at the waist to reach it. Relaunching the Proton is very easy and we were pleasantly surprised by its good jumping performance, especially when riding with a lot of power.

Tips

PROS: 8 Pump the Proton up really

hard. The heavy-duty leading edge can take it and the wingtips can distort during sharp turns if there isn’t enough pressure in the kite.

8 Don’t forget to close all three

deflate valves before pumping.

We forgot more than once.

• The Proton has excellent stability and is a very easy and non-intimidating kite to fly.

• Testers found the Proton to have surprisingly good jumping performance, especially when riding near the kite’s upper wind limit.

CONS:

• T he Proton is a relatively slow turning and slow flying kite.

• The Flexifoil bar’s depower is tough to reach for people without long arms.

THE VERDICT:

The Proton’s relatively slow turning and slow forward flying speed make it well suited for riders who want a very forgiving kite. It’s very stable and remains non-intimidating through an impressively wide wind range. We were pleasantly surprised by the kite’s excellent jumping performance. In overpowered conditions, the Proton is a good kite for experienced riders who want a stable and predictable kite when the conditions get gnarly. The bar pressure may be a little high for some riders.

Those who want faster turning speed and better upwind performance might want to look at the Flexifoil Ion, but beginners and riders who want an easy to ride kite should try the Proton.

thek i teboa rde r. com 6 7

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globetrix

TESTED: 9m AVAILABLE SIZES: 5.5, 7, 9, 12, 15m TESTED IN: Central California, 18-24 knots, small-medium waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

The 2011 GK Trix is a medium aspect ratio kite with full depower and adjustable bar pressure and turning speed. The GK Trix is perfect for wave riding and freestyle as it is a very stable kite with easy relaunch. It is perfect for beginners and allows riders to use the same kite through their entire learning curve to a top riding level. The 2011 GK kites, both the GK Trix and GK Sonic, are the result of over 10 years of kite design. The 2011 GK kites have retained their profile and overall shape while some details have been changed to refine performance and adjustability. The Trix features the AKPO (Adjustable Kite Power Optimizer) bridle adjustments to allow the rider to tune the kite’s bar pressure, turning speed, and performance in low wind.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

Out of the Box: The 2011 GK Trix looks very similar to last year’s model. This is a five-strut one-pump kite with a unique and very adjustable bridle. The rear lines can be moved to change the kite’s turning speed and the front bridle can be adjusted to change bar pressure and the overall flying characteristics of the kite. The front bridle features two pulleys per side and the rear lines connect directly to the kite. The construction of the leading edge of the Trix is very heavy duty and features a webbing reinforcement over the seam. This kite comes with a humongous kite bag that should easily allow you to bring all your gear for the day to the beach.

The 2011 GK bar is essentially the same as the 2010 bar, but the quick release now has a small trigger to make it easier to reassemble than last year. The bar features a push away quick release, adjustable stopper, above bar depower strap, and a molded grip. Our 9m test kite came with a 53 cm bar and 21m lines.

On the Water: We initially rode the Trix with the bridle on the F2-F4 settings and the kite was very responsive and smooth through the air. The Trix has good feedback and bar pressure that starts out light and gets heavier the more powered up you are. It sits back in the window and holds power though turns, even when looping the kite. Jumping is easy and predictable. We then changed the bridle settings to F3-F6 and the Trix felt completely different. On that setting, the Trix flew further upwind with lighter bar pressure, turned slower, and had very little feedback. The depower was much smoother than on the F3-F6 setting, but it didn’t seem to depower as much as on the F2-F4 setting. On both settings the Trix was easy to relaunch.

• The highly adjustable AKPO bridle allows you to drastically change the Trix’s flying characteristics to your personal liking or the day’s riding conditions.

• The Trix has very responsive and smooth handling with the bridle on the F2-F4 settings.

CONS:

• The highly adjustable bridle means that you’ll have to spend time changing settings and testing to see what you like the best.

• The Trix doesn’t have great low-end power.

6 8 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

“I was shocked by how drastically the Trix’s flying characteristics changed when we moved the front bridle to different settings. After just a few minutes of adjusting, it felt like a completely different kite.”

—Paul Lang, 200 lbs., Surf Kiter

THE VERDICT:

The 2011 Trix is a very adjustable kite, but our test team liked it the most on the F2-F4 setting. The Trix is well-suited for riders who like a smooth turning, direct-feeling, and predictable kite. The Trix’s responsive handling and stability make it a great wave riding kite. The adjustable A-KPO bridle is interesting and can make the Trix feel like two kites in one if you like to spend time changing bridle settings. It doesn’t have the best upwind or boosting performance, but is a great all-around kite that suits wave or wakestyle riding well.

8 Try the different bridle

Tips

PROS:

Tester Comment:

settings. They drastically change how the kite feels.

8 To get a little more low-end

range out of the Trix, consider using a line set longer than the stock 21m lines.

liquidforce envy

TESTED: 9m AVAILABLE SIZES: 5, 7, 9, 12, 15m TESTED IN: Central California, 18-26 knots, small-medium waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

Rock solid stability, directional float, pivotal turning, and effortless re-launch

highlight the Envy’s “beyond delta” design for all around performance. This ultra

lightweight three-strut platform gives light, responsive bar feel with impulse pivotal turning. The Envy’s flight characteristics blend to produce a distinct “set it and forget it” feel. This makes it the perfect kite for everything from progressive wave riding to kite low freestyle domination. Land a jump a bit too hot or under run the kite in a bottom turn? Forget about it! The Envy’s lightweight design allows the kite to float directionally, enabling you to forget about the kite and concentrate on the important issues: making grabs, spotting landings, and reading waves straight into the pit.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

Out of the Box: The first thing we noticed on the 2011 Envy is the all-new MaxFlow inflation system. The valve opening is huge! We were a little skeptical of this new valve when we first heard about it, but after using it, we’re sold! This was the easiest kite we’ve ever inflated by far. The Envy is a three-strut one-pump kite with a bridle that features one pulley per side. The rear section of the bridle can be adjusted to change the turning speed of the kite. The Envy’s construction is beefed up in all the right places and one wingtip has two pieces of Velcro that allow you to store your bar attached to the kite, which is great for leaving your lines attached to the kite when you put it away.

The 2011 CPR Control System is similar to last year’s and features a push away quick release, below-bar depower cleat, kook-proof connectors, adjustable stopper, and multiple leash connection options. When you unhook, the harness loop automatically aligns itself to make hooking back in much easier. The CPR Control System is a very clean control bar. Our 9m test kite came with 23m lines on a 45cm bar.

Tester Comment:

“The Envy is a fantastic all-around kite that never does anything unexpected. Because of the MaxFlow valve, it feels like it takes about half the effort to inflate this kite compared to others.”

—Paul Lang, 200 lbs., Surf Kiter

On the Water: The Envy is a very smooth and predictable kite in the air. Handling is quick and direct with light-medium bar pressure. The kite feedback is excellent and it’s easy to tell where the kite is without looking at it. The Envy is very stable and has a very light and responsive feel to it. This kite sits back in the window and delivers a very steady pull. Depowering is smooth and we had no problems getting the Envy to relaunch. Compared to last year’s kite, the 2011 Envy feels slightly more powerful and the handling feels more direct. Jumping is easy and predictable, but this isn’t the highest boosting kite available. Unhooked, the Envy remains stable with no tendency to back stall.

Tips

PROS:

8 A s long as the depower line is

cleated, the rigid end of the line doesn’t stick up.

8 To make the Envy as easy as

possible to inflate, make sure you reset the flapper in the MaxFlow Valve before you start inflating it.

• The MaxFlow inflation system makes the Envy the easiest and quickest kite to pump up that we’ve ever used.

• The Envy is a great all-around kite that will equally suit beginners, freeriders, wakestyle riders, and surf kiters.

CONS:

• W hen the depower line is at full power, the rigid end of the line points straight up at the rider. During forward rotations, it can get really close to your eye.

• The front line swivel doesn’t unspin the front lines while riding and is too high to unspin by hand.

THE VERDICT:

Overall, the Envy is a great all-around kite. It’s very easy to fly and has quick and responsive handling that is predictable and easy to control.

The Envy is stable, relaunches easily, and drifts downwind in the waves well, making this kite well suited for both beginners and wave riders.

The Envy’s unhooked stability and smooth power delivery means it works well for riders who like to unhook a lot. If you want better boosting and upwind performance, you might want to look at the Liquid Force Havoc or HiFi, but the Envy is an all-around kite that applies itself to a lot of different situations really well. The MaxFlow valve really works and makes the Envy very easy to inflate and deflate in a hurry.

thek i teboarde r. com 6 9

analyze this

north fuse

TESTED: 7, 9m AVAILABLE SIZES: 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14m TESTED IN: Central California, 18-28 knots, small-head high waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

T he Fuse is a different kind of freeride/wave kite with a huge wind range, light predictable feel, and great jumping qualities. Its unique and simple Attack Control Bridle gives the Fuse smooth, reactive steering that is especially evident when depowered, making it a huge step forward in terms of maneuverability and directness on four lines. Easily accessible low end power and extreme resistance to back-stalling gives the Fuse great light wind capabilities while the AC Bridle ensures direct de-power and a crisp bar feeling even in strong winds with easy push and pull power. The Fuse is built to last utilizing the newest Technoforce D2 canopy material. To ensure a 100% safety solution the Fuse can also be flown on the 5th Element if desired.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

The North Trust Four-Line bar is a very simple and well-thought out control system. It features a push-away quick release with integrated swivel, above-bar depower cleat, adjustable stopper, and an adjustable depower throw. When you unhook, the harness loop aligns itself with the bar to make it easier to hook in. The bar comes in one size which is adjustable from 46 to 55cm and our test kites came with 24m lines (a 19m set is also available).

On the Water: The Fuse is an extremely stable kite in the sky and sits along the edge of the window with virtually no effort from the rider. Bar pressure is light-medium and the Fuse generates a lot of low-end power. Jumping performance is great and jumps are easy, controllable, and predictable. Handling is direct and turning speed is quick but not especially fast. The Fuse’s power delivery is very smooth and the power remains steady through sharp turns and loops. The Fuse flies far upwind and getting upwind is very easy. In the waves, we found the Fuse to have a little bit of lag when initiating turns once you are actually on a wave, but turning was very direct in other situations. Relaunching the Fuse is almost effortless and one tester sent the Fuse through the rinse cycle in head-high waves with no problems.

PROS:

THE VERDICT:

• The 2011 Fuse has great low-end power The stability, responsive handling, great jumping and is really easy to get upwind on. performance, and easy relaunch make the Fuse • The Fuse is an extremely stable kite. a fantastic all-around kite. The Fuse rides upwind well and has great low-end power. This is a very easy kite to fly and remains predictable and easy CONS: • Bright aggressive graphics might not be to control even when extremely depowered. The flying characteristics of the Fuse are very close to to everyone’s liking. the North Rebel, so your decision between these • In the surf, the Fuse’s turning can be a two kites boils down to whether you prefer a four little laggy in situations when you are or five line kite. This is a kite that will satisfy the using the power of the wave. needs of a lot of riders out there.

7 0 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

Tester Comment:

“Nice construction, one pump works well, the bar felt good in my hands, the kite had a lot of power, and it shot upwind well. It got pummeled by some big waves and came out fine!”

—Kurt Miller, 165 lbs., Surf Kiter

8 Make sure you know how the

Tips

Out of the Box: Typical of North Kites, the Fuse has a very angular look to it and features very bright graphics. Overall, the Fuse looks very similar to the North Rebel with the addition of a bridle. This is a five-strut one-pump kite with a unique floating center strut. Instead of being attached directly to the canopy, the center strut is below the canopy and attached to it with a piece of canopy fabric. The struts are tapered at the trailing edge and the nonadjustable bridle features two sliders per side. A nice feature is that the sliders have no moving parts and are not affected by sand or salt buildup. The Fuse uses the North-exclusive Technoforce D2 canopy fabric, which North claims offers higher strength and lower stretch than traditional canopy fabric.

quick release goes back together. It’s obvious when on dry land, but one tester had problems reassembling it correctly in the water. Do it once on land and it’s a piece of cake.

8 Roll the Fuse up from wingtip to

wingtip towards the dump valve.

You can then easily fold the kite in half to put it in its bag without bending the battens.

slingshot turbine

TESTED: 17m AVAILABLE SIZES: 17m TESTED IN: San Diego, 8-15 knots, small waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

E verything about this kite has been optimized to perform on days when wind ranges are in their low end. The best way to increase your time on the water is to extend the conditions that make kiteboarding so exciting. The Turbine can be combined with a Competition Race board, surfboards, or a Glide for intense speed and power and upwind and downwind performance.

Bottom line is this kite increases the fun factor and time on the low end of the wind range.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

Out of the Box: The Turbine is Slingshot’s new light wind specific kite and it looks very similar to Slingshot’s popular Rally. This is a large 17m three-strut one-pump kite. The Turbine features Splitstrut, which means that the ribs are built into the canopy as opposed to being attached to the underside of it. The bridle features one pulley on each wingtip and the rear section is adjustable to change turning speed and bar pressure. Construction on the Turbine is top notch and all high-wear areas have been reinforced. The Turbine felt easier to inflate than other large kites, probably because of the relatively skinny three struts.

The Turbine uses the 2011 Comp Stick bar which features a push away quick release, belowbar depower cleat, above bar swivel, rubberized grip, and adjustable stopper. The stock bar is 23” (58cm) long and is rigged with 27m lines. When you unhook, the harness loop aligns itself with the bar to make hooking back in easier.

Tester Comment:

“Not only did I enjoy the predictability and stability of the kite, but I also enjoyed that I could actually get out and ride and try out some tricks, rather than just trudge along.”

—Ginette Buffone 130 lbs., Freestyle Kiter

On the Water: Even in really light wind, the Turbine remains stable and has no tendency to overfly when along the edge of the window. Is has a surprisingly light feeling in the sky for a 17m kite and the kite gives great feedback to the rider, making the Turbine a kite you can easily fly without having to constantly look at it. Bar pressure is in the light-medium range with the rear bridle on the rear setting and the Turbine delivers a very smooth pull. Low end power is fantastic and with a light wind specific board you should be able to ride upwind in less than 10 knots. The Turbine flies forward in the window and is easy to get upwind for such a big kite. Handling is relatively quick for a 17m and the kite handles well when depowered.

Jumping performance is good and jumps tend to have a lot of hang time. Even unhooked, the Turbine remains very stable.

PROS:

Tips

• The Turbine is light-feeling and surprisingly nimble for such a large kite.

• Rock-solid stability, even in sub 10-knot winds.

8 Hook into the harness loop so that the depower cleat is on your dominant side.

8 Ride with the Turbine higher in the air and focus on building board speed to get the best upwind performance.

CONS:

• The trim system can be challenging to adjust, especially when under a lot of tension.

• When you depower the Turbine a lot, you are stuck with the excess line dangling near the rider.

THE VERDICT:

Riders who live in areas cursed with light wind should consider the Turbine. It’s a very powerful kite with surprisingly quick and nimble handling. The Turbine has a very light feel in the air and has great upwind performance. The stability is great, even unhooked in light winds.

This is a light-wind specific kite, so if you have no interest in kiting in less than 15 knots, you may want to look at the smaller Slingshot Rally instead. The excellent light wind stability will make all light wind riders happy and the upwind performance makes the Turbine a good choice for light wind racing.

thek i teboarde r. com 7 1

Wainman HIgambler TESTED: 5’10”AVAILABLE SIZES: 5’7”, 5’10” TESTED IN: Central California, 16-26 knots, small-medium waves

FROM THE MANUFACTURER

The Gambler is a progression of our Wide model from last year, but it is significantly improved. The Gambler was made for everyday fun in all conditions.

Ridden 4-5 inches shorter than your average board and with less area in the outline, it is made for a more progressive riding style than the Magnum. These insane surf features and totally new rocker line allow for radical performance even in light winds. The bottom shape goes from a double concave under your front foot to single off the tail. Strong construction makes this board stable and provides the rider exceptional control and response.

THE VERDICT:

The Gambler is a great board for people who want a larger board in a shorter package. It rides smooth and performs great in the waves. Because it rides as a larger board, the 5’7” is probably too big of a board for small riders on most days. We highly suggest using this board without straps especially in clean surf smaller than head-high.

THE KITEBOARDER REPORT

On the Water: Even though it’s a really wide board, the Gambler rides very smooth through the chop. It also rides like a larger board. We tried both the thruster and quad setups and our testers were unanimous in liking the quad setup better as it seems to get upwind better and tail slides felt more controllable with four fins when compared to three. In the waves, The Gambler holds speed really well and has a really tight turning radius. This board does surf similar to a fish-style board and we found that a wide stance and more upright posture get the most performance out of this board.

BRAZIL ss The Endle der Downwin

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.com

find us

Tester Comment:

“The wide outline of the Gambler makes it ride like a larger board. It takes very little power to get going and is a really forgiving board to ride.”

—Paul Lang, 200 lbs., Surf Kiter

Tips

Out of the Box: Like all Wainman Hawaii boards, the Gambler comes with everything you need to get it ready for the water, including a screwdriver to put it all together. The Gambler features a very wide outline (20” wide for the 5’10”, 19.5” for the 5’7”), double to single concave bottom with molded channels, and a single bump swallow tail. For a wide 5’10”, it’s a lightweight board. The tail has five Future fin boxes which allow you to ride this board as either a thruster or a quad. All Wainman boards come with a board bag to help keep your board in top shape.

8 Ride this board strapless. It’s really forgiving and we found this board to be a blast without straps.

8 C onsider a smaller size than you would normally ride. Wainman HI says you should ride this board 4-5” shorter than normal and we agree.

Capture the Wind Festival It’s all about the kid in you!

Belmont Shore July 22nd -24th Demo the hottest gear, enter kiting contests & race SUPs! Go to SCKA.ORG to register and get more information

Former TKB intern Kurt Miller scores in Central California. Photo Paul Lang

Localhomies At only nine years old, Tom “Roco” Bridge shows that groms can kill it on the water. Photo Steph Bridge

7 4 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

winning photo Submit your photos of “local homies” riding at your home spot and you could win a killer T-shirt from Transcend Kiteboarding! E-mail paul@thekiteboarder.com

Mike “Malibu” Attolico clears the close out at Scotts Creek. Photo David DeVries

Victor Sellinger catches a classic Baja session at Punta San Carlos. Photo Taylor Congdon

Jonathan Marsh passes the handle in Florida.

Photo Brian Miller

Bonetti airs out in Ventana.

Photo Bonetti

thek i teboa rde r. com 7 5

workbench

Keeping your gear clean will make it last longer. Photo courtesy Fixmykite.com

6 Tips to Make Your Kite Last Longer

By Jeff Howard/fixmykite.com

With over 10 years in the kite repair business, we at FixMyKite.com have seen it all. We’re often asked about what can be done to prolong the life of kites. With this in mind we’ve made a quick list below to help you keep your kite in your hands and not in ours!

1

4

2

5 6

Regular checks and maintenance: Once in awhile take your kite out, inflate it out of the wind, and inspect it carefully for small tears and rips. If the leading edge has any slices or questionable areas, get them fix correctly ASAP. On the canopy, small tears and cuts can be cleaned and repaired using rip-stop repair tape. Check your line connection points and replace them if they show any wear. Most major repairs happen from something small that turns big after a hard crash.

Cleaning: This step is one that can be done along with #1. Inflate your kite and clean it with fresh water, but make sure to never use a high pressure hose. Lightly rinse off the canopy, making sure to clean out the sand and grit that collects between where the canopy attaches to the struts and leading edge. After cleaning, allow the kite to dry completely out of direct sun light. If you deflate your kite completely after every use make sure to shake out as much grit and sand before storing. Any grit left in the kite when packed up basically turns into sandpaper when stored in the bag.

Especially if you pile your stuff in the car, this can do serious damage.

3

UV exposure: This is one of the worst things that will damage your kite over time. The rule here is simple and sweet. When taking a long break off the water or when you’re done riding, deflate the leading edge and store your kite. The less sun time your kite gets when you’re not on the water, the more kite time you get with it on the water.

7 6 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

Trailing edge fluttering: This one can be cured with the same way as #3. When leaving your kite on the beach nose into the wind, the kite can flutter and cause the trailing edge material to break down. This can result in major loss of performance as well as decreased porosity of the cloth, so when not in use store your kite correctly.

Storing struts inflated: If you store your kite with the struts inflated for any prolonged amount of time, simply decrease the pressure in each strut to take the load off the seams and reduce stretching.

Color Fading: The rip-stop cloth used on all kites is not very color fast, meaning if left wet when stored the colors can fade into each other. This will not in anyway affect performance, but can make a kite have some ugly blotches. Just make sure to never leave your kite stored wet for any long period of time. Allow kite to dry out of direct sunlight before storing.

If you follow the above tips and suggestions your kite will last longer and keep you riding for years to come, but if you ever need help on anything repair related get in touch and we’ll make sure to get you back in the air with repairs guaranteed for life.

Padre Island National Seashore

beaches windsports corpus christi

With more than 100 miles of soft sand, warm waters, and Gulf breezes, our pristine beaches have something for everyone. Corpus Christi adds up to everything you love about the beach + more! Corpus Christi’s location and wind patterns allows for great windsports year round. Windsurfers and

kitesurfers flock here for the perfect weather and waves from April to June, with winds averaging 20 to 40 miles per hour at least two or three days a week. You can have just as much fun as the surfers off the water with kite buggying and

land kiting. Whether racing a kite-pulled vehicle or sailing our open waters, you’ll feel the wind

Register

To Win

through your hair and taste the salty air. Bring your board —or rent one!—on your next trip to Corpus Christi.

VisitCorpusChristiTX.org 800.766.BEACH (2322)

kitepages Arizona

Desert Wind Kiteboarding (907) 2991119 AZ

California

Action Watersports (310) 827-2233 CA Airtime Kiteboarding (818) 554-7573 CA Airborne Kiteboarding (805) 403-3769 CA Aquan Watersport (650)593-6060 CA Australian Kitesurf Academy (714) 955-7832 CA Bay Area Kitesurf (415) 573-2619 CA Board Sports (510) THE-WAVE CA Board Sports (415) 929-SURF CA CaliKites (619) 522-9575 CA Captain Kirk’s (310) 833-3397 CA Delta Windsurf Company (831) 429-6051 CA Helm Sports (650 )344-2711 CA

HOW SAFE IS YOUR INSTRUCTOR?

Is your instructor or school insured? Have they been through an internationally recognized, certified instruction program? While insurance and certification don’t guarantee you quality or safe instruction, they certainly can help you wade through and better evaluate your options. Look for the symbols by the listing to see what certifications a shop or school might have and if they have you covered!

If you want your shop or school to be recognized as having certified instructors and/or insurance, email marina@thekiteboarder.com

The Kiteboarder Certified Schools

LEGEND

IKO

Insurance

certified Certified

Pasa

7 8 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

Inflight Surf and Sail (562) 493-3661 CA KGB Kiteboarding (888) 411-0732 CA Kite Country (619) 226-4421 CA Kitegearboxx.com (888) 411-0732 CA Kitesurfari (714) 964-5483 CA Kite Naked (209) 304-2200 CA KiteWindSurf (510) 522-WIND CA Live2Kite (415) 722-7884 CA Long Beach Windsurf Center (562) 433-1014 CA Mako Surf Skate Snow (949) 367-1300 CA Malibu Kitesurfing (310) 430-KITE CA Manta Wind & Water Sports (858) 270-7222 CA Monkey Air (310) 457-6896 CA Murrays (800) 786-7245 x23 CA Offshore Surf Co. (760) 729-4934 CA Kite School (650) 960-1721 CA Solutions (805) 773-5991 CA Soul Performance (310) 370-1428 CA Sky Kitesurfing School (925) 455-4008 CA VELA (800) 223-5443 CA Wind over Water Kiteboarding (650) 218-6023 CA Kite Island (925) 212-2915 CA Xdream Sportz (858) 481-9283 CA Xstreamline Sports (310) 518-1972 CA Xtreme Big Air (805) 773-9200 CA

Colorado

Colorado Kite Force (970) 485-3300 GAYLAN’S (720) 887-0900 GG Wind Kiteboarding (970) 389-0683 Into the Wind (303) 449-5906 Larson’s Ski and Sport (303) 423-0654 Fuze Kiteboarding (303) 683-5033 PKS (970) 376-3159 Snowkite Steamboat (970) 819-2997

CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO

Connecticut

Kitewise (203) 947-0092

Florida

CT

7 Kiteboarding (305) 664-4055 FL Ace Performer (239) 489-3513 FL Bloodline Boardshop (321) 254-4668 FL Big Kite Miami (305) 303-4107 FL East Coast Kiteboarding (954) 295-5778 FL Emerald Coast Kiteboarding (850) 235-2444 FL Extreme Kites (904) 461-9415 FL Extreme Sports (321) 779-4228 FL Jupiter Kiteboarding (561) 373-4445 FL Key West Kiteboarding (305) 407-6748 FL Kiteboarding Tampa Bay (813) 389-3683 FL Ft. Lauderdale Kitesurfing Co. (954) 410-5419 FL Good Breeze Kiteboarding (321) 613-3737 FL Island Style Wind & Watersports (941) 954-1009 FL Island Surf and Sail (954) 927-7002 FL Kiteboarding Tampa Bay (813) 389-3683 FL Kite Surf the Earth (888) 819-5483 FL Kite World (321) 725-8336 FL KGB Kiteboarding (904) 434-8987 FL 1st Coast Kiting (904) 424-2721 FL Learn 2 Fly (386) 986-9637 FL Liquid Surf & Sail (850) 664-5731 FL KiteMare (877) 829-0015 FL Miami Kiteboarding Inc. (305) 345-9974 FL Otherside Boardsports (305) 853-9728 FL Ocean Extreme Sports (904) 461-9415 FL The Kite Shop (305) 361-0168 FL The Kite House (305) 879-0549 FL Sandy Point Progressive Sports (386) 756-7564 FL Ski Rixen (954) 429-0215 FL

Tampa Bay Kiteboarding (727) 798-2484 Triton Kiteboarding (727) 453-9577 Water Monkey Kiteboarding (727) 481-3637 Watersports West (888) 401-5080 XL Kites (866) 955-4837 Xrated Kiteboarding (888) 401-5080

FL FL FL FL FL FL

Georgia

All Out Kiteboarding (912) 234-8260 High Tide Surf Shop (912) 786-6556 Locus Kiteboarding (404) 509-4229 Hanag20 Kiteboarding (912) 223-7856

GA GA GA GA

Hawaii

Action Sports Maui (808) 871-5857 HI Caveman Kitesurfing (808) 389-4004 HI Extreme Sports Maui (808) 871-7954 HI Hawaiian Island Surf & Sport (808) 871-4981 HI Hawaiian Watersports (808) 262-KITE HI Kailua Sailboards (808) 262-2555 HI Kite High (808) 637-5483 HI Kiteboarding School of Maui (808) 873-0015 HI Maui Kiteboarding Lessons (808) 242-8015 HI Naish Maui Pro Center (808) 871-1500 HI Naish Hawaii (808) 262-6068 HI Off Da Lip (808) 255-6255 HI Second Wind (808) 877-7467 HI Vela Maui (800) 223-5443 HI

Idaho

Groud Zero (208) 265-6714 Fly Sun Valley (208) 726-3332

IL

Massachusetts

Air Support Kiteboarding (866) Kite-Cod MA Kitesite.net (508) 398-1333 MA Skyhigh Kiteboarding School (508) 259-2728 MA

Maryland

ID

H2AIR Productions (302) 227-1105

MD

ID

Michigan

Illinois

Windward Sports (773) 472-6868

Chicago Kiteboarder (312) 804-5482

IL

Broneah Kiteboarding (231) 392-2212 Detroit Kiteboarding (248) 245-5016

MI MI

SI_kiteB_ad.pdf

Grand Bay Kite Co. (231) 929-0607 Great Lakes Kiteboarding (586) 822-6511 MacInaw Kite Co. (800) 622-4655 Tawas Board Riders (989) 362-9906 Motor City Kiteboarding (586) 943-5172 Sharkless Kiteboarding (269) 639-SURF Uncle Doug’s Kiteboarding (810) 985-3732

MI MI

MI

MI MI

New York

MI

MN MN MN MN

MS MS

Montana

Altitude Sports (406) 579-1655 Underground Kitesports (406) 546-2709

MT MT

North Carolina

Blowing in the Wind (910) 763-1730 Cape Fear Kiteboarding (910) 201-4002 Kiteboarding Hatteras (252) 995-5000 Kitty Hawk Kiteboarding Centers (877) FLY-THIS Outer Banks Kiting (252) 305-6839 Real Kiteboarding (866) 732-5548 Wind Toys USA (910) 328-5483 Wind Toys II (252) 393-1300

NC NC NC NC NC NC NC NC

New Hampshire

Powerline Sports (888) 987-WIND

NH

New Jersey

Extreme Windsurfing (610) 807-9493

NJ NJ

Nevada

Kitesurf Vegas (702) 493-9245 Windsports (702) 220-4340

Mississippi

Get Air (228) 209-1204 Gulfport Boardsports (228) 596-1936

NJ

New Wind (541) 387-2440 Pacific Wave (503) 861-0866 Windance Boardshop (541) 386-2131

OR OR OR

MI

Minnesota

Scuba Center Wind/Kite (612) 925-4818 North Star Kiteboarding (612) 940-6639 Midwest Mountaineering (612) 339-3433 LAKAWA Kiteboarding (612) 296-3201

Green Hat Kiteboarding (718) 577-1256 Heritage Surf & Sport (609) 263-3033 Island Surf and Sail (609) 494-5553

NJ

Puerto Rico

NV NV

Best Kiteboarding Center (631) 691-0793 NY Curtis Sport Connection (716) 627-2247 NY Island Riders (631) 608-0366 NY Main Beach Surf & Sports (631) 537-2716 NY Myers (716) 751-6511 NY Skywalk Kiteboarding (631) 324-4450 NY Windsurfing Hamptons (613) 283-9463 NY Rick’s Surf Shop (631 )581-9424 NY

Ohio

Red Sky Surf & Snow (419) 536-3204 River Sports (440) 333-8138

OH OH

Oklahoma

Thomasons Sports Kites (580) 796-2359

OK

Oregon

2nd Wind Sports (541) 386-4464 Air-Time (541) 387-3910 Big Winds (888) 509-4210 Brian’s Windsurfing/ Kitesurfing (541) 386-1423 Cleanline Surf (888) 546-6176 Floras Lake Windsurfing (541) 348-9912 Gorge Surf Shop (800) 957-4978 Hood River Waterplay (541) 386-WIND Kite-Line (888) 714-9849 Kite the Gorge (541) 490-4926 Lincoln City Surf Shop (541) 996-7433

OR OR OR

Kitesurfing Puerto Rico (787) 374-5329 Velauno (787) 728-8716

PR PR

Rhode Island

Northwind Sports (401) 254-4295

RI

South Carolina

Half Moon Outfitters (843) 881-9472 Catch Some Air (843) 388-9300

SC SC

South Dakota

Pro Peak Sports (605) 341-5445

SD

Texas

Air Padre Kiteboarding (956) 299-WIND TX Pro Kitesurf (361) 883-1473 TX South Coast Kiteboarding (361) 949-3278 TX S. Padre IslandKiteboarding (956) 245-8343 TX S. Padre Kiteboarding (956) 761-1434 TX Warming Hut Ski & Board (972) 234-6088 TX XL Kites, Dallas (817) 676-7842 TX XLKites, Houston (877) 955-4837 TX XL Kites, Padre Island (866) 957-2373 TX Zero Gravity Kiteboarding (361) 949-0266 TX

North by Northwest Surf Co. (360) 452-5144 WA Seattle Kiteboarding Center (206) 779-3272 WA Urban Surf (206) 545-9463 WA Wiley’s Water Ski Shop (206) 762-1300 WA Wind Flow (877) 211-3524 WA C Evo (206) 973-4470 M WA Bellingham Y Kiteboarding (360) 441-7577 WA CM

Wisconsin

MY

CY Adventure Kiteboarding (414) 760-1493 CMY WI Coontail Watersports K WI (715) 385-0250 Kite-Riders (608) 273-1817 WI Southport Rigging Company (262) 652-5434 WI The Board Shop (262) 248-1703 WI

Wyoming Hoback Sports (307) 733-5335

WY

4/9/10

FOR E C N D RA INSUWIND AN TS ALL ERSPOR WAT Kiteb o Wind arding, S s Wate ur f ing, W UP, Sur f i n rskii ng a akeboar g d nd m ore. ing, en na Cagxt 28 ct: Da ce.com Conta 89.4762 e rtsinsuran .8 o 6 p 6 s 1.8 agen@ Dana.c

OR OR OR OR OR OR

Utah

Cloud 9 Soaring Center (801) 576-6460 Kiteutah.com (435) 462-5303

UT UT

Virginia

Southeast Expeditions (877) 943-8548

VA

OR OR

Washington thek i teboarde r. com 7 9

1:06

yard sale Frederic Stemmelin ejects over 3rd Avenue.

Photo Florence Oswald

THE

TOP CRASHES IN FRONT OF THE

LENS

G o t a great wipe o ut sh o t ?

Email: paul@thekiteboarder.com

The most appropriate board name ever: The bottom of this board says WAM. Photo Paul Lang

Laura Maher comes down hard. Photo Paul Lang

Daryl Drown finds out that land boards and soft sand don’t mix. Photo Brian Miller

It’s always more painful when you see the smackdown coming. Photo DeeDee

80 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

Sean Farley throws the ever-popular accidental one-footer.

Photo Paul Lang

Choose your Blunt wisely.

Sizes: 125 / 130 / 135 / 137W

www.wainmanhawaii.com

RAN G E OF U S E:

FREESTYLE/FREERIDE

EVO

S I Z E S: 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 12 / 14

TRUE KITE BOARDING · · · · ·

RIDER

C- O RIEN T ED FEEL EASY RELAU N CH SU P ER LO W EN D LAZY P U M P 4 AN D 5 LIN ES O P T ION

Mario Rodwal d, Jai m e Her r a iz , K ir s ty Jone s To b y Brom wi ch, S tefan C s á k y

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