The Kiteboarder Magazine October 2010

THEKITEBOARDER.COM

Vanuatu Kiteboarding

A STEP BACK IN TIME

2011

TKB GEAR PREVIEW GUIDE

THE UNSTOPABLE BILLY FLOYD

SUP KITING:

WORTH THE EFFORT?

Photos: E. Aeder + S. Whitesell

Sam Light Bolt 10.5 + Momentum 138

Torch

For Riders looking for power through the turns, unmatched bar feel in a fast-flying kite.

5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14

Bolt

For Riders looking for an all around kite with superior stability.

3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.5, 12, 14, 16

Thorn CC

128, 130, 132 134, 136

Momentum 130, 132, 134, 138

Custom Global 5’0”, 5’4”, 5’7” 6’0”, 6’2”

Custom Fish

5’4”, 5’8”, 6’0”

2011 Explore the possibilities

Kai Lenny Custom Fish 5’4�

Pacific Boardsports LLC (509) 493 0043 info@pacificboardsports.com

Kevin Langeree Torch 11 + ThornCC 132

Naishkites.com thek i teboarde r. com 1

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Features LAUNCH

Zach Kleppe entertains the crowd with a particularly good wipeout.

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Densely populated areas seem to be experiencing the majority of multi-use challenges. Photo Katina Arnott

“Dude, this is going straight to Facebook!”

Photo Josh Nehf

Need

STAY CONNECTED:

1.Facebook:

Not is pushing 500 million users a having a page on Facebook is Find your favorite kiting brand have pages you can like as w if not, go have a talk with the some kitesurfing groups and events is also popular on Fac wall and chat with other kiter the Triple-S on Facebook that settings. You may want to cha world to see what you are up

2.TwiTTer:

If you a It’s not exactly the same thing your Tweets also updates you at a party. You can join in at a expected to read everyone’s T brevity of the 140 character m ideal conditions I can post a T I follow lots of kiters on Twitte Ave., Sherman Island, and Ma question. Even cooler is when Twitter is an easy way to send great when you’re with a larg organizers take note: this is a

Four social media apps you should be using.

3.Foursquare

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million people using Foursqua upon checking in to where yo checking in and can earn bad locations. Each time you chec your friends there. The person of “Mayor” of that spot. Many offering discounts and free dr you’re the Mayor of any of the to see which beach they’ve c conditions to Twitter and Face check in at the place you’re r tune with where everyone is w

By Marina Chang

THEKITEBOARDER.COM

Vanuatu KITEBoArdINg

Sky Solbach magically keeps his strapless surfboard attached to his feet. Photo Jody MacDonald

KITING IN THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH

UNSTOPABLE

2011

PREVIEW GUIDE

THE UNSTOPABLE BILLY FLOYD

SUP KITING:

APPS You need to KnoW ABout When there is no wind and you’re sitting around on your laptop it’s the same old story. You’re reading the forums, checking the wind forecasts, and catching up on e-mail. If you’re like me, you’re mobile, have an iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry, and you’re always on the move. Here are a few useful social networking apps that you can use both at the beach and at home to stay connected while sharing the stoke with your friends.

Billy Floyd lost his legs, but that won’t stop him from kiteboarding.

Anoth distinguish it from Foursquare designers rule and their passp the world as you chase the wi check in to each location listed there are virtual items that you geo-caching. Gowalla was at t adventures of the friends I ma your location with your friends

Vanua

KItIng IS A SoCIAl ACtIvIt by friending, following, and ch friendships that will endure. T doing, where you’re kiting, an lunch, but I might join you for Kiteboarding in the Happies

Words and Photos by Paul

Vanuatu has been named home of the planet’s happiest people.

A STEP BACK IN TIME

TKB GEAR

4.Gowalla:

By Dan Larsen

Vanuatu has been called the happiest place in here, it feels that way. When I was first prese join the Genetrix crew for this trip, I immedia even knowing where on the globe Vanuatu wa confirmed my vague suspicion that Vanuatu is l Ocean, about 1,000 miles northeast of Australia

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Made up of more than 80 different islands, the kiteboarding potential of Vanuatu has only begun to be explored.

26 thekiteboarder.com

WORTH THE EFFORT?

THE 2011 TKB GEAR PREVIEW GUIDE

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Everyone at The Kit and ride and we ge products come out together our picks that we here at TKB

BEsT: Best has take

We get the answers you want to know about 2011 kites and boards.

Taboo and we like th the different types of wind speeds.

CAuTion: The 2011

of the 2010 Zombie a on it.

EClipsE: our san Di 9m Kima, which Eclip because of its expan

EpiC: We really wan

2011

claiming is an ultra h

F-onE: For sure, the 2011 is the new sour sold a kite with no d it is received.

Kiteboarding

gear

GEnETRiX: We liked

give it a try on a new

3 6 t h e k i t e b oa r d e r . c o m

Preview guide

GK: With minor twea

we are looking forwa

nAish: The park is a

By TKB staff

describing as “C-lik intimidated by them

While it feels like all of the 2010 kiteboarding gear just came out, it’s now fall, and that means it’s time for the kiteboarding manufacturers to release their latest and greatest creations in the form of their 2011 product lines. Fall is the traditional time for companies to release new products, but we’ve begun to notice a trend that some companies are not in such a rush to get new products to market. While many manufacturers are sticking with the traditional fall release, others will not be releasing new products until the spring. What does this all mean for you, the consumer? it simply means that while some 2011 kites will be available by the time this magazine hits newsstands, other 2010 kites will still be around for months until the new model is released.

noBilE: The nhp is

interested to see if th changed any other p

noRTh: We are expe wind specific kite, to light wind.

instead of just publishing the names and manufacturer descriptions of the latest products, we decided to give our advertisers the chance to tell you what changed for the new year and, most importantly, why you should spend your hard-earned money on their latest products. We worked hard to come up with the questions we think you the reader want to know and we chased the manufacturers around until they answered our questions and gave up the goods on the new gear. We’ll be testing these products throughout the year and also posting video and photos of the 2011 gear at the AsWi Conference in september. Keep your eye on thekiteboarder.com for continuing updates on the 2011 product year.

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Departments 32 Close Up

OG Pro Adam Koch and F-One’s Adriana Harlan answer our questions.

54 Product Watch

Nine new products you should know about.

74 Instructional

Can kiteboarding on a SUP be fun?

76 Local Homies

Real photos of real kiteboarders.

Jalou Langeree heads to the beach in Maui. Photo Tracy Kraft

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RRD: Almost all of us and we are excited a offering for 2011.

WAinMAn hAWAii:

pair of boots on the n a powered up flat wa

THINK “Paul, there’s been an accident.”

Kinsley ThomasWong is the kind of person people remember meeting. An extremely fit and energetic guy with a larger-than-life smile, he was one of the first people kiteboarding on the Central California coast in the late 1990s. Kinsley is the owner of Xtreme Big Air in Pismo Beach and is The Kiteboarder’s partner in organizing the annual Pismo Beach Kite Expo. Kinsley is known around the world as an incredibly positive person, and whether you rode with him every day or just met him on the beach once, he would greet you like you were a long-lost friend.

The two of us had been Kinsley ThomasWong at the 2010 La Ventana Kite Expo. invited to join the Genetrix Photo Paul Lang Kiteboarding team for a trip to Vanuatu in the Southern Pacific Ocean and everything was in place for this to be an unforgettable trip. Kinsley started a blog and was posting all of the information he could find about Vanuatu. This trip had special meaning for him, as this would be his last trip before his wife Jaime was due to have their first child just six weeks after we left.

A few days before the two of us were supposed to get on a plane together, our Publisher Marina Chang called me with the worst kind of news. “Paul, Kinsley has just been in a terrible accident,” said Marina, who was very obviously shaken by what had happened. “The helicopter just left the beach. We don’t know anything about his condition.” When I heard this, my first thought was denial. “This can’t be right,” I thought.

“There must be a mistake. Something like this wouldn’t happen to him.” Then the reality set in. A good friend and one of kiteboarding’s best ambassadors had been seriously injured, and I had no idea at that point whether he was going to live or die.

I found myself completely speechless, but so many thoughts were going through my mind. “How could this happen? Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems…no, they don’t put people in helicopters unless it’s serious. Oh my God, what about Jaime and the baby?” I made a few phone calls to other people who knew Kinsley well and found that telling other people was much more difficult than hearing it myself. Each person I talked to had the same initial reaction. “Are you serious? Are you sure? How did it happen?” Nobody likes to hear about someone else’s accident, but when something like this happens to someone as universally liked as Kinsley, it’s even more difficult to accept.

Nobody 8/19/09 7:52:32 AM saw the entire accident, and Kinsley has no memory of it, so we’ll probably never know exactly what happened. Basically, he went from being in the water to flying horizontally into rocks on shore. It’s not really worth speculating what happened and critiquing what he should or should not have done, because we simply do not have a completely clear picture of the accident. Kinsley’s family has requested we not talk in detail about his current condition, but we will say that Kinsley is currently in a spinal care injury rehabilitation facility in San Jose and his condition is improving daily. This was a very serious accident and it has deeply shaken those of us who knew Kinsley well.

Even now, Kinsley wants to hear about his friend’s latest sessions. Kinsley knows there is risk in what we do, but living in fear of what might happen is not how he has or will ever live. We can avoid activities that might cause an injury, but that’s not going to keep us safe. Yes, I could be hurt kiteboarding, but I could also be hit by a car while walking down the sidewalk or fall down a flight of stairs. I cannot avoid sidewalks and stairs for fear of being injured. We cannot remove risk from our lives, but we can manage it. Before going kiteboarding I can make sure my safety works. I can avoid sketchy situations, even if I think I can handle it.

Kinsley’s accident has impacted the way I ride and I am making an effort to be more aware of my surroundings. My first session after his accident was actually supposed to be one where he was riding next to me with the two of us cheering each other on. I was riding about 200 feet upwind of some exposed coral, a situation that I normally wouldn’t have even thought twice about. This time, I turned around, went the other way, and spent the rest of my session with nothing but clear blue water downwind of me.

If you would like to send Kinsley a message or would like to find out how you can help him and his family, a website has been set up at http://kinsleydonation.weebly.com or you can visit the Friends of Kinsley ThomasWong page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-Kinsley-ThomasWong. Thanks to everyone for all the love, support, and positive thoughts that are keeping Kinsley strong, positive, and moving forward.

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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, Will Caldwell, Kevin “Irie Dog” Murray, Kinsley ThomasWong, Members of the Central Coast/Santa Barbara CKA

CONTRIBUTORS

Dan Larsen, Joby Cook, Brendan Richards, Peter Stiewe, Shannon Best, Jeff Beige, Peter Schiebel, Poul Schiebel, Jeff Burton, Dimitri Maramenides, Chris Cousins, Raphael Salles, Gerard Bourgeois, Mat Pendle, David Turner, Damien Girardin, Greg Drexler, Dan Schwarz, Mike Husky, Evan Mavridoglou

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jody MacDonald, Josh Neph, Jim Stringfellow, Dmitry Kraskovsky, Pim Schalkwijk, Tom Court, Bart Miller, Maurice ZarkaKitty Hawk Kites, RRD, W2Sports, Colby Otero, Rainbow Monds, Shal Jacobovitz, Olivia Maramenides, Mattias Ricci, Tracy Kraft, Kevin Quinn, Adam Koch, Chuck Harlan, Alan Sparks, Scott Kurth, Susi Mai, Gavin Butler, Carlos Moncho, Tim McKenna, Wainman Hawaii, Syrie Walsh, David DeVries, Jake Chanson, Nate Volk, Harry Ter Horst, Jeff Nelson, Thierry Bourgeois, Regis Mortier/F-One, Epic Kites, Stephan Kleinlein/www.oceanbluesky.com, Stephen Whitesell, Erik Aeder, Carol Bolstad, Gerard Bourgeois, Dave Cooper/redseamonkeys.com 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

ADMINISTRATIVE/ADVERTISING OFFICE 1356 16th Street Los Osos CA 93402 (805) 459-2373

EDITORIAL OFFICE

The Kiteboarder Compound 14610 Villa Maria Isabel Corpus Christi, Texas 78418

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PRINTED IN USA

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

Rider: Sebastian Cattelan Photo: Rachid Roussafi

Genetrix is proud to announce the North American debut of two brand new kites: the 2010 Hydra V4 and the 2010 Origin. The Hydra V4 is our flat kite concept proven on the European market since 2004, the next generation of the same kite that powered Sebastien Cattelan when he shattered the 50 knot barrier in 2008. The Origin is Genetrix’s latest creation -- guaranteed to take your freestyle to the next level.

Speed | Course Racing Massive depower High stability in strong gusty wind Single point inflation system Widest wind range on the market No middle strut, ultra flat and aerodynamic Sensational upwind ability High end Teijin T9600 canopy fabric 7m | 9m | 12m | 14m

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GENETRIXKITESURF.COM US distributor ZoneXcess LLC (888) 250-7962

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LAUNCH “Dude, this is going straight to Facebook!”

Photo Josh Nehf

Zach Kleppe entertains the crowd with a particularly good wipeout.

Densely populated areas seem to be experiencing the majority of multi-use challenges. Photo Katina Arnott

By Marina Chang

By Dan Larsen

Apps You Need to Know About When there is no wind and you’re sitting around on your laptop it’s the same old story. You’re reading the forums, checking the wind forecasts, and catching up on e-mail. If you’re like me, you’re mobile, have an iPhone, Android, or BlackBerry, and you’re always on the move. Here are a few useful social networking apps that you can use both at the beach and at home to stay connected while sharing the stoke with your friends.

1.Facebook:

Not being on Facebook is like not having an email address. Facebook is pushing 500 million users and it’s easy to access from your mobile device too. For businesses, having a page on Facebook is now as important as having a website, maybe even more important.

Find your favorite kiting brands on Facebook and “Like” them. You’ll also find many pro kiters have pages you can like as well to follow their travels. Your local shop should be on there too, if not, go have a talk with them. Share your photos and tag your friends at your local spot. Join some kitesurfing groups and you might even make some new friends. Organizing and posting events is also popular on Facebook. Even if you can’t attend an event, you can post on that event’s wall and chat with other kiters, see pictures from the event, and follow along. I saw so much of the Triple-S on Facebook that I felt like I was there. Make sure you pay attention to your privacy settings. You may want to change some of the defaults to “Friends Only” if you don’t want the world to see what you are up to.

2.Twitter: If you are already on Facebook then why would you also need to do Twitter?

It’s not exactly the same thing as your Facebook status, but you can link the two so that each of your Tweets also updates your status. Think of Twitter as an ongoing discussion amongst people at a party. You can join in at any time and leave at any time. It’s OK to step away; you’re not expected to read everyone’s Tweets that you follow. The beauty in Twitter lies in the simplicity and brevity of the 140 character messages that post in real time. When I get to the beach and find ideal conditions I can post a Tweet and tell my friends where I’m at and how windy it is. Similarly I follow lots of kiters on Twitter and hear lots about conditions at Hood River, Crissy Field, Third Ave., Sherman Island, and Maui. And since they’re there, I know I can chat with them if I have a question. Even cooler is when they post a picture from the beach using Twitpic or Tweetphoto.

Twitter is an easy way to send one text message out and have all your friends get it, which is great when you’re with a large group of people on a road trip and trying to coordinate. Event organizers take note: this is an easy way to broadcast to attendees!

3.Foursquare:

Barely a year and a half since launch, there are now around two million people using Foursquare to share their location. This geo-location-based “game” is based upon checking in to where you’re at and sharing that fact with your friends. You get points for checking in and can earn badges for certain accomplishments or frequent check-ins to the same locations. Each time you check in you can also post it to Twitter and/or Facebook to share with your friends there. The person who checks into a location the most within 60 days gains the title of “Mayor” of that spot. Many businesses, especially bars, restaurants, and coffee shops are offering discounts and free drinks to their Mayors. Starbucks is on board and offers a discount if you’re the Mayor of any of their stores. Want to know where your friends are kiting today? Check to see which beach they’ve checked in at. At the beach yourself? Check in and cross-post the conditions to Twitter and Facebook, as we all want to know if it’s blowing. After your session, check in at the place you’re refueling and tell your friends to show up. It’s a great way to keep in tune with where everyone is without having to read through all their Tweets.

4.Gowalla: Another social location sharing application, Gowalla has a few features that

distinguish it from Foursquare. A bonus is their CEO Josh Williams (@jw on Twitter) kites. Gowalla’s designers rule and their passport metaphor means you can collect cool looking stamps from all over the world as you chase the wind. There are trips that you can complete to earn special pins if you check in to each location listed. You can upload photos at each spot while you’re checked in and there are virtual items that you can pick up and take with you and leave somewhere else, similar to geo-caching. Gowalla was at the MaiTai Kite Camp on Maui this year and now I follow along with the adventures of the friends I made there through Gowalla. The pictures really add something to sharing your location with your friends.

Kiting is a social activity. I’ve met so many wonderful people through kitesurfing and by friending, following, and checking in I’m staying connected with them. I’ve formed valuable friendships that will endure. Try some of these out and get your friends on too. Share what you’re doing, where you’re kiting, and what you find interesting. I may not care what you’re eating for lunch, but I might join you for a session if it’s windy!

Social Apps at the MaiTai Kite Camp

By May Yam

Designing a website for the annual MaiTai Kite Camp is no easy task. Pro Kiter Susi Mai and Bill Tai of Charles River Ventures have been hosting the event for several years now. The concept of the camp focuses on bringing together entrepreneurs from all over the world to mingle and talk about their ideas while adding in some high adrenaline kiting to help gel the bond.

Gregory Annable and I needed to design a website based around ease of navigation and maintenance with a consideration for how to leverage existing platforms and social apps. We had a core set of must-have apps that were minimally required to keep the networking flowing.

Google groups was the mainstay networking tool to keep people abreast on location changes due to unpredictable wind conditions and logistical matters like dinners and parties. We also set up Textmarks notifications which allow moderators to broadcast notifications to mobile devices. Most of the attendees would not be connecting through traditional PCs or laptops once on the island, so a mobile agenda was created which was a lightweight version of the website that could be easily read on mobile devices using Google Docs and bit.ly.

When users registered for the event on the website (www.maitaisports.com) we probed them for a “personal fun fact.” During the opening dinner, we used stickybits.com to tag the fun fact to people in a social “break the ice” game.

Gowalla was used to host a treasure hunt for virtual goods which allowed the participants to explore parts of Maui and bond with each other.

Facebook was used to advertise the event and generate interest. TrakDat is a fun tool that allows you to track your kiting session and share with others. This year social apps were a big focus and we had discussions with the Zynga core team as well as George Bailey, Chief Information Officer of SONY, on the socialization of digital entertainment.

Social apps were key to augment the website with features that we did not have to build from scratch and to allow for easy networking among participants without having to increase the scope of the existing website. Since so many people are familiar with social apps and tools, it was also a great way to ensure that the event would gain traction through technology which is challenging in a fast paced, ever changing, wind dependent event.

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Over 130 riders turned out to support the KB4C Kite Derby cause. Photo Dmitry Kraskovsy

KB4C RAISES OVER

$300,000

Northwest local Kip Wylie collects his prize as the third largest individual fundraiser.

Photo Dmitry Kraskovsky

By TKB Staff

In just four years, Kiteboarding for Cancer (KB4C) has grown into one of the most well attended events in North America. A community fundraiser held in Hood River, OR, it attracts riders from coast to coast as well as the general public who turn out to support the cause and participate in the myriad of side activities and silent auction.

Tonia Farman and Garrett Zallen exceeded their goals this year. Not only did the event, together with Stand Up Paddlebording for Cancer (SUP4C), raise over $71,000 for regional cancer programs with the help of John Wayne Cancer Foundation which matches the total raised by participating athletes, this year was more unique and powerful than in years past. Cancer survivors and those currently battling the disease were in attendance in force, allowing the athletes, donors, volunteers, and organizers to connect faces and real life stories to the cause and regional cancer programs they were riding for. To date, the event has raised just over $300,000.

The KB4C teams highlighted the weekend event with a contagious group energy of fun and competitive fervor. In the last hour of the kite derby, KB4C raised the bar for all competitors to go out and kite laps for donors to pledge per-lap dollars for all of the combined laps in the final hour. Over $3,000 was raised alone from this challenge with riders completing over 400 laps! Team REAL Wind Ninjas from Hatteras, North Carolina, traveled to compete as a team for those in their families who have, and are, battling cancer. Team Seals from Portland, Oregon, rode for their Team Captain, Derek Seals, who survived germ cell tumors in 2007 and was at the event to cheer his team on. Team 2nd Wind Sports/Urban Flora rode for Irv Stein and Steve Fisher, two local kiteboarders who have battled cancer in the last 14 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

Cofounder Tonia Farman. Photo Jim Stringfellow

A new trend for sun protection? Photo Jim Stringfellow

two years, plus family members who recently passed from cancer.

Team 2nd Wind Sports/Urban Flora won the Team Relay portion of the Kite Derby with 31 laps. Team Trew from Hood River came in 2nd with 25 laps, and Team REAL Wind Ninjas from North Carolina took 3rd with 23 laps.

In the individual category, kiteboarding pioneer and Hood River local Cory Roessler claimed the top honors with a total of 35 laps. Alex Blochinger, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, took second with 32 laps and Stevenson resident Tony Bolstad came in third with 31 laps. Each of the top three finishers have placed in the top three spots in previous KB4C kite derbies. For complete information or to find out how you can organize a KB4C in your local area, see www.kb4c.org

in the hood

By Joby Cook

Happy kids perform for the crowd at the event in appreciation of their support. Photo Paul Lang

SCHOOLS WIN BIG IN BAJA

By TKB Staff

Since the 2010 La Ventana Classic and Kitexpo in January, Tim and Jimena Hatler from Palapas Ventana have been working all year with the local mayor, Oswaldo Cota Cota, to coordinate projects in the schools and community. This year’s event raised over $22,000 and we’re happy to report that the majority of projects planned with this money have been completed including: La Ventana Kindergarten – shaded waiting area built for parents, bathroom remodel, air conditioning installed; La Ventana Primary School – paint job for the entire school and computer and laser printer installed; El Sargento Jr, High – two AC units installed in classrooms and computer installed; El Sargento Jr High – entire fence around school redone at foundation and bathrooms remodeled; Community Health Center – medical supplies, tools, and shelving purchased and installed; Baja Paws (run by Baja Joes)– funding given for the spay and neutering of 10 local dogs or cats. Still is progress is the library remodel at the El Sargento Primary School. Since its inception, the event has raised over $52,000 for the local community and schools. Each year, a work party is scheduled where participants work alongside locals. The 2011 event will be held from January 21-24, with early week pro rider clinics and day trips to the coast or island across the bay planned for January 16-20. Cosponsors The Kiteboarder, Palapas Ventana, the locals of La Ventana, and supporting sponsors can’t wait to pull out all the stops for another amazing event that will raise money for new projects at the schools plus funding for a community center.

THE KITEBOARDER

CALENDAR

2011

13-MONTHS

The Slider Project LLC, in Hood River, OR, has been at the forefront of wakestyle kiteboarding since its inception in 2008.

In an attempt to take things a step further, the guys decided to concentrate their efforts on a strictly wake/park style event, The Hood River Ro Sham Throw Down. The premise was to gather top wakestyle riders for a competition that would be judged on best overall impression, based on their ability to perform kite low wake tricks and to utilize all the features in the terrain park. Invitations were sent out to top wakestyle riders from across the globe. Fourteen invitees confirmed their attendance and were automatically entered into the main event, leaving 10 slots open to be filled by riders who entered a qualifier for a chance to compete with the best of the best. Heat standouts were Jesse Richman, Alex Fox, Matt Sexton, Jon van Malsen, Brian Elkus, and Reed Brady. The main event started off early with strong winds gusting to 35 mph but fluctuated throughout the day. The ladies had a challenging heat with less than ideal conditions. Laura “Lulu” Vroman ended up impressing the judges the most with a variety of rail and flat water tricks. The men’s final was stacked with shredders from all over the world throwing down a slew of flat water moves. The rails also received a good workout with riders pressing and spinning off of rails and box to rail transfers. The big kicker tricks were thoroughly enjoyed by all the spectators in attendance. The judges’ scorecards were tallied at the end of the day and the results were undisputed. (1) Aaron Hadlow (2) Brandon Scheid (3) Billy Parker

k c a Sm Photo Courtesy RRD

throw down

The Kiteboarder 2011 wall calendar will be ready to ship starting midOctober. The 13-month 12”x12” calendar features the best riding shots in wakestyle, snowkite, and freestyle from the magazine and its participating sponsors. Get your orders in before October 11, 2010 and save $5 on a single calendar or $10 on two! See the inset card to order or visit the online store at www.thekiteboarder.com

Photo Pim Schalkwijk

Next to the Triple S, the Ro Sham Bo Slider Jam showcases the best wakestyle pros and amateurs.

Photo Jim Stringfellow

Ventana Windsports in La Ventana is pleased to announce the opening of their new oceanfront restaurant, Coya. If you or anybody you know has ever stayed at the bed and breakfast resort which includes meals, you know that it is known for its first class accommodations and amazing food. Coya offers an extensive Californian/Mexican fusion menu along with tapas items, is open for breakfast lunch and dinner, and also has a full service bar. If you want to treat your palette with minimal wait time and enjoy an amazing second story panoramic view of the bay, Culinary Institute of America graduate Alfonso Gutierrez and staff await you! www.ventanawindsports.com thek i teboa rde r. com 1 5

Chances are you’ve seen this man and this truck at your local beach. Photo Paul Lang

Dave Turner

Company: Litewave Designs Job Title: Owner/Designer Years in Industry: 13 Words of Wisdom: Maintain humility and a good attitude towards your fellow humans.

Years Kiteboarding: 13 Kite: GK Trix Board: Litewave Spirit, Wing, or Quad-Surf depending on the conditions How would you describe your job at Litewave Designs? I’m the Designer, Manufacturing Supervisor, Chief Sales Rep, and Collections Manager.

What did you do before working in the kite industry? I was a Unix Systems Administrator for the telephone company. I got my degree in computer science and worked in telephony for ten years.

How did you end up working in the kiteboarding industry? I was a windsurfer building my own boards and I went to Maui so I could learn to build better windsurfers. Jimmy Lewis and some other guys were showing me boards when I saw Manu Bertin kiteboarding. This was in 1998 and I started kiting shortly after. I just wanted to try something new. I was into whitewater kayaking in 1970, so I’ve always been at the forefront of sports. I adopted kiting and never looked back.

It seems that you are on a never ending Litewave demo tour of the U.S. Are there any local U.S. spots that you haven’t been to yet? It’s not only the U.S., it’s worldwide. I find that it’s the best way to find out what people want and put the gear in their hands.

The two spots I haven’t been yet are Lake McConaughy, Nebraska, and the Chicago area. I’m usually on the road for a week and then spend two weeks at home.

What is your typical day at the office like? Is there such a thing as a normal day? When I’m not touring, I’m back in the office taking care of everything else. I wake up at midnight to talk to China and Mauritius. After a few hours of sleep I get up in the morning and start answering emails, packing orders, and dealing with any special problems that might arise. I’m on the phone a lot of the day, and then at 4:30 I’m loading up the truck and heading for FedEx. At about 6:00 it’s happy hour.

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Is working in the kiteboarding industry all it’s cracked up to be? When I’m on tour hitting the bars, dancing at the clubs, and kiting during the day, that’s the glamorous part, and that’s maybe 20% of the job, so you do have some fun. But, you have to deal with the public, which can be really fun, but you also have to deal with problems.

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

The best is getting out there and meeting people.

Going to La Ventana or to expos and hearing about how people like my boards, or that they learned to ride on one is really satisfying. The worst part is collections.

When shops go belly up and owe you money, that’s the hardest part. It’s no fun, but when it’s your own money on the line, you’re motivated.

What do you see as the biggest challenge to the kiteboarding industry as a whole? There’s like 60 companies now making gear. It’s really changed. I was the fourth kiteboarding company. Now everybody is undercutting each other, and that’s what happened in windsurfing. I see it as being very hard on the retailer in the future. It seems to be going more factory direct to the customer, which is not very healthy. I wish people would hold their lines, but there is always someone new coming in that has to get their foot in the door.

What advice do you have for someone that wants to work in the kite industry? Well, you’re not going to get rich. They say the best way to make a small fortune in the kite industry is to start with a large one.

It’s a fun job. You’ve got to be very good with people. I don’t have any room in my organization for a snob. a snob.

k c a m S

Get the goods at your fingertips on the world’s best kite and windsurf spots in the just-released “The World Kite and Windsurfing Guide.” A 320 page comprehensive spot guide to planet earth’s finest kite and windsurfing regions, it highlights close to 100 regions in nine continental chapters, and features over 1,200 of the world’s best riding spots. Fully illustrated with 1,000 breathtaking photos and detailed maps of every region, there’s in-depth analysis of wind, wave, and weather conditions throughout the year to highlight the best times to visit. The Guide also offers real-world travel information with essential tips on what to expect in each region and handy hints for a successful trip. Last but not least there are contact details for local shops, shapers, schools, and gear rental as well as accommodation, restaurants, rental cars, and other insider knowledge. www.stoked-publications.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

Photo W2 Sports

INSIDE JOB

W2 Sports, a new adventure sports distribution company based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is excited to announce their North American distribution partnership with Underwave (www.underwave.info). Based out of Italy, Underwave offers a full range of high performance harnesses, wetsuits, and kiteboarding accessories and is owned by the makers of Advance Kites.

W2 Sports is focused on providing high quality and high value products, service, and support. Shops interested in carrying Underwave should send an e-mail to info@w2sports.com.

comps

NEW TALENT AT BOG

By Carol Bolstad

Pro rider Kris Kinn put on a show for the crowd. Photo Dmitry Kraskovsky

The Bridge of the Gods (BOG) Kite Fest held August 6-8 in Stevenson, WA, drew 55 riders from the US and Mexico to compete. In its 11th year, BOG is the longest running amateur kiteboarding competition in the US and has traditionally launched the careers of many professional riders. This year some of those riders came back to compete for bragging rights and beer on the first day of the event and to judge the main eventamateur competition over the next two. On Saturday, August 7th, kiters competed on 8 and 10 meter kites until the wind unexpectedly shut down early after the preliminary round, setting the stage for the finals on Sunday. On Sunday, August 8th, the wind turned on around noon for the finals. Mini Groms, Groms, Men, Women, and OGs were competing for $2,500 in cash and an additional $3,000 in prizes which a ton of kite gear and accessories as well as one week lodging in Cabarete, DR, and even a kiteboarding lessons package. New talent Warenka Valle took the Amateur Women’s title and up and comer Tommy Fields took the men’s.

LANGEREE INJURED IN FUERTEVENTURA

By TKB Staff

Kevin Langeree is helped onto the back of the rescue ski after injuring his knee. Photo Roberto Foresti/Canon

Fuerteventura has a reputation for extremely powerful winds, which makes it one of the best and sometimes challenging places in the world for kiteboarding. In the men’s freestyle double elimination final heat between Australian rider Andy Yates and Kevin Langeree, Langeree was dominating the final heat, but in an attempt to execute a blind judge in gusty, unpredictable 35-40 knots winds he landed on the chop causing him to twist his knee out of position. After being assessed by a medical team, he was carried to the podium to accept his number two position and said, “This is the worst thing that could have ever happened to me. I hope the injury isn’t as bad as I think it is. I’m going to fly back home to Holland, heal, and be back on the tour competing as soon as possible!” Fans cheered and clapped for Langeree’s good spirit, sportsmanship, and charismatic charm. The exact extent of Langeree’s diagnosis is unclear but he is expected to have a full recovery. Due to the upset in the men’s final, Andy Yates took first place in the double eliminations while Kevin Langeree took second. It is the second event title for Yates this tour season. Yates defeated Alex Pastor due to his overall better execution of tricks in a 3/2 decision from the judges. Pastor took third place in the double elimination. In the women’s freestyle division, it was a great day for Polish rider Karolina Winkowska. Winkowska defeated Angela Peral as well as Gisela Pulido in the semifinal due to her powered switch blind judge 3 and better kite position but then lost to Bruna Kaijiya in the finals. For complete info, see www.pkra.info and www.extremeelements.com for photos and video.

BOG results Amateur Ladies 1 Warenka Valle 2 Jamie Fields 3 Colleen Carroll Amateur Mens 1 Tommy Fields 2 Jeff Tskashima 3 Grom Gormley Masters 1 Jan Boersma 2 Jim Hunt 3 Ken Ishida Groms 1 Pinto Rodrigo 2 Cole Elsasser 3 Levi Roeseler Mini Groms 1 Austin Keillor 2 Vetea Boersma 3 Trey Roeseler Pro Ladies 1 Kris Kinn 2 Shane Gormley 3 Brittany Todd Pro Men 1 Reed Brady 2 Alex Fox

WWW.OCEANEXTREMESPORTS.COM 866-790-7873

KITEBOARDING - LANDBOARDING - STANDUP PADDLE

Kitty Hawk’s Wave Village Resort offers every amenity and service a kiteboarder could want. Photo KHK

Kitty HKitaeboawrdking Kites Resort

nt/school in Established: Kiteboarding departme 1999; kiteboarding resort in 2008 Age: 38 Name of Manager: Chris M. Moore uter Banks, NC Location: Waves, NC, Cape Hatteras/O flying kites for a Riding for how long: Since 1999, living since 1990! th winds, Favorite Conditions: SW 15-20 smoo itions cond iling preva the are h whic Kitty Hawk Kites opened Waves Village, a 15,000 square foot kiteboarding resort/lodge concept in 2008. What does this facility offer to kiterboarders that was previously not available? Our massive retail store allows us to showcase a huge array of kiteboarding equipment. For guests and visitors not staying at the property, we offer private shower units on the ground floor with hot/cold water, restrooms, air compressor stations, a manicured grass launch/land area, an experienced kiteboarder to help you launch/land, music piped in everywhere including larger speakers projecting the music out onto the water to enjoy while kiteboarding, and a two-story movie screen for watching movies in the evening. Just this year, we completed the condos and the restaurant officially opened in July. Goodwinds is a seafood restaurant and wine bar and offers many microbrews on tap. It has a breathtaking view of the Pamlico Sound and a sunset every evening that truly is amazing. I see it everyday and it still impresses me!

Where did people stay before you opened Waves Village and what are the lodging options? Campgrounds, hotels, and rental houses are the popular options. I suggest people just call us at 252-987-2297. We designed the resort with world-class accommodations in mind. We offer completely furnished waterfront condos. Every condo also has a private deck with its own hot tub and sunrise/sunset views from all second and third floor units.

Does this new facility have any benefits for those that don’t want to stay at Waves Village? Yes, you do not have to stay in our lodging to use our facility – we are open to the public. From March through November we have smooth southwest winds that are side onshore and super smooth. The winds come off the water which is 40 miles from the mainland of the U.S. providing us with some of the smoothest winds you can find anywhere.

The water is waist deep in most areas with a solid sand bottom.

This gives you the confidence to try new tricks or accelerate your learning. There is a lot of varied terrain with smaller grass islands creating a maze of canals and slicks. Northeast winds provide side on-shore winds on the ocean. World famous “S-Turns” has the best surf on the east coast and is almost across the street from us.

Is Waves Village more oriented towards families, people without kids, or both? We cater to families, groups, and individuals. Every Wednesday is Kid’s Day — we have a 20 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

portable rock climbing wall as well as kite building classes.

For the adventure seekers, we offer stand up paddling, kayaking, and even hang gliding just north of us! Hatteras Realty is partnered with us to offer childcare services.

What is there for non-kiteboarders to do in the area?

We have the world’s largest hang gliding school, so be sure to go hang gliding if you’re inclined! Other activities include guided kayak tours or rentals, stand up paddling, surfing, and skateboarding at our new skate park. There’s tons of historical stuff to see too along with the North Carolina Aquarium and shark tank.

Kitty Hawk allows gear testing of the brands it carries.

Many schools shy away from this service due to liability issues. How is Kitty Hawk able to offer this service? Our waterfront location and extensive staff allows us to offer equipment demos and rentals for a small fee. We offer free demos every Wednesday and require that you can ride at a PASA Level 2 skill level.

Do you teach year round or seasonally? Our resort is open all year around, but the school is open during the windy season from March-November.

What brands do you represent and why? Every fall we test every kite and board that we can get our hands on. We have various kiteboarders at different skill levels try the equipment and then we choose the best equipment to fit each style, skill level, and price point. What works for a pro rider is NOT what works for kiteboarders with different goals and needs.

Do you require your instructors to be certified? We are a PASA certified school and all our instructors go through this course and continue to get more intensive ongoing training.

What kind of insurance do you have and how do you handle lessons if there is no wind/a student can’t complete their lesson package? We carry business/sports insurance. Additionally, we can offer individual insurance for kiteboarders. Our PASA certified instructors can certify you as a kiteboarder and that membership includes a one million dollar personal liability insurance policy to protect you wherever you kiteboard. If the weather doesn’t cooperate we offer a partial or full refund, rescheduling (never expires/fully transferable), or store credit.

What is the best way for people to check the forecast and current conditions in your area? We have an ikitesurf. com sensor at our resort. You can look for KHK resort on the Outer Banks map. NOAA weather data for pilots is rich with information and aeroweather, intellicast, weather.com, and wind guru are also great.

Any words of wisdom you want to share with our readers? Never cut what can be untied: True with kiteboarding and a life philosophy for relationships.

k c a m S North American shops and kiters will soon get products and service a little quicker thanks to a new distribution agreement between Deep Blue Sports LLC in California and Underground International. Underground owner Adrian Roper will still help represent the brand at demos and events throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico, but will now have the help of Deep Blue. Deep Blue Sports LLC is the North American distributor for RRD, Mystic, and now Underground International.

Last year, kiteboarding pioneer Mark Shinn departed from Nobile Kiteboarding after five years and started Shinn Boarding, dedicated exclusively to kiteboards. Offering a full range of freestyle, freeride, light wind, ladies, youth, surfboards, and a new concept in skim boards, Shinn Boards are now being distributed in North America by All Out Kiteboarding out of Georgia. All Out is excited to represent the brand, including Shinn’s first directional wave board, the Duke, just released this August. For dealer inquiries, email info@alloutkiteboarding.com Loosely translated to mean “liquid air,” after many years of developing the concept and its first products, Xenon Boards launched the brand in 2009 but already has distribution in 30 countries. Xenon is pleased to announce that it is now being distributed in 31 countries and has signed on with Windzup based out of Utah to distribute its boards in North America. With a three year extended breakage warranty, these boards are definitely worth checking out.

See www.windzup.com for more info and contact info.

Photo Xenon

shop talk

The 2010 AWSI Industry Trade Show is scheduled for September 17-19, 2010, in Hood River, OR. For the past six years, The Kiteboarder staff has been the first to provide you in depth video interviews and photos on all the newest gear and accessories. Be sure to tune into www.thekiteboarder.com or subscribe to www.youtube.com/theringmedia mid-September for info on what’s coming down the line from the industry in 2011.

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. urge s . com ima

r. k ekites. e t s thru clips

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www.

PHONE: 1-888-kite311 EMAIL: info@eclipsekites.com

thek i teboarde r. com 2 1

letters

What Our Readers Have To Say Tom Court bonks the barrel in Fuerteventura.

Photo Susi Mai

It’s Just an Opinion

Yes, of course page 80 of the August 2010 issue of TKB shows why an idiot board leash is a bad idea. Don’t forget that the things you and anyone in this country or anywhere in the world put to print are all the same thingopinions! People are people and thank GOD we live in a country where we can ride with whatever equipment we choose or choose not to use. The wholesale discouraging of leash use is not cool at all to me. Would you want someone telling you that you can no longer bring your beer or your dope to the beach so you can enjoy after/before your session?

What about people with limited skills and mobility who may already be kiteboarding and using a leash system?

No, don’t use a leash to get your board back in strong currents. If this is your case apparently the pros at TKB would prefer you become another kiting fatality and drown because you couldn’t recover your board. Stop and think!

Perhaps they may even have been kiting for years with such a system without incident.

When it’s all said and done people should be able to choose for themselves and not have others dictate what they should or should not do. Besides, that’s messing with natural selection. If you think the idiots are going to kill themselves off then let them.

If you disagree with anything I’ve written rest assured you will forget all about it at about 4:25 after blazing away. Oh what? All kiters aren’t adrenaline addicted danger seeking pot heads or is it just the impression most of them give to the general public? OK, done with my rant and don’t sweat it, after all it’s just an opinion!

Raymond Howard

Like I’m an Idiot

Hey Paul, I wanted to comment on your editorial in the last issue. I thought it was right on. Just the other day I was bragging to some hot girl about how cool my new Droid phone is and she looked at me like I was an idiot. It snapped me back to reality. The truth is that even though I am ten times more productive with it, it’s totally becoming an obsession, and all the multi tasking and 24/7 awareness it promotes seems to lead to diminishing returns at some point. For example, my submission for last issue’s tutorial was still a good week past the deadline…

Brendan Richards

Thanks for the comment Brendan. It’s amazing how all of these technologies that are supposed to make us more productive can end up sucking the productivity out of us. I find that I sometimes have to put my phone in a drawer and work on a laptop with the WiFi turned off just so I can avoid Skype, instant messages, new emails, text messages, phone calls, and Facebook and Twitter updates. Sometimes it feels like the only purpose of that stuff is so you have a distraction to turn to when you want to avoid working on what you are supposed to. –Ed.

Wow, not really sure where to start here. Yes, everything we print is our opinion, which we are entitled to, just as you are entitled to yours. Our opinion on board leashes comes from our own experience, as each of the three principal people behind this magazine have operated their own kite schools and have seen the injuries that have been caused by board leashes. We have yet to see or even hear of an injury or fatality because someone did not use a board leash. You seem a little conflicted on your stance here. First you say it’s a bad idea, then that leashes prevent fatalities, and then you tell us we should let the idiots kill themselves off. Here’s the bottom line: If you cannot recover your board, you have skills that need developing. Using a leash is dangerous and is not necessary in all but a few rare circumstances. If you feel strongly about using one, you are by all means entitled to do so, but we think it’s a bad idea, and we will continue to say so. –Ed.

Got somthing on your mind? Submit your letter and you could win a killer t-shirt from Windcult Kiteboarding! E-mail PAUL@THEKITEBOARDER.COM 22 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

send it

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3 1. 2 nd Wind’s Pepe Gerald had a good time during Hood River’s KB4C. Photo Colby Otero 2. Gray Biggins found out how to avoid white thighs: Kite naked!

Photo Rainbow Monds 3. Brendan Richards had to tackle Cornfed to get his 5’11” back.

Photo Shal Jacobovitz 4. Dimitri Maramenides explains to his son Cameron why it’s a bad idea to launch with trees around. Photo Olivia Maramenides 5. The Pacific Northwest may have a short season, but that just means that everyone gets out and enjoys it while they can.

Photo Jim Stringfellow 24 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

6. When it gets cold on the beach you can always cram yourself into your kite bag to warm up. Photo Courtesy Best Kiteboarding 7. Bart Miller and son finish the day in Long Beach.

Photo Bart Miller 8. Rachel Callahan checks out the scene in New Zealand from the Leisure Van. Photo Grom Gormley 9. Bill Tai sitting on a camel in Morocco. Photo Courtesy Bill Tai 10. The best thing about kiteboarding is how easy the gear is to transport. Photo Paul Lang 11. Julien Sudrat finds out the spiders are big in Vanuatu.

Photo Paul Lang

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12. Claire Lutz takes a break on Hood River. Photo Matias Ricci 13. Ironman made an appearance at the KB4C. Photo Jim Stringfellow 14. Marco gets up close with a GoPro to a coral snake in Vanuatu.

Photo Paul Lang 15. Jalou Langeree chilling on Maui’s south shore. Photo Tracy Kraft 16. Look Out! Grom’s here! Photo Jim Stringfellow 17. The best use of an old piece of metal is to jump off of it.

Photo Jim Stringfellow 18. Litewave Dave models his new impact vest, but this one looks a little small. Photo Paul Lang

19. This is not a good time for Eric Schmidt to dangle his toes in the water. Photo Kevin Quinn If you have a photo that you would like featured in The Kiteboarder Magazine, please e-mail paul@thekiteboarder.com

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Made up of more than 80 different islands, the kiteboarding potential of Vanuatu has only begun to be explored.

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Vanuatu

Kiteboarding in the Happiest Place on Earth Words and Photos by Paul Lang

Vanuatu has been called the happiest place in the world, and once you are here, it feels that way. When I was first presented with the opportunity to join the Genetrix crew for this trip, I immediately agreed to come without even knowing where on the globe Vanuatu was located. A quick look online confirmed my vague suspicion that Vanuatu is located in the Southern Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 miles northeast of Australia.

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After traveling for more than 40 hours, Marco gets his first real glimpse of Vanuatu.

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f the 82 islands that make up Vanuatu, 65 of them are inhabited. This means that it would take you more than two months to visit every inhabited island for a day. Other than in the capitol of Port Vila on Efate and the town of Luganville on the largest island of Santo, the people of Vanuatu, who refer to themselves as Ni-Vanuatu, live in small villages and get the food they need from the fish and pigs they catch and the fruits and vegetables they grow. The Ni-Vanuatu are very happy people who are quick to smile, laugh, and cheer. Most who live outside of town don’t need to have regular jobs in the sense that we think of them in the western world. A few hours a day have to be spent getting food and taking care of other things in the villages, but as one local put it, “I’m the boss of time. Time not the boss of me.” On this trip we would be visiting just two islands, Efate and the nearby small private island of Kakula, and so would only be taking a small peak at the potential this country has to offer.

As I waited for the red-eye flight to Fiji to leave Los Angeles, Genetrix’s US distributor Gerard Bourgeois joined me in the terminal. Gerard was born in Vanuatu and lived there until he was 18. The plan was for us to meet up with his brother Thierry, who currently lives in Vanuatu, and another local kiter Victor Korikalo for a few days of kiteboarding before Julien Sudrat and Marco Martin joined us for more exploring and riding. After a long flight that left me confused for days about what day it was (we took off on a Sunday and landed on a Tuesday), I discovered that my luggage had been lost somewhere along the way.

After being greeted to the island by Thierry and Victor, I filled out the missing luggage form and we dropped off our gear at Thierry’s house before going out to explore Port Vila. I was immediately surprised at just how small the town is. Even though Port Vila is the capitol of Vanuatu, its population is only about 40,000 people. There is one main shopping street along the water, and you can easily walk the entire length of downtown in about 15 minutes. The streets are full of small vans of varying shape and color, which are private taxis. Wave one down and they’ll take you anywhere in town you would like to go for 150 Vatu, about $1.50 USD.

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The official language in Vanuatu is Bislama, a Pidgin English language, but English and French are also widely spoken. Actually, there are more than 110 different languages spoken in Vanuatu, as many villages have developed their own independent languages over the centuries. At first glance, a sign written in Bislama doesn’t make any sense to an English speaker, but if you phonetically say the words out loud it starts to come together. “Tabu blong fishing long ples ia” means Fishing is taboo here, it is forbidden. Because so many different languages are spoken in Vanuatu, Bislama is a second language for most and is how people from different islands and villages communicate with each other.

After a relaxing afternoon and evening, Gerard and I went to bed early to try to get adjusted to the time zone change (six hours behind, but a day ahead of California) so we would be ready to head out to Kakula the next morning. After loading up the trucks and hooking up the Sea Doos, we were on the road north out of town. Once you leave town, it’s like you just stepped back in time to 10, 20, or even 30 years ago. Other than the few cars on the road and the random Digicel sign advertising cell phones, there is very little that can be found to clue you in to what year it is. The ring road around the island was only recently paved, and actually isn’t completely finished yet. Forty five minutes after leaving Port Vila, we were at a wharf where small outboard boats wait to transport people to the different nearby islands. We loaded up two small boats with SUP boards, kiteboarding gear, photo equipment, and fuel, launched the two Sea Doos, and headed across the small channel to Kakula. Five minutes later we were standing on a pristine white sand beach looking out at 15-20 knots of wind blowing across the crystal clear electric blue water.

Kakula is a 90-acre private island located just a five minute boat ride from the north side of Efate. In fact, you can even walk all the way to Kakula at low tide on what the locals refer to as a Kakula Road, a wandering white path across the reef that is no more than thigh deep at low tide. Kakula was once owned by an American who convinced people to invest to create an extremely exclusive high-end resort. Construction was started on a huge and elaborate tree house and a large beach bungalow, which was to be the first of five. The

Victor Korikalo grabs over the Kakula sandbar.

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tree house and the bungalow stand today unfinished, the American developer is in jail for embezzling his investors’ money, and Kakula is currently for sale to help those investors recoup at least some of their lost money. There is also a small five-room resort on the island with power supplied by a generator, great food, and even an internet connection. We might have been staying on a small island, but by no means would we be roughing it.

As soon as the boats were unloaded, we pumped up a few kites and hit the water. The water surrounding Kakula is the clearest water that I’ve ever ridden on—it was incredible to watch the reef fly by underneath my board and watch the fish dart away as my shadow passed over the bottom of the ocean. After playing around the sandbar at the end of Kakula, we rode upwind to the next island, Pele, just to explore the area. Along the way, we passed two fishermen in dugout outrigger canoes that yelled and threw their arms up in the air every time one of us jumped or even just rode by. At Pele, there was a group of kids gathered at the edge of the shore watching us and cheering us on as we rode in and out of the messy surf along the upwind side of the island. After leaving Pele, while riding back to Kakula, Victor and I stopped for a minute to talk. Not paying enough attention to our kites, my kite flew through his lines and our kites crashed. Here we were, the only two kites anywhere near each other, and we were tangled. After a few scratches from the coral, which was only covered by knee-deep water at that particular spot, we sorted ourselves out and headed back to the beach for lunch.

After landing our kites, Fabiana, Kakula’s Italian cook, called us over to a beachside table for lunch. We sat down for a great meal of fresh fish and salad, finished with a huge piece of chocolate cake, and then we got up, walked 100 feet down the beach, and were back on the water. At the end of the second session of the day, we deflated our kites and left our gear right there on the grass next to the beach. There’s no need to put your stuff away when you know every single person on the island with you. Back at the resort we had a fantastic dinner and then made plans to ride before breakfast the next day, as the wind is usually best first thing in the morning. The next day proved to be clear and

The water surrounding Kakula is the clearest water that I’ve ever ridden on——it was incredible to watch the reef fly by underneath my board and watch the fish dart away as my shadow passed over the bottom of the ocean.

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vanuatu

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Marco rotates above the crystal clear shallow water.

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Because the wind was usually best in the morning, we were able to get in one session before breakfast and a second before lunch.

windy as soon as the sun was up, so we were on the beach shortly after 7:00 a.m. for our first session. After a quick one-hour session we were back at the resort for breakfast, and then back on the water for another session. We stayed on the water until lunchtime, when the tide got too low for us to ride anymore.

Around Kakula, the water is shallow, and you have to pay attention to the tide when you ride. At low tide, parts of the reef are exposed and the rest of it is under two feet or less of water. The clear water makes it difficult to judge its depth, but if you want to avoid small cuts and scratches, you have to stop riding before you find yourself bouncing along the bottom after you blow a landing. We left our gear on the island and headed back to Port Vila for a day so we could pick up Marco and Julien when they arrived at the airport. Before returning to Kakula, we spent a day in downtown Port Vila wandering around the shops and exploring the town. We also visited a Nakimal, a type of bar that serves Kava.

Kava is the typical after work drink in Vanuatu. Nakimals are dark quiet places where you buy your bowl of Kava and a few small snacks and then sit quietly to “listen to your kava” as the locals say, as sitting quietly is supposed to produce the strongest effect from the drink. Kava looks like watered down mud, and it doesn’t taste much better. You drink the whole bowl at once, rinse your mouth out with water, and then find a place to sit and eat your sweet potato and banana pieces.

After a few bowls, I began to feel the mellowing effects of the Kava, which are very similar to being slightly stoned. We left the Nakimal to join the rest of our group for dinner thinking that the effects had worn off. The next morning, we found out that we thought we were talking normally, but apparently the Kava was still affecting us, as we were told we were talking very slowly at dinner.

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he next day, we picked up Marco and Julien at the airport and also found that my missing bag, which contained my camera water housing, had been located. We headed back to Kakula for another two nights but unfortunately clouds, low tides, and intermittent rain would make getting photos more difficult than usual. Marco, who had spent more than 40 hours traveling to Vanuatu from France, couldn’t wait to get in the water despite the low tide, but he quickly returned to the beach after his board bounced off the reef a few times. We spent the next few days riding and shooting photos when there was enough water to ride and wandered around the island and reef when there wasn’t. Even without ideal conditions,

Traveling to Vanuatu Vanuatu is an easy place to travel to, but the lack of infrastructure makes exploring on your own without local knowledge fairly difficult. If you would more information about staying on Kakula, check out http://www.kakula-resort.com/

everyone was still able to get more than enough time in the water between Fabiana’s excellent meals and desserts. After an incredible three days of riding, lounging, and eating, it was time to head back to Port Vila so I could catch my plane home the next day.

My flight didn’t leave until the afternoon, so we visited a traditional village outside of Port Vila that invites visitors in to learn how most of the people on the outer islands still live. We were welcomed into the village by the chief and then learned about how villagers catch and prepare food, weave baskets, spend their free time, and about the cannibalism that used to be practiced in the islands.

We had seen huge spiders in the trees during our time on Efate and Kakula, but here we were able to play with one. Because the spiders are non-poisonous, the children use them as toys. “We don’t have plastic toys here, only the real things,” said our guide.

At the airport, I said my goodbyes to everyone and then got on a plane for the trip home. Because of the International Date Line, it took me two days to get to Vanuatu, but I would be arriving home at roughly the same time that my plane took off from Port Vila. While reviewing the photos on my laptop during the flight, I had to remind myself that I had only seen two out of 84 different islands. The potential for both incredible kiteboarding and cultural experiences in Vanuatu is amazing. On Tanna Island, you can drive almost to the top of an erupting volcano and peer right down into the crater. On Pentecost Island you can watch the villagers jump off a rickety platform with nothing but vines tied to their ankles while they try to get close enough to the ground to grab a handful of dirt. The opportunities are endless and the week that I had there was not nearly enough time. While I was there, it felt like time slowed down, which made returning to Southern California feel a little overwhelming. Now back in my usually busy routine, I am already looking forward to the time I can get back to Vanuatu, the happiest place on earth, where I can be the boss of time and time is not the boss of me. thek i teboarde r. com 3 1

close up Adam Koch (right) and Sky Solbach at the 2011 North photo shoot. Photo Adam Koch

tips

1. Enjoy.

2. Focus on a broad goal and don’t get ahead of yourself.

3. Stop talking about it and do it already! If at first it seems too difficult, that means you just need more practice. Visualization counts as practice. The BEST simply means the most PRACTICED.

Adam Koch

Age: Somewhere between birth and feeding the earth... Years Kiting: Over a decade Favorite Spots: Wherever there is wind and water, but I tend to migrate between the west coast and Maui Favorite Conditions: Whatever Mother Nature tosses at me Favorite Moves: Anything with style and intention usually catches my attention Sponsors: Team Fluid (http://www.teamfluid.com)

GEAR SET-UP

By TKB Staff

Boards: Aguera CR 59 Kites: Ozone Edge Harness: DaKine NRG (waist)

If you’ve been following kiteboarding for a number of years then you have probably heard of Adam Koch.

Adam grew up racing small sailboats in Seattle before finding his way to kiteboarding in 1998-1999. One of the early professional riders, Adam was a star of the early kiteboarding movies and magazines when Maui was the center of the world. At the same time, he pursued an Olympic sailing campaign with Morgan Larson, a world-class sailor. Adam stepped away from kiteboarding for awhile to start a family, but now he’s back, and this time he’s combining his love of sailboat racing and kiteboarding while traveling from competition to competition. “Now I get to live out of my board bag once again! Life is amazing if you let it be. Who dosent love a good second chance at fun?” said Adam, who is the 2010 IKA Kiteboarding Course Racing World Champion.

How is being a pro rider now different from back then? Well, technically I’m not a professional kiteboarder anymore. The only income I make through kiteboarding is by shooting it with a camera. I’m a free agent and that’s what Team Fluid is - we ride what we choose, which actually says a lot about what we ride. I just paid full pop for a new Aguera board and I’m proud of it even though I may have to sleep in my truck a bit longer to make it happen. Lately, I’ve rolled into kiting locations where ten years ago we were alone just trying to figure out how to get out and back safely. Now I can’t lay out my lines without catching a kite or being asked for a launch. I’m stoked to see so many new people in this sport. It’s very refreshing. I love this sport!

First thing first. How do you pronounce your last name? Cook. My great grandfather translated it from German to English.

Have any other sports or disciplines helped influence your kiteboarding? Sailing, paragliding, windsurfing, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, mountain biking, waterskiing - tons of different sports can be applied to kiteboarding. That’s why I love it so much. If I’m bored of racing I’ll just change what’s under my feet.

You were one of kiteboarding’s early pro riders. How did you get started? I taught myself in Seattle while working for a windsurfing/board riding shop called Urban Surf. I remember leaving the beach every session completely alone, ignorant, curious, and for sure not coming back to the same beach I launched from. Every session I swam into someplace very sketchy and new, usually swimming through a busy shipping channel and often times climbing up random docks, boats, rocks, and walls. I have even been rescued in the middle of Puget Sound by a large commercial fishing boat in 30° temperatures. I guess you could say I get stupidly motivated when I’m in love.

What do you do off the water to help you on the water? Visualization, let downs (reverse push-ups), and some leg strengthening exercises, but nothing replaces time on the water. I learned in sailboat training that it’s best to focus on your opposite muscles to encourage a balanced body. Your body is the most important piece of equipment in the equation. My brother Andrew and I do all of our own rigging and fine tuning - countless hours of measuring, re-measuring, splicing, sanding, molding, testing, breaking, and re-building just to make sure we are dialed for one regatta. I worked very hard for three weeks straight before the World Championships to make sure we were over-prepared from every possible angle.

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What do you think about the prospects of getting kiteboarding into the Olympics? Is this a good thing for the sport? The prospects are huge. It out performs everything else in the sailing category and it’s affordable to buy and travel with. The real question is how would it NOT help our sport? Actually, I think we have more to offer the Olympics in the long run than it has to offer us, but initially it will help us get ourselves together as a sport. I’m already witnessing this just with the discussion of the Olympic potential. Without a doubt kiteboarding is physically demanding and exciting to watch and do. The Olympics bring out the true athlete in those who give themselves to it. I would be honored to be a part of that tradition.

If someone is interested in getting into racing, where should they start? There are a lot of races going on in San Francisco through the Cabrinha Race Series. Seattle has a series as well as Squamish (Canada) and Hood River. Naish has also started a series in the Hawaiian Islands and there’s a lot going on in Florida. I was supposed to be in Hood River a month ago, but with the high caliber of races and racers in the area I can’t seem to leave San Francisco. For the last two months it seems there is a regatta every week and weekend.

What is something about you that you do outside of kiteboarding most people wouldn’t know? I am still recovering from two clavicle surgeries on my left shoulder from doing stupid stunts on mountain bikes. My surgeon recommended I sell my bike!

Do you still get out there for freestyle or wave sessions, or are you completely dedicated to racing?

I will love waves forever and I’m working on a new freestyle board to suit my style. Anyone who knows me will tell you I get obsessively focused on one thing, but now that I’m older and wiser I think I could surprise myself a few more times in this lifetime.

What are your must-haves that you can’t live without?

Growth, fun, wind, water, dirt, friends, and love.

Any words of wisdom you want to share with our readers? Think for yourself; only you know what’s best for you. Opinions are the cheapest commodity available.

Everybody has them and wants to give them away for free.

Sift through them and hang onto the ones that make you feel good.

Dealer Inquires: info@w2sports.com 209.304.2200

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close up Adriana has been kiting for less than three years, but is getting a lot of attention for her skills in the waves. Photo Chuck Harlan

tips 1. For any new girls looking to get into kitesurfing in the waves, don’t be intimidated by all the men in the water.

They will be stoked to have a new female face in the lineup.

2. If you are new to kiting in the surf, it is a good idea to learn proper wave etiquette such as who has priority on each wave and to give other kiters space when they are riding down the line on a wave.

3. To help improve your wave riding skills, try riding strapless. At first it will feel awkward but you will quickly learn to keep the board under your feet and will begin using your legs rather than the straps to surf the wave.

Adriana Harlan Age: 31 Years kiting: Since July 2008 Favorite Spots: For now, my favorite spot is the North Shore of Oahu. I hope to soon be able to travel the world in search of new wind and waves.

Favorite Conditions: 4-6’ NW swell and 20 knots Favorite Moves: Hitting the lip strapless as hard as I do strapped Sponsors: F-One Kites

GEAR SET-UP

By TKB Staff

Boards: F-One Custom 5’3” Surfboard Kites: 2010 5m and 7m F-One Revolt Harness: ProLimit Pure Girl Waist Harness

Adriana Harlan moved to the North Shore of Oahu from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, over ten years ago.

A former professional bodyboarder, she was only 15 years old when she competed at Pipeline for the first time. Adriana began kiteboarding just under three years ago, and she has spent that time on kiting in powerful waves both strapless and strapped.

What do you do off the water to help you on the water? I think it is important to eat healthy foods and stay away from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes. I still bodyboard at spots like Pipeline and Rocky Point to help keep my legs and body in shape for kiting. I also try and spend time at night stretching before I go to sleep.

When, where, and why did you start kiteboarding?

I took my first lesson in July of 2008 here on Oahu.

Living five minutes from one of the island’s best spots for wave kiting made me want to try it out. I spent six months learning to kite on a twin tip and in February of 2009 I picked up a surfboard for the first time. I remember it was solid 4-6’ Hawaiian and blowing 20+ knots with at least 20 people out. I was intimidated, but I had to give it a try. I fell in love with wave riding instantly and was so excited about it that I didn’t care if I could jibe or not. I took my time and it was very humbling at first, but over the last year and half I have had more fun than I ever thought possible.

You seem to be very focused on riding waves. What is the attraction to kitesurfing in the waves? Do you do any freestyle-type riding? Since I was young, I have lived near the ocean and had an obsession with riding waves. Kitesurfing in the waves allows me to see the wave from a different perspective than I have known from bodyboarding. I am able to ride waves that are not perfect and still have as much or more fun than I have ever had. I do not ride freestyle and I spend all of my time on the water focusing on improving my skills in the waves.

Have any other sports or disciplines helped influence your kiteboarding? I have been a bodyboarder all my life, but I have never actually surfed on a surfboard. While living in Brazil, I traveled around the country on the professional bodyboarding tour beginning when I was 13. I think my years of bodyboarding have helped me with wave knowledge and allowed me to progress much faster than I would have had I not spent so much time in the ocean.

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What do you think can be done to draw more women into kiteboarding? I think in order to get more women into kiteboarding, the magazines and videos must have more exposure for the girls who are killing it. Kite camps and schools that are devoted to teaching women would also help. I also feel that if companies gave more support to the female kiteboarding market then more women would be drawn to the sport.

What advice do you have for women who may be interested in getting kiteboarding, but are afraid to give it a try? I would tell women to first get a proper

lesson and spend hours on the beach working on kite control. If they plan to get into wave kiting they should first learn on a twin tip to get basic board and kite skills down and then progress to a surfboard. As I said earlier, before getting in the waves with a kite be sure and understand wave etiquette.

What standout features do you most appreciate about your current gear? I am currently flying the 2010 F-One 5 and 7m Revolt Kites and what I like about these kites is the power I am able to get and how stable they are in the air. I am able to fly my 5m in a wide range of wind conditions and it is always great to fly a small kite while riding waves. These kites are able to relaunch very quickly, which is important when the waves are big.

What is something about you that you do outside of kiteboarding that most people wouldn’t know?

Not only do I spend most of my time in the ocean for fun but I also work for the University of Hawaii as a research oceanographer and I spend one week a month out at sea doing research for the Hawaii Ocean Time Series program.

What are your must-haves that you can’t live without? What’s important in my life is the support of my family, husband, and friends and of course having plenty of wind and waves to ride.

Any words of wisdom you want to share with our readers? I would like to say be friendly, show respect to other kiters, and always offer advice or a helping hand to those in need. To all the young and up and coming females looking to start wave kiting, I encourage you to face your fears in the ocean and take your time learning each step. The more you practice the more comfortable you will become in the surf and the more fun you will have.

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Billy Floyd lost his legs in a hang gliding accident less than three years ago, but he is back doing the things he loved with just as much passion as he had before his accident. Photo Paul Lang

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UN

STOPABLE

By Paul Lang

Even the loss of his legs can’t keep Billy Floyd from kiteboarding.

Billy Floyd is a kiteboarder, just like the rest of us. He centers his schedule around when the wind is expected to blow, has a van full of kite gear, and likes to tinker with his equipment. He’s built a few of his own boards and loves to talk about how much fun he had during his last session.

Billy started kiteboarding about four years ago and is working on getting his back rolls dialed in and has landed a few front rolls. Basically, he sounds like an average kiteboarder, but there is something that makes Billy stand out from the regular crowd of kiters.

What makes Billy Floyd different from the rest of us is the extra step that he has to do before every session. After he finishes pumping up his kite, Billy has to sit down in his van and strap on two carbon fiber and aluminum prosthetic legs before he can get out on the water.

I first met Billy Floyd through email. He would occasionally send me photos and entertaining descriptions of his last kiteboarding session. “We’ve had mostly storm fronts now with erratic winds. I did get lucky a week ago with really nice 20-22 all day. I landed my first front roll but when I went to power up the kite to ride away, it wasn’t where I envisioned it, and this really sick feeling hit my gut a moment before I got launched!”

Shortly before I traveled out to Lake Mohave on the Nevada/Arizona border to meet him in person, I got a message from him that his leg had come off during a back roll, sank, and was now resting at the bottom of the lake. “I’m the legless white-haired guy that used to be able to walk until yesterday! Mohave blew 18-25 all day and I was having the best day of my life ever until I crashed and lost my right leg to the bottom of the lake. The back roll was finished and all my buddies are standing on the beach yelling so I decided to show off and toss a kite loop just as the board was about to touch down. Then I got launched!

It was an expensive day, but the best day of kiting I’ve ever had, all four hours of it.” Fortunately, Billy had a friend with some scuba gear who went out to Mohave to look for his leg. A few days later, I got another email from Billy that contained a photo of four guys proudly holding his missing leg on the beach like it was a prize-winning fish.

Formerly in Army Intelligence, Billy Floyd moved to San Diego to attend Mesa College in 1976 once he got out of the Army. A chance visit to the seaside hang gliding port of Torrey Pines turned out to be a life-changing experience.

“So I go out to Torrey Pines, and I see this guy doing wingovers, like he’s just bouncing off a cushion of air. Oh my God, you can do that? I was hooked right there! I’ve got to do that!” Before long, Billy was giving tandem hang gliding rides over the beach at $20 a pop to pay the bills.

“I could do four to five an hour, so for three hours of tandem rides I could bring home a pretty good day’s pay.”

In 1985, he had his first accident. “You are talking to a guy who died. I was up about 450’ above Torrey Pines, not doing any aerobatics, just minding my own business, and a side wire breaks. It turned out the wire was twisted and running over a sharp edge. When I was checking the glider before I took off, the guy who owned it said, ‘Hey I just landed the thing, it’s fine,’ so I didn’t do my pre-check. Then, the girl that usually packs my parachute walked by and said, ‘Now Billy, I haven’t packed your chute in a year, it’s time.’

I pulled off my parachute and handed it to her, so now I don’t have a parachute and I’m on a glider that’s going to break in 15 minutes. When the side wire snapped, the wings folded in half and I plummeted. I remember hitting the ground and I stood up; I just had so much adrenaline going. I went, ‘Oh, this isn’t good,’ and I lay back down and then I remember kind of like phasing right out of my own body. Luckily, I was CPR’d back so I didn’t have to meet the maker. It wasn’t fun at all.”

“You are talking to a guy who died. I was up about 450’ above Torrey Pines, not doing any aerobatics, just minding my own business, and a side wire breaks.”

thek i teboa rde r. com 3 7

After he recovered, Billy kept on hang gliding and giving rides at Torrey Pines until the FAA changed the rules about tandem rides. “The FAA came in and said no more tandem rides. They had to be lessons, and I didn’t want to give lessons, because then you have to be an instructor.” This change in rules led to a series of hang gliding trips to Canada with his good friend Scott Kurth.

“I went up to British Colombia and started barnstorming around all of these really cool mountains up there. For five straight years in a row, I would make enough money in two months to pay rent for the entire year.”

Scott first met Billy at Torrey Pines and was immediately blown away by the type of flying he did. “He showed up one day and turned my whole view of flying hang gliders upside down. What he did is what I would call freestyle flying. He was doing these amazing sliding landings, wing-tip dragging turns, and other moves I didn’t realize were possible,” said Scott. “I latched onto him immediately and he turned out be an outstanding tutor and buddy.

It wasn’t long before we were both doing sliders, touch-and-go’s all over the cliff, and swooping down onto the golf course to pluck golf balls off the fairway and drop them on the green. Bill also educated me in the art of selling rides. We would find a pullout on a mountain road that was launchable and set up the tandem gliders. When curious onlookers stopped he would go into the sales pitch and base the price on the car they drove or clothes they wore. We supported ourselves on more than a few trips to Canada by selling rides that way.”

A little more than four years ago, Billy learned to kiteboard while continuing his hang gliding, and was ranked fourth in the world in hang gliding acrobatics. About two and a half years ago, Billy had his second hang gliding accident. “Overconfidence got me. I was towing up in a hang glider, and I had no concept of the rules of towing. I just had this totally immortal attitude that I couldn’t die. I forgot to hook into the glider.

Had the tow bridle been an under bridle, I could have let go and would have just been dragged by the tow truck for a bit. Because it was an over-under bridle, the over part kept me stuck to the glider, and I was going up no matter what. Then I went for my parachute, because this time I had one. So I’m hanging on underneath the glider, and I let go with one hand and grab my parachute handle. The problem was that the bridle that hooked me to the tow line went right over the parachute handle, so I couldn’t grab it. Now the glider is starting to lock out, and I knew that if that happened I was dead for sure. So I reached up and popped the release on the tow line and I just couldn’t hang on. There was so much energy built up that the glider shot up as soon as I released. The bar got ripped right out of my hands and I fell right into the ground, 3 8 t he ki t eb oa r d e r .c o m

feet first. On the ground, I turned around behind me and saw this mess of blood and bones. I looked down at my legs and everything below the knees was just exploded. The first thought that went through my head was, ‘Now I know what the gazelle feels like when he’s being eaten by a lion.’ You know what he feels? Nothing. It was better than the morphine they gave me at the hospital. In my first accident I let go and drifted away from my body and they had to CPR me back, but this time I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m letting go. I’m staying right here.’ When the helicopter showed up and shot me full of morphine, that’s when I let go. Twelve thousand dollars for a helicopter ride and I don’t even remember being loaded in it.”

In the hospital, even before his legs were amputated, Billy already knew that he would be back on the water and back in the air. “They were setting me up for the surgery, and I was already thinking about how I could get back onto the board. I had put drywall up before using stilts, and I just thought walking around on prosthetics can’t be much different than that. Another thing that helped me a lot is that when I was in high school, the place kicker on the football team had no legs, and man could he kick that ball. I just had an idea that if I set my mind to it, it could be done.” His friends who visited him in the hospital were amazed at how upbeat he was given the circumstances. “When I visited him in the hospital two days after his accident he was upbeat, joking, and already planning new adventures, pondering how he would be able to kite and hang glide again.

He was totally upbeat and optimistic. I would have been devastated,” said Mark Barry, a Lake Mohave kiter.

Even though he knew he would be kiting again, Billy gave his kiteboarding gear away to Scott Kurth so that he and his son could learn to kiteboard together on the equipment he wouldn’t be able to use for awhile. “Towards the end of my first conversation with Billy after the accident, he started going off about this kiteboarding thing and how much fun he was having with it,” said Scott. “I mentioned that I had been eyeing it but did not want to abandon my family for a new wind activity as I have trouble with self control when hooked by a new sport. He offered his kite gear to me and explained that kiting was something I could do with my eight-year-old son. It didn’t take any more convincing.

Billy sealed the deal by sending me his 13m and I picked up a 6m for my son.

“This time I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m letting go. I’m staying right here.’”

A few months later we were on the water together.” After the accident, Billy spent a year in a wheelchair, and was so determined that he would be kiteboarding again that he bought another set of kiteboarding gear before he had his first prosthetic legs. “I knew for sure that I would be kiteboarding again. I didn’t have a single doubt in my mind,

Billy Floyd takes off for the first time since his accident.

Photo Allen Sparks

Just three weeks after he got his prosthetic legs, Billy went rock climbing for the first time in his life.

Photo Scott Kurth

Because he can’t feel the board underneath him, Billy has to constantly glance down at the board to visually check if he is holding it in the correct position. Photo Paul Lang

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Billy walks out his lines at Lake Mohave. Photo Paul Lang

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Out on the water, Billy is all smiles. Photo Paul Lang

so I bought a kite. Some people were telling me I should get one of those Peter Lynn catamaran things and do it in that, but I thought no, I’m going to kiteboard. I just need to learn the new tricks.”

Three weeks after getting his prosthetic legs, Scott invited Billy to join his family in Joshua Tree for the weekend. “I hadn’t really figured out how to use my legs yet, and since I had spent a year in a wheelchair, my knees were kind of weak.” Billy watched Scott’s six-year-old daughter tie into a rope and climb an 80’ vertical rock wall. When she got back down, she walked over to Billy and said, “Well Uncle Billy, I think it’s your turn.” Billy had never gone rock climbing before and was still using crutches with his new prosthetic legs. “I guess it was my Italian ego. I can’t get challenged by a six-year-old girl and not at least accept. Scott said, ‘Maybe you can just go ten feet. You’ll be doing something if you go ten feet.’ So, they put climbing shoes on my prosthetics, and I went up ten feet. Then I did ten more, then another ten, all the way up to the top.”

have to check the angle of the board to make sure the nose isn’t up too high.

Then I’ll back off a bit and bring the board slightly more upright and then edge back to where I was, paying attention to whether I pick up speed or loose speed. I have absolutely no feeling whatsoever below my knees, so I have to visually look at the board to see what is going on.”

Billy is part of a small group of Las Vegas kiteboarders that ride at Lake Mohave, which is located in the middle of the desert about an hour from Las Vegas. Another member of the local kite crew, Craig Lumpp, met Billy when the two went land sailing together. “Last fall, I suffered a fairly significant knee injury from kiteboarding and was sidelined from the water for a couple months. A mutual kiter friend let Bill know that I was out of commission, and after some email correspondence we made plans to do some land sailing.

Bill reminded me to make sure to ‘Remember to bring cold beer.’ This was the first time I had hung out with Bill. Here was this boisterous, completely wired, seemingly crazy 56-year-old legless guy who loves wind, flying, and adrenaline. It was really quite a funny thought - two adrenaline junkies, one with no legs, another with a busted knee who where out to get their wind fix by land sailing. Needless to say, we’ve been friends ever since and spend plenty of time chasing wind, catching epic sessions, and drinking some cold beer.”

Earlier this year, Billy decided to get back on the horse that threw him off and get back into the air on a hang glider. His attitude towards jumping off the side of a mountain again should be an inspiration to the rest of us when we have to tackle something in our lives that makes us nervous. “I was standing with one of the best pilots in the world right next to me. I turned around and said, ‘I used to do loops on a hang glider. I was a world-class aerobatic pilot. Now, I’m going to do a sled ride on a beginner glider.’ Then I rolled my hands over and showed him the sweat dripping off my palms. He said, ‘Bill, you have every right to be a little nervous, but you’re Billy Floyd.

Once you get in the air, everything will be fine.’ As soon as I got in the air, everything was like I was flying just yesterday. It’s weird, you can get these feelings of anticipation, but once you’ve actually made the leap, it’s too late now. You need to deal with your environment, not your emotions. I had made that decision before I jumped. OK, I am nervous, but as soon as I am in the air and I have to do this, I will. In the air, it was like someone flipped a switch, and I felt like I had been flying my whole life.”

“One day she grabbed my board, chucked it out to me, and said, ‘Billy, I’m pretty sure you can do this.”

To get back into kiteboarding, Billy first started off by doing body drags again. “Ramona Nelson, another Lake Mohave kiter, helped me out a lot. She would launch the kite for me, and then bring it over and transfer it to my harness. Then I would do body drags back and forth at Boulder Beach. I did that for awhile. Then one day she grabbed my board, chucked it out to me, and said, ‘Billy, I’m pretty sure you can do this.’” Once Billy figured out the technical challenges of riding on prosthetics, he was up and going. “If I stand duck-footed, which is how most people ride, my feet don’t stay flat when I bend my knees. I actually have a pigeon toe stance to keep my feet flat on the board, which is a little awkward, but it works. It’s a good thing that I learned to ride before I lost my legs, because I think it would have been too hard to learn with no legs. Now that I’ve done it and I’ve figured it out, I could take someone who has prosthetic legs and teach them how to kiteboard.”

Most kiteboarders take for granted how much feedback they get from feeling the board under their feet. Billy doesn’t take that for granted, because he can’t feel what the board is doing. “With me it’s not by feel at all. As much as you look in your rearview mirror to see what the traffic is doing around you, that’s how much I have to look at the wake coming off my fins. Then I

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Dimitri Maramenides wows the crowd at the 2010 Big Air/ Old School competition in La Ventana. Photo Paul Lang

Burning Bush, La Ventana, January 15, 2011

Four Good Reasons

to Head South this Winter

By Marina Chang

For most of North America, winter means you’re either heading to the snow or traveling to a warm destination to get your kite fix. If you’re pining for some sunshine and warm water this winter season, you have more reasons than ever to head south to Baja California.

Mexican Nationals, La Ventana, December 17-21, 2010

Jessica Withington Sanchez, co-owner of Playa Central, has partnered with Andres Santacruz, president of the Mexican Kitesurf Association, to bring this second annual event to Baja Sur. The event is open to Mexican Nationals only and will highlight the best of the best in freestyle and racing. The competition will also kick off the official grand opening of Playa Central, located near the main campground, a 4,000 square foot warehouse with plans to house a kite shop, kite school, restaurant, bakery/café and “Rider’s Bunk”, two rooms with two bunk beds each which will cater to young up and coming kiters to train in La Ventana for a few weeks or more. http://laventanakiteboarding.net

Lord of the Wind Showdown, Los Barriles, January 12-16, 2011

Conveniently located just 45 minutes outside of Cabo San Lucas, the East Cape Rotary Club in Los Barriles and Governor Narciso Agundez of B.C.S. have partnered with the windsurfing and kiteboarding communities to host this first annual event for Los Barriles. With $19,000 in cash plus prizes up for grabs, the event will consist of course races, downwind slaloms, a big air contest, freestyle windsurfing contest, kite/ windsurf clinics, SUP racing, and gear demos. On the beach, they’ll have nightly beach parties, great food, volleyball tournaments, a bikini contest, poker run, zips lines, a 5km run, and horseshoes with more in the works. Proceeds from this event will be given to the Rotary Club to continue its efforts in the local community and with area children. Additional proceeds will be applied to the Lord of the Wind Showdown in 2012. www.lordofthewindbaja.com

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

Bruce Sheldon Spradley of Sheldon Kiteboarding in Rio Vista, CA, is a long time veteran of La Ventana, going all the way back to his windsurfing days.

In 2007, with friends Jay Conners and Travis Brownwood, Burning Bush was born. Intrigued by pyrotechnics with an interest in arts and building things, what started out as a party for a few close friends has now turned into one of La Ventana’s most anticipated events attended by hundreds.

Past year themes have included 007, Flower Power, Fish, and Bush Goes to Mars. A community effort involving around 50 volunteers who help collect wood and other building materials, the event is similar (but mellower) to the infamous Burning Man, but is done Baja-style. For a few hours, themed structures are lit on fire in a variety of dramatic ways, with many having the ability to ‘float away’ under the canopy of a star-filled evening sky. Complete with a band, food, and beer, it will be interesting to see what Bruce and his crew have in store for 2011! There is no official website or location. You just have to be in La Ventana to get the lowdown.

La Ventana Classic and KiteXpo, January 16-24, 2011

Tim Hatler of Palapas Ventana and friends started doing trips to Isla Cerralvo looking for flat water spots. Pro rider Adam Koch happened to be in town after Adam’s Catalina crossing and the idea for the first Classic event came together in 2005 with help from Red Bull. The event quickly gained popularity and grew into a fundraiser for the community and schools. In 2008, The Kiteboarder Magazine partnered with Tim to get behind the cause and bring in kite companies to offer free demos of all the newest gear and accessories – products that most wouldn’t be able to see, or even worse try, until things thawed out back at home. Today, the event has raised just under $50,000 which has gone straight back into community projects. For 2011, the event promises to be even better with more than 25 kite and accessory companies participating in the KiteXpo. Day clinics or trips with pro riders will be offered to the island and coast January 16-20 focusing on racing and strapless skills, as well as an all girls clinic. January 21-24 marks the main event and official kick off of the La Ventana Classic and KiteXpo, with an 11.5 mile island crossing (The Classic), short course buoy races, Big Air/Old School competition, SUP Paddle Royale, Downwind Paddle Race, and some more surprises in store. With live bands and food on the beach, a real Lucha Libre match (think Nacho Libre with Jack Black), Caution ‘golf’ tournament, and other activities planned from the creative and somewhat twisted minds of Tim and emcee extraordinaire Neil Hutchinson, come help do a lot of good by having a ton of fun! www.palapasventana.com and www.thekiteboarder.com

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PUNTA SAN CARLOS

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NEW IN 2010 -HOOD RIVER

COOL PLACES

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PRO INSTRUCTION

GREAT GEAR

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CALL NOW! 1-800-223-5443 www.velawindsurf.com

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email: info@velawindsurf.com

THE BEST OF BAJA

Guide to BajaBusinesses: LA VENTANA

DOWNWINDER INN: The newest property in La Ventana, owners

Wayde and Char Yates invite you to experience their piece of paradise with six rooms in a garden setting conveniently located near great beach launches. Each room has a queen bed, storage shelves, personal refrigerator, coffee maker, and complete bathrooms with hot showers for $65/night, double occupancy. Roof tops are available for relaxation and eye candy to enjoy the fabulous sunrises, sunsets, or just star gazing like you have never seen. A spacious outdoor community dining area provides all necessary items from the quick breakfast to a sit-down relaxing dinner. Free downwinder shuttle service available as well as wifi internet. www.downwinderinn.com

PALAPAS VENTANA: Founders of the La Ventana Classic Race, owners Tim and Jimena Hatler’s property is located upwind of the main riding area where waves often break when there’s swell or a strong El Norte.

You’ll know you’re at the property when you see the palapa roofs of their quaint casitas with large porches, each overlooking the Sea of Cortez and Cerralvo Island. Lodging includes authentic home-cooked meals (breakfast/lunch) served at the convenient restaurant/bar located just above the launch area or stop in for a killer espresso and wifi. With a central location to riding, area markets, and restaurants, Palapas Ventana’s warm atmosphere will make you feel like you have a home away from home. Sport fishing, diving excursions, and day trips to the island are also available. www.palapasventana.com VENTANA BAY RESORT: Located halfway between the main town

and the hot springs, Ventana Bay Resort offers you a choice of accommodations from beachfront rooms to private bungalows nestled in the beautiful desert landscape. Their on-site private restaurant serves delicious and healthy meals. Guests can keep to themselves on their private patio or join other guests for a cocktail at the clubhouse overlooking the bay. The Resort also offers lessons for all levels with all of the latest windsurfing and kiteboarding equipment along with a sports package with mountain biking, snorkeling, and kayaking equipment. www.ventanabay.com

VENTANA WINDSPORTS: In the middle of the action but seemingly a

world apart, Ventana Windsports offers a casual laid back atmosphere in an intimate setting with super comfortable rooms. With a large launch/land are directly in front of the property and a 2,000 gallon hot tub for soaking after your session, you’ll also enjoy healthy gourmet meals (included in accommodations), thick futons, feather beds, and fine bedding and furnishings, along with plenty of hammocks and lounge chairs for your “Baja Deluxe” holiday. Lodging also includes wifi and use of sports gear (SUP boards, kayaks, bikes). www.ventanawindsports.com

ELEVATION KITEBOARDING: Elevation Kiteboarding is headed by

Marie Leclerc and Mark Bavis. Marie, the reigning queen of the La Ventana Classic Race, and Mark, the strapless king of the beach, have been pioneering the sport on the west coast since 2002. Based out of Baja Joe’s in La Ventana in the winter and Nitinat in Canada in the summer, the school provides lessons for all levels using the most advanced teaching techniques. From radio assisted lessons with the latest waterproof radio helmet systems to watercraft assisted lessons, Elevation caters to all levels of riders and also offers girls camps, lessons for kids, island trips, downwinders, and more. www.elevationkiteboarding.com

baja businesses continued

LOS BARRILES VELA/DARE2FLY: Vela/Dare2Fly has been creating and perfecting the windsports resort experience for nearly 25 years. Whether you are looking for long tropical beaches with reliable side-shore winds, perfect flat water, or good surf breaks, Vela offers stand alone lessons or packages with gear, lessons, and lodging options at many locations around the world. Check out their website for their full offering of destinations with wind reports from their center managers, videos, and feedback from other travelers to give you a sense of what to expect. www.dare2fly.com or www.velawindsurf.com KITEBOARDING BAJA: An IKO school based in Los Barriles, just

45 minutes outside of Cabo San Lucas, Baja Kiteboarding offers radio helmet lessons in a private or group setting with boat support.

Stocked with the latest gear from Cabrinha, you can also take guided day trips to nearby riding spots and find the right place for your style and budget. www.kiteboardingbaja.com

EXOTIKITE: ExotiKite Kiteboarding School has been teaching kiteboarding in Los Barriles since 1998. An IKO certified and insured school on the East Cape boasting professional and experienced instructors, jet ski lessons and rescue, radio helmet instruction, and a guaranteed safe, successful, and enjoyable learning experience, they operate year round offering kiteboarding lessons, advanced wave riding and trick clinics, rentals, SUP tours and rentals, snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, and accommodations. Visit their new store after November 20 next to Smokey’s Cantina or their school one mile north of town at kitebeach. www.exotikite.com

“...It’s a few notches above the rest in terms of the meals, the accommodations and the whole casual but deluxe vibe.”

“For beginners, this is the ultimate learning spot. And the hot tub rules.”

“At Ventana Windsports, we stayed right ON the beach, and wow is the food good. What a relaxing and windy trip! We’ll be back to kiters’ paradise!”

Ventana Windsports www.VentanaWindsports.com

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

I N THE SP O TL IG H T Ever since he burst onto the Maui scene well before he could drive, Niccolo Porcella has been closely watched by kiteboarding’s photographers and videographers. Now in his 20s, Niccolo is a little more mellow than he was when he was a grom on kitebeach, but he still rides as aggressively as ever. Photo Courtesy Wainman Hawaii

WE R E YOU SC A R ED? Julien Sudrat lives in Tahiti and has surfed and kited at the infamous Teahupoo a number of times. When asked if he ever got scared there, he said, “Yea, I’m scared every time I go there. If someone says they aren’t afraid of that wave, they’re lying to you.”

Photo Tim Mckenna

5 0 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

5 2 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

I NFLUEN CE Shannon Best is the man whose name is behind Best Kiteboarding, but few people realize how influential Shannon was to both wakeboarding and kiteboarding. A former cable World Champion, Shannon invented the S-Bend long before anyone had ever heard of kiteboarding and was a part of the first wakestyle group of kiteboarders during the early days on Maui.

Photo Gavin Butler

thek i teboarde r. com 5 3

F-ONE BANDIT 4

9

product watch

New Products to check out

ION STRIKE

Now in its fourth year, the 2011 F-One Bandit has a new profile with square tipped wingtips and three struts, using F-One’s force frame technology. The kite is lighter and turns in a smaller radius with more speed, especially at the end of kite loops. The goal was to improve the bar reaction and overall flying sensation while keeping what makes a delta so attractive to many riders. The Bandit 4 has a new character while keeping it easy for everyone, which has been a trademark of all Bandits. The bar has a new clean design using all aluminum technology. They also have upgraded the accessories around the safety and quick release system.

Sizes: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 16m Colors: TBD MSRP: TBD www.f-onekites.com NA Distributor http://f-onekite.us

These wetsuits are not named “Strike” for nothing: Premium quality, extremely robust, and super flexible wearing comfort make the Strike feel like a second skin on your body. The Strike is renowned for its progressive look and asymmetrical panel design. It comes with known and ingenious features: Improved seal tight wrists and collar prevent any water rushing when you hit the water; the crash pads plus the protection panels in all stress areas protect the rider and the gear; water gate plus batwing panels for a water tight fit; and n type neoprene to provide overall stretch, just to name a few. Additionally, the wetsuit consists of certified limestone neoprene that is super flexible and even environment-friendly.

Models: Skin: Semidry 5/4, Semidry 4/3, Over knee LS 4/3, Over knee SS 3/2 Double Lined: Semidry 5/5, Semidry 4/5, Steamer SS 3/2, Shorty 2.5 SIZES: Normal: 46 / XS, 48 / S, 50 / M, 52 / L, 54 / XL, 56 / XXL (tall sizes also available) Colors: Black/turquoise MSRP: TBD www.ion-essentials.com

rrd 2011 PASSION III

AND GLOBAL BAR

For 2011, the Passion III has been completely redesigned. An extremely smooth and easy flying delta kite, RRD’s designers took all the good stuff from the previous years and improved key features based on rider and shop feedback. The new Passion now has more bar pressure, better maneuverability, increased stability, and improved depower. Combined with the new Global V3 bar which has a new molded chicken loop that can be re-mounted with one hand and RRD’s proprietary lines which provide an unmatched low stretch factor compared to classic flying lines, the Passion III offers a ton of fun for all levels, including beginners, who desire a simple yet performance-oriented freeride machine.

Sizes: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13m Colors: Yellow/black, white/cyan MSRP: TBD www.robertoriccidesigns.com

METHOD PRODUCTS METHOD TRAINER KITE

The Method trainer kite combines the realistic aspects of a 4-line inflatable trainer with the durability and affordability of a traditional foil trainer kite. Its patent pending bridle system allows the kite to be flown on the included 2-line bar system or ANY 4-line bar and line set on the market. This means new riders can practice kite depower, emergency release, landing, launching, and more on their actual 4-line kite bar.

SIZES: 3m (4m version coming soon) Colors: All red with black logo MSRP: $209.95 complete with 2-line bar set $189.95 kite only for use with normal 4-line bar setup www.methodtrainerkite.com 5 4 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

NAISH PARK

Designed for riders looking for simple, no-fuss performance. The Park is a performance-focused kite condensed into an easy, simple package. The Park’s three-strut design is stable and responsive. This configuration, combined with a powerful profile and full outline gives the Park the consistent pull of a C-type kite and the power control of a swept kite. The swept leading edge positions the wingtips behind the center of the kite, which gives the kite easy relaunch capabilities and maximizes depower.

SIZES: 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14m Colors: N/A MSRP: TBD www.naishkites.com

SHINN WATERBIRD SKIM

The Waterbird is a fresh new school skimboard. The bird features ABS rails, twin tip functionality, and full coverage 3-D deck-pad bringing a whole new element to light wind strapless fun. With early planning like a conventional skim and “trick-ability” like a wake skate, no progressive rider can afford to be without one.

SIZES: 120 x 52cm Colors: white with waterbird graphic MSRP: $499 www.shinnboarding.com North American Distributor: www.alloutkiteboarding.com

PROMOTION WETSUITS

KITE VEST

Part impact vest, part PFD, and part wetsuit, the new ProMotion Kite Vest offers a layer of impact protection, upper torso buoyancy, and the extra insulation of neoprene, all in one. The lower half of the vest is an adjustable neoprene/ velcro wrap made slim to fit under your harness. The upper half of the vest features 25mm of internal foam padding.

On the back is a zippered mesh pocket. Graphics were inspired by Polynesian tattoo art.

SIZES: S to XL MSRP: $99 www.wetsuit.com

UNDERWAVE

Sultan Waist Harness

This clean design conforms to the rider with non slip thermo molded padding on the inside for comfort and PVC shell on the outside that both supports and protects the rider. Additional padding along the hips prevents discomfort and rashes. The Sultan has a spreader bar and pad that also includes a safety knife that is easy to reach.

The spreader bar has an integrated stabilizing system that stops the spreader bar from pulling up while riding and a traditional system for locking the harness in place.

SIZES: XS to XL Colors: Black, yellow, and white MSRP: $199 www.underwave.info North American Distributor: www.w2sports.com

XENON LALUZ

The Laluz is a highperformance freestyle board best suited for intermediate to pro-level riders. It’s big rocker, deep concave, variable flex, and wide tip/tail area characteristics combine to give it a lively, responsive, direct feel and no loss of comfort while riding.

Construction is a full wood core, laminated with Triax and glass reinforced with carbonkevlar stringers.

SIZES: 129, 132, and 135cm Colors: n/a MSRP: $499 www.xenonboards.com Distributor USA: www.windzup.com

thek i teboa rde r. com 5 5

2011

Sam Light, Jalou Langeree, and Kevin Langeree get out for a session on the brand new 2011 Naish kites. Photo Stephen Whitesell

Kiteboarding

Gear

Preview Guide

By TKB Staff

While it feels like all of the 2010 kiteboarding gear just came out, it’s now fall, and that means it’s time for the kiteboarding manufacturers to release their latest and greatest creations in the form of their 2011 product lines. Fall is the traditional time for companies to release new products, but we’ve begun to notice a trend that some companies are not in such a rush to get new products to market. While many manufacturers are sticking with the traditional fall release, others will not be releasing new products until the spring. What does this all mean for you, the consumer? It simply means that while some 2011 kites will be available by the time this magazine hits newsstands, other 2010 kites will still be around for months until the new model is released.

Instead of just publishing the names and manufacturer descriptions of the latest products, we decided to give our advertisers the chance to tell you what changed for the new year and, most importantly, why you should spend your hard-earned money on their latest products. We worked hard to come up with the questions we think you the reader want to know and we chased the manufacturers around until they answered our questions and gave up the goods on the new gear. We’ll be testing these products throughout the year and also posting video and photos of the 2011 gear at the ASWI Conference in September. Keep your eye on thekiteboarder.com for continuing updates on the 2011 product year.

5 6 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

Everyone at The Kiteboarder Magazine loves to get out and ride and we get just as excited as you do when the new products come out. After a quick poll around the office we put together our picks for the upcoming 2011 kiteboarding products that we here at TKB are most interested in.

Best: Best has taken a new approach to the design of the all-new

Taboo and we like the idea that each size was specifically made for the different types of riding people usually do in different wind speeds.

Caution: The 2011 Spitfire was created by combining the best

aspects of the 2010 Zombie and Mayhem X and we can’t wait to get our hands on it.

Eclipse: Our San Diego based staff members are curious to try the 9m Kima, which Eclipse claims will eliminate the need for a 12m because of its expanded range in lighter wind conditions.

Epic: We really want to try the 2011 10m LTD Screamer, which Epic is claiming is an ultra high performance kite with the power of a 12m.

F-One: For sure, the F-One product we are most interested in for 2011 is the new Source 2-line kite. It’s been a long time since anyone sold a kite with no depower and we are very curious to see how well it is received.

Genetrix: We liked the 2010 Origin from Genetrix and are anxious to give it a try on a new and improved control system in 2011.

GK: With minor tweaks and a quick release that is easier to reload, we are looking forward to getting out on the 2011 Trix.

Naish: The Park is an all new kite from Naish for 2011 that they are describing as “C-Like” for the riders who want to try a C-kite, but are intimidated by them being too oriented for hardcore riders.

Nobile: The NHP is Nobile’s highest performing SLE kite and are interested to see if the new profile which improved its low end changed any other performance characteristics.

North: We are expecting the 2011 Dyno, North’s all new light wind specific kite, to turn some heads in riding areas plagued with light wind.

RRD: Almost all of us here at The Kiteboarder love to ride in the waves and we are excited about RRD’s 24 different surfboards they are offering for 2011.

Wainman Hawaii: We are really looking forward to getting to put a pair of boots on the new Wainman Hawaii Joke twin tip and go out for a powered up flat water session. thek i teboa rde r. com 5 7

de

ne sig

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best

c o r Preview Gea

The Taboo is the all new high performance kite from Best Kiteboarding. Photo Gavin Butler

The 2011 kite line up from Best builds upon the performance of their Kahoona Delta and Bularoo SLE kites. New for 2011, Best is introducing the Taboo, a high performance kite to replace and surpass all previous Nemesis designs. The Taboo line represents a completely different approach to designing a range of kites. Every size of the Taboo is based on analysis and rider feedback of the most popular riding style for the wind range covered by each kite. Best is offering something for everyone in 2011 from the beginner rider looking for their first kite to the hardcore freestyle rider looking for gear that is built to last and dressed to impress. Kite designer Peter Stiewe fills us in on the details of the 2011 kite line while board designers Shannon Best and Jeff Beige give us a peak as to what we can expect with the boards.

With the release of the new Taboo, Best says it has introduced a “radical new approach” to how a range of kites is designed. What’s so radical about the new kite range? Look at any kite model on the market and they all do the same thing. They all try to make every kite in a range as similar as possible to each other so they all fly the same. But do you want your smallest kite to handle like your largest and vice versa? Or would you rather have a kite where every size has been designed to be perfect for a given riding style and specific wind range? That’s what makes the Taboo radical; every single size is designed to be the perfect high performance kite for a given riding style. Each kite is unique, with unique geometry, unique construction techniques, unique product features, and even unique materials being selected for specific sizes based on their intended use- we call it ‘Ride Optimized Geometry.’

2011 BEST Kiteboaridng Kite Line www.bestkiteboarding.com

Kites

Sizes

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

One-Pump

Style

Available

Taboo

4,5.5,7,8,9,10,12, 14,15,17

Yes

4-6

4

Yes

High Performance SLE Kite

September

Bularoo V3

5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15

Yes

5

4

Yes

All Around, Snow, SLE Kite

March

Kahoona V3

5.5, 7.5, 9.5, 13.5

Yes

5

4

Yes

All Around, Surf, Delta Kite

March

5 8 t he ki t e b oa r d e r .c o m

How did Best determine what sizes would correspond to specific riding styles? We had test riders and members of the R&D team out at beaches with clipboards, noting down which kite models people used in what winds and how they rode them. Once we had the data it was just a process of number crunching and then putting the results to the test to make sure we had interpreted the facts correctly. The results were pretty simple and that was what led us to the smallmedium-large kite grouping that you see in the Taboo.

The smallest kites focus on control, stability, and unhooked performance. These kites are fast and direct with light bar pressure and steer well even when unhooked. They are rock solid in the air and make the perfect platform for unhooked wave riding or wakestyle riding. The medium sizes focus on lift, power, and feedback. They have insane boost and hangtime and will launch you sideways through a loop as fast as they rocket you upwards, perfect for new school riding and advancing your powered big-air moves. The largest two sizes focus on aerodynamic efficiency and handling.

They are light fast turning kites which penetrate upwind in the lightest breeze. Their canopy shapes and bridles make them exceptional downwind kites as well, so they are perfect for course racing as well as pure lightwind riding.

Doesn’t the weight of a rider also have a large influence on size? For instance, a 12m could be a light rider’s largest kite or a 200 lb. rider’s smallest one. That’s true, and as long as they both want a hard looping, aggressive kite with huge hangtime they’ll be more than happy. We’ve designed the Taboo to have a broad depower sweet spot in each size, so there’s plenty of range for light and heavy kiters. None of the sizes requires legs of steel to push them upwind so weight isn’t an issue with any size in the range. We base the sizes around an average 75kg/170lb rider. Lighter or heavier riders should adjust their size picks accordingly.

We figure 10kg (22lb) equals 1m difference in canopy size or +/- 2 knots.

There’s a new wakestyle board in the line-up this year, the Profanity. Can you explain it? Sure. We took a thin section Paulownia wood core and laminated it vertically with a PVC foam base for a unique vertical sandwich construction that gives you the lightweight of wood and the speed and pop of a foam core. We then added deep section ABS rails that are deep enough for you to sand the shape of the tips if you prefer a rounded corner. The underside of the board is a masterpiece —large single into double concave flowing into a twin channel tip. The accelerated channel flow under the tips has the same effect as reducing the rocker given you a faster planing board with a livelier feel, but you still have the extra rocker for pop and landing smooth. We’ve also created an outline that gives zero spray in combination with our thicker rail without suck down. You can run it finned or finless for sliders and kickers. Because of the twin channels you lose little grip without fins. For taking it on sliders we’ve beveled the underside of the rail. Just before you hit the concave there’s a flat section with a negative 1.5mm drop, meaning that no matter how you hit the rail you aren’t going to trip your rail and take a face full of pipe. The Profanity is built to take straps or boots and comes ready to take 6” or 7” mounts.

What are the most significant changes that were made to the next generation of Armada twin tips?

The most noticeable thing is the quality. From the finish of the graphics to the see-through core to the rail to the A4 stainless inserts, everything is improved- it’s built to tighter tolerances. There are also specific design changes; the lay-up has altered with a new mix of biax and uni-glass. The weight has dropped even further than before yet the strength and stiffness has increased due to the new PVC core-surround construction.

Best took a different approach to designing the Taboo, with each design tailored to the type of riding people usually do in certain wind speeds. Photo Carlos Moncho

Is the Taboo similar to any past kites that Best has released? It’s probably fair to say that there is a little bit of every kite we’ve ever made in the Taboo range as you can’t unlearn what you already know about kite design.

However, the Taboo is unlike any other kite we’ve made, both in concept and execution.

Where does the new Taboo fit in the 2011 line up?

Who is the kite targeted at? If your quiver is already built up of odd kites in different sizes for the different types of riding that you do then the Taboo was designed for you. We wouldn’t advise beginners to buy them, especially in the mid sizes where the endless depower could get you into trouble really fast if you take your eye off the kite mid-turn.

So is this new approach across the board for the company’s kite line up? We accept that some riders want a quiver of kites with a consistent feel across sizes.

For these riders the Kahoona and Bularoo will continue to be their go-to kites. But for riders who really have to push the limits of wave riding, wakestyle, new school, big-air, and racing, there’s the Taboo.

The Waroo has been a very successful design for Best for the past few years. Why was this kite not refined for 2011? When we were designing the

2010 Waroo there was always two branches to that development tree, the delta version, which became the 2010 Waroo and the SLE version which was reintroduced as the Bularoo. Since the Bularoo has outsold the Waroo this season we have to keep the kite that riders want, so the Bularoo stays. The Bularoo V3 will be the 2011 Waroo in all but name.

In 2010, Best produced a limited quantity of the Kristin Boese pro model board and was surprised with how quickly this board sold out. Is this board coming back in the 2011 line? We should have known it would be a sellout — if you have a great looking board tailored for women riders designed by the ‘winningest’ female kitesurfer of all time, it’s going to be popular. So yes, it’s making a reappearance for 2011 and has been moved to the new factory so will roll off the production line with its big brother Armada.

How about the Spark, your price point twin tip. Is this board coming back? The Spark stays with a few tweaks under the hood and a new lick of paint for those entry level riders who like a little touch of wakestyle.

What’s going on with your 2011 surf program? Any changes? Both boards will get new graphics for 2011 and maybe some tweaks to the fin area and deck pads, but that’s a little far off yet to be able to call it.

Best introduced the new Redline bar this year. Will this be the bar for the 2011 line of kites? All the new kites are designed to fly on this bar, we’ll not be replacing the bar for 2011 but eventually rolling out improvements to the design as they are developed, tested, and signed off for production. The Redline Performance Bar is here to stay and it will just keep on getting better and better.

Best changed factories for its 2011 twin tip board line up. What did this accomplish? Lighter, stronger boards with a better ride — we can now make a better board for similar money at the new factory and their finishing process’s are way beyond what we had access to before. The finish quality of the printing and gloss work is simply astounding. More importantly, it’s also less shipping time from the factory to where we test in Europe, so we can make more prototypes which means better boards in less time. thek i teboarde r. com 5 9

caution

des

ign er’ cor s n e r Gear P

review

Caution will offer only one kite for 2011, which combines the best aspects of their 2010 kite line into one refined package. Photo David DeVries

For 2011 Caution has streamlined its kite offerings to a single line of kites, combining all the best features from their 2010 line into a single free ride kite that excels in the waves and performs for the freestyle riders in flat water. The line features a new sizing scheme, slightly less bar pressure, faster relaunch, and Caution’s precision steering dynamics.

Caution has designed and built kitesurfing products since day one with more than eleven years of experience in kite product development and manufacturing.

Their focus is to build high performance gear built to withstand the demanding conditions of Santa Cruz. Caution’s Peter Schiebel, Poul Shiebel, Jeff Burton, and Brendan Richards gave us an overview on what we can expect from the company’s entire 2011 line, including boards.

2011 Caution Kiteboarding Kite Line www.cautionkites.com

Kites

Sizes

Spitfire

5,7,9,11,13,16

2010 was a great year for Caution with the introduction of the Zombie kite and refinement of the Mayhem which evolved into the Mayhem X. Are these two designs coming back in 2011? For 2011, we consolidated the Mayhem X and Zombie kites into a single model, the Spitfire.

Over the last year, we found our team and core riders were moving toward the Zombie which offers stability, fast yet predictable performance, and all around good handling. Our aim was to take the Zombie platform and tweak it to get some more performance while keeping the qualities that have made it such a popular kite.

What are the major differences between last year’s line and the new kite? The advances for 2011 are subtle fine tuning changes made to steering characteristics, bar pressure, and overall range. We took feedback from our riders and reps and changed our sizing around a little. We made sure we kept the Zombie’s impressive range while designing for performance. We experimented with our wingtip design, ultimately reducing bar pressure without losing any precision response and control. We also made changes that allow the kites to relaunch from deep in the window faster, which will help advanced kiters get their kites in the air before the next set and will allow beginners to spend more time with their kites in the air. The kites are tested and optimized for wave riding conditions, but at the same time offer big boosts and friendly unhooked sheeting characteristics.

Have you made any changes to the control bar?

What are the safety features on the bar? Last year the bar went through a major upgrade, so for 2011 we added some additional features while keeping our performance oriented design. New for this year we have rerouted the safety depower line through the center of the chicken loop assembly, making it a cleaner design overall. Our spring tensioned quick release is accessible from all angles offering a simple and easily accessed push away release. We added additional travel to the throw and upgraded our insert to reduce friction and increase durability. Our bar ends were slimmed down for weight savings while still offering adjustable bar length settings.

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Short

5

4

Yes

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Style Freeride, Surf SLE

Available October

Caution’s Redline and Hustler twin tips are still popular boards although neither has been updated in a few years. Can we expect a new twin tip from Caution in 2011? This summer we brought some new talent to our team with wake and skateboarding backgrounds. This has brought more energy to our twin tip product development, so it’s a safe bet that you’ll see some new models in our twin tip pipeline for this next year.

This year, Caution added the 5’10” to the directional line late in the season. Is the line changing for 2011 in any way in terms of sizes, construction, or graphics?

Can you give some recommendations regarding what level or type of rider would be best suited for each size? For 2011 the Trespass line continues with the 5’5”, 5’10”, and 6’0.” Each board comes with a redesigned stomp pad with heel kick and new foot straps designed to offer the optimal balance between comfort and control.

Each board is shaped out of our high density polyester blanks and comes with reinforced Future boxes. The 5’5” is great for smaller riders and windier conditions. The 5’10” is optimal for bigger riders that are looking for a high performance board with solid control and glide. The 6’0” works great for lighter wind locations and bigger riders who are looking for more stability and surface area.

Your directional boards all feature Speedwing fins.

What are the advantages of these types of fins versus traditional fins? Any disadvantages? Speedwing fins are designed to reduce drag through the use of winglets on the two side thruster fins. These fins tend to create a little more drive and more hold when slashing the lip. They seem to help the board fly upwind, making it faster and easier to get back to the top of the lineup. We have gotten tons of positive feedback on these fins, but at the same time fin choice can be highly subjective, so really each person should come to their own conclusion regarding advantages and disadvantages.

Caution also ventured into the standup paddleboard (SUP) market this year. This issue, our instructional is on kiting with a SUP written by Caution’s Brendan Richards. Be honest. Can you really have fun kiting on a SUP? It’s debatable, but without question it’s more fun than sitting on the beach and can add variety to your kiting.

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For 2011, Eclipse is introducing new technology with a carbon-based fabric in their Thruster GT and Kima GT kites, which they say makes them one third lighter than traditional kites. Photo Syrie Walsh

What has changed now? What has the company done to re-establish shop and rider confidence in product delivery and customer service?

Selling kites is simple; customers want the best product for their money. They want it quickly and want good service if there is a problem. We intend to provide just that. Now we do things completely different. First, we use two factories - one makes products for Europe the other makes kites for North America. One factory is a joint venture with Eclipse, so we have more control over production. For the USA, we are limiting the size of our dealer network. In the past, Eclipse had over 50 dealers just in the USA and it was far too many shops- prices were heavily discounted and it was difficult to compete and create a competitive advantage over our competition.

In America, we now plan to sell direct and through select affiliated shops -- the pricing/sales structure is far better for the customers and Eclipse. We now control the pricing and customers’ expectations, which provides a better experience for the riders. In Europe, we still distribute directly to dealers through our offices in Spain and Germany which eliminates common tax/duty issues.

Who is Eclipse’s main designer? Bill Hansen and I designed the current product line which we feel is our best work yet.

Eclipse just released the Thruster V.4. Will this kite be the same for 2011? Yes, we are trying to get away from labeling kites by year because it’s completely pointless for this business. At Eclipse, new products are only made when they are truly better. Changing the model year lowers the resale value on the kites, increases our expenses, and shortens our R&D process.

So circumventing the model year allows us to focus more time on improving our products and creating better value for the riders.

For 2011, Eclipse will introduce the updated Kima.

Tell us more about it. Our focus on the new Kima was to satisfy the riders’ requests. Our aim was to increase efficiency, improve durability, and reduce bar pressure.

At the end of the design process we created a kite which weighs about 2 lbs. less. This resulted in a much better range, which removed the need for a 12m in the line.

We also simplified and reinforced the canopy to increase strength in key areas. Finally some bridle modifications resulted in lighter bar pressure and faster relaunch.

Eclipse

Eclipse went through many internal changes in 2010 and had some problems as the company reorganized. What happened? Delays in our product and internal changes in 2009 were a result from one bad decision we made in 2007 – a bad choice of a product supplier. In manufacturing, everything starts and ends with your factory. In 2007, we had to move our production because of quality issues. It was a very sudden and unexpected move, which put us in a desperate situation. We moved to a different factory and signed a really bad contract with a manufacturer.

We knew it was a bad contract back then but it was either that or no kites in 2008 so we just did it.

Initially the move was good, but in the end the manufacturer used clauses in the contract to create devastating delivery problems, which affected Eclipse, many dealers, and our reputation. It was a horrible experience that I would not wish on my worst enemy.

2011 marks a new beginning for Eclipse with four new kites, new boards, and a clothing line to be launched later in the year. Eclipse is maintaining its “By the riders for the riders” approach with affordable pricing, unreal performance, better quality, and a bullet proof warranty with worldwide coverage. Eclipse’s goal is to provide value to kiteboarders by offering products the riders want at prices they can afford. Eclipse’s Chris Cousins called us from testing in Italy to tell us about the changes Eclipse has been through this past year and what we can expect from the 2011 line.

Why would riders want to upgrade to a newer Kima or Thruster? Because they are truly better kites with over two years of R&D invested in them. Try one for yourself.

How will the Kima GT and Thruster GT differ from the Kima and Thruster? Both the new GT kites will be made with a new carbon-based fabric and will weigh one third less than traditional kites in the same sizes. Thus, they are very fast, powerful, jump higher, relaunch faster, and have amazing low end. It’s the next step forward in kite technology.

A new bar was introduced with the Thruster V.4. Will this same bar be used for all the new 2011 kites? Yes the new bar is called the Morph. This bar is a complete redesign, nothing from the old bar remains. The bar is very interesting, with a new push away release, bellow the bar depower, adjustable bar ends, sliding stopper, and partial and 100% safety options. It’s a simple, safe, and performance-oriented bar we know riders will love.

Eclipse offered a custom surfboard in 2010. What are your board plans and when can we expect them to be introduced?

We are releasing the Skyline pro models in September. These are twin tip boards designed for the ultimate performance and value.

Any changes to the Bulletproof Warranty? The warranty now offers worldwide coverage so if you break your kite in Fiji and need it fixed, you just go to the local repair man and put him in touch with Eclipse – we’ll take care of getting it repaired. In the USA you have to send the kite to Prokitesurf in Texas for repair. For us to honor your warranty, you absolutely need to register your kite online.

Kites

Sizes

2011 Eclipse Kiteboarding Kite Line www.eclipsekiteboarding.com

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Thruster V4

8,10,12,14m

Yes

5

4

Yes

High Performance SLE Kite

Now

Kima

6, 9m

Yes

3

4

Yes

Surf Delta Kite

September October October

Thruster GT

TBD

Yes

5

4

Yes

Super Light, High Performance SLE Kite

Kima GT

TBD

Yes

3

4

Yes

Super Light, Surf Delta kite

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What was some of the rider input on the 2010 gear that you put into the 2011 Epic kites? The response on the 2010 kites was amazing from riders across the world with varied riding styles and needs. Most of our customers told us not to change anything on the kites, but we knew we could improve on the performance and construction. With a few tweaks and small changes we made the 2011 kites even better than the 2010 line.

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epic

What are the standout changes? For the 2011 Screamer, we made the 12m and 14m sizes 12% faster and reduced the bar pressure by 8%. We then took the construction to a new level and reinforced key areas for added strength. The 7m and 9m Screamers have undergone small construction improvements and minor tweaks for enhanced unhooked performance. The 2011 Renegade 9m meter was improved to make it 12% faster with 10% less bar pressure and we added reinforcements. The Renegade 6m was near perfect, but riders will enjoy additional reinforcements and minor tweaks on the bridle for the 2011 version. Our greatest challenge was updating the Renegade 11m. We wanted to make this kite more powerful with less bar pressure and faster than its predecessor. To pull this off we went back to the drawing board and started from scratch, but we were able to make the 11m substantially more powerful and significantly faster with totally stability!

Dimitri Maramenides takes the new 2011 Screamer out for a spin. Photo Courtesy Epic Kites

For 2011, Epic Kites is continuing the Screamer, Renegade, and Junior Pro lines. Each kite has had small refinements made to it and Epic claims that they were able to improve every kite in the Epic line.

Like in 2010, there will also be a 10m LTD Screamer, which is designed to be an ultra-performance and very powerful kite. The Epic bar is staying much the same, but features new colors and a new center hole to reduce wear. For those who have children who want to start kiteboarding, the Junior Pro is a kite specially designed for kids. Epic founder Dimitri Maramenides filled us in on what we can expect from Epic for the 2011 model year.

2011 Epic Kiteboaridng Kite Line www.epickites.com Kites

Sizes

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Renegade

6, 9, 11

Yes

3

4

Yes

Waves, All-Around

September

Screamer

7, 9, 10, 12 ,14

Yes

5

4

Yes

Advanced, Performance, Big Air

September

Junior Pro

4

Yes

3

4

Yes

All-Around, For Kids

Now

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You are continuing the 10m LTD Screamer for 2011. How is this kite different than the standard Screamer? The Limited Edition is an extremely powerful kite using the same design characteristics but with a slightly different profile making this 10m as powerful as any other 12m kite. For 2011 we decided to tweak the plans of the 10 LTD to improve the direct feel. Now not only do you get the amazing hang time, but unhooking is even better than last year’s model with powerful grunt, amazing pop, and explosive jumps.

Why would a rider who loved the 2010 Epic kites want to upgrade to the 2011 versions? The 2010 kites are still amazing kites, so if you just purchased a 2010 kite I would not recommend that you buy a 2011 kite yet, unless you want to upgrade the quiver and get a better and improved version.

Are any changes being made to the Epic Bar? The bar will remain the same but we changed the colors on the bar and we made a new hole on the bar so now the line of the CL can move in and out easier.

We also changed the thickness of the lines and made them thicker and stiffer so it is easier to unroll the lines.

What was the approach to making changes on the new kites? We are able to succeed in this industry because we listen to customer’s needs and work with them. You will see not only that our kites are superior quality compared to other brands but the performance and the customer service is incredible. Don’t take my word for it, just give us a try and you will see.

What type of riders are the Screamer, Renegade, and Junior Pro 4 designed for? The Renegade was designed for all around riders, from teaching to wave riding to power moves to jumping. In a few words it’s a kite that can do everything you desire. Personally I love the Renegade for the waves. Now on the other hand the Screamer was designed for riders looking for big jumps, big hang time, big kite loops, and a very fast kite. The Junior Pro 4 was designed by Cameron Maramenides, the world’s youngest pro rider. The size will be 4m with 20 meter lines, but this is not a toy! It is a kite made for those of us who really want our kids to excel and not just put them on a smaller version of what an adult rides. This kite has the performance of the Renegade line but in a smaller size made for the young guns. The one pump, compact bridle, super easy relaunch, and incredible depower also make it a kite that is excellent to teach those just starting out. Watch out though, pretty soon junior will be out-jumping you!

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Gear

What are the standout changes? We have done a huge amount of work to improve our Bandit. The Fourth edition Bandit is getting a revamped shape, a new outline with square tips, only three struts, and a new profile. The result is a new feeling. The Bandit is lighter yet super solid while also smooth with a direct bar feeling. The Bandit 4 is more reactive and turns faster but is still super predictable and safe. We have worked on more specific designs for each size to really optimize the performance. There is a new bar and we have improved the safety system and bar accessories. Aside from the new Bandit, we have worked hard on a brand new kite design dedicated to SUP and extreme light wind conditions. This new kite is called the Source. We have been developing this two-line kite for over a year now and it was interesting to revisit the original kite concept and improve it with all the experience accumulated in the past decade.

What is the idea behind the Source, F-One’s new two-line kite? The first thing is to open our sport to a larger public and second is to have fun in light wind conditions. Using a bigger board like a SUP is totally changing the need for power. With a two-line kite, only 8 knots of wind, and a SUP board, you can start planning and feel that big board flying above the glassy water. It’s just going back to the source of watersports. You can take inexperienced friends and family to the beach, take them on the water, and share your passion.

You can bring them on your board for a ride and have fun, a true summer sport. For expert riders it can also be good to try new tricks. Unhooked power jibes on the Source give you the feeling of a bottom turn.

With all of the high-depower kites that are available on the market, what riders do you think will be drawn to the Source? How many riders do you think are willing to give up the ability to depower their kite? I understand it can raise eyebrows to propose a two-line kite today, but we needed depower capabilities in the first place because we wanted to jump and use our small twin tip boards. When you stand up on a big enough board the amount of power you need is down dramatically so you don’t really need to depower. The Source is a light wind kite only to be used in 6 to 14 knots. The best winds are typical light summer winds, like thermals or trade winds, not the winter stormy gusty weather! The lack of depower is not like giving up something, it’s just that you don’t really need it. With two-lines and less power you can spend much more time unhooked and that should be a new feeling for many, many riders. Unhooking on a regular kite was reserved for advanced riders, but not anymore. From pros to beginners or just casual riders, everybody will enjoy having a lot of fun where you would normally have stayed home or been stuck on a crowded beach!

Which riders will appreciate the Bandit 4 the most?

Which ones will appreciate the Revolt? The Bandit 4 is made for everyone; it’s our main kite. The Revolt will have a new name next year and will be our freeride kite with auto relaunch as its main advantage.

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For 2011, F-One is releasing the Source, a 2-line kite specifically made for light wind riding on large boards. Photo Regis Mortier/F-One

f-one

What was some of the rider input on the 2010 gear that you put into the 2011 F-One kites? To develop our products, we’re using feedback from customers, riders, distributors, and schools and try to see what we should improve and what we should offer for the future.

In 2011, F-One will be continuing their popular Bandit kite, now in its fourth generation. The Bandit was the original delta kite and F-One is staying dedicated to the delta concept. The most interesting new product from F-One this year is the new Source, which is a 2-line kite that will have no depower. The Source is meant to be used in light wind while kiting on a SUP or other large boards and we are very interested to see how well it is received. F-One will also be releasing a new kite in 2011 to replace the Revolt, but as of our printing deadline that kite is still unnamed. F-One’s Raphael Salles answered our probing questions about the 2011 F-One line.

Will F-One continue to be fully committed to the delta shape for 2011? Yes, the Bandit 4 is using the delta design and the new freeride kite will use it too. The upcoming freeride kite will have a more pronounced delta shape than the Bandit. The Source is not a delta, but it’s the same kind of outline with square tips and three struts.

What do you feel are the biggest benefits of delta kites? Easy relaunch, great low end with immediate power, and excellent depower capabilities. We have four years of ongoing development on the delta concept, so we know it very well now and we improve it each year. I believe we still have room for improvement.

Why would a rider who loved the 2010 F-One kites want to upgrade to the 2011 kites? We have been able to surprise our customers with each release, from the original Bandit to the Dos, then on to the third edition and they will be surprised too with the fourth! The Bandit 4 is about performance and feeling. The Source will change your vision of what is a light wind day!

Are any changes being made to the F-One Bar? Yes, we have a new aluminum bar with an innovative design and we have upgraded the accessories around the chicken loop and safety system.

2011 F-One Kiteboarding Kite Line www.f-onekites.com

Kites

Sizes

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Bandit 4

5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14

Yes

3

4

Yes

All-Around Delta Kite

September

Source

7,9,11,13,15,17

Yes

5

2

Yes

2-Line Light Wind SUP Kiting

August

Freeride (Name TBD)

TBD

Yes

TBD

4

TBD

Freeride Kite, Replacement for 2010 Revolt

Spring

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The biggest changes to the 2011 Genetrix Origin will be new graphics and a streamlined control bar. Photo Thierry Bourgeois

Genetrix believes in a two-year major R&D cycle, which means that only minor changes will be made to their kites for 2011. The all-around Origin will be receiving a few minor tweaks for the new year while the unique Hydra will remain largely the same for 2011. Genetrix is also updating their popular XWY riding shorts and will be coming out with a new golf travel bag. Genetrix US Distributor Gerard Bourgeois sat down with us during the Genetrix trip to Vanuatu to let us know what is happening for 2011.

What are the changes being made on the 2011 Origin? For 2011, most of the changes on the Origin will be on the bar. It will have a shorter bar, new stopper ball, improved donkey doodle, new grip, and improved color coding. The Origin’s canopy will also have bold new graphics and colors and some minor bridle modifications are still possible, but the R&D on that is still underway as of the deadline for this article.

Why has Genetrix decided to update the Hydra on a two year cycle instead of annually? Genetrix believes in evolutionary product design with all kites on a two year major R&D cycle. This prevents the release of unproven concepts, which sometimes happens when companies are overeager to rush out a new design just because it is time for the new model. Thus, the Hydra, having already evolved through four different generations and having already achieved world-beating performance will see only minor modifications to the 2011 version in the form of minor bridle adjustments for increased stability. Because the Origin was all new in 2010, the 2011 kite will see more changes.

What rider input is Genetrix putting into the 2011 products? We listen to both our team riders and our consumers and have chiefly made material changes that result in increased durability and design changes that result in increased stability.

2011Genetrix Kiteboarding Kite Line www.genetrixkitesurf.com

Kites

Sizes

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Origin

5,7,9,11,13,15

Yes

6

4

Yes

All-Around, Beg-Adv

2011

Hydra

7,9,12,14

Yes

6

4

Yes

Racing, Speed Kiting, Gusty Conditions

2012

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How will the Genetrix bar be different for 2011? The 2011 Origin bar will be shorter and will feature a new stopper ball, improved donkey doodle, a new grip, and improved color coding.

What riders will really appreciate the Hydra? Which ones should choose the Origin? The Hydra is a kite designed for performance under the world’s most challenging and gusty conditions. Almost all of the riders who compete in the speed kiting trials in Namibia have a Hydra, even ones who are not sponsored by Genetrix. Because it is a thoroughbred, we feel that it is most appropriate for intermediate and advanced riders. The Origin is an ultra-fun freestyle kite with a very easy relaunch, so it is our most beginner friendly kite, although the performance is enough to satisfy the most advanced freestyle and wave riders.

Why would a rider who loved the 2010 Origin want to consider upgrading to the 2011? Chiefly for the improved bar and the terrific new colors and graphics.

Does Genetrix have any other products that will be new and/or updated for 2011? Yes! We have a great line of updated XWY kite-specific board shorts that you will be able to order direct from our website and from our dealers. These shorts are made slightly longer than most surf shorts which helps avoid the dreaded board short “ride-up” and to provide additional protection for the rider. We will also have the best looking golf bag on the market in 2011 while still maintaining all the functionality of a traditional golf bag.

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Gear

Have any changes been made to the control bar? The safety quick release has had a small modification that makes it even easier to reengage. The release system is basically unchanged, but now you can put it back together with one hand. It works really well. Just push up and you’re out.

Will the GK kites offer as many tuning options in 2011 as in 2010? Both the Trix and the Sonic have super simple and small A-KPO bridles. You can unpack the kite from the bag and ride with nothing to move or tune your kite to something more personal by adjusting your bar pressure and turning speed. They will probably have the same number of options, but we may reduce that by one adjustment. We have three positions now and may go to two. This is for tuning the front line attachment position for the bridle and is a patented GK invention. To tune line lengths, GK has a novel approach. You simply shorten/ lengthen the bridle on three adjustment knots at four attachment points. This lets you take one bar kite-to-kite without adjusting the bar. Outside lines are adjusted on 3mm spectra leaders off the bar ends.

What type of riders will prefer the Sonic? What riders will gravitate towards the Trix? The 2011 Trix is our medium aspect ratio kite that is super stable and fast turning. It’s perfect for wakestyle, wave riding, or beginners. Built with more stitching and reinforcements than any other kite on the market, the Trix is sure to last many seasons to come, even in the surf. The 2011 Sonic is now in its fifth generation and the refinements on this kite make it a super-efficient upwind machine that is suitable for the rider that likes to go fast and boost big floaty jumps. The Sonic is our high-aspect SLE kite that has lighter yet fully adjustable bar pressure.

If a rider loves their current 2010 GK kites, what are the biggest reasons to upgrade to the 2011? If a rider loves their GK 2010 then he or she should keep it and tell their friends to share the fun with a 2011. Maybe I make the kites a little too strong and durable. It makes the price a little higher, but you can keep going on your kites for a long time.

Some sales guys told me to make a cheaper kite that isn’t as durable. That might be better for business, but not for the planet. There’s not much to recycle on a kite.

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The GK Trix will be returning in 2011 with new graphics, minor tweaks, and a quick release that is now easier to put back together. Photo Stephan Kleinlein/www.oceanbluesky.com

GK/Litewave

What are the biggest changes on the 2011 Sonic and Trix compared with the 2010 kites? The biggest change will be to the graphics for 2011.There will be some panel layout changes and we are also taking some measures to lighten the kites just a little.

The feedback that we got from the 2010 Trix and Sonic was very good. The Trix generated a lot of interest and riders like the easy-to-ride style, which is great for freestyle and of course wave riding. The 2010 Trix was a complete redesign compared with 2009, so the shape for 2011 will remain the same as 2010. The Sonic is great for fast cruising and huge jumps. Riders who liked the 2010 Sonic will feel comfortable with the 2011. I have not changed the shape of the kite itself, but you can adjust the kite by just moving the bridle positioning and get the exact feeling of previous year Sonics all the way back to 2006. I have never changed the magic profile of the Sonic.

Globe Kiteboarding (GK) is rolling out new versions of the Trix and Sonic for 2011 that will show off new graphics and minor changes compared to the 2010 kites. For people who love to tinker with their gear, the bridles on both kites will still offer a wide range of adjustments. The GK quick release, which some riders had trouble putting back together in 2010, has been redesigned to be easily reassembled with one hand. GK Kite Designer Mat Pendle answered our questions about the 2011 GK kites while Litewave Dave Turner filled us in on what to expect from Litewave in the coming year.

How have the Litewave Hybrid Lace Up straps and pads been updated for 2011? The Hybrid Lace Up straps and pads will be lighter, stronger, and better looking in 2011. The pads will be molded with traction insert pieces. The patented design has a wider laced-up strap with a toe ledge that holds your foot in super snugly. The elevated heel gives more edge bite. The result is better board control and better riding.

What changes can we expect from Litewave for 2011?

2011 is bringing changes to the Wing, Storm, and QuadSurf boards. The 2011 Wing, which is available now, has evolved into a mind-blowing machine. Riding has never been smoother or easier. The tip-to-tip radical concaves smooth out chop and makes for a very positive carving feeling. The tips are very thin and flexible with built-in torsion bars to maximize carving performance under load.

This board is truly a session saver. I weigh 100 kg (220 lbs.) and can stay upwind on this board in 10 knots. The 2011 Litewave Storm twin tip delivers unmatched grip and upwind performance with evolved features like a tip-to-tip single-concave, parallel outline between the feet, and an ultra-thin outline with torsion bars for a flex pattern that allows end-to-end flex while minimizing fin twist-off. The 2011 Litewave Quad-Surf features a pulled-in bat tail outline and a faster gun style rocker that allows this board to really drive through and keep speed through bottom turns while the quad-fin configuration gives incredible grip for snappy off-the-lips. The quad fin setup also makes for a wave board with limitless top end speed yet a very snappy and responsive feel.

Kites

Sizes

2011 Globe Kiteboarding Kite Line http://globespirit.com

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Trix

5.5,7,9,12,15

Yes

5

4

Yes

Waves, Unhooking, All-Around

October

Sonic

6,8,11,14,17

Yes

7

4

Yes

Freestyle, Big Air

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Gear

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Robby Naish gives the 2011 Bolt a workout on the North Shore of Oahu. Photo Stephen Whitesell

For the 2011 product year, the Naish kiteboarding line has received a big overhaul, with two brand new kites added to the line. For riders who could not decide between the 2010 Cult and Helix, those two kites have been combined into the Bolt. The new Park is a C-like kite for riders who have always wanted to ride a C-kite, but who have shied away from C-kites for fear of them being too demanding. Of course, the now legendary Torch C-kite is still in the line with improvements for the new year and a 2011 Charger will be released in the spring. Naish’s Damien Girardin (Kite Designer) and Greg Drexler (Board Designer) supplied the answers to our questions about the 2011 Naish products.

For 2011, it looks like Naish went for a major redesign, instead of simply refining last year’s models. What spurred the decision to revamp the Naish lineup of kites? Actually, we only have two new kites out of four in the line. The Bolt is the mix of the Cult and the Helix, taking only the best of both kites so it could not be named after neither of them. The Park is an entirely new kite, based on the idea that the Torch was the best C-kite on the market and that some people would just not be able to experience it because of its pedigree of being “too freestyle oriented.” We then created the Park based on what we knew with the Torch. We added the freeride and easiness provided by the moderate delta outline, added bridles, and made it a three-strut kite for a light feel.

What rider input did Naish incorporate into the 2011 designs? All our top team riders like Kevin Langeree, Sam Light, Cyril Coste, Ian Alldredge, Reo Stevens,

2011 Naish Kiteboaridng Kite Line www.naishkites.com Kites Bolt

Sizes 3,5,6,7,8,9,10.5,12,14,16

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

One-Pump

Yes

5

4

Yes,Octopus

All-Around, Waves

August August

Style

Available

Torch

5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14

No

5

5

Yes,Octopus

C-Kite, Unhooked, Wakestyle,Freestyle

Park

6,8,10,12,14

Yes

3

4

Yes,Octopus

All-Around, Waves, Freestyle, Wakestyle

October

Charger

3.5,5,7,9, 11, 13,15

Yes

5

4

Yes,Octopus

All-Around

March

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etc. had some input on the 2011 kites, but we also have a crew of testers and regular customers, dealers, importers, and schools worldwide that get to help us drive the design.

Naish has been very dedicated to the Sigma shape concept for the past few years, but for 2011 only one kite, the Bolt, features the Sigma shaping. Why is Naish moving away from the distinctive shape of the Sigma kites? We’re not moving away from the Sigma this year, we have just realized that the people buying the Helix and Cult last year were looking for the same kite most of the time, so we’ve decided to make it easier for them by combining them into that one kite they were looking for.

Have there been any changes to the Octopus Inflation System? Yes, we have changed the way to access the valve inside the strut. You can now open the strut entirely in order to access the valve super easily, making the replacement of a bladder easier than it’s ever been.

How has the Torch changed for 2011? Will die hard C-kite fans still be drawn to the Torch? The Torch evolves size by size based exclusively on the top Torch riders’ input (World Champion Kevin Langeree, wakestyle master Sam Light, unhooked wave rider Reo Stevens, and kite loop killer Cyril Coste). For example, we made the 9m a little more solid in the air, the 12m and 14m are faster turning, the 7m and 8m are more controllable, and we’ve also added a 5m for smaller riders and storm riders.There is no question that die hard C-kite fans will love the new Torch.

For riders who like C or C-like kites, how will they decide between the Torch and the new Park?

That’s pretty easy. The Torch will be the answer for the rider that loves full C-kites and 5th line relaunch while the Park will be for the riders that like the “C-like”

Naish’s Kite Designer Damien Girardin takes the 2011 Park out at Maui’s kitebeach. Photo Erik Aeder

kites. However, the Park is open to more riders than that; it will appeal to a lot of people from the beginners to the ones that want to unhook or simply ride any kind of conditions and style.

What is the purpose of the LWR Assist? Is there a reason to use it in non-light wind situations? The LWR (Light Wind Relaunch) is designed with the new trend to go out in lighter and lighter wind in mind.

The new kites and boards (like our new Venturi board) open the option to ride in super light conditions when relaunching a kite the classic way may not even work anymore. The LWR simply helps you pull from higher than the wing tip on the trailing edge of the kite making it flip and relaunch in virtually no wind. You may want to use it in regular wind but it is not necessary as our new kites relaunch without the LWR in their normal wind range.

The Charger received a complete redesign for 2011 to increase its performance. Is it still a great kite for entry-level riders like it was in 2010? Yes, the Charger will still be a great entry level kite for 2011, but we’ll talk about that later since it will launch in spring 2011.

Which 2011 kite is best suited for wave riders? It depends on the kind of riding someone wants to do.

People riding unhooked should go for the Torch while those riding both unhooked and hooked in will go for the Park or the Bolt.

What changes have been made to the 2011 Naish bar? For 2011 we have come up with a new grip that is fully thermo molded with a Tahitian pattern. The grip is really improved and we managed to keep it soft in order to avoid any chafing of your hands. We have also added a fixed stopper on the trim line and some marking to position the sliding stopper. In order to add some style, the trim loop and the leash are now white.

What are the highlights of the 2011 board line?

We make an extensive line of kiteboards, so to highlight all the biggest changes would be much too lengthy a reply. To pick one thing, I’d say the most work was done with constructions to fine-tune the flex of all boards. Each range and every size in each range are individually engineered to get exactly the performance we are looking for from the flex. It is amazing how the same construction can ride so differently on two differently shaped boards (rocker and/or outline). What works great on one sometimes has the opposite effect when used on a different shape. We made our 2011 twin tips stiffer overall, and so to do this we had to work on every board. Flex is much more than just how much it bends from tip to tip. It is how much it bends in different areas under different loads, how it bends, and how quickly it responds. Flex on waveboards also makes a huge difference. The most visible result of our work in this area is seen on the parabolic carbon fiber rails we developed for the Global range. Adding this to our epoxy EPS/PVC full sandwich construction made the boards very direct and responsive.

Why was a 138 added to the Momentum line?

The Momentum range had grown so popular among the wakestyle riders that the most serious riders were demanding a Momentum that would be ideal for boots and sliders. Development of this took a long time because the outline and flex requirements of the 138 were much different than those of the other sizes. The great part of the development of the 138 was that we’ve got some super talented team riders that were totally motivated to give their testing feedback so we could get this board into our range as quickly as possible and they are now especially stoked on the final product because they were involved in the development.

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Nobile redesigned all the canopies on their next generation 2011 kites to improve their speed, power, relaunch, and stability. Photo Maurice Zarka

Nobile says that their 2011 collection is all about freedom of choice and discovering new aspects of the sport we love so much. For 2011, Nobile will offer three next-generation kites and focused their R&D on retuning each of their canopies to offer faster turning, more power, and stable performance. All boards offered in 2010 will be continued in 2011 with some minor tweaks as well as the introduction of three new boards, including a directional. We spoke with Lukas Piatkowski of www.muvon.us, Nobile’s North American distributor about what Nobile has in store for us for the new model year.

In 2010, Mark Shinn and Nobile parted ways. How has this affected the brand and who leads the R&D efforts for the kite and board lines? Mark was a really important part of the company, but his main responsibility was marketing.

Although Nobile always listened carefully to Mark’s ideas on boards and technology, it was always Dariusz Rosiak, Founder of Nobile Kiteboarding, who’s been leading R&D and Nobile’s innovation. Additionally, our team riders really influence the gear we offer such as Mike Blomvall’s 50fifty or Asia Litwin’s NHP WMS. For 2011, Nobile is introducing an all new control bar. How has the bar improved and is it universal for all the kites?

The major improvement for the 2011 bar is a totally new safety system which helps make Nobile’s bar even safer and easier to use than the last generation. The new bar will be white and comes in one size for all Nobile kites with complete depower and a super fast fulcrum quick release for maximum safety.

Nobile has refined the three kites in its line, the NHP, T5 – Koinobori, and N62. Are the refinements minor tweaks or major redesigns? Nobile focused on redesigning each kite’s canopy, so they are now faster, offer more stability, and generate more power. The N62 V2 is the all-around kite for beginners and intermediate riders — they will love one of the most effective relaunch systems on the planet Earth. The new N62 features a reduced sweep through the wing tips compared to a traditional delta, ensuring phenomenal low-end performance, massive wind range, and pivotal turning without the indirect, imprecise handling of a traditional delta. This kite delivers “park and ride” ease and excellent sink back (the ability of the kite to drop back into the window) characteristics, ensuring the N62 is forgiving of rider error. The T5 is the freeride-focused kite for intermediate

2011 Nobile Kiteboarding Line www.nobilekiteboarding.com Kites

Sizes

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

N 62

5, 7, 9, 11, 13

Yes

3

4

Yes

All Around SLE

Now

T5 - Koinobori

5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14

Yes

3

4

Yes

Freeride SLE

September

NHP

5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14

Yes

5

4

Yes

Freestyle/Wakestyle/Wave SLE

November

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and advanced riders looking for outstanding power range. Through further development of Nobile’s Natural Arc Technology, they reconfigured the geometry to allow for the complete separation of the front and rear bridle sections without the connecting pulley. The huge wind range, lift, and hang time remain, but with a marked improvement to the low-end power and relaunch capabilities. The T5 features superior direct-feeling control, improved predictability, and perfectly balanced bar pressure while now providing near delta-like relaunch ability. For new school and freestyle enthusiasts, the NHP high performance kite will be a perfect choice. The new NHP has a fast and direct feeling, axial turning, low bar pressure when unhooked, and instant response to rider input, however Nobile placed increased priority for 2011 on enhancing its huge depower range without affecting its upper range and improving its relaunch ability to be even quicker. Using a short and simple bridle also allowed designers to completely redesign the NHP’s 5-strut construction resulting in a fast flying kite that climbs to the front of the window in all wind conditions — an essential trait for a modern freestyle kite both for smooth power delivery after landing and for completing kite loops without stalling.

Why would a rider who is happy with their 2010 Nobile kites want to upgrade to the 2011 kites? We believe the 2011 line will open a totally new chapter at Nobile. All models have been redesigned, so they are more stable and have more power. Along with the introduction of the totally new safety system, all our 2011 products are next generation and have been substantially redesigned and improved.

What can we expect from the 2011 Nobile board line? All our boards from 2010 will be offered in 2011. The changes are more refinements than major overhauls and the graphics have really been stepped up making what we believe will be the best looking equipment of the upcoming season.

Additionally, three totally new models will join our board family for 2011 including a new directional. The WAVE will come in three sizes and combines a beautiful design with amazing wave performance. Our other two models are: Double HydroDynamic –A high end machine with a one of a kind double-profiled bottom for unlimited speed and extraordinary freeride performance and Flying Carpet - Our XXL board for low wind conditions. Additionally, a wooden skimboard is also a new product in our inventory.

How can consumers choose which board will suit their riding style and conditions best? The best way to choose the ideal board is to visit the Nobile Gear Selector at www.nobilekiteboarding.com

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For 2011, North’s continuing kites all received minor changes that should make them even better than the 2010 models. Photo Adam Koch

What rider input from the 2010 kites was put into the development of the 2011 North kites? We take our input from a variety of sources. Besides the professional riders with whom we are designing kites, we actively seek feedback from a variety of riders of various skills both directly on the beach and through our dealer/ distributor network.

The Dyno is being introduced as an ultra light wind kite. What separates the Dyno from the other North kites? The Dyno is a different beast than any other North kite. There are specific design criteria we strive to meet for a light wind kite that don’t necessarily translate into a good kite in smaller sizes.

What are the biggest changes on the 2011 kites? 2011 is going to be a banner year for our kites. The last couple of years we’ve shaken things up through the removal of the center strut and then the addition of the floating center strut on the Rebel. 2010 also saw the addition of a brand new design, the Fuse. Our 2010 lineup was solid all the way through, and we feel that we didn’t need to make dramatic changes. This meant that we were able to really focus on nailing the small details such as tuning the entry profile for each size kite to give us all the performance we can get for each size individually.

Are there any changes on the 2011 North bars?

Again, 2010 was a great year for our bar. We are obviously an industry leader with our below the bar swivel, bar design, and release/leashing setup. 2011 brings a few small tweaks to the release/leashing setup, but everything from the bar up will be very similar, so, as always, you’ll be able to use any older North kites with the 2011 bar and vice versa.

With five different kites to choose from in the 2011 line, how will riders decide which one is best suited for them? The best way to decide is of course to demo every kite available. The second best way is to discuss what you are looking for with your local retailer. As a general outline, the Rebel is, as it always has been, a 5-line allaround wave/freeride kite. The Fuse is a 4 or 5-line bridled freeride/wave kite. The Vegas is a 5-line freestyle-oriented C- kite. The Evo is a 4 or 5-line delta shape and falls between the Rebel and the Vegas - It works well in both the waves and for unhooked freestyle type riding. The Dyno is a lightwind specific kite.

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For the 2011 product year, North is rolling out an impressive line of five different kites. Four of the kites are improved versions of the 2010 models and the brand new Dyno is a light wind specific kite only being made in 16 and 18m sizes. If you liked the 2010 kites from North then you should love the 2011 kites, as the Rebel, Fuse, Vegas, and Evo all went through small design changes to improve each kite. We just about had to tie him down to answer our questions, but North Sales Rep Dan Schwarz gave us the details about what we can expect from North for 2011.

For a rider who loved their 2010 North kites, what reasons will they have to upgrade to the 2011 kites?

All 2011 kites have been government certified to offer a minimum of 32.7% more fun than the 2010 models.

Specifically the kites feel noticeably crisper and smoother.

The smaller sizes have been toned down to make them less punchy in gusty high winds, while the larger sizes have been made faster and more stable.

What are the biggest changes and/or additions to the 2011 North board line? The biggest changes to the twin tip lineup is the more aggressive double “V” bottom shape on the Team Series and Jaime. All of the 2011 kite/ surf boards are shaped by the legendary Sky Solbach and feature bamboo construction. We’ve also added a new shape, the Whip, to our lineup. According to Sky the shapes are 26.3% sweeter than previous models.

Will there be a 2011 North race board? There will be two race boards. A full-bore high volume race board and a scaled-down twin fin free-race board, which offers many of the advantages of a race board while being more user friendly and fun for freeriding.

Has the construction changed on the 2011 directionals? Yes. We’ve moved to a completely new construction featuring a bamboo veneer on all of the kite/ surf boards. The new construction is supposed to feel nicer, especially through the chop. And damn do they look good.

Kites

Sizes

2011 North Kiteboarding Kite Line www.northkites.com

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Rebel

5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14

No

5

5

Yes

All-Around, Waves

September

Vegas

5,7,9,10,12,14

No

5

5

No

C-Kite, Unhooked, Wakestyle,Freestyle

September

Evo

4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,14

Yes

5

4 or 5

No

Waves, Freestyle, Wakestyle

November

Fuse

5,7,9,10,12,14

Yes

5

4 or 5

Yes

All-Around, Waves

February

Dyno

16, 18

Yes

5

4 or 5

No

Light Wind

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Lou Wainman slides around on the new Blunt.

Photo Courtesy Wainman Hawaii

Wainman Hawaii has a unique philosophy when it comes to releasing new products. They are against developing and releasing new products based on a calendar and instead focus on constant improvement and only release a new product when they feel it is ready. There are no planned changes to the Wainman Hawaii Rabbit kites and there may or may not be new kites coming soon.

In answering our questions, R&D Manager Mike Husky hinted at the possibility of some new Rabbits and even a single size of the long anticipated Wainman C-kite, but is keeping the details vague.

Wainman Hawaii is revamping their board line with a new and more durable Blunt twin tip, all new Joke twin tip, and an entirely new surf line shaped by Sean Ordonez.

Wainman Hawaii releases product a little differently than other manufacturers. What drives the Wainman Hawaii product release schedule? Does the world change every year? We can’t let the falling leaves and changing of the season determine the release of a new kite or product line. We do need to evolve, that`s for sure. At Wainman Hawaii, we aim to constantly improve our wind tools so they become simply better, but the rat race isn’t good for sports gear. It would be a pure shame to rush through changes just to pump out a new kite every year, which could result in a tragic detuning of the magic feeling between rider and equipment. Most of the existing pro toys, for many different sports, stay the same for many years, just like the wheel…

Will there be updates to the Rabbit kites for 2011?

There will be no updates to the existing Rabbit kites, at least not until this era ends. The Rabbit kites will stay exactly the same as they are for now and they will not be given any new dates from our side, don’t worry. When it comes to aesthetics of the kite and not performance, I will tell you that maybe some crazy guy from the Gang will decide to change some paintings on `em. Timing of

2011 Wainman Hawaii Kite Line www.wainmanhawaii.com Kites

Sizes

Bridle

Rabbit Series

5m Bunny, 7m Gypsy, 9m Smoke,12m Boss, 15m Big Mama

Yes, removable on 5,7,9

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Struts

4/5 Lines

3

4

OnePump No

Style All-Around, Waves, Unhooked, Beg-Adv

Available Now

this? Let`s pretend time does not exist. Knowing how Rabbits multiply, we can anticipate some new arrivals to the Gang. There might be a few offspring in the size gaps for some really demanding kiters next summer, but only Rabbit knows what exactly will happen.

Will we be seeing the highly anticipated Wainman Hawaii C-Kite this year? A good and proportional C-shape is a beautiful thing, but also definitely a kite for very advanced riders. For example, square tips demand a traditional technique of relaunch which is not as simple. A C-kite can deliver unique performance but the optimal wind and functional range is really very narrow. At WH we were all raised on C–kites, but we strongly feel that the versatility of the Rabbit kites makes the addition of the C-kite rather unnecessary due to the fact that it has many characteristics similar to a C-kite and more. But for all you C-kite connoisseurs, don’t worry, a limited edition single size C-kite is something that we are still considering, but let`s act like we live forever…

Wainman Hawaii is about to release a new version of the Blunt. How is the new board different from the last version? When releasing the original Blunt boards last year we didn`t anticipate such an immediate global demand. Without much hesitation, we decided to make the existing Blunts - super light boards in full custom construction - available for all riders. However, it wasn`t really meant for hardcore riding. The new Blunt is produced in a different facility and is just slightly heavier but now totally bombproof. Still, this is the same great skinny board.

It’s as dragless, smooth, edgy, and sick for strapped freeriding as the original Blunt was. The only other little change is the range. We discontinued smallest size of 120 and added a new 135 board, a scale up of the last year’s popular 130. The old 135 – a low rocker, wide, light wind board is now replaced by a 137, which has different proportions than the current 125, 130, and 135.

R&D Manager Mike Husky with the new Joke. Photo Courtesy Wainman Hawaii

The new Joke has been designed for more aggressive riders out there who land hard and fast. Photo Courtesy Wainman Hawaii

We heard a rumor that Wainman Hawaii has a new surfboard shaper. Who is now shaping the boards?

In order to constantly progress our surf products, we were looking for someone who could commit more time to us and who could also work with the nuclear energy and open mindedness to modern technologies and shapes that is the lifeblood of WH. Through Bertrand, we found out that our good Maui friend Sean Ordonez was enthusiastic about cooperating with Wainman Hawaii.

As Sean had already shaped many sick boards for Lou in the past, I didn`t wait even a minute and we started working on new projects together. Sean is a great guy with an unbelievable sense of humor and a huge experience of crafting many thousands of hand shaped boards. Most important of all, he is an active kiteboarder, riding Rabbits! The result of our first winter together is three great new surf shapes from Sean’s magic hand.

The Magnum is a beautiful classic surf shape available in 5’7”, 5’10”, 6’0”, and 6’2”. The Gambler is a new school progressive shaped board with more width and a cosmic shaped 3D bottom in 5’7” and 5’10”. The Passport is a world traveler kite and surfboard, also wider but with flatter rocker that you can take with you for any trip and can paddlesurf or kitesurf. It is available in 5’8” and 5’11”. Sean is in full charge of the surf shapes at Wainman Hawaii and I am taking care of the twin-tip development. The entire Gang is always involved in R&D of our products, especially Lou who inspires us with his unique ideas and observations, but Niccolo, Franz, Bertrand, and all others are also involved. It is always teamwork with a wide spectrum of different points of view.

What riders will prefer the Joke over the Blunt? Is the Joke meant to be ridden with boots and the Blunt with straps? The New Blunts have the same shape that was developed by us last year and are now being produced with a new bomb-proof technology.

The Blunt is a superb hooked-in toy which will excel in choppy conditions. The New Blunt also offers amazing all-round features for occasional unhooked riding or

twin tip wave carving. It lands jumps very nicely, but is aimed more towards in-line landings with less momentum carried by the rider. The Joke is a totally different board but is also a great freerider that can carve insanely. Like every good board should, it handles the chop with comfort. The main difference between the two boards is the fact that due to its magic 3D bottom shape in it, the Joke will land the hardest and most awkward landings you can imagine and has insane upwind capabilities. These features make it a first choice for the wakestyle riders and freestylers.

While designing this board I was working very close with Niccolo, who is a very progressive rider. Many times after his multiple rotations, while carrying huge energy and pretty much freefalling, he was catching the edge or slowing down. This resulted in a disturbing of his motion. Landings on the Joke are ridiculous as you can land absolutely everything, but of course you have to know how to land, as this board will accelerate when touching water! Both boards can be ridden with straps and with bindings, however you are right that those riders who prefer bindings will definitely prefer the Joke. The more mellow freeriders who don’t unhook or rotate that much and use the kite to slow down the landing would probably prefer the Blunt.

What can you tell us about the still-secret Cruizer board?

A secret is a wonderful thing for the imagination, so maybe let’s just say like the name implies: by the time we will release it, it will be a sick board for riders who are preparing to learn to ride.

Will there be any other new Wainman Hawaii products for 2011? The WH Production Department, directed by its fearless leader Tommy Lee, has even more secrets up its sleeve. They are preparing a few really nice surprises for The Gang very soon. I hope Mr. Lee will not hunt me down for revealing this, but there will be new pads, straps, fins, a t-shirt collection, rash guards, shorts, and other things available in the near future.

Will the 2011 boards still ship with board bags and everything you need to get the board ready to ride?

For sure. Good boards need good homes and it is a shame when a board gets damaged outside of its natural water environment. For all of our boards, the package will include a board bag and required hardware to get you out on the water. thek i teboarde r. com 7 1

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Instead of offering all-around kites, RRD is releasing four kites each designed to excel for a specific type of riding. Photo Courtesy RRD

While many companies seem to be releasing more products marketed as being all-around, RRD is taking a different approach and is offering four kites this year that are each being marketed for a specific purpose.

For 2011, they have also applied that idea to their surfboard line and are offering ten different surfboard shapes that when you count up the different sizes and construction options adds up to 24 different boards.

RRD’s US Distributor Evan Mavridoglou answered our questions about the 2011 RRD product line.

What makes the RRD lines different from those from other manufacturers? The Global Bar V3 comes in one size with two adjustable connection points to accommodate all kite sizes. It features an incorporated safety line which keeps the depower line clean and protected. Both the depower line and the safety line now run inside a dual chamber tube that hides these two basic lines. No more tangling around, it’s all clean and safe now. Our exclusive Rigid Flying Lines obtain an unmatched low stretch factor reduced by 85% compared to the classic flying lines. This allows the kite to be faster in turns and allows faster transfer of power to the board resulting in better response and handling.

For 2011, RRD has a surfboard line of 24 boards. Why is RRD making this many different boards? Since the first kite designed specifically for waves (2002 RRD Type Wave), Roberto Ricci has shown his commitment to riding waves with a kite. After the tremendous success of the Religion, RRD designed an array of surfboards that enables everyone to hit the waves with a kite. No matter the rider skill level, conditions, wave size, shape, or wind direction, there is an RRD surfboard designed for you.

There are ten new shapes in multiple sizes and constructions. This is the most complete line of kitesurfing specific boards specifically designed and built to be ridden with a kite in your hands.

2011 RRD (Roberto Ricci Designs) Kite Program www.robertoriccidesigns.com Kites

Sizes

For someone without any surf experience, how will they be able to choose the right board? Each board has been designed for specific conditions. The Salerosa is an onshore wave-specific board to ride with speed and powerful turns even in choppy waters and mushy waves.

The Gitana is a side shore wave and powerful surf specialist board. It’s a blend of easy turning and great control at high speeds that will allow you to use every square inch of the wave face. The Gitana is about heavy turns in the most powerful pockets. The Magonda is a pro surfer supercompact shape that can be ridden with or without straps. Designed to be ridden in small surf, the Pescado is a great retro-style fish shape to be

Bridle

Struts

4/5 Lines

OnePump

Style

Available

Passion MK III

3,5,7,9,11,13

Yes

5

4

YES

All-Around, Easy Ride, Beg-Int

August

Obsession MK III

5,6,7,9,10.5,12,13.5,15

Yes

5

4

YES

Freestyle, Unhooked, Big Air

September

Religion

4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11.5

Yes

5

4

YES

Waves, Waves, Waves

Now

Addiction MK II

11,13,16

Yes

7

4

YES

Racing, Extreme Upwind, Speed

October

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ridden on thousands of peaks and in lighter winds. The Domingo is the board that you will ride in the lightest winds, when nothing else goes. No matter if you ride in Florida, San Diego, or Texas the Domingo delivers and makes your kitesurfing day possible!

It seems that the 2011 RRD kites all have a very specific purpose. Why has RRD taken this approach as opposed to offering kites that satisfy riders of different styles? Each kiter and location creates a unique combination and there isn’t one kite that can accommodate everything. RRD believes that the needs of a beginner require very different kite characteristics than what a freestyler looks for. Similarly, a pure wave kite fulfills very different conditions and style than a racing specific kite. With this philosophy in mind, RRD offers four distinct kites that are very good in many conditions but excel in the discipline that they are designed in.

What type of rider is each of the new 2011 RRD kites best suited for? The Passion is our beginner –intermediate kite. It’s a super easy riding kite and extremely stable. The Obsession is a freestyle kite designed for high jumping, fast turning, powerful kiteloops, and excellent unhooked riding. The Religion is a pure wave riding kite designed for surfers with a bar in their hand.

The Addiction is an upwind machine designed to win in course racing competitions.

The 2011 line of RRD kites carry the same product names as the 2010 kites. What are the biggest changes that were made to the kites? Constant input from our team riders, shops, testers, schools, and kiters in various locations around the globe provides a wealth of information that helps us bring innovation and improvements each year. The Obsession III has been improved is certain areas while the main concepts have remained unchanged. It’s tough to make your best selling kite even better, and you have to be careful not to over-engineer a product when it has been working so well. The 2011 Obsession III has slightly higher bar pressure and is even more stable while delivering more steady power during kiteloops. We also added 6m and 15m sizes. The Passion III is a completely redesigned kite. It is extremely smooth, easy flying, and tons of fun for all levels including beginners. The Religion is the fastest turning kite in the RRD line, made specifically for onshore and side onshore wind conditions while riding waves. The Addiction II is a 7-strut kite with improved ease of use and downwind speed and performance. Upwind is still incredible and the 16m is designed to fly in the lightest winds possible.

The Addiction is RRD’s racing kite for 2011. Will this kite appeal to riders outside of racing? The Addiction is a fun kite to fly even if you are not a top racer. For 2011 the Addiction has become easier to use, faster turning, and is geared towards anyone who wants to shoot upwind way further than anyone else.

9’2” x 31”

9’6” x 29.5”

9’6” x 30.5”

9’8” x 31”

10’ x 34”

10’6” x 31”

derry mcintyre - 9’2” x 31”

carbon glass

Introducing Caution’s new Stand Up Paddle line of boards ranging from 10’6” to 9’2” with extra width for stability, shorter length for maneuverabity and an inset handle for easy transport.

thek i teboarde r. com 7 3

When the Wind is Light, Go SUK I gave up trying to be cool a long time ago, but my lack of coolness was firmly confirmed two years ago when I took an 11’ stand up paddleboard (SUP) out in 10 knots with a 6m kite. It was a complete failure.

The only thing worse than the realization that I couldn’t make something seemingly simple work was that as a result of my stubbornness, I had to drag my kite and a monster board a quarter mile back up the beach in wind that was too lame to help me on the way down, but persistently spiteful on the way back up.

I had always considered myself at the higher end of the hierarchy of kitesurfing, one of the guys that could ride anything; a sheet of plywood or an inflatable dolphin (other things not cool), and do it with style. From that point on I vowed to warn anybody and everybody who floated the idea of kiting on a stand up paddleboard that it was by far the worst, most physical, and ridiculously pointless form of kiting.

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

By Brendan Richards/Caution Kiteboarding/sckitesurfing.com

Fast forward two years to this last spring when I had been demoted to Senior Vice President of Demo Operations for Caution Kiteboarding, which requires traveling with a truck full of kite gear and our new line of stand up paddleboards to demo events all over the west coast.

Demos are typically held in locations that are known for wind, but that are almost guaranteed to have nothing more than an eight knot sea breeze because of some cosmic law that causes events to attract light wind conditions. Some people don’t mind demoing kites on the beach, but for me it’s about the water, so at some point my desperation combined with an abundance of stand up paddle boards led me to give SUKing (Stand Up Kiting) another try.

To make a short story longer - this time it worked. With 5-8 knots of wind I chose a 15M kite and one of our 10’ stand up boards. Our SUP boards are second generation style - wider and shorter with a hard edge in the tail for surfing. The steady pull of the larger kite combined with a better rail shape made it easy to put the board on edge for cruising upwind. The extra width helps you balance against the kite and unanticipated changes in wind strength and by experimenting with your feet and weight placement, you can get pretty efficient at cruising around in threshold wind conditions.

The novelty may wear off quick, so plan on trying a tail pivot jibe, duck tack, or going retro with old school windsurfer freestyle tricks. For the simple fact that it gets you off the beach, SUKing is worth a try. A series of light wind demo events through this summer has given me more SUK sessions than I would prefer, but as I said, I gave up being cool a long time ago. Now I’ll settle for getting wet and being entertained, and on occasions that may involve SUKing.

After abandoning all attempts to look cool, Brendan Richards found that kiting on an SUP board (SUKing) can actually be fun. Photo David DeVries

tips

• S tart on your knees with the kite high in the window. Start with small power strokes. If you fall, aim for the water, and try not to skewer the board with your harness hook.

• SUP boards don’t come with a centerboard, so you have to sink the upwind rail in order to be able to track upwind.

You will have to experiment with your board to find the optimal position.

• T o turn the board you have to take a few steps back and sink the tail — a wider stance will help your feet push the board where you want it to go. You can rotate your legs, leveraging off the pull of your kite.

• I n threshold wind conditions, where there’s just enough wind to keep the kite in the air, every knot helps. Make sure that you are either sinking the tail or one rail to fight against drifting with the wind.

• If you see a lull coming and you are worried about keeping the kite in the air, it’s best to keep the kite high in the window. Once the kite gets low and off to the side in marginal wind, it’s tough to bring it back up.

thek i teboa rde r. com 7 5

The look on this rider’s face shows just how much fun rails can be. Photo Jim Stringfellow

winning photo Submit your photos of “local homies” riding at your home spot and you could win a killer T-shirt from TKB! E-mail paul@thekiteboarder.com Erik Hafsrud grabs over Lake Mohave.

Photo Paul Lang

Localhomies It just wouldn’t be the Local Homies section without a GoPro shot! Jake Chanson hits the slider on a light wind day in Hood River. Photo Jake Chanson

Shane Gormley is all smiles in the Gorge. Photo Jim Stringfellow

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

Some dogs love kiters! Julien Wohlrab sprays the beach dog. Photo Jeff Nelson

Ryan Wolf reaches out to the cameraman at Lake Mohave. Photo Paul Lang

Airush’s Kyle Flower slides the nose in Maui. Photo Nate Volk

Harry Ter Horst won a brand new Wainman Hawaii kite with this photo in the WH Gangspace Photo Contest. Photo Courtesy Harry Ter Horst

kitepages California

Action Watersports (310) 827-2233 Airtime Kiteboarding (818) 554-7573 Aquan Watersport (650)593-6060 Australian Kitesurf Academy (714) 955-7832 Bay Area Kitesurf (415) 573-2619 Board Sports (510) THE-WAVE Board Sports (415) 929-SURF CaliKites (619) 522-9575 Captain Kirk’s (310) 833-3397 Delta Windsurf Company (831) 429-6051 Helm Sports (650 )344-2711 Inflight Surf and Sail (562) 493-3661 Kite Country (619) 226-4421 Kitegearboxx.com (888) 411-0732

CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA 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, safe instruction, they can help you better qualify your choices.

Introducing the TKB Certified Schools program. Look for the symbols by the listings!

For complete info or to be recognized as a TKB Certified School, see www.thekiteboarder.com and click on the TKB Certified School graphic.

The Kiteboarder Certified Schools

LEGEND d

Certifie

TKB Certified

Insurance

0THER OTHER

IKO

Pasa

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

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

Orbit Marine Sports (203) 333-3483

CT

Tri State Kites (800) 510-0865

CT

Florida

7 Kiteboarding (305) 664-4055 Ace Performer (239) 489-3513 Bloodline Boardshop (321) 254-4668 Big Kite Miami (305) 303-4107 East Coast Kiteboarding (954) 295-5778 Emerald Coast Kiteboarding (850) 235-2444 Extreme Kites (904) 461-9415 Extreme Sports (321) 779-4228 Jupiter Kiteboarding (561) 373-4445 Key West Kiteboarding (305) 407-6748 Kiteboarding Tampa Bay (813) 389-3683 Ft. Lauderdale Kitesurfing Co. (954) 410-5419 Island Style Wind & Watersports (941) 954-1009 Island Surf and Sail (954) 927-7002 Kiteboarding Tampa Bay (813) 389-3683 Kite Surf the Earth (888) 819-5483 Kite World (321) 725-8336 KGB Kiteboarding (904) 434-8987 1st Coast Kiting (904) 424-2721 Learn 2 Fly (386) 986-9637 Liquid Surf & Sail (850) 664-5731 KiteMare (877) 829-0015 Miami Kiteboarding Inc. (305) 345-9974 Otherside Boardsports (305) 853-9728 The Kite Shop (305) 361-0168 Sandy Point Progressive Sports (386) 756-7564 Ski Rixen (954) 429-0215 Tampa Bay Kiteboarding (727) 798-2484 Triton Kiteboarding (727) 453-9577 Water Monkey Kiteboarding (727) 481-3637

FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL

FL

FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL FL

FL FL FL FL FL

Watersports West (888) 401-5080 XL Kites (866) 955-4837 Xrated Kiteboarding (888) 401-5080

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

HI HI HI

HI HI HI HI

HI

HI

HI HI HI HI HI

Idaho

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

ID ID

Maryland

H2AIR Productions (302) 227-1105

MD

Michigan

Illinois

Windward Sports (773) 472-6868 Chicago Kiteboarder (312) 804-5482

Massachusetts

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

IL 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

MI

MN MN MN MN

Mississippi

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

MS

NC NC NC

NC NC NC NC NC

New Hampshire

Powerline Sports (888) 987-WIND

NH

New Jersey

Extreme Windsurfing (610) 807-9493

NJ

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

OR OR OR

Puerto Rico

Nevada

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

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

NJ

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

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

PR PR

Rhode Island

New York

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 Certified (252) 305-6839 Real Kiteboarding (866) 732-5548 Wind Toys USA (910) 328-5483 Wind Toys II (252) 393-1300

NJ

MS

Montana

Underground Kitesports (406) 546-2709

NJ

MI

Minnesota

Scuba Center Wind/Kite (612) 925-4818 North Star Kiteboarding (612) 940-6639 Midwest Mountaineering (612) 339-3433 LAKAWA Kiteboarding (651) 428-4121

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

OR OR OR

OR OR OR OR OR

Northwind Sports (401) 254-4295

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

Wisconsin

WA WA

WA WA C

M

WA

Y

WA

CM

MY

CY Adventure Kiteboarding (414) 760-1493 WI CMY 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 TX

Hoback Sports (307) 733-5335

WY

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 ding nd m , ore. en na Cagxt 28 ct: Da ce.com Conta 89.4762 e rtsinsuran .8 o 6 p 6 s 1.8 agen@ Dana.c

TX TX TX TX

TX TX TX TX

TX

Utah

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

UT UT

Virginia

OR

Southeast Expeditions (877) 943-8548

OR

Washington

OR

RI

Seattle Kiteboarding Center (206) 779-3272 Urban Surf (206) 545-9463 Wiley’s Water Ski Shop (206) 762-1300 Wind Flow (877) 211-3524 Evo (206) 973-4470 Bellingham Kiteboarding (360) 441-7577

4/9/10

VA

North by Northwest Surf Co. (360) 452-5144 WA thek i teboarde r. com 7 9

1:06:

yard sale

THE

TOP CRASHES IN FRONT OF THE

LENS

G o t a g r eat wipe o u t s h o t ?

Email: paul@thekiteboarder.com

Josh “Cornfed” Nehf about to be sent through the rinse cycle on the Northern California coast. Photo David DeVries

Editor Paul Lang shows what happens when you try to jump a sandbar and don’t make it.

Photo Gerard Bourgeois

Dimitri and Cameron Maramenides show off the dad leash, which keeps your father attached to you while you ride. Photo Courtesy Epic Kites

Celine Collaud about to go down hard in Egypt.

Photo Dave Cooper/redseamonkeys.com

Grom Gormley goes for a huge kiteloop at Rufus, but he forgot to take his board with him. Photo Carol Bolstad

Erik Hafsrud put a little too much oomph into this turn.

Photo Paul Lang

No harness and no kite leash – this situation was bound to be a yardsale. Photo Dave Cooper/ redseamonkeys.com

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

can yOu riP it? d ² = d u r abil it y x dyn am ic

All 2011 North Kiteboarding Kites are now built using the highest quality Technoforce D² material. D² stands for Dynamic and Durability.

Over the past years the North Kiteboarding R&D team has been experimenting with exclusive Technoforce D² material and developing it closely together with Teijin, the market leader in canopy materials. Multiple tests over the years have consistently produced the same results: · Technoforce D² material offers a 40% higher breaking strength · 70% higher tearing strength and also improved flying characteristics.

The main advantage of Technoforce D² is less broken kites due to way higher durability than other canopy materials – even after years of heavy use.

One main reason for this is the unique coating system of the D² material.

Each individual thread is first coated before being woven together and then completely coated again to produce the final material. This ensures that even if the outer coating is beginning to wear thin after years of heavy use and UV exposure, the individual threads are still protected and the

material remains crisp and durable. Technoforce D² also features a unique double ripstop construction which significantly increases diagonal stiffness.

Because of the dynamic load transmissions placed on kites, stiffness has a massive influence on flying characteristics. Practical tests have shown better flying performance of kites with Technoforce D² compared to typical canopy cloth due to this higher diagonal stiffness. The stiffer structure of the entire kite geometry ensures that all kites feel more solid and crispy and react immediately on steering commands. Load transmissions working on 3 dimensional bodies are variable, besides warp and weft the stiffness has an massive influence on the flying characteristics. Due to the unique double ripstop construction, Technoforce D² offers a significant higher stiffness concerning diagonal stiffness then common clothing. This is the key to the stiffer structure of the whole kite geometry and this is the reason why all kites feels more solid, crispy and react immediately on steering commands.

From now on, all North Kiteboarding Kites are built with Technoforce D² material. There’s simply no better choice of canopy material. check out

w w w. n o r t h k i t e s . c o m