TheKiteMag #43 Free Digital Issue by Water Born Media

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CONTENTS THE FEATURES 120 // The Boomerang After running his own brand for over a decade, Ben Wilson recently re-signed with Slingshot. He has been straight back into the game and has been putting the SST to test, slaying some giant waves in Fiji.

128 // Flying Solo Bruna Kajiya’s Brazilian passport meant she nearly wasn’t allowed to board her flight to Cape Verde, but thankfully for us she made it and hit up some unknown spots on the archipelago.

134 // Poster Boy It was high time Dutch stuntman Stig Hoefnagel bagged himself a cover so we set him up with a top photographer in Tarifa to get the money shot.

140 // Pyramid Scheme What comes to mind when you think of Egypt? I bet pyramids is on the list. They may not have been quite the real thing, but Hannah Whiteley found a way to get them in the shot nonetheless.

146 // Over Water Chris Bobryk runs a kite school near Miami and sent us some shots of his unusual local spot. The prohibition era has something to do with it…

THE REGULARS 43 // Tangled Lines Legends… Carla Herrera Oria 50 // On The List… Bonaire 54 // I’m On It… Roderick Pijls 58 // My Beach… Liam Whaley, Tarifa 64 // Colin Colin Carroll’s Loveletters… 72 // The Mission… Sebastian Ribeiro | Ricardo Campello 84 // The Creators… CrazyFly 92 // Profile… Guy Bridges 102 // Gallery… Full Power Tarifa 154 // The Big Picture… Naish 158 // Tech and Materials... Cabrinha 160 // Technique… Mikaili Sol | Valentin Rodriguez 164 // Tell Me About It… Airush Session| Levitaz Raze4 | ION Amaze | Flysurfer SOUL | Airwave Koala

176 // Tested... Cabrinha | ION | Prolimit | Manera 182 // The Committed… Damien LeRoy 186 // Reflections… Roderick Pijls

| Airwave

COVER

Stig Hoefnagel went large in Tarifa. Photo: Antonio Herrera Trujillo HERE

Rider: Lukas Pitsch Photo: Ramona Studer LP: Forecasting the wind is difficult on this lake (Walensee, Switzerland) and we usually ride it with the wind coming from the opposite direction. We checked out this spot on an early spring day when the launching area was not yet too busy – during the summer months, beach tourists make it impossible to launch a kite from this spot…

RPX V1

slingshotsports.com

Welcome Growing Up... I was recently talking to a guy from the world of snowboarding about the nature of our respective sports. I guess we’re all situated under the same ‘Action Sports’ umbrella these days. So, what is an action sport? Or, slightly cringingly, an ‘extreme sport’. I suppose a key variable in all of the main players is that you are making use of what’s around you – if you’re skateboarding you’re using the street, if you’re snowboarding you’re using the mountain, if you’re surfing you’re using the water and if you’re kiting then: you are using the wind my friend… There also has to be a definite element of peril – ideally the risk of severe injury – to truly mark a sport out as a core action sport. Kiting ticks all these boxes and – as showcased by nerve-shredding events such as the King of the Air – can stake its claim as a truly treacherous member of the family. Another defining feature of action sports is that they tend to be relatively young… Although surfing is perhaps the elder statesman, many of the other members of the extreme sports club have a much shorter lineage and have only developed a true culture and defined what they are all about in relatively recent times. And so – in many of these extreme sports – we find that a lot of the early adopters have now ridden through their prime riding years and are the first generation to have really lived their lives committed to one sport, and in many cases to have also helped to drive the direction of the sport and to help to define it…

These are passionate riders who have helped to bring their sports into the world (and in sports such as snowboarding and skateboarding, seen them move more into the mainstream). So, what do they do next? Well, thankfully for us, in many cases they move into the broader kitesurfing world, or into the industry. It’s a perfect fit: be it videographer, designer, or brand top-bod. They know their way around the sport and are the best placed people to oversee its evolution. You can look through these pages and find plenty of examples of such people and we have a lot to thank them for… They care about kiting and they have seen how it has developed; they have lived through the occasional mis-steps (boardies over your wetsuit?! Just saying…) and they are the very best placed people to see us into the next age of kitesurfing. One such guy took the picture here. I first met Patri at a KSP wave event nine years ago and, although his best riding years aren’t behind him yet (he’s out leading the charge on every solid Jaws swell), nowadays he also helps out with kite and board design (working with Sky Solbach and Ken Winner on Maui), and it turns out he is now getting into kite photography. Patri loves to kite and loves to be involved with the sport in any way that he can. And with guys like this overseeing the next stages of kitesurfing’s evolution, I think we are in pretty safe hands…

Enjoy the issue,

Alex

(and Sarah)

HERE

Rider: Jesse Richman Photo: Patri McLaughlin PM: I’ve always been interested in photography, so I decided to buy a camera. Turns out it is addictive. I upgraded my first camera to the best Sony equipment they make at the moment, and now in between Jaws swells I’m a photographer. For this photo I had just got a flash, so I talked Jesse into sending some big handle passes at sunset to test it out…

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EDITOR Sarah Sylvester EDITOR-IN- CHIEF Alex Hapgood

ART DIRECTOR Nikki Hall

TECHNICAL EDITOR Richard Boughton ONLINE MEDIA MANAGER Gemma Hamaini D I G I TA L M A R K E T I N G To m W e y e r s D I G I TA L E X E C U T I V E Rebecca Aldous

CONTRIBUTORS Alex Schwarz, Alexander Lewis-Hughes, Alexandria Hoover, Antonio Herrera Trujillo, Arnaud Plas, Beau Blake, Carlos Mesa, Christian Diaz, Claudio Cabral, Clémence Boudreau, Colin Porter, Craig Kolesky, Creative7, Daniel Knight, Dariusz Orlicz, Francesco Leggio, Frankiebees, Freddy Arellano, Freeride Tarifa, Gregor Mkgregor, Israel Gil, Jacopo Giusti, Jil van Dijk, Jurre Witte, Korbinian Grad, Kyle Cabano, Laci Kobulsky, Lukas Pitsch, Maria Cole, Mark Lloyd, Matt Argentin, MeerLicht Photography, Mike Mac Donald, Miriam Joanna, Patri McLaughlin, Patrick Schneider, Ramona Studer, Rein Rijke, Ricardo Campello, Samuel Cardenas, Scott Winer, Sebastian Kanzler, Sergio Murillo, Simon Bez, Svetlana Romantsova, Victor Benecke, Vincent Shaap

ADVERTISING Advertising enquiries can be sent to advertising@thekitemag.com

COPYRIGHT All material in TheKiteMag is subject to copyright. Reproduction without the express permission of the publishers will result in prosecution.

PUBLISHER TheKiteMag is published by Water Born Media Limited, 20-22 We n l o c k R o a d , L o n d o n N 1 7 G U

E N V I R O N M E N TA L This magazine is printed on paper s o u rc e d f ro m r e s p o n s i b l y m a n a g e d s o u rc e s u s i n g v e g e t a b l e b a s e d i n k s . B o t h the paper used in the production and the manufacturing process are FCS ® c e r t i ﬁ e d . T h e p r i n t e r s a r e a l s o a c c re d i t e d t o I S O 1 4 0 01, t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y recognized environmental standard. FIND US ON

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Nobile rider, Wojtek Andrzejewski, enjoying the sunny climes in Cyclades, Greece. Photo: Dariusz Orlicz

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FOCUS

RI DE R C AMIL L E DE L ANNOY P H OTO SAMU E L C ARDE NAS LOC AT I ON TARIFA

SC: After two years without taking any photos together, Camille and I met in Tarifa to do a shoot at the famous Balneario spot. There was twenty five knots of wind from the east, flat water, a clear blue sky, and perfect light early in the morning. It is always easy to take photos of riders of this level in front of my camera!

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RIDER ART H U R GU IL L E B E RT PH OTO PAT RIC K S C H NE IDE R LOCATION S OU T H E RN F RANC E

AG: This was a session in the south of France, at the Barcarès spot near Leucate, where there is a large lagoon with very flat water. Looking up it was pure blue with not a cloud in the sky, and there was 30 to 35 knots of regular wind. I had a superb session doing big jumps and kite loops. It was perfect for training Big Air.

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RI DE R OL IV IA JE NK INS PH OTO PAT RI MC L AU GH L IN LOC AT I ON MAU I

OJ: Maui’s north shore tends to be flat in the summertime. It’s a time when all the avid wave riders head off to some international destination in search of waves. However, on this day in early June we got lucky! The waves were pumping and the line-up got busy fast; everyone knew it was probably the last day of waves on the north shore for the next couple of months.

FOCUS

RI DE R B AB E T T E VAN DE V IS P H OTO RE IN RIJK E LOC AT I ON Z ANDMOTOR, T H E NE T H E RL ANDS

RR: I have been doing a photo-series of kiters riding beautiful and unique lakes, rivers and oceans. For this photo, I asked Babette to join me at one of my favorite home spots, the Zandmotor, a man-made saltwater lagoon. For the first time since it was created, it was almost completely frozen after a few rare arctic days. Every winter, when the temperature drops below sub-zero, the Dutch collectively blow the dust off their ice skates, sharpen their blades, and wait for the nearest puddle, pond, canal or lake to freeze over. Our nation comes to a standstill the moment we can go ice skating, and the last thing you want to do is go kiting in a lake and disturb the process of ice forming. So when I asked Babette to kite in the ice cold water and draw a few lines in this half frozen lake, we may well have dashed and shattered some icy dreams, but it was totally worth it. A big shout out to Babette – she stayed in this freezing cold water for over an hour.

RIDE R JU L E S C H OL L E T PHOTO MAT T ARGE NT IN LOCATION GRU ISSAN, F RANC E

JC: Another great session in our little southern desert! In summer, we usually kite at this spot at the end of the day, when the wind becomes more regular. Almost completely alone with a magnificent sunset, we decided to take some photos with Matt who had brought his water housing for his camera. We had a lot of fun and the result wasn’t bad! What a great summer evening with my mates.

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R I DE R K IMO V E RK E RK PH OTO F LY ME DIA P RODU C T IONS LOC AT I ON B ONAIRE

KV: I spent three and a half months in Bonaire, kiting, training and doing other cool stuff. Kiting there is great – it’s windy almost every day of the week, between 17 and 25 knots. The spot Atlantis Kitebeach is good for a lot of different disciplines and riding levels, from freestyle to freeride cruising on your foil and sometimes even for Big Air. [Ed: read on to find out more in ‘On the List’!]

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R ID E R K IKO R O IG TO R R E S PHOTO SA M UE L C A R DE N AS LOC AT IO N TA R IFA

KR: After a day of unsuccessful shooting at various spots, myself and Samu decided to try one last location for the day in the hope of getting a shot. We went to Balneario which is normally not a good spot to go to in the westerly Poniente wind, but we were determined to get a good picture on my Cypher with the sunset and clouds. This is where Samu worked his magic as always!

RIDER L AY NE MU L L ARD PHOTO C L É ME NC E B OU DRE AU LOCATION NIMP K IS H L AK E , C ANADA

LM: Since the Canadian borders were closed, which put a hold on our yearly trip to Baja, Clém and I have spent more time searching for new, less crowded spots back home. Sometimes it takes a few missions to find the right time for the conditions to line up, but when they do the payoff is just that much sweeter.

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RI DE R JALOU L ANGE RE E P H OTO V INC E NT S H AAP LOC AT I ON P ORT U GAL

TKM: Prevented from any grand long-haul plans, Jalou stays a little closer to home and takes on a quick hit to Portugal – a pretty worthwhile mission by the looks of things…

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R ID E R G ISE LA P ULID O PHOTO A L E X SC HWA R Z LOC AT IO N F UE R TE VE N TU RA

TKM: Multiple world champion Gisela taking some time to just cruise on her Levitaz Exo 4 and Shaka S.

R I DE R P OS ITO MART INE Z P H OTO L AC I KOB U L S KY LOCAT I ON DOMINIC AN RE P U B L IC

PM: This shot with the Elite III was taken during the 2022 CrazyFly photoshoot. Once again we chose the DR, mainly because we don’t have many Covid restrictions that can interfere with the shooting, plus we still had so many spots we wanted to visit after the last time we shot on my home island. This spot is between Buen Hombre and Punta Rusia and it was awesome using the mangrove trees as features and obstacles.

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R ID E R RYA N PA R SO N S PHOTO B E AU B L A K E LOC AT IO N Q UE E N SL A N D, AUSTRALI A

RP: This was freedom at first Flite – the Ocean Rodeo Flite taking me to a whole other universe. What started as a session to finish filming my welcome to Ocean Rodeo clip, turned into an unforgettable session with perfect winds, flat crystal clear water and such stunning scenery. Australia’s eastern beaches are breath-taking and an unforgettable experience when captured from a kite.

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R ID E R G IE L VLUGT PHOTO A N TO N IO HE R R E RA TRUJ I LLO LOC AT IO N TA R IFA

GV: I’ve never seen the waves at Tarifa as big as that day. Balneario was delivering incredible swell combined with strong wind. The waves gave me a massive boost and made me shoot straight up. I had to be careful though not to land in the next one coming my way!

RIDE R V E T E A B OE RS MA PH OTO F RANK IE B E E S LOC AT I ON MAU I

VB: I was invited to shoot the new Naish Dash last year with my teammates Tim Walsh, Ross-Dillon Player, and Reed Bauer. The first two days of our shoot, the conditions were light, not the best for looping. On our third day, the wind was on and we headed to Camp One to shoot. I took out a 10m Dash and a 135cm Monarch. I typically ride the Pivot for loops, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Dash. Needless to say, it exceeded my expectations and had a very powerful, responsive feel. I was stoked to be riding with the boys again and to be riding in different conditions. I like to take in all the conditions at a spot, like the wind direction and the kickers, if there are any, to switch up my riding and the way I’m doing my tricks. 40

FOCUS

RIDE R F RANC E S CO C AP P U ZZO P H OTO JACOP O GIU ST I LOC AT I ON SARDINIA

TKM: It’s not all about wing-foiling you know… Sometimes you just want to lock in to some steady kite-powered energy and get your cruise on. No kneeling, no pumping, just good, honest, foiling fun.

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RIDE R GRE TA ME NARDO PHOTO F RANC E S CO L E GGIO LOC AT I ON SARDINIA

TKM: If you ever need a shot to explain to someone why you love kiting this should do it... Turquoise water, yacht parked up, no doubt a few chilled cervezas waiting for you when you’re done. Yup, it beats football any day.

FOCUS

Carla Herrera Oria T A N G L E D

L I N E S

Hailing from Tarifa, Carla has proved that she can slay a wave and pop an epic strapless trick with the best of them, having bagged the title of GKA Kite-Surf World Champion in 2019, the last time the comps were able to run...

PH OTOS KORBI NI AN GRAD, SAMU E L C ARDE NAS AND SV E T L ANA ROMANTS OVA

Carla Herrera Keh-Lung Su

Where is your favorite spot to train or even just session for strapless freestyle as well as wave riding? Definitely, Mauritius – it has the perfect wave for me – left, glassy and powerful. Of course, it has its downside... reef underneath! But still, it’s one of the best waves I have ever surfed. It is also a great place for strapless freestyle, as you find chop in both directions so you can practice all your tricks. And on top of all that, no wetsuit is needed! Mauritius is the place I look forward to visiting every year.

Charlotte Carpentier

How do you balance your job and your professional athlete career? As you know, it is super hard to combine both. Working as a kite instructor means I’m normally working when the conditions are best for riding, plus you finish your work feeling very tired. Also, we have just opened my new Ocean Rodeo Pro shop in Tarifa, which has taken a lot of time to prepare. But as I always say, a day has 24 hours, so if you really want to do something, you find the time. And luckily in Tarifa, we have wind nearly every day so I still have time to train most days.

John Zimmerman (President, Ocean Rodeo)

ALUULA has been a true game changer. I used to not go kiting under 13 to 14 knots because it was just no fun for me even on big kites, but this concept completely changed with the new ALUULA and HL kites, opening up the low-end of my 12 and 14m kites. I didn’t really enjoy foiling, but since I got my hands on ALUULA kites that has changed, and now every sub 10 knots day you can find me with a big smile riding on my foil, and I’m always the last one on the water. It also really opens up the top end which is important with our Levante wind here in Tarifa…

Ryan Parsons

What are your thoughts on the way strapless freestyle and wave riding have changed over the years, and what do you think the future will bring for them? When you look at the guys, it is just crazy to see how much they are pushing the sport. From handle passes that seemed impossible just a couple of years ago to massive Big Air moves... They even make it look easy. I guess in the not so distance future, we will find strapless riders doing pretty much the same as twintip riders, with all the technical difficulty that strapless riders have. Maybe not as much on the wakestyle side, but I think on Big Air. Personally, strapless 44 44

TANGLED LINES

Carla

Has the introduction of ALUULA materials affected the way you select your equipment for the day’s conditions, or the way the product feels?

freestyle has always pulled at my heartstrings and I have tried to push it as much as I could. I like to think I was one of the pioneers in strapless freestyle and I feel amazing when I see the newcomers, like Capucine Delannoy, who really keeps pushing and progressing. A few years ago, landing a front was like a dream, and now we see doubles effortlessly!

TKM

What are your thoughts on strapless freestyle and wave riding being included on the same tour? Do you think they belong together?

In the early days it was not feeling right for me as I was so focused on strapless freestyle, but with some time on the tour I realized that it was a smart move. A world champ should be good in every aspect of the discipline, so that pushed me and I became better and better on waves. Besides that, events are normally only a few days, so adapting to the conditions has become the best way to get a result, which is good for the athlete, sponsors and viewers. In my opinion the GKA has done an excellent job and this format is great.

Oria

Peri Roberts

Coming onto the GKA tour as a rookie was pretty scary and I feel like you were the hardest female to crack in terms of earning respect and later, friendship. In your opinion, what does it take to establish your place as a world tour competitor? As you already know, first and most important is dedication. Raising your level up to be able to compete successfully on a world tour takes a lot of hours in and out of the water training. But it is not only about your skills on the board, it also takes a lot of mental preparation and learning how to compete – for me, personally, that was the hardest part! Then, of course, we can’t forget the financial part... Attending a full world tour is not cheap, so not everyone is able to afford it. I have been lucky to have Ocean Rodeo and my other sponsors supporting me.

Jalou Langeree

What got you hooked on fitness and can you take us through the cross-training that you do?

My brother is a personal trainer, so this aspect has been easy for me. Since I challenged myself with the goal of competing at the highest level, I was clear it was not only about doing tricks – you also need to prevent injuries and be ready for whatever competition brings. I like to have a routine, and a couple of years ago I finally found the balance that really works for me – I normally start my day around 6.30am with a good breakfast and then I go for some running or biking. Around 8.30am I’m in the gym doing specific exercises and then my ‘out-of-the-water-workout’ is done. Then, depending on wind and work, I always try to get some time on the water.

Richard Myerscough (CEO and Founder, Ocean Rodeo)

How has the weight reduction in Ocean Rodeo kites changed their performance, and what impact has that had on your riding? Summarizing, it has given me more time for fun on the water. For me, lighter kites have opened up my ‘fun range’ and I have found new ways of enjoying the sport, whether in marginal winds foiling, or twintip and strapless riding on my 14.5m A-Series Flite. In marginal winds I can be the first one on the water, and in the mid and top-end range you feel so connected to the kite, thanks to the rigid airframe – that truly makes a difference. I often get people asking on the beach about ALUULA kites and I just say, “Take it and go for a ride”. You can see the smile on their faces from the shore! CARLA HERRERA ORIA

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Matchu Lopes

Carla H

Which other female competitor motivates you to push hard when you compete?!

Jalou has been always my role model in wave riding; I basically used to watch her videos in the early days. Having the opportunity to compete against her has been one of my biggest pleasures in competition. She is a fierce competitor and her wave riding is amazing, truly someone to look at. With freestyle riding it is more complicated as we were a small bunch practicing the discipline, so I always had my eyes more on the guys. But nowadays, Capucine is clearly the female rider to watch. I’ve had the opportunity to compete against her many times and I can really see she has what it takes to become the next world champion! I’m really looking forward to seeing where she can take the sport.

TKM

Do you think it is important to learn tricks like a backroll, frontroll or kiteloop with a twintip first, before you start to practice the trick with a strapless board? If you want to have an easier and faster progression on a strapless board, it is a must to master a few basic tricks on a twintip first. Even before thinking of backrolls and frontrolls, the main focus should be on transitions, pops and toeside. Once you have pops under control, plus power jumps with rotation and backrolls and frontrolls, transition jumps with downloops and kiteloops are key to make the transition to surfboards much easier. If you try to learn all these tricks on a surfboard, it will make your progression much slower and you will probably get frustrated.

James Carew

You used to push strapless freestyle very hard, are you still pushing it and what tricks are you going for at the moment? As you have seen lately in our sessions in Tarifa, I’m not so focused anymore on strapless freestyle. I try to enjoy every day and depending on conditions I get the right tool for the day, from super lightwind days foiling to twintip riding, strapless or Big Air conditions. And now having wingfoiling, sometimes I find it hard deciding what to do! There are still some tricks I’m trying to learn strapless, but this is a surprise you might see in competitions…

Johanna-Catharina Edin

What are your future plans and goals for kiting?

At the moment I’m fully focused on my new business career. My new Ocean Rodeo shop and distribution for Europe is keeping me very busy, and I don’t know where all this will take me! But for sure, my goals for kiting have changed since I became world champ. As I said above, I’m not so focused on just strapless riding. So if I see that I will have more fun on a twintip or a wing, I just go for it. I try now to really enjoy the time on the water instead of pushing myself to ride strapless like I used to do.

Reece Myerscough

So wingfoiling has caught your attention. Do you find yourself splitting your on-water time between the kite and the wing? Honestly? If I see conditions are good for winging… I definitely take my wing out! It is something new and having this feeling of being a total beginner makes the experience super fun. It is so cool to find myself struggling to see how to make this jump or transition. I’m really looking forward to seeing where this new sport is going, and I definitely want to be part of it! 46 46

TANGLED LINES

Carla Herrera Oria TKM

If you weren’t based in Tarifa, which to be fair is pretty hard to beat, where would your second choice be?

That is a hard one… Tarifa offers everything I look for in and out of the water, and I haven’t found a place like it, even when I have been lucky enough to travel around the world! True, Tarifa doesn’t have the best wind or waves, but you get conditions and nice weather every day! The only place where I have felt a similar magic has been in Prea, Brazil. It is an amazing place for riding but also has a lot to offer out of the water. Although to be honest, I have never been there out of the windy season.

Todd Horn (US Sales, Ocean Rodeo)

Kiting and competition has taken you to many special places around the world and I’m sure you get to meet some incredible people. What is your favorite non-kiting experience from your travels? It is difficult to name just one. But for sure, one of the special things is the friendships I have made… How you connect with people from around the world, and how even though you are competing against them, out of the water you can have a great friendship. And, just as an anecdote, there is that time I arrived in Australia, basically the other side of the world after 34 hours on a plane, and stepping onto a bus I was recognized by the driver… Or going to Brazil and having some local kids coming to ask for autographs… So many small memories!

Olivia Jenkins

I know we are still seeing some travel restrictions with Covid at the moment, but if you had the chance, what and where would your dream trip be?

arla Herrera Oria

Herrera Oria Oh I look forward to traveling again so much! I have two destinations I want to visit no matter what and I’m sure you will have some tips for them – I really want to visit Indonesia and Hawaii! It looks like they have so much to offer in and out of the water that I really want to go there and explore. Hopefully by the end of 2021 everything will start to get easier and for sure I want to plan a big trip.

TKM

Which other athletes inspire you? There are so many, not just kiters… But from our industry, I have always been inspired by Gisela Pulido and Alvaro Onieva… Real pioneers of the sport! And having the opportunity to share time with them in Tarifa is just amazing. After so many years in the sport, they still find a way to keep motivated and push the sport in their own way.

Frances Kelly

How was your winter at home in Tarifa this year? That was super fun kiting with you around your local spots, thanks for showing me around your hometown! When are you coming to visit us in Canada? Winter has been… relaxed. We had so many restrictions that traveling was basically not possible. So I had time to kite a lot and prepare my new business, and it has actually been really nice to have the opportunity to just stay at home and explore the surroundings – I got to appreciate where I live even more. For sure one of the destinations on my list is finally getting to Canada and riding there with you guys; your landscapes and kite spots look amazing and I really want to see the Ocean Rodeo offices where the magic happens. I will bring my 6mm wetsuit and a drysuit! ■ CARLA HERRERA ORIA

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Photo - Ydwer Rider - Marcella Witt Spot - Corsica

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L I S T H E T N O

Bonaire Two years ago Jurre Witte and Suzanne Legtenberg decided to leave the rat race – they sold everything, refitted a yacht, and set off with it round the world, working remotely to stay buoyant. Currently sailing the beautiful Caribbean, Jurre took some time out to tell us about one of their favorite kite spots, Dutch municipality Bonaire. “Wow…” Suzanne and I were flabbergasted when we arrived at the kite spot. After leaving Kralendijk, the bigger of the two towns on the island, we had driven via the coast to the far southeast point of the island, past pink salt lakes, numerous flamingos, sleepy donkeys, excited divers in full gear next to the road, and the most amazing emerald-colored water… This island gets to you in seconds. Originally afraid that we’d be spending our time with retirees seeking winter sun, we instead found a lively and entertaining surf vibe, amazing people, and perfect conditions. Bonaire was one of the hardest places to leave on our round-the-world sailing trip. 50

ON THE LIST

This island is most famous for its dive spots that can be entered straight from the water’s edge. Just 10 to 20 meters out from the coastline you find a wall of coral going down from five to 30 meters deep, looking like a natural aquarium with so many fish you forget all about David Attenborough’s warnings of diminishing fish populations. Here you can still find so much natural beauty below the water’s surface. The downside, however, of the island’s focus on this beautiful underwater world and diving, is that you are not allowed to kite in the light blue water, meaning the first 20 meters from the beach. But sensibly, Bonaire offers a solution for that – they have made an exception for the location with the best stable wind: Atlantis Kitebeach.

Photo: Fly Media Productions

“Could you give me a launch?” Stig Hoefnagel walked by and launched my kite. The pros were out in full force, showing me how to land tricks that I will probably never even think about pulling. On the water I was kiting with a turtle within a minute. New spots always amaze me, and this one definitely delivered. Two school buses welcome you on Atlantis beach, each owned by a different kite school. There is a reason why these schools have wheels – every day, they need to pack up everything and clean the beaches. Even the rescue/teaching boats are taken out of the water at 5pm, day in, day out. The super chilled vibe, together with the nomadic atmosphere of the buses, creates a spot where everybody cares for each other – you can even forget your harness for days and find it back where you left it.

When you want some variety, register for a downwinder from Atlantis to Klein Bonaire (literally translates as Little Bonaire). On the leeward side of Bonaire you kite to the beautiful uninhabited island with its crisp white beach where you’ll finish. The downwind organizers will bring you back to Kralendijk by boat, which gives you a fairly good reason to dive into one of the bars for a well-deserved after-kite beer and snack. After dining in half of the Caribbean, we definitely conclude that Bonaire is the best place to have a good meal. The best smoked ribs ever are made by a local kiter who swaps his boardshorts for a cooking apron at the weekends and turns his backyard into ‘Holy Smoke’. You can have an awesome pizza at Rum Runners with waves crashing into the wall just next to your table, or taste some special BONAIRE

Photo: Fly Media Productions

beers with delicious food at the Brewery in town. If you really want to try something different, go to Posada Para Mira for some Laguna Stew. Oh, and definitely try the ice cream at Gio’s or Luciano, be it morning, afternoon or just before dinner, it will make your day! This part of the Caribbean enjoys around 17 to 25 knots almost daily between December and June. After June, the hurricane season tends to destabilize the reliable trade winds and you have a higher chance of no wind and needing to do something else on the island. But don’t worry, you can put the lack of wind and your failed S-bend to the back of your mind, and instead defeat your friends in a game of minigolf, go freediving in one of the caves on the island, or even try land sailing. Whatever time of year you visit, you can definitely leave your wetsuits

Getting There There are direct flights from Amsterdam and Miami.

In the Bag Take a 9 and 12m for an 85kg rider.

Rubber B&B: boardshorts and bikini! But bring your rashguard or UV shirt since the sun will burn.

ON THE LIST

at home, or if you really feel the cold bring a shorty. But know that the locals are ripping in only Brazilian-style bikinis or their favorite boardshorts. The conditions are perfect on Bonaire and if you combine kiting with a love for the underwater world, this place needs to be on the top of your list. For us, the nice mingle of kite and windsurfers (it’s worth visiting Sorobon, the best windsurf location ever), divers, locals and retirees gave it a unique vibe. If you can share the cost of a vehicle with other people, you will find that your (now cheaper) own means of transportation gives you lots of freedom and opportunities on this island. For us, after many beautiful places and spots, this one definitely stole our hearts. ■

Staying There Atlantis is in the far southeast of Bonaire, without any accommodation closer than a 10-minute drive, and without taxi or public transportation options. Rent a pick-up or go more adventurous and take the cheaper option of renting a scooter. With your own transport, location is of less importance.

Beer Around three USD for a beer, but if you plan wisely, you can start your alcohol consumption with really cheap happy hours.

Most Likely to Hear Did you kitesurf with the dolphins already?

Least Likely To Hear I want to leave.

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I’M ON IT

Dutch brand Lieuwe have been manufacturing beautiful custom kite boards for ten years inhouse at their own workshop. Team rider Roderick Pijls has been riding the Oceana, one of our own Ultimate Test Gold Medal winners no less…

I’ve been riding the Oceana for about three years A medium to hardflex board, it has amazing levels of control whilst performing the most extreme airs. It combines competition performance with great comfort. I have also ridden the Shotgun for Big Air and the Say No More for freestyle. But I favor a board that is perfect for both, which means the board has to have a balanced ratio between rocker line, stiffness and outline. I don’t change my board setup for different conditions. I like to ride one setup to make sure I can completely trust my board and know exactly how it will respond in every condition. So when I found that magic setup, I stuck with it. The Oceana has a square outline that benefits the total surface of the board. This gives me much more control and stability in hard landings. The ultra-light wood core has a pretty stiff ‘flex’ to increase the explosive pop, but it also prevents the board from nose-diving with hard landings and makes it really responsive. It feels as if I’m in direct contact with the water as there’s less vibration damping compared to a flexible board. The wood core is slightly thicker than other boards and specific fibers are placed in a longitudinal direction, increasing the overall performance. The Oceana’s rocker line is on point; it is easy to accelerate and to keep the speed going, which is important for gaining high speeds for Big Air. If a board is too flat with less rocker, it starts nose-diving in hard landings. Luckily the Oceana’s amazing ratio between flex and rocker, and the precision engineered concave, breaks your landing and absorbs the impact. Busting out big moves and knowing that your board is there to catch you and to absorb the impact as much as possible is a really good feeling. So I enjoyed riding the Oceana in Cape Town last year, a place known for strong winds to throw some decent airs and kiteloops. Landing with such a high performing board after your kiteloop gives you a secure feeling to know that the board is not going to nose-dive or break. The custom Twaron® by Teijin upgrade is available for real connoisseurs to increase its stiffness and pop even further. I’ve been riding this version for a while now to increase the absorption of little vibrations. I compare it to tennis: if you hit the ball with a loose grip, you’ll feel the racket vibration a lot. If you do the same but with a firm grip, the racket vibrates much less. The Teijin Twaron® fibers have the same effect. I choose what fins to use depending on the discipline. For freestyle I always ride small fins to make the board playful and loose on the water. But for Big Air I ride larger fins to be able to hold my rail a bit longer while riding overpowered. I like working on R&D 100 percent. Changing some fibers or a couple of degrees in the concave or rocker makes a huge difference and I like to know the technology behind a certain board feel. I have been riding the Oceana recently in Bonaire, a heavenly freestyle playground with offshore flat waters and wind every day for your 11 or 13m. Boosting your freestyle game on these waters is fairly easy and being able to trust your board is priceless.

LIEUWE OCEANA

While we had Lieuwe on the line, we thought we’d ask Board Director Roel de Weers and Business Partner Erik van der Bijl what’s been going down at HQ. Rumour had it that they’ve got some exciting times ahead...

What’s happening in the Lieuwe workshop? Long story short: we’re going all in. Much like the last 11 years, we’re giving it our all to mastercraft strong and light wooden boards that boost your performance, with custom designs to match your story. It started with crafting our own, because we simply couldn’t find ‘the one’ for us. But never did we expect that selling to a few friends and friends of friends would lead to countless crazy adventures and eventually to becoming the largest custom board builder in the world. This still gives us goosebumps all over! To mark this milestone, we’re launching 50+ new designs and a new campaign, calling all riders to go all in. Tell us about your new campaign. Where did the inspiration come from? Getting a custom board is like getting a tattoo. It’s super personal and really gets ‘under the skin’. Each board has a story and over the years we’ve heard so many cool reasons why people wish to have their designs created: impactful life events, travel goals, crazy obsessions, the weird shit that happened on their kite trips, the things they dream of. To some, kiting is just a hobby. To most of our customers, kiting means life. It’s super cool to hear their stories and to see how our artists turn them into their dream design; even cooler to see how their custom boards lead to all kinds of new encounters and adventures, just because the looks of their boards prove to be true conversation starters. It’s the reason why we’re calling all riders to go all in and make new memories together. And it’s why we say, from now on: we don't just make boards, we craft stories. What’s the story behind the ‘God of all Gods’ board design? It’s a tribute to the higher powers we experience when we hit the water. Many can relate to driving to the beach at Mach 3 after a stressful day at work, pumping your kite and finally getting in the water after walking back to the car twice to pick up your pump and bar. Not entirely in the right mood you enter the water and start to send it like an idiot, trying new tricks and failing them all the time. The frustration situation gets explosive, until a sudden gust pulls your strings and the water wakes you up. It’s when you realize, what am I doing and why am I so stressed? The huge forces of the Gods suddenly make you and your issues feel tiny. Boom. That is the moment where inner demons are burned and our inner fire is lit. With a fresh mindset and new energy we are now ready for more when we step onto shore… What can you say about the other designs? Like the ‘God of all Gods’, our new Custom Stories collection is dedicated to the indescribable feelings that kiting gives us. We will be releasing four campaign boards and their stories over the rest of this year. We also released over 50 new board designs on our website with natural patterns and vivid gradients for riders to make new memories with. For a small fee this design can be personalized, or applied to our other boards, such as the Oceana. For true troopers, our featured artists are ready to turn riders’ stories into unique custom masterpieces. ■ 56

I’M ON IT

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MY BEA C H

Tarifa Tarifa’s golden boy Liam Whaley initially grew up on the notorious Spanish party island of Ibiza, not a place usually associated with kitesurfing… Luckily for Liam his family moved to Tarifa where he honed his kiting skills to become one of the highest-level competitive riders of the moment.

PHOTOS ANTONIO HERRERA TRUJILLO

W H AT A R E Y O U R F I R S T R E C O L L E C T I O N S O F K I T I N G ?

W H Y D I D Y O U R F A M I LY M O V E F R O M I B I Z A T O TA R I F A ?

My first recollections are of flying a tiny trainer kite on the beach when we lived in Ibiza and going with my mum to watch my dad kite.

It is partly because of my dad having hotels in Tarifa and partly because I really wanted to pursue a career in kiting. My dad and I wanted to live in a more sporty environment and Ibiza didn’t really offer that.

C A N YO U R E M E M B E R A N Y O F YO U R F I R ST S E S S I O N S ?

I had a bad experience during one of my first lessons where I was sucked out to sea by a rip current, at the age of eight. Luckily I loved the sport so much that this didn’t stop me from wanting to learn.

W H O E LS E D I D YO U R I D E W I T H T H E R E ?

I would ride with Gisela Pulido, Alex Pastor and a bunch of kids that were around my age such as Jerome Cloetens and Forest Bakker. We were definitely a solid crew of kids that dreamt of being professionals, and I think this really motivated me to succeed. C A N Y O U TA L K U S T H R O U G H T H E T Y P I C A L C O N D I T I O N S ?

There are two main wind directions in Tarifa – the Levante, an easterly wind, and the Poniente, a westerly wind. The Levante is side offshore or completely offshore depending on the beach. It tends to be strong and quite gusty but great fun for jumping high. The Poniente is side onshore or onshore, and tends to be between 15 and 25 knots. In winter we get days with great swell and in summer we get thermal winds that only work at Valdevaqueros beach. H A S T H E S E T U P AT T H E B E A C H C H A N G E D S I N C E Y O U M O V E D THERE?

No, not really. There are more kite schools, shops and restaurants on the main road every year, but in terms of the beach it has stayed pretty similar as most areas are protected and you can’t build.

MY BEACH

W H AT W O U L D B E Y O U R P E R F E C T D AY T H E R E ?

I have two favorite kinds of conditions. The Levante with a bit of swell, sunshine and around 30 to 35 knots are my favorite conditions for Big Air because they are the most fun and easiest to progress in. For freestyle, the Poniente with high tide is a perfect combination to kite in the lagoon, but unfortunately it is technically illegal and the police are becoming more and more vigilant. TA L K U S T H R O U G H O N E S E S S I O N T H AT S TA N D S O U T F O R Y O U THERE?

There was a day at Balneario last autumn when it was blowing 40 knots with very constant wind and over two-meter kickers. I was out with two other guys and I think I sent the biggest kiteloops of my life. W H E R E ’ S Y O U R F AV O R I T E P L A C E T O E AT O R W H AT I S Y O U R F AV O R I T E M E A L A F T E R A S E S S I O N T H E R E ?

Definitely the Hurricane Hotel beach bar (Chiringuito) for lunch. There is a buffet that is homemade, super healthy and has a lot of vegetarian options. I eat there almost every day! My favorite meal is the vegetarian mushroom lasagna with a salad and a fresh orange juice. W H E N D I D Y O U L A S T R I D E T H E R E – H O W WA S I T ? !

Last time I rode there I competed at the Full Power Tarifa. This was my first competition since my injury and it felt amazing to compete at home. I am happy with my performance even though I didn't make the finals. The conditions were very strong Levante, around 45 knots. D O Y O U T H I N K Y O U W O U L D H AV E G O T T O W H E R E Y O U A R E T O D AY I F Y O U H A D N ’ T L I V E D T H E R E ?

I think I would have. Tarifa and Spain in general have a very healthy competitive environment that definitely helped me push myself, but I had a very strong individual drive to be the best before I moved to Tarifa and even before I started kiting, so I feel that I could have gotten to where I am today living in any other good kite destination. I F Y O U H A D T O C H O O S E A N O T H E R S P O T T H AT Y O U L O V E B U T T H AT I S C O M P L E T E LY D I F F E R E N T, W H E R E W O U L D I T B E ?

Definitely Cape Town – that’s the only other place I could see myself living as it has great kiting in summer, great surfing all year round, good food, better people and amazing festivals! ■

TARIFA

Freestyle+ / Freeride / Wakestyle

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hy ons w s a e Six r re of u t u f the l g wil n i d r boa kite tinas e r r you burn

This issue Colin scrapes the back of his cranium with an extra-long Q-tip, resulting in the equivalent of a lateral flow test for his consciousness… He’s tested positive for industry cynicism as usual. What we received is borderline printable but we had a couple of pages spare, and a second chance is a wonderful thing… When you’re rubbing shoulders with kite royalty all the time like I am, it is easy to form a pessimistic view of kite culture and the status quo. Like any good monarchy, you see, those at the top aren’t all that keen to give up their place. Obviously they know that they’ve had it. They’re haggard. They know that they’ve got there for reasons that are no longer valid. But they won’t budge. And why would they. Think about it. But the problem with pro kiters is that they don’t get reprimanded for centuries of racism or getting caught up in nasty child trafficking scandals. No. Pro riders just get to wait at the top, unscrutinized, worrying about which pesky youngster might be lunging for them next. So the best thing to do is get lazy, get negative and scoff at whoever is driving the change. Ask any of that lot what kiting will look like in five years and you’ll soon see that they haven’t thought about it whatsoever – things are okay now, so who cares? I however, being the beacon of smiles that I am, have a brighter view of the future. I reckon market pressure is what changes things: if things stagnate, rot sets in until someone comes to clear up. And the thing is, there is a hoard of spotty teens wanting to earn their places as riders. There is a generation of engineering graduates who quite fancy careers as kite designers. A Big Air world tour is emerging. There are kiters with a passion for journalism (watch out TKM) who will be wanting to write and make content that propels the sport’s media into 2021 and beyond. There are piles of government money put aside to fund Olympic racing campaigns. And there are two blokes making rubbish weekly kite podcasts that no one listens to. So change is coming, whether the not-so-liberal elite like it or not. Here’s where I predict we’ll be in five years’ time and the reasons why I reckon kiteboarding is in good stead.

1. Viva La Revolution Let’s start with the one that is most unlikely but potentially the most explosive. Currently, there are about eight riders who basically pre-qualify for King of the Air every year, due to sheer competition experience. These guys have completely dominated the freestyle and Big Air scene for the past 15 years. Everyone knows their names and everyone wants to see them in the events. They can handle the pressure when the snot-nosed teens just can’t, particularly when the lights of

kiting’s biggest stage are on them. However, these kids, at some point, will be so much better than their older counterparts that they’ll either: 1) naturally outperform them or 2) the old guard will get such a fright that they’ll quit or try a lot harder to keep up, both of which are exciting prospects, and both of which are inevitable. You only have to look at what is winning the recent Big Air Kite League events to see that there’s a chasm forming in terms of skill and risk taking. In three years, let alone five: if you can’t contra boogie board off (or something equally as mad), you’re done. So the likelihood of us seeing megaloop passes re-emerge and mind-blowing shit being thrown down, is high. Get excited.

2. Winging won’t cannibalize kiteboarding I was concerned for the whole of 2020 that the global pandemic might last forever and that winging might substantially damage the health of the kite economy. What I’ve come to realize is that Boris Johnson is a moron and that winging appeals to a section of society that would never have been interested in kiting anyway. And for those who are kiters but have gotten into winging – they’ll be buying both kites and wings. So all that worrying was needless, as the target market are rich enough to buy it all. And there’s simply nothing I can do about the north of England voting Tory. Silly me. If anything, winging might be a good stepping stone for the sorts of people who wouldn’t use a wet towel to get introduced to kiting. Come to think of it, maybe we could get on just fine without them, however, they’re the ones who are buying the product and propping up the kite brands. So next time you spot some idiot who can’t get their wetsuit off their foot, give them a hand. And tell them that you need a whole quiver of everything.

3. Tom Bridge is going to have to get a proper job Surely this is a given. I mean, he’s picked me as his videographer. It doesn’t matter how talented you might be, if you repeatedly make catastrophic media errors there’s only one way your career is heading: trolley management at Budgens. Tom is currently the only rider on earth that is capable of making freestyle interesting again. Okay, other riders could do it, obviously. Liam Whaley could do it. Maxime Chabloz could do it. Valentin Rodriguez could do it. But, the combined imagination of those three is about as awe-inspiring as a rainy day at IKEA. Tom can do it, and seems to be operating on a different frequency to his colleagues. The difference is, he wants to go where others haven’t. He wants to re-ignite freestyle and most importantly, he doesn’t give a shit about what has gone before. That’s not to say he’s not aware of what has been done. He’s aware. But he doesn’t care for the rules that most kiters have sworn by. Those hills that freestylers used to die on? Tom isn’t interested. He’ll have his kite high if he wants to (that’s a giant hill). He’ll crash it. He’ll look lanky and dangly at points (a mountain) but then somehow bring it all back under control to land perfectly, as if he’s done that world first a hundred times. He’s blending new school and old, effortlessness with struggle. It’s weird. It’s unorthodox. It breaks all the rules. And it works. Thank god for Tom Bridge.

Airton Cozzolino flipping the world on its head. Photo: MeerLicht Photography

LOVE LETTERS TO KITEBOARDING

4. Olympics could be massive (and most probably will be) Tokyo 2020 is on even though we can’t time travel and 80 percent of Japanese health service workers have declared that they would rather care for the sick and vulnerable than a load of scrotes who think that sport is important during a global pandemic. However, we’re not here to get lost in the moral maze of Japanese policymaking, are we? No. This is a kite magazine. Keep it light and fluffy, Colin. Come on… Paris 2024 will most probably happen and it’ll most probably be huge for kiting. They reckon 22 million people tuned into that 2012 Olympic opening ceremony where Daniel Craig parachuted in with the Queen and most probably an erection from thinking about his own importance. So when Thierry Henry does some karaoke for the Paris 2024 opening ceremony, it’ll be quite the moment for French pop music. I’m hoping that bloke from ‘The Intouchables’ does his disco dancing for the first hour. Kite-wise, it’s now a two medal event, with individual racing for Women’s and Men’s. This is recent news, and it’s shaken up the whole racing discipline. There’s now more at stake – so more money, more effort, more professionalism and hopefully more drama. I, of course, will be beginning my Olympic campaign as soon as I can be arsed. Bit far away to bother thinking about at the moment, but when those salaries from Team GB start to look a bit more enticing, rest assured I’ll be out there, driving my foil board thing into Connor Bainbridge’s spine as fast as I can. My other target is of course the multi-watersports-discipline-god, Guy Bridge, but I’m fairly sure that his appetite for jumping things will put him out of contention before I have to. Until the moment I decide to dominate the UK race scene, I’m going to focus on my mental game. Try to inject some mental health into my general vibes. Stop screaming into my pillow and start using an app on my smartphone, advertised to me via toxic social media, to teach me mindfulness. I’m feeling calmer already. Bring it on.

5. Social media will hopefully mature At the moment it still panders to prank videos, doesn’t it. I don’t care how clever everyone thinks those algorithms are, because the AI robots obviously don’t know me very well at all. They’ve got to be a bit of a distance away from taking over the world if they’re still dim enough to think I want to see adverts for gilets or Christian rock bands. Surely in five years’ time we’ll be seeing less teenage girls in bikinis dancing in packs of three and more considered and crafted stuff. Stuff. Yeah. We’ll have some stuff. Because that’s what it is, at the end of the day, isn’t it. Stuff: content that’s actually quite awful if you compare it to the output of professional organizations such as the BBC, but, because it’s free, the general public will gobble it up. If you asked them to pay 10p for it, you’d get laughed at. It’s just not worth it. However, I do think the stuff could be a lot better in five years’ time. Everyone will be more practiced at it. My rubbish podcast will hopefully have been superseded by someone who is funnier, more concise and less painful to listen to. As is the trend in print, I think the kite magazines will thin, too, as their efforts go into producing their own digital content. Keeping up with the times etc. That’s not to say there isn’t still space for TKM (nice save), as I still want to pick up a niche magazine and indulge in my passion. Turning beautifully printed pages is relaxing. Hopefully reading this is vaguely relaxing. You try relaxing whilst being on your phone. Consuming kite news and reviews in amongst the attention-seeking dearth that is the internet? Those unrhythmic teenagers make it basically impossible. What kiting needs is content on a digital medium that illustrates the characters within the sport. Like ‘Drive To Survive’ for F1. Formula1 is 60+ laps over two hours. Ain’t nobody got time for that, but, once you’ve watched the Netflix series and become invested in the drivers and the drama within the ranks… you’re hooked. Obviously that is a 20-hour TV series on a huge budget, but I believe that stories can be THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO COLIN

told and characters can emerge on a smaller scale. I’m not sure that the current competitions or magazines or kiters or brands are capable of creating this on their own, however. It will require collaboration between the parties and a common creative vision. The emerging fleet of young kiters are the only hope for this. They will have grown up with social media and will inherently understand it better than the current kite establishment, who do it out of obligation rather than opportuni-

LOVE LETTERS TO KITEBOARDING

ty. The forthcoming generation has it ingrained in them that people’s time is precious, so they don’t take the audience’s attention for granted. These forthcomers won’t do two-hour YouTube interviews about themselves. They wouldn’t run a brand’s social media by doing endless reposts of stuff that everyone has already seen. They understand how the internet works in the 2020s. This lot will be a lot less amateur than what we see before us today. The standard will rise – I mean it can’t get any lower, can it?

6. Big Air Kite League The BAKL could be big in five years. I say ‘could’ because I’m desperately trying not to jinx it. Ever since the second KOTA there has been a wicked appetite for a Big Air world tour. All it took was a global pandemic to focus the minds and boom – Mike Mac Donald and his gang of poorly paid frothers seem to be pulling off the impossible: fully live-streamed events with the biggest names in kiteboarding competing for a Big Air world title and barely any money. Good on them. I’m serious when I say that the coronavirus was the catalyst for this. I really think it made people realize what they want to spend their time doing. That, and the absence of the GKA or KOTA throughout 2020 has meant that all eyes and energy have been going into the BAKL. So how big could BAKL be? Well, Big Air is inherently more interesting to the public than freestyle. It is also more interesting to the general kite population than freestyle. It is also more interesting to ‘gnarly’ brands – like fizzy drinks companies that are desperately keen to look cool. This could bring bigger out-of-industry sponsors. Which all sounds promising. The pessimists among you will be having flashbacks to the short-lived freestyle failures of the past: WKL, VKWC, another generic acronym, and quite possibly the currently anemic looking GKA of the present. Here’s how the BAKL is different: it is ‘For the Riders’, i.e. it’s poor and small – this is the way healthy organizations start. It won’t have to sprint before it can walk. The product can be iterated, the package can pivot until it actually functions. Tours of the past have gotten financial backing to do eight or more really ambitious events a year, with ESPN-esque livestreams and the full works. All of which, for a discipline that the general kiting public were barely interested in. Let alone the actual public. How they kept the sponsors happy for longer than a week is beyond me. BAKL is different here once again - there is excitement and interest in Big Air at the moment. This is the sort of thing that makes sponsors and the riders foam at the mouth. I do worry that if the BAKL had a big financial injection right now, that it wouldn’t last. The cash would surely cause the organization to bloat with employees and the whole thing would become slow and unresponsive. But if Mike can continue to grow the BAKL slowly but sustainably, we could well end up with a tour that has more realistic goals than ever before and one that can actually deliver on sponsor promises. Why am I more certain of this than I ever have been with the other tours? Because, for the first time, the competition riders are using kites that the target market actually want. This is a biggie, as I think backing the tour will finally make sense to the brands. As opposed to feeling obliged to support it in order to retain some sense of a functioning sport, I think the brands will be bidding to support BAKL.

Janek Grzegorzewski turning things upside down at the BAKL. Photo: Sergio Murillo

So there you have it. I have become so arrogant that I am now forecasting the future of an entire industry using nothing but my own guesstimations and hatred of research. I am sure it is a surprise to some that I didn’t put myself as one of the reasons.

Colin Colin Carroll xoxox

THE FUTURE ACCORDING TO COLIN

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BROWN EYE

Sometimes you just have to get in the car and head to pastures new, even if your home spot provides everything you need. Brazilian strapless freestyle champion Sebastian Ribeiro pointed the compass to the south, and while he may not have found crystal clear water he did score some epic wave riding.

PH OTOS V IC TOR B E NE C K E

THE MISSION

We are all used to seeing beautiful photos of a perfect wave, with clear water and coconut trees on the beach. Often, however, the scenario is just not as dreamy as that, but as long as the conditions are on point, I’m on it! So while the water in these photos may be a bit on the brown side, I made the most of my sessions there. First, let’s talk location: Rio Grande do Sul is located at the bottom of the country, the most southern state in Brazil. The subtropical weather makes the summer feel really warm with temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius, while the winter can be quite cold seeing temperatures from 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. Torres is the city with the last rocky coast before the longest beach in Brazil – more precisely 600 kilometers of flat sandy beaches with only a few human-made rock jetties.

BROWN EYE

“As soon as I arrived I realized what makes this place so special – the wind was blowing sideon, which, in my opinion, is the best direction for progressive wave riding” I discovered this place through a good friend of mine, Elias Seadi, who was always telling me amazing stories about kiting in Torres. I had never really felt that motivated to check the place before, because I have a perfect right-hand wave at my home spot that works with pretty much the same forecast. So, unsurprisingly, it was always more convenient to drive five minutes than to go three hours down south! But then, last year, I had the opportunity to go and train at Elias’s home spot, which is pretty close to Torres, and guess what… the weather conditions aligned perfectly for that wave and I was finally going to be able to give it a try. As soon as I arrived I realized what makes this place so special – the wind was blowing side-on, which, in my opinion, is the best direction for progressive wave riding – this direction allows you to really release the kite and blow the tail. It was so sick to ride progressive again and strike some heats with my friend. I was testing the new generation of Neo SLS, and was able to really push the limits. It feels amazing how responsive, light, and drifting this kite is. The wave at this spot breaks on a river mouth, which explains the brown water, and it also throws a lot of sand onto the banks, making a perfect sandbank. But the cherry on top is that the jetty is low, protecting the wave from the wind and forming this clean and smooth wave, allowing you to bottom turn more radically to go faster and stronger on the top turn. When this combo happens, you know that there are no traps like white caps on the way! ■

BROWN EYE

Light & Strong

TerTex is two times stronger than our Triplex triple ripstop and forty percent lighter than the Dacron material we use. Used on all struts and wingtips of all 2022 CrazyFly kites, TerTex radically reduces kite weight. Lighter kites have better low end, move faster through the air, are easier to relaunch and turn quicker.

hyper elevating sensation.

HIGH PERFORMANCE FREERIDE/BIG AIR

2.7 kg

9m 3.1 kg

10 m 3.3 kg

12 m 3.7 kg

15 m 4.1 kg

CRAZYFLYKITES.COM 77

IN THE PINK

Ricardo Campello from Venezuela is a professional windsurfer, but will happily turn his hand to kiting when the wind is on the lighter side. Or in this case when the water is too shallow for a windsurf fin…

PHOTOS FREDDY ARE L L ANO AND S IMON B E Z

THE MISSION

These salinas, lagoons where salt is produced, are on the island where I grew up, Isla de Margarita in Venezuela. They don’t always have water in them, so when I went back home recently for a few months, I kept my eye out for a suitable day to kite there. Although Margarita is a very windy place, with the well-known kite spot El Yaque, the salinas are tricky with the wind so you really have to wait for the right day. When I finally spotted a day that looked like it would work, I headed to the salinas with my 12m Nexus 2. On the first day conditions were perfect and I had an awesome session, so I headed back the next day for more, but there was only just enough wind to get me going.

IN THE PINK

“All the salt from the nearby ocean gets concentrated inside the lagoons with barely any water movement , and pretty much the only organisms that can live in such salty water are algae that excrete red pigments, thus turning the water pink.”

THE MISSION

You can’t tell from the photos but the water is really shallow, only about ankle high, and the bottom has a deep layer of pure salt. When you step on the bottom your feet sink all the way to your knee, and the first layer of salt cuts and scratches your feet and legs. In the past I kited in a place called Salinas de Cumaragua, in northwestern Venezuela – in comparison to that spot, this one is actually quite mellow – the other one is solid crystalized salt so is basically like sharp glass! Even though this spot is more mellow, I still didn’t take many risks because I didn’t want to hurt myself. Unfortunately, on the second day I had the kite too low and then dropped it and ended up falling over, just doing a gybe transition. I cut my leg a bit, which, as you can imagine, stung like hell thanks to the pure salt. People have asked me why the water is pink. All the salt from the nearby ocean gets concentrated inside the lagoons with barely any water movement, and pretty much the only organisms that can live in such salty water are algae that excrete red pigments, thus turning the water pink. So although it makes for some cool photos, would I recommend kiting there? Well apart from the high salt level, the water is also super hot and oily, and if it goes into your nose or eyes you are not going to enjoy the experience. But hey, I was willing to take the risk to get the shots! ■

IN THE PINK

AMPLIFY YOUR VISION 82

VISION

PLACEBO

5 / 6 / 7/ 8 / 9 / 1 0 . 5 / 1 2 / 1 3 . 5 / 1 5

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T H E

CREATORS.

J O Z E F A N D PAV O L B U KO V Č Á K We caught up with CrazyFly founder Jozef Bukovčák and his son Pavol to find out more about the family and the business, in which all four sons work, and some of their latest products, all produced in their own dedicated factory in Europe. P H OTOS L AC I KO B U L S KY

JOZEF

, Y O U R C A R E E R I N WAT E R S P O R T S S TA R T E D I N T H E W I N D S U R F I N D U S T R Y. H O W D I D Y O U T H E N G E T I N T O MAKING KITEBOARDS?

In 1999 I started my own windsurf factory in Trencin, Slovakia and we produced custom CrazyFly windsurf boards and boards for other brands. Kiting started soon after and the windsurf brands started asking for prototypes of kiteboards, which back then, were small directional windsurf boards in terms of production methods. For me, getting into kiting was a smooth transition, as in the early days it shared a lot with windsurfing, and was something I enjoyed as it was a new challenge. Luckily, I was able to build on my knowledge of windsurf production, so producing new molds and experimenting with new layups and machines for kiteboards was more of a daily routine. Things were progressing smoothly and in 2000 we were already running serial production of kiteboards for multiple brands. If you were kiting back then, there is a pretty high chance that your board was made by CrazyFly. I saw an opportunity in kiting, as smaller kite84

THE CREATORS

boards were faster to make and demand was growing. Plus we were facing strong competition from Asia with windsurf board production, so our company was steered more towards kiting. As a result, in 2001, I started the CrazyFly Kiteboarding brand and we stopped producing windsurf boards completely in 2005. H OW D I D YO U R C H I L D H O O D S H A P E YO U R C A R E E R? YO U W E R E A S K I C O M P E T I T O R R I G H T ? T H AT M U S T H AV E I N F L U E N C E D B OA R D D E S I G N A N D M A N U FACT U R I N G .

I have been making things from scratch since I can remember, from toy cars in the early days, to speakers, record players and amplifiers, through to making my own clothes as a teenager. My downhill skiing background played a major role, as I knew that the best skis were made with a wood core, ABS rails, and a layup mix of aluminum and composite materials. As a competitor, you always want to have the best possible equipment, plus I have always been interested in how things are made and what they are made of. Kiters were progressing and sandwich foam core board construction was not holding up to new trends with higher jumps. In 2004 we changed all CrazyFly kiteboards to full wood cores with ABS rails, which was a giant step for kiting. This construction comes from the top competition skis, and even today some of the materials that we buy for kiteboard production come from the ski industry. S O B O A R D M A N U F A C T U R I N G M E T H O D S H AV E C H A N G E D A L O T S I N C E T H O S E E A R LY D AY S . TA K E U S T H R O U G H T H E B I G G E S T C H A N G E S Y O U H AV E S E E N .

Looking back at the first boards with windsurf board construction and comparing them to a modern day kiteboard, the only thing they share is a composite layup. As I said, one of the biggest changes was the switch from foam core or sandwich construction to full wood cores with ABS rails, and with this change screen printing was introduced instead of spray painting the boards. Working with wood cores required a completely new production process and new machinery. Implementing rails that had to bond with the wood core, printed sheets and composite layup was a bit of a mission, but we made it work. Another big change was when we were progressing with board shapes and started to introduce 3D shapes on the top and bottom of the boards. A lot of molds and wood working machinery had to be re-made, as some of the 3D shapes are done in the press and some on the wood core directly. For us in CrazyFly, a big change in board production method is the innovative Air Inside wood core. We came up with it a couple years ago and I am proud to say it works really well.

JOZEF AND PAVOL BUKOVČÁK

I G U E S S T H I S I N N O VAT I O N H A S H E L P E D Y O U T O P R O D U C E T H E L I G H T E S T P R O D U C T I O N T W I N T I P I N T H E I N D U S T R Y. HOW DID THE ELITE BOARD COME ABOUT?

Creating better things is something I have always been chasing – it is like an addiction! Our lightest board, the Elite III is a great example of this; I like to call it my masterpiece! I spent a lot of time with the Elite development and keep on challenging myself to make the next one even better. The Elite III is a result of my thirty years of experience since making my first windsurf board. Without the previous journey of successes and failures, the Elite would not have seen the daylight. Creating the Elite has been a dream, as I have complete freedom to achieve the best possible result, without looking at the production costs. We select the finest wood cores with very specific weight and humidity. Layup is done with the highest tensile strength and ultra-light HMXCF2 carbon fiber and 45 degree angled fibers for optimal flex and torsion flex. In the wood core, we implement our Air Inside technology, which radically reduces weight. The Elite III is made without top and bottom sheets with printing, to further reduce the weight of the board. Combining these high-end materials and finely tuned production methods, we achieved a weight of 1.65kg in the 132 x 41 cm size. YO U A LS O P I TC H YO U R P U R E FO I L B OA R D A S T H E L I G H T E ST O N T H E M A R K E T. W H AT A R E T H E B E N E F I T S O F T H I S A N D HOW HAS FEEDBACK BEEN?

As far as we know it is the lightest foil board out there, with the 77cm size weighing only 1.4kg. Feedback has been very positive and we exceeded our sales goals with the Pure boards. The foil scene is progressing and for experienced riders who spend most of the time up on the foil, there is not really a need for a big board. The benefits of a small and light foil board can be felt during jumps, big airs and board offs, which are becoming more popular. Also, when riding, carving turns, transitions and gybes, the smaller and lighter board is easier to maneuver and reacts immediately. The Pure boards are also great to travel with and much easier to carry to your kite spot. W H AT E L S E I S N E W F O R Y O U I N T H E F O I L D E P A R T M E N T ?

Our Cruz foil range has been growing and will continue to do so during the 2022 season. It now offers three front wings – 690, 1000 and 1200. We have an 850, 1200 with high aspect ratio, and a 1600 crossover for wingfoiling in the pipeline. There will be hard decisions to choose which wings will be added to the range. With in-house foil production, we are also exploring new things with masts. For 2022 the Chill foil board has a completely new layup featuring triaxial 45 Eglass that reinforces the construction more, and increases stiffness and strength. 86

THE CREATORS

C R A Z Y F LY I S A T R U E F A M I LY B U S I N E S S . T E L L U S W H O E L S E I N T H E F A M I LY I S I N V O LV E D A N D T H E I R R O L E S .

At first it was just me and my wife Iveta. After a couple of years my oldest son Jozef Jr. joined the company, helping with sales as his English was better than mine, and in financing and accounting. That allowed me to focus more on production and product development. Two years later, my second son Michal joined the company. He is the main graphic guy in CrazyFly and also takes care of the website and the whole internal IT system. My third son Juraj joined in 2010, at which time we needed a hand with sales and marketing to increase our brand presence. Timing could not have been better, as in 2010 we launched our first CrazyFly kites. Completing the list of all my sons is Pavol, who joined CrazyFly in 2012. Pavol has a background in fashion design and has grown into being the main kite designer. He is in charge of the kite production facility and all things related to kite development and kite manufacturing. H O W M U C H T I M E D O E S T H E F A M I LY S P E N D T O G E T H E R O U T S I D E O F T H E B U S I N E S S A N D W H AT E L S E D O Y O U E N J O Y D O ING TOGETHER?

We spend a lot of time together even outside of work, as two of my sons live next door and the other two only five minutes walking distance away! At the moment I have 10 grandchildren and they all come and hang out at my house in the afternoons and evenings with their parents swinging by. It is always lively and loud at our place. In the summer, all the kids enjoy my swimming pool and barbecues. We are quite active in terms of sports, participating in kiting, wakeboarding, SUP, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, and hiking in the Slovak mountains. If you see a large loud group on the beach, that is probably us, teaching the kids to kite, so come and say hi, we are a friendly bunch! H O W I S S L O VA K I A F O R K I T I N G ? D O Y O U H AV E S P O T S C L O S E T O H O M E ?

Although we are proud to be Slovak, it is not the best for kiting, because the wind tends to be gusty and only some directions work at our spots. There are a couple of good spots like Hamuliakovo on the Danube River, which is probably the most favorite spot in Slovakia for kiting. Then we have Kralova Lake in the west of the country. We can reach both spots in a one hour drive. There is also a nice spot at Domasa Lake in the east, but that is a six hour drive. Sometimes we go to Podersdorf in Austria, where the Kite World Cup has been held a couple of times, because it gets quite windy there and is only a two hour drive from our home. We also get to kite plenty during product testing and other trips to places like Egypt, Italy, Greece, Spain and Croatia.

JOZEF AND PAVOL BUKOVČÁK

P AV O L

, T E L L U S M O R E A B O U T Y O U R S E L F. H O W D I D YO U G E T I N TO K I T E D E S I G N ?

When I was young I enjoyed drawing and would often draw clothes and houses. Outside of regular school I attended art school, where we designed various things in class and as home projects. After high school, I studied fashion design where we were taught the sewing trade and worked on creative projects such as car seat sewing, suits, dresses, tents and so on. During the summer holidays I started helping my brother Michal with graphics for boards and apparel. I also got involved with binding design, mainly the straps, because that includes sewing. When we started making kites in 2010, I had issues with how they were sewn, and many sewing details were hurting my eyes! I joined CrazyFly full time in 2012 and immediately got involved in all kite prototyping, testing and later on kite design. Unfortunately, it was difficult to apply my intended innovations in terms of sewing and kite construction when we produced kites in Asia, so I was pleased when we decided to produce kites in our own factory in Slovakia back in 2017, and I believe we pushed kite construction to another level. T H E R E H A S B E E N A LOT O F FO C U S I N T H E I N D U ST RY O N R ED U C I N G K I T E W E I G H T. W E H E A R R U M O R S T H AT C R A Z Y F LY A R E A L S O O N T H I S D E V E L O P M E N T P AT H . T E L L U S M O R E .

Yes we are definitely on this path. When designing products that fly, the weight of the product is a huge factor but I also have to take into consideration performance, durability and longevity of the product. This is a tricky equation, and we spend a lot of time testing to find the right balance. Since we started producing kites in 2017, I have been implementing innovation to kite construction pretty much daily. In terms of material innovation, we collaborate closely with our suppliers, and I am proud to say we have managed to implement a new material called TerTex into all 2022 CrazyFly kites. TerTex is two times stronger than our Triplex triple ripstop, and at the same time is 40 percent lighter than the Dacron material we use. We are applying TerTex in strategic areas of the kite in order to save weight, and at the same time maintain a rigid and durable frame, and in these areas TerTex has replaced Dacron, so now our 2022 Hyper 12m kite for example is 300g lighter than the 2021 version. As clearly visible on TerTex, it has a very special, brand new, ultra resistant coating. The coating not only increases the strength and reduces stretch of the material, but also has better UV resistance, prolonging the material lifespan. It has always been a common goal in CrazyFly to have the best possible products and we are staying true to this culture, always looking for new materials, exploring new constructions and pushing the limits of kite performance. 88

THE CREATORS

H O W WA S I T I M P L E M E N T I N G T H E T E R T E X M AT E R I A L I N T O THE NEW HYPER AND SCULP KITES TO GET THE BEST OUT OF THEM?

As you can imagine, implementing a new kite material does not happen overnight. Whenever our kite material suppliers have something new to offer, we start testing it. I tested TerTex for two years and the material was applied in different areas of the kite. In the end it worked best when TerTex was used for struts, wingtips and canopy reinforcement over the center strut. We never want to decrease kite weight and sacrifice the kite frame rigidity. This is why TerTex is only used in specific areas of the kite where it reduces weight but does not decrease kite rigidity. H AV E Y O U H A D T O A LT E R A N Y M A N U F A C T U R I N G M E T H O D S T O S U I T T H E N E W M AT E R I A L ? W E G U E S S H AV I N G Y O U R F A C T O R Y C L O S E T O H O M E M U S T B E A M A S S I V E A D VA N TA G E .

Yes, we had to completely remake the connection of the struts to the leading edge, as we are now connecting TerTex to Dacron instead of Dacron to Dacron. However, everything changed on the inside of these seams, so it is not visible when looking at the kite. Having our own kite factory is a huge advantage. We are able to implement innovation faster and have complete freedom to do so. We can make a prototype in three days when we want to test some new ideas on kites, which is ten times faster than when we manufactured kites in Asia. Every year we have been making changes to the kite construction. If you look at how our 2022 kites are made, and compare the weight and performance with the first kites we made in Europe in 2017, they are almost incomparable. If you change as little as 20 percent year by year and look five years back, you are looking at a completely different product. Reducing the number of panels on the canopy has been our signature in kite construction and we have seen other brands follow this path too. We have pushed this even further with 2022 kites and they have the lowest amount of canopy panels ever. T E L L U S A B O U T Y O U R R E C E N T T R I P T E S T I N G I N E G Y P T. D I D A N Y T E A M R I D E R S J O I N YO U ?

I get out for a test trip on a monthly basis. In terms of kite testing, we try to be a step ahead of the game, constantly developing something new, whether that is completely new kite models, new kite materials or construction updates. We have been developing a kite for every discipline, and based on the market situation, we can pull a completely fine-tuned new kite model out of the drawer based on the market situation. Egypt is a favorite destination of our main kite tester Kihwan Kwon, who is behind all bridle tweaks and fine tuning before the kite

moves further down the line to other testers. I must give Kihwan a lot of credit, as he is the perfect tester for kite development, having kited since the birth of the sport pretty much daily. Not only will he tell you what he does not like on the kite, but he can make changes to the bridle on the spot and request a kite shape change to improve what he does not like. This is a rare skill and very hard to find. His girlfriend and our team rider Lidia Kruk were also there and gave feedback. Without Covid, we would have had more riders joining the test trips over the last year, but they have been able to give feedback via Zoom meetings. My father Jozef joins a lot of the test trips, as he takes care of board testing, foil testing and bar testing. At the moment, we are in the final test stage of a new bar and also have our hands busy with a new pad and strap binding system. S O M E O F YO U R R I D E R S D I D M A K E I T TO T H E D O M I N I C A N R EPUBLIC FOR A PHOTOSHOOT THOUGH, RIGHT?

Yes luckily that was able to go ahead. Laci Kobulsky was the main man behind the camera with Janka Koptasikova behind the second camera or flashlights. Then we had our team rider and local legend Posito Martinez putting on a show and Liloo Fourré representing the female riders. Our fresh signing, Lorenzo Calcano, also from the Dominican Republic, made an appearance too. They all said it was the best shoot, so stay tuned for some awesome videos! W H AT D O E S T H E F U T U R E H O L D F O R C R A Z Y F LY ? D O Y O U P L A N TO JOIN THE WINGFOILING REVOLUTION?!

The future looks bright here at CrazyFly. Our company has been growing steadily from year to year and I believe that the European manufacturing set up we have gives us a competitive edge. As I said above, our company culture is to make the best possible kite products and we have high ambitions. In terms of kites, we have been exploring kite construction without sewing, or needle free sewing, which can open the door to a bladderless kite. At the same time, we want to reduce the weight of the kite further, without sacrificing kite rigidity, performance and longevity; quite the opposite, we strive to make longer lasting kites. There is some exciting news with our growing Cruz foil range, bar development, new binding system and ever evolving twintips range. As our strategy has been to make the best kite products, we have no plans to venture into the wingfoil segment. We want to stay fully focused on kiteboarding, because we believe there is still plenty to improve on kite gear. ■ JOZEF AND PAVOL BUKOVČÁK

UNITY

SPREADER BAR Unity Spreader bar with Direct Connect Exclusively available on Ride Engine Carbon Elite and Saber harnesses

CARBON ELITE

SABER

rideengine.com

Profile

Guy Bridge VS Isle of Wight

Nestling a few miles off the south coast of the UK, the Isle of Wight has been circumnavigated for over 50 years, on all sorts of vessels from pedal boats to kayaks, paddle boards, yachts and of course kites. Guy Bridge recently set a new world record for kiting the 60-mile round trip in less than two and a half hours, breaking his own previous record.

P H OTO S M A R K L LOY D

PROFILE

This wasn’t your first time rounding the Isle of Wight. What made you want to do it again? I first did the rounding over four years ago and have really wanted to do it again ever since. The history and prestige surrounding the Isle of Wight circumnavigation is something I think is really cool, and the sense of challenge around kiting it is pretty special as it has definitely not been kited too many times. So, when Adrian Geislinger (Levitaz founder) asked me earlier this year if I had thought of any potential projects I would be keen to do, instantly the idea of re-visiting the Isle of Wight challenge really appealed to me. From then on I started planning it, including arranging a boat and all the World Sailing Speed agreements before attempting the record, which in total took around three months. I am really lucky to have the support from Levitaz, as without them and my other sponsors the attempt definitely wouldn't have been possible. So tell us how the day went down and what the conditions were like. The day I did it was actually my second attempt, as three days previously I made the trip up but due to the weather conditions changing drastically overnight (the southerly suddenly disappearing), I decided to postpone the rounding. On my second attempt it was due to be southerly, around 10 to 15 knots, with a chance of the wind going slightly more south east round the back of the island. Everything looked good, so the attempt began at 11:30am and it started off great. I took around 40 minutes to get to the rocks known as the Needles – my legs were definitely suffering though with this long close reach. There was so much pressure going through my legs and feet on this 25-minute tack that my feet started cramping up and I began to lose feeling in them! For about 15 minutes I was pretty shaky before I could eventually tack and go around the Needles. This was where the wind and water conditions became the most challenging, as during this tack the wind weakened and changed a few degrees, causing me to lose lots of time. Did you start worrying you weren’t going to break the record? Yes – it ended up being more of an upwind beat to round St Catherine’s Point, with lighter breeze and a rolling swell combined with the tide going the opposite way – this meant for a section it was super hard, so at points I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it. I even had my kite in the water for a moment in a wind hole, which was super difficult to get out of. But after rounding St Catherine’s Point I became more confident with the easier wind. There was a bit of sea state but nothing too crazy and from there round to the bottom of the island it got nicer and nicer, with the last tack being back to the town of Cowes. This was the nicest bit of the whole rounding with consistent wind and flat water. I thought to myself, “I could definitely make up on some lost time here”. I crossed the line (an invisible line between a flag on the mainland and a buoy). I knew that I hadn’t had the conditions for the world record, but I knew I had cracked the kite record – which was mine anyway, but greatly improved (I took 10 minutes off!). I landed my kite on the mainland, signed all the World Sailing Speed documents and then rehydrated in the Edge Watersports van! Awesome that you skimmed 10 minutes off. How did it compare to previously? In a way it was easier as I knew what to expect, but it was also much more painful than I had imagined. The 30 miles on one tack was super hard and the wind on the previous rounding was definitely more consistent. But this year it was a slightly better wind direction, so it was all a bit different and challenging in new ways. The biggest challenges I faced were definitely the conditions. The wind and the sea state conditions were changing all the time throughout the rounding, peaking during the whole Needles episode, where I had to take a wider line to what would probably have been favorable time-wise.

GUY BRIDGE

What safety cover did you have in place? It is a very busy shipping area! Any close calls?! Yes it is super busy – I had to delay the start slightly as there was a HUGE chemical ship coming through the start line. Other than that though, I had a pretty clean run. I was lucky to not have too many more incidents with ships. I had a safety boat as well as an EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon) and a yellow brick tracker, a helmet and buoyancy aid, too. What equipment were you on? And what kind of speeds were you achieving? I was riding the Flysurfer VMG2 15m, Robline lines, SK Shapes PrimeBar, Tarifa Foil Boards 2021 Pro board and a Levitaz R5-S. My average speed was 26.1 mph (22.6 knots) and my max 37.7 mph (32.7 knots). We have to ask – did you manage the whole distance without weeing in your wetsuit?! Haha, yeah I made sure of that – I keep away from any weeing in wetsuits at all costs – I spend far too much time in them to be doing that! Your family recently opened a new Edge Watersports center at home in Exmouth, UK. How are you involved? Does it leave you time for anything else? Moving to the new center was a big task – we’re now right on the beach as opposed to being sat back in Exmouth town. It’s been quite a step up in terms of exposing the public to watersports, and the foot traffic in the shop, especially during Covid, has been pretty crazy at points. So it’s been an all-hands-on-deck situation. I’m in the shop most days with my brothers if I’m not out teaching or training. I’ll be working there for parts of the summer when I'm at home and then I’m going to be competing in the KiteFoil World Series and the major world and European racing events. Do you have your eye on the Olympics? Definitely, would be an epic thing to do. So you’re fully loyal to the foil. Do you ever ride ‘non-foiling’ watercraft anymore?! Ha! Yes, I do love to foil but I also still really enjoy Big Air, freestyle and waves. ■ 96

PROFILE

AND GET FIVE ISSUES OF THE VERY BEST KITESURFING CONTENT Not enough? Okay, how about a free tee or cap? And we will even throw in a 10% lifetime discount! Just head over to our website and hit the Subscribe button and enter the code GETITFIRST. THEKITEMAG.COM 98

BAKL founder Michael Mac Donald, coming out of a classic late back roll.

Photo: Antonio Herrera Trujillo

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MICHA E L MAC DON ALD

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MI CH AE L MAC D ONALD

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FULL POWER TARIFA BI G A I R K IT E L EAGUE

Full Power Tarifa took place on the 20th of May 2021, in premium Big Air conditions. This competition was the second stop of the 2021 Big Air Kite League (BAKL) World Tour and saw riders from all over the world flying in to go absolutely insane…

WORDS: KYLE CABANO

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The Levante wind that blows in Tarifa typically blows through the evening and into the morning. The day of the contest was no different, with the organizers and the fleet of 42 competitors arriving to the scene to be greeted with over 40 knots of offshore winds and shin-high kickers over the flat bay. This saw competitors pumping up their 7 and 8m kites. F ULL P OW E R TAR I FA

This is the second time that the Full Power Tarifa event has run, the first being in October 2018. Unfortunately due to health and safety restrictions the event had been unable to run again, until this edition. Collaborating with the BAKL, this event formed the second stop of this year’s BAKL World Tour, the first having been in Cape Town earlier this year. You can view the current World Tour rankings at bigairkite.com

TARI FA TOWER

PHOTO : GREGO R M KGREGO R

FULL POWER TARI FA

PHOTO : SERGI O M URI LLO

FULL POWER TARI FA

As with all BAKL comps, there was live heat scoring from heatscoring. com. Spectators all around the world were able to stay fully engaged with the live stream, live commentary (by Adrian Kerr and Colin Colin Carroll), live jump height and live trick scores.

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P H OTO: GR E GOR MKGR E GOR PH OTO: G RE G OR MKGRE GO R

The amateur division saw some of the most exciting riding of the day! These riders are hungry to perform and we saw some incredible riding from kiters like Milan Lukic, who worked his way through the heat ladder winning all of his heats to take the crown of the amateur division.

M ILA N LUKIC

Starting off the action for the day in front of the Tarifa tower was the amateur division. The event is proud to have a dedicated division for up-and-coming riders. This opens up the entries for a broader scope of riders from different levels, allowing them the opportunity to get some valuable competition experience and exposure.

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F ULL P OW E R TAR I FA ZAR A H OOGE NR AAD

PHOTO : GREGO R M KGREGO R

SAFET Y T EAM

A total of four female competitors were also placed in the amateur division. Pictured here is Dutch Big Air kiter, Zara Hoogenraad, swinging under a loop in nuking winds. BAKL is proud to be running an organization where an all-inclusive environment is fostered and true development can take place.

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P HOTO: G RE GO R MKG REG OR

James Carew was certainly one to watch in the pro division! Being the only rider in the event on a strapless surfboard definitely gave him more of a challenge, particularly landing in the chop, but his effort was heroic and he certainly turned some heads with his epic strapless kiteloops.

JAME S CA RE W

The amateur division also delivered some of the day’s most explosive crashes. Fortunately none of the crashes resulted in injuries and our water safety team led by Wladimir Rodriguez and Juan Antonio did a fantastic job of keeping riders safe.

PHOTO: MIRIAM JOANNA | RIDER: THEO DE RAMECOURT

SESSIONS THAT FILL YOUR SOUL

SOUL THE ULTIMATE ALLROUNDER SIZES: 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 / 15 / 18 / 21

WWW.FLYSURFER.COM

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LOR E NZO CASATI

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F ULL P OW E R TAR I FA 09 JULI EN LELEU

The youngest riders in the pro division were 16 years old, proving again that age is just a number. Here Lorenzo Casati executes an exquisite kiteloop board off!

EV EN T PARTN E RS

PH OTO: MA RIA COL E

Julien Leleu putting it all on the line with some radically low kiteloop variations. With none of the BAKL 3rd edition (February 2021) Cape Town finalists attending this event, the potential to rise to the top of the leaderboard became a reality.

Events like this wouldn’t happen without amazing partners like CORE, Ride Engine, Wayuu Tarifa and The Surfr App. BAKL and Full Power Tarifa would like to extend the biggest thanks to these partners for their support in this competition! 106 106

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P H OTO: MAR I A COLE

MI CH AE L MAC D ONALD

AND R E A P R I NCI P I 12

PHOTO : SEB AST I AN KANZ LER

Here is Michael Mac Donald in the swing of things. Mike travelled from the USA to Spain just after getting married, to climb into the organization of the Full Power event as well as compete in the pro division. Talk about a jack-of-all-trades!

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PHOTO : ANTO NI O HERRERA T RUJI LLO

The 16 year old Andrea Principi put on a jaw-dropping performance as he climbed from the qualifying rounds through into the finals against Janek Grzegorzewski and Giel Vlugt.

PH OTO : G REG OR MKGREG OR

MICH AL JAGN IATKOWS KI

Local Tarifa shredder Xavier Kain soaring high over the old town of Tarifa. Xavier put a lot of effort into organizing this event and also put on an incredible performance, doing some of the most innovative riding we had all day including a contraloop late backroll board off. Just insane!

For the first time for BAKL, they were able to put on a live stream of the event. This would not have been possible without the help of the talented Michal Jagniatkowski who single-handedly managed the camera work and operations of the live streaming. He spent nine hours standing behind the camera to share the action with spectators all over the world!

Thanks to the Surfr App we were able to see live jump heights throughout the event. The accuracy was pretty impressive, and the heights were up on the stream as soon as the riders landed their jumps. Evan Klijn, the rider with the highest jump of the day (22.7m), was awarded the Surfr App biggest jump prize of 500 Euros.

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F ULL P OW E R TAR I FA 17 JANEK GRZ EGO RZ EWSKI 17

This is the type of innovation that was called upon in the finals of Full Power Tarifa – Giel Vlugt fully committing to the kiteloop board off late backroll.

PHOTOS: SE BASTIA N KAN ZL ER

G IE L V LUGT

Giel Vlugt was on top form all day, doing some of the biggest boogie loops we have ever seen in contest. Giel is a newcomer to the competition scene and we are going to be keeping a close eye on this shredder.

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JANE K GR ZE GOR ZE WS K I

It has certainly not been easy translating freeride skills into a competition strategy for Janek, who often seems to be injured just before the start of a big competition. Just before Full Power Tarifa, Janek took a big crash during a training session, damaging his ribs. Luckily he was still able to pull it together for the competition day.

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JAN EK GRZ EGO RZ EWSKI

T HANKS TO COR E

Riders analyzing the conditions on the morning and discussing competition strategies. This competition was proudly sponsored by CORE Kiteboarding - a massive thanks to them for supporting the Big Air movement.

PHOTOS: SEB AST I AN KANZ LER

P H OTO: MAR I A COLE

With moves like this it was hard to keep up with Janek Grzegorzewski, seen here performing his signature Contra-boogie board off late front.

PH OTOS : S E BAST IAN KA NZLE R 20

WLA DIM IR RO DRIG UE Z

A massive thanks to the event organizer and creator of Full Power Tarifa, Wladimir Rodriguez, who poured so much passion and effort for months on end to bring us this competition!

The pro division was highly contended. By the time the semi-finals had been narrowed down, it became a matter of strategy and luck, as all of these riders were capable of snagging the crown. Yet at the end of the day, the man who would emerge victorious was the crowd favorite: Janek Grzegorzewski, pictured above doing a fully inverted boogie loop.

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F E MALE W I NNE R S

PHOTO : GREGO R M KGREGOR

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PHOTO : FREERI D E TARI FA

AM AT EUR WI NNER S

The women were awarded separate ranks based on their performance in the amateur division. In first place was Justine Avril and in equal second place were Alice Ruggiu, Jasmine Cho and Zara Hoogenraad.

In first place was Janek Grzegorzewski, in second place was Giel Vlugt and in third place Andrea Principi. 110 110

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The crowd on the beach was absolutely amazing, the hype on the live stream was unreal and BAKL cannot wait to bring you more events of this caliber! Stay tuned for the next BAKL World Tour stop – called TatajubaFest, it will be taking place in Tatajuba, Brazil from 8 to 15 September. PHOTO : FREE RIDE TA RIFA

PRO WIN N ERS

The highly contended amateur division with Milan Lukic in first place, Valentín Hoenderop Thomas in second place, and Leonardo Casati in third place.

Rider: Arthur Guillebert Picture: Patrick Schneider

� Delta hybrid five-strut design for a serious Big Air adrenaline boost � Explosive lift and extra long hangtime � Massive grunt in all wind conditions for freeride versatility � Bomb proof construction provides ultra durability with maximum stability � Rapid yet controllable flight characteristics with direct feedback Sizes: 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 12 / 14

W W W. E L E V E I G H T K I T E S . C O M

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1 // Cabrinha Switchblade Perhaps the most iconic kite on the planet, Cabrinha’s five-strut bestseller has been ticking all the right boxes for a significant portion of the kitesurfing planet for many moons now… Now with a new Fusion wing tip shape, Nano Ripstop Canopy and High Tenacity Dacron, this is the pinnacle of performance and versatility…

2 // F-ONE Magnet Carbon If you thought you’d seen all that could be achieved in the world of ‘surf’ boards then think again. The Magnet Carbon has one thing on its mind: airtime. It is the skinniest and stealthiest surfboard we’ve seen and is F-ONE’s concise answer to the strapless freestyle discipline. It feels surreally light to handle and under foot, will massively aid the initial stages of strapless freestyle with its ease of use, and will have you kiting like Mitu Monteiro in no time!

3 // AK Method The Method features all the crucial elements of a classic hardback, with maximum stiffness through the center, but with flexibility along the harness edge and accurate anatomical curvature, for the ultimate ergonomic fit and ability to flex with your body’s movement. And for the ultimate comfort, it features a full neoprene interior combined with a layer of memory foam to cushion your back from the hard external shell.

4 // CORE 720 and Green Room The past year has been exciting for CORE as they revitalized their entire surfboard lineup. They now unveil the new 720, their strapless freestyle wonder, and the Green Room 2, their big wave hunter. Both are now lighter and stronger, and use recycled plastic bottles and bio-resins to reduce the board’s carbon footprint. Win, win…

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BRUNOTTI YOURI B R U N O T T I T E A M

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6 5 // Ocean Rodeo Poptart

This board is all about the POP! Ocean Rodeo worked with renowned Tarifa-based shaper Saul Voludskis to tune the Poptart into a pro-level competition freestyle board, with a channeled double concave bottom, pop-inducing flex and rocker profile, and a full carbon top. Offset strap inserts are standard, allowing the board to be used with both edges as the heel side to extend the board’s life span, a great feature to cope with sand abrasion if riding over shallow sand or raised park features.

6 // Prolimit Vapor Harness The Vapor is Prolimit’s hardback low profile waist harness, blending a molded harness with a hardshell one. It has unique inner plates for a perfect fit, 3D shaping and highly tailored curve. It uses PURE TM material that is non-toxic, lighter than water and 100% recyclable, making it an excellent material for a hardback harness.

7 // RRD Manta RRD’s brand new foil board, the Manta, has just been released and is available in 125 and 135cm. With a concave deck to perfectly fit your feet for precision positioning, and deep hull concaves on the base for maximum stability before flight, the Manta will have you foiling with ease and promises gentle touchdowns.

8 // Eleveight WS and Commander Now lighter and more efficient, with tighter turns, increased stability, and reduced bar pressure for single hand control, the WS V5 is the ultimate wave machine. Plus it works for foiling and freeriding. The Commander V3 with its new 3D top mold, better power transition, more grip and better upwind and edging ability, means it’s a game-changer for hardcore freestyle riders...

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INNOVATION EFFICIENCY DESIGN LEVITAZ.COM Made in Austria

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9 // Slingshot Phantasm A high performance freeride foil made from light, stiff and efficient high-modulus carbon, with a lower aspect front wing to give it tons of lift, stability and maneuverability. With grip like a four-wheel drive system, it’s guaranteed to be an entertaining surfy foil to ride and progress on…

10 10 // Nobile NHP For freeride or freestyle, if you want a comfortable board that is easy to ride in all conditions and gives precision during freestyle tricks, the NHP could be the one for you. An enhanced rocker line and precision-designed X-Reactive Flex, allow the NHP to eat up choppy waters without affecting the board’s performance. Freestyle tricks are enhanced thanks to the maneuverability offered by the shorter toeside edge, while the longer heelside edge means better upwind performance.

11 // Naish Torque 2 Bar There are a lot of impressive bar and QR systems hitting the ground this year… Naish are at the top of the pile with their new Torque 2 which has a new quick-release system to make it safer, more compact, and super easy to connect and disconnect and to make accidental release nearly impossible. There is also a longer stroke so you can really ditch the power when you need to as well as new thinner lines and a smaller trim cleat. A full rework.

12 // Duotone Juice Duotone’s D/Lab concept means thinking outside the box to find the next milestone in kite design. Their new Juice D/Lab is their first kite to use the ultra-strong ALUULA Gold for the inflated part of the kite. Tear resistant, stretch resistant and far lighter than standard Dacron, it makes the new Juice one of the lightest lightwind kites on the market, with an insane step-up in handling and performance.

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aMaZe AMBIENT SEA CAPSULE

ESCAPE T HE ORDI NARY

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GET TH NOTHING BEATS THE FEEL

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T h e

Boomerang Ben Wilson has been kiting since the early days and knows his way around a perfect barrel or two. Originally signed to Slingshot, he left to set up his own brand, however the meandering hand of fate has now brought him back to them. We thought it was a good time to catch up with him in Fiji where he’s currently waiting out the pandemic. Pretty tough we would imagine…

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Can you remember the first time you got a kite in your hands? What was it and how did it go?! Totally! I was staying on Namotu Island in Fiji. Brett Lickle, Pete Cabrinha, Mike Waltze, Rush Randle, Dave Kalama and all their strapped crew were coming to the island each winter (their summer in Maui) to train for all the watersports they were doing, including kiting. Brett had a 5m Wipika Classic and he started teaching me how to fly it on the beach. He said if I could fly it with my eyes closed so I knew where the kite was just from the feel, he’d let me try in the water. I flew the kite on the beach every afternoon until I got it dialed and then the guys got me in the water on an old, strapped surfboard. I would leave the beach going in one direction as far as I could go, and then a boat would come and pick me up and take me back to the beach and I’d do it all over again. I was instantly hooked and never turned back. I am forever grateful for those guys getting me started. After those early days I guess you then changed to a twintip – was it then a natural progression for you into riding a surfboard with a kite? Who were the other pioneers at the time? It was a natural progression once it clicked and I started doing it, but I feel like I wasted years before we even figured out you could ride a surfboard with a kite. I’d go surfing whenever I could, even when I was traveling around with a kite and twintip. I always had a connection with being in the surf and that’s what I love to do most of all. Back then I used to travel with Mauricio Abreu; he’s an incredible surfer so we’d always be trying to find places to surf on any kite trip. One day he called me and said he’d ridden his surfboard on his kite and it was super fun and I should try it. I did straight away and I still remember my very first session thinking this is it, this is what I’ve been searching for. At the time I was with my best mates, Martin Vari and Jeff Tobias, and they both got into it as well. We were all totally addicted and every session had these huge milestones, and we felt like we had to share this with the world. Jeff and I were already riding for Slingshot, but Martin was riding for RRD so we came up with this idea to pitch Slingshot that the three of us should travel the world showcasing riding waves with a kite on our surfboards. We all flew to the USA and met with Slingshot and they were completely onboard. They hired Tronolone Productions to document everything and John Bilderback to shoot us. It was the beginning of using the kite to whip you into waves to then ride them like you would surfing on the same boards we’d surf. 122

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THE BOOMERANG

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Fast forward a couple of decades, and you could argue that the best wave riders of the ‘current generation’ are the Cape Verdean riders – how do you rate the likes of Airton, Matchu etc? These guys are amazing and it’s so inspiring where they have taken the sport and what they’re doing. I think there have been some critical guys like Mitu, Airton, Matchu, Keahi and Ian Alldredge that have been instrumental in evolving what is possible with a kite and a surfboard, and I’m a huge fan of them all and follow everything they do! I was actually just telling Airton the other day how I used to dream of doing an alley-oop on the kite, the same as you’d do if you were surfing, passing the bar at the same time like he has been doing in some of his latest social clips, but I never had the skill to pull it off. I can’t wait to see these guys go to the next level and do this stuff on a wave! Tell us about running your own brand. What experiences did you gain? I had a dream to share kitesurfing with surfers and get them into the sport. I believed (and still do) that it’s a natural extension of surfing and surfers should have kites in their quivers to make the most of any conditions. I think we can all learn from both disciplines and this was the essence of BWSurf. My best mate Dano See and I thought we’d make sick products (he is an amazing designer) and I knew what gear I wanted to use. We thought we’d lead the industry in this new discipline. In theory this all made sense and we got some great backing from some incredible crew and created a team with amazing surfers. But a combination of our inexperience working in China and surfers not really connecting with kitesurfing (I’m still super hopeful it’ll click one day!) taught us both a lifetime of experiences, and ultimately led us to stop manufacturing products. Your video when you wound up BWSurf was interesting (but of course sad!) – how do you see the state of the kite industry at the moment? I really tried to speak from the heart and keep it real in that video. It was a sad time, but also I felt like the biggest weight had been lifted off my shoulders and it was just time to really enjoy and love kitesurfing again. For me it’s amazing as I’ve reconnected with Slingshot and they’re more excited than ever about kiting. There are so many disciplines currently, which indicates to me that the industry is very healthy for those larger, more recognized brands. I still hope that one day surfers will connect with kiting and then the sport will go to that next level. 124

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It’s great you’ve re-signed with Slingshot. How does it feel to be back with them? And what are you planning to bring to their kite development? It’s amazing how the world goes around! It actually feels incredible and like I never left. A lot of the guys are still there from when I was riding for them back in the day and it’s such a good vibe. One of the most important things to me is that I’m working with people I love to work with. Slingshot is one big family and it’s great to be a part of it. They already have an incredible team of designers and testers, so if I can add just five to ten percent of everything I’ve learnt from my successes and stuff-ups in the past that’s what I hope to contribute. In all my time in the industry I’ve never seen a more considered testing program than on the latest version of the SST kite – this kite is a complete redesign and every part of it has been carefully constructed – it’s incredible. Are you riding Slingshot surfboards or still your BWSurf boards, and will you have any input into the board designs at Slingshot? I’m riding everything Slingshot – kites, boards, foils etc, and I also signed with Ride Engine. I’m working on all the surf-specific boards for Slingshot and I’ve teamed up with Al Emery (legendary surfboard shaper in Australia) to design the next generation of surf and foil boards for them. We’ve already started designing and testing this range, and the best part about Al is that he froths on surfing, kiting and foiling, so these boards are all going to be sick! THE BOOMERANG

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You’re currently out in Fiji testing, and no doubt hoping your coaching weeks can resume again soon! How has the season been so far? These kite weeks are a passion project, I just love everything about them and I miss all the crew who join us each year. So yes I hope they can resume soon. We’re here and ready to roll when the time is right. All the info is on my website, please come and join us! Our season for trade winds is typically May to October, but you can get wind yearround. April was especially good because we had some really long period swells line up perfectly with some trade winds that are cross-shore at a couple of our best breaks, so yes it’s been a good start to the season and I’m expecting it to be a good one. But either way there will always be lots of fun to have between surfing, kiting, foiling and fishing. Tell us more about the fishing! Fishing is the best way to disconnect; there’s something about being out in the ocean away from land that refreshes me. Fish is also our main source of food here in Fiji and I love to cook as well, so fishing is what I do in my spare time or time off. The fishing in Fiji is yearround; we are so lucky here. Okay, back to kiting! Put these in the order of your favorite when kiting: barrels, lips, airs... My favorite kiting is down-the-line turns that you can link together with flow, then airs, and it’s fun to get barreled on the kite as a novelty, but getting barreled surfing is my dream – there’s nothing that feels better. 126

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Do you ever get bored of Namotu?! Never ever, ever! There’s no way it’s possible if you’re open to many different sports. If I just surfed, then 100 percent I would, but because I’m open to anything, then I just let the day dictate what I’m going to do and I’m never disappointed. Having said that, even though it’s the best place in the universe, you can lose appreciation for it if you spend too much time there – but that’s like anywhere, right?! What other watersports are you doing out there? I surf, tow surf, prone foil, tow foil, kite foil, kitesurf, fish, wing foil, eat and sleep! Sounds perfect! How are you finding being away from your family? This is the only tough part of being in Fiji now – I miss my wife and kids like crazy. However FaceTime saves us and I can still spend some time with them each day. The way we look at it, last year I was home with them for the whole year which never happens, and hopefully things will start moving soon so we can be back together again. ■ THE BOOMERANG

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Facing an empty calendar without her familiar contest schedule, multiple world champion Bruna Kajiya wasn’t going to let a canceled GKA Tour keep her down. The Brazilian North and Mystic team rider escaped from Covid lockdowns in Spain to seek out an epic freestyle session and discover a wilder and rawer version of the pro kiter’s dream.

P H OTO S C L AU D I O C A B R A L ( E XC E P T T H I S PAG E , S A M U E L C A R D E N A S )

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hen you hear the name Cape Verde, what comes to mind? For most of us kiters, it’s waves… beautiful open-face waves… big barreling waves… dream waves... But when I boarded my flight from Lisbon to Praia, Cape Verde’s capital, I had something different in mind: freestyle. A far-fetched idea perhaps, especially since everyone I talked to about it, including local kiters, turned up their noses. It wasn’t an entirely implausible idea, as I saw it. The spot is notorious for waves, but no one ever tries to freestyle or explore the islands for freestyle spots. That was my edge. As my Grandma used to say: “Seek, and you shall find.” I can’t remember the last time I went on a kite trip without knowing what I would find, and the risk of not finding anything just added more thrill to the search. I’d chosen to visit Cape Verde because it was close to Europe, open to travel to, and warm with good kiting conditions. It was February, and I was feeling the need to escape the European winter and explore somewhere new, especially given I had time off competitions. I was seeking a destination that was out of the box, something different. I wanted to explore.

“The spot is notorious for waves, but no one ever tries to freestyle or explore the islands for freestyle spots. That was my edge.” I’ve been staying in Tarifa, a place I fell in love with when I started traveling for kiting, and it’s now my second home. To get to Cape Verde, I had to fly from Malaga to Lisbon. Traveling was quite difficult – especially with a Brazilian passport – given the pandemic at the time was at its worst point in my country. Controls at check-in were very strict, checking documents to see why you were traveling and if you were allowed to. For the first time in my life, I understood how it feels to be discriminated against simply because of where you come from. Although I hadn’t been in Brazil in months, I was almost denied entry on multiple occasions. Finally allowed on my flight, I saw a curved coastline lined with rocks from the plane – an intense contrast between the dry red terracotta soil against the smooth deep blue ocean. The contrasting colors were marking a line from side to side, showing me all the possibilities that lay ahead. Once I arrived on the island, life felt normal, as I hadn’t experienced it since the start of the pandemic. The easiness of the Cape Verdean culture and talking to locals really helped. Going by the local knowledge, I was on the best island to freestyle. In any case, traveling between islands would be complicated, as there were very few boats and planes. So my first stop off the plane was a spot right in front of the town, where lies a small island with a white sand strip about 50m long and the promise of a dreamy freestyle bay. Unfortunately, I can’t say exactly where it is because one of the conditions to get ‘directions’ from the locals was to keep it secret! From the mainland, it looked as I just described. So, with my 9m Pulse kite, 130

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I headed across the channel, eager to pop, pass and land. However, upon reaching this ‘flat’ bay, I realized that it wasn’t flat at all, due to the enormous swell circling both sides of the island and meeting right where I was. On top of this, the wind was very patchy. Although strong on the gusts, there were large gaps between them. Unable to perform technical tricks, I decided to head back to the beach, only to discover the wind was too gusty and light to make it back. Thus, my first session finished with a two-kilometer walk up the beach. Not getting my hopes down after this first attempt, I waited for more wind to come. Two, three, four days went by and… nada. I spent these days driving around the island’s dirt roads and inspecting potential spots. Sitting on the edge of my seat round every corner of the coastline, filled with curiosity and a sense of discovery, I felt like a child again.

“On the fifth day on the island, I woke up with the sound of the wind blowing on my window. This was it” On this island with zero Covid cases, it was easy to adjust to the slowpaced rhythm and the empty beaches. There isn’t much to visit on the island apart from raw nature. I had many drives to paradisiacal beaches, ate local food every day, and interacted with the locals who have a very bright and happy culture. After getting lost a few times and getting my 4x4 stuck in the mud, my spirits soon lifted with what I found – an oasis among the predominant volcanic grounds of the island. A white sand beach with small turquoise waves rolling in, making a long, flat patch between them. Now I just needed the most critical piece of the puzzle to show up for the actual test to start. On the fifth day on the island, I woke up with the sound of the wind blowing on my window. This was it. Excitedly I packed the 4x4 with provisions for a full day and headed to my newfound spot. In fact I was able to kite in two different flat-water spots with side-on winds that were just amazing. If it wasn’t for the wetsuit, I could say I was in the Caribbean, but a wilder version of it. Cape Verde is a nation on a volcanic archipelago of 10 islands, with consistent winds from November to April, and a sunny climate yearround. For me, the trip to Cape Verde was worth it because traveling to do what I love is my passion and my job. Of course, there were positive and negative aspects of this new way of traveling and interacting with people. I think traveling during the pandemic is a very personal decision. It’s hard to recommend it to other kiters without knowing whether they’ve been vaccinated or not, how things will be at their destination, or what kind of restrictions they’ll face on their return home. Things change so fast these days. It’s been interesting to be a pro kiter during Covid. We are so used to traveling most of the time with our jobs and competing. But I feel like no matter what you are doing these days, it feels different. If you keep yourself curious and creative, you can always find other ways to express yourself as an athlete. ■ 132

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Poster There’s no denying up-and-coming Big Air specialist Stig Hoefnagel’s star is on the rise. So we sent him on a mission to Tarifa to see if he could bag himself a cover. We lined him up with local photographer Antonio Herrera Trujillo – who we have been super impressed with lately – and it turns out they were a killer combination…

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“L ater on as my kite career started to become more and more serious I started thinking about making it into magazines myself, gathering a bunch of photos and putting out a story that would make the cut.” 136

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Stig: When I first started kiting, social media was still in its infancy and all the pro riders were known, not through their Instagram or Facebook pages, but through magazines and videos on YouTube and even DVDs. As a little boy I would ride my bike down to one of the local surf shops to go and read the magazines, because I couldn’t afford to actually buy them at that time. I would sit there for hours just looking at all the beautiful action photos. But from all those magazines there was always one thing that stood out for me and I was impressed by the most, and that was the cover. They would always use the best or most ridiculous trick or action shot for the cover. Something that determined whether I wanted to read it or not, as a surf shop has so many magazines, was the cover, and I would pick the best-looking cover and start reading that particular magazine. Later on as my kite career started to become more and more serious I started thinking about making it into magazines myself, gathering a bunch of photos and putting out a story that would make the cut. As I was making those photos I always had in my mind ‘what if’ – what if I could be on a cover one day… After a few different articles in TheKiteMag over the years I received a phone call from Naish asking me if I had any plans for the following week. I asked them why and said I wasn’t too busy. They told me that TheKiteMag had reached out to them asking if I was available for a photo shoot in Tarifa to potentially get on the cover of their next issue. I was over the moon and super happy and honored that they wanted to give me a shot to get on their cover. I booked my ticket to Tarifa for a two day stay – the pressure was on to get the shot! POSTER BOY

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I arrived in Tarifa and met up with Antonio, and we decided to shoot the following day at sunrise. I woke at 6am to head down to the beach before the sunrise and set up. We decided to shoot with the water housing that first day. We got the most amazing sunrise and absolutely everything was perfect, but there was one thing we slightly forgot about… A water housing works brilliantly and can create some amazing photos, but it doesn’t like shooting into the wind, especially not with a lot of chop… So our first sunrise session failed. Now we had just one sunrise left… The next day was ridiculously strong, blowing around 45 knots and with absolutely zero kickers to get a takeoff. I was struggling to hold my edge and I am definitely someone that loves kickers and isn’t the best at taking off on flat water, so that was quite a struggle for me and I wasn’t able to get crazy high unfortunately. But luckily Antonio was behind the camera – a very talented young photographer from Spain, he made everything look just insane… We also ended up shooting the sunset later that day, where the light was totally different from the morning but still very beautiful. After seeing the photos I was relieved, stoked and super proud that I had the opportunity to do such a thing for TheKiteMag. Something that was a dream as a little 12-year-old just became reality. Antonio: This mission with Stig was so insane! When TheKiteMag asked if I was able to do a photoshoot, I immediately checked out the weather conditions. Looking at them I knew that this mission was going to be challenging, with 40 knots of strong Levante on its way to Tarifa. When I met up with Stig I told him my idea, which involved waking up early to get one epic shot. On the first day we went to my local spot Balneario before sunrise, and as Stig has said we decided to shoot with my water housing and me in the water. But it was so difficult to take an epic shot and with the wind coming straight onto my housing, it was impossible to shoot as we had planned. So we headed home, a little despondent, but with another idea for the following day. We returned to the same spot at the same hour, and even though it was windier than the first day, we didn’t give up. As we planned, I went to a slightly different spot but with the same angle, and this time without the water housing, and we finally got it, the shot we were trying for. The best thing is that we learnt a lot from the first day and learnt that even if things do not go as we expect, make the most of second chances. ■ POSTER BOY

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Pyramids, camels, boats, boat jumps, dolphins, deserts and Martian landscapes… hard charging Hannah Whiteley ticked a lot off the list on her recent trip to Egypt.

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It felt like an eternity that I had been at home over the UK winter, battling on the inside to keep my positivity consistent. People see the dreamy pictures and videos and think you have it so easy as an athlete, as if it is somehow not a ‘real job’. The reality is it is not a holiday – so much dedication and time is put into training to be the best you can be. The pictures and videos you see have had a lot of planning go into them and it’s not always smooth sailing. The logistics of planning a shoot can be difficult enough, without the added headache of Covid restrictions. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained. After quite some prepping, a plan of action was formulated. I was boarding a flight to Egypt on a content creation mission with Dutch filmmaker Jil Van Dijk. It felt somewhat empowering working with a female filmmaker. Being female in a male dominated industry feels like there is a need to prove ourselves. After the first 10 minutes of meeting Jil I knew we were going to be a great team together. Our first stop was El Gouna, about 40 minutes from Hurghada airport where we stayed at the Three Corners Ocean View, a lovely all-inclusive hotel. The kite spot is great at low tide when the water is quite flat; at high tide it gets choppier. It’s a super nice vibe at Makani beach club – there is a cool chill out area, après kite bar, and restaurant lounge on the beach where you can hang out after your session. Happily the wind blew almost every day we were there, but on the odd windless day you can go wakeboarding as there is a wake park close by in El Gouna. The marina there comes to life at night and there are many nice places to eat out. Tuk tuks are the main transport so you don’t need to hire a car. The start of the trip went well and we stacked up the clips and shots on our first few days of shooting. Then, after a week in El Gouna, it was time to change location. We headed to the Hurghada Marina and boarded the Big Dayz Kite Safari boat. It was a huge boat and from the moment I stepped on board I knew I had to jump off the top with my kite! The first day of the trip was looking like the strongest wind, so it was all systems go from day one. My adrenaline was high; it was not easy to get up to the top of the boat whilst flying my kite. The wind was strong and gusty and there were quite a few obstacles climbing up the three decks. Once at the top I was concerned about a gust of wind pulling me off the boat before I was ready… I was quite sure I would hit the deck if that happened. Thankfully it all went well and the actual jumping part felt somewhat easier than getting up there! There will be a video dropping soon… The forecast was looking good for the upcoming week and the plan was to visit many different kite spots in the Red Sea. There is something magical about living on a boat and being around water 24/7. I couldn’t get over how crystal clear and turquoise the water was. At most of the kite spots we found ourselves being the only ones there, it felt quite unreal and somewhat humbling. On the day we had no wind we spent the whole day in the water free diving and getting some B-roll footage. The Red Sea is awesome for diving. At sunset we got super lucky: a pod of about 15 wild dolphins appeared. We followed them in the speedboats and it seemed like the dolphins wanted to play with us, staying around the boat. We jumped in the water with them and I discovered that if you dive down deep the dolphins seem to like it – they get curious about you and come close. I was very grateful for this experience, it was my first time swimming with dolphins, something I’ll never forget. They really are the most beautiful creatures.

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We did a boat tow up too that week which was pretty crazy, I’ve never been so high in my life! Marco from the boat safari showed me how it was done, and he went mega high. It was an epic light-wind activity. At the end of the trip we visited a kite spot close to Hurghada that I was really drawn too – I’ve never seen scenery like it before in Egypt – there was a huge island that looked like Mars that I couldn’t stop staring at. I kited back to the boat and told Jil we had to shoot there, so she jumped in the speedboat loaded with her cameras and we headed to ‘Mars’. Unfortunately the water was pretty choppy and the island made the wind rather gusty and it was not easy to get the shots as the little speedboat was rocking so much, but despite the challenge Jil managed to get some. The week on the boat flew by and it was action packed every day. The other guests made the week even more enjoyable – you bond so much in a week on a boat together. The service onboard with Big Dayz was top, with the kindest staff, and the food was great. After a week onboard we headed south on the mainland. We were on a mission to find a camel in a deserted offshore spot… Part of the reason I wanted to go to Egypt in the first place was to fulfill my slightly mad idea of filming jumping off a camel into the water with my kite! I found a guy with a camel and arranged for him to meet us at the kite spot at sunrise… We waited, waited and waited some more but he never showed up. It was quite frustrating – I am not naturally a morning person and we had got up at the crack of dawn for nothing. I rearranged with the camel guy to meet at the spot for sunset… Surprise, surprise… he didn’t turn up. I was getting quite annoyed at this point and on the verge of giving up on the camel shoot idea. Working with people from different countries and a different work mentality isn’t always easy. I arranged again for the third and final time with the camel guy. We went to the spot and waited eagerly in the hope that he would show up this time. Time ticked on and there was no sign of him. But finally I got a call that he was on his way. He was a couple of hours late but when he arrived I had to laugh; I couldn’t help but somehow like him. He appeared from the middle of the desert riding towards us stood on top of the blooming camel – it was quite the entrance! At long last we finally got the camel shots and filmed the video. It was worth all the frustration. Now the camel jump was ticked off, the next thing associated with Egypt is pyramids… If I couldn’t actually kite at the mythical pyramids (they are quite a way from any water!) maybe I could fabricate them to create some kind of optical allusion of kiting by them. I felt like I was revisiting my childhood, with buckets and spades building a pyramid sandcastle. I actually quite enjoyed it; I guess the inner child in me has still not grown up! I think it turned out pretty cool in the shots. I love to be creative and try different things out. It didn’t take long for reality to kick back in after building sandcastles. The UK government announced that Egypt was about to go on the ‘red list’, so if I didn’t get home quickly I would have to spend 10 days quarantining in a government hotel which costs almost £2000. This is my idea of hell – I go crazy after just one day in my own house. I wouldn’t be able to last two minutes quarantining in a hotel room, I have far too much energy. I booked a flight leaving Egypt the very next day; it was so hard finding a flight because everything was fully booked. It was a mad rush getting a last minute Covid test, packing and wrapping up the last video clips we needed. I then had a connecting flight in Zürich, Switzerland with an eight-hour layover in the middle of the night. I was totally paranoid I would fall asleep in the airport, not wake up, miss my flight to the UK, and have to go into hotel quarantine. I fought the urge to sleep and thankfully made it safely back to the UK. I was a happy girl with memories of a great trip. Thanks to everyone who helped us out during our time in Egypt, and a special thank you to Jil for being awesome and working so hard capturing the content! ■ 144

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OVER WATER Eleveight rider Chris Bobryk tells us about his stunning local kite spot, south of Miami, where he has a kite school. With six houses on stilts built in the prohibition era and marooned in the middle of the ocean, the spot delivers perhaps some of the most unusual backdrops that we’ve seen…

PHOTOS CARLOS MESA, CHRISTIAN DIAZ AND COLIN PORTER

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Stiltsville is an iconic kite spot in South Florida, known for the now six remaining houses on stilts and its wide-open sandbar, attracting numerous kiters and schools to shred this flat-water spot paradise on the tip of Key Biscayne. Stiltsville has become sentimental to the local kiting community; as quoted by a friend, it is a “one percent kite spot”. Built in the prohibition era, the unique and beautiful Stiltsville houses have been ‘grandfathered in’ to the Key Biscayne state park to be protected and preserved for years, and have survived hurricane after hurricane, although unfortunately one has recently burnt down, which I believe was a bigger blow to the kiting community than the state park itself. I first began kiting at Stiltsville when I moved to Miami six years ago and worked for South Florida Kiteboarding. At that time, the rules and regulations for kiting Stiltsville were very different from what they are today. As you can imagine, kiters, including myself, saw the docks, rails and pylons as the closest thing to a Miami kite park that we could get. You can find some pretty epic shots and videos of kiters using their creativity with these buildings as a playground. On the other hand you can also find some nasty crashes with lines tangling in the unique architecture of the houses, such as Dimitri Maramenides in the video ‘Destroyed in Seconds’ – it’s worth a Google! Today the rules for kiters have been laid down hard everywhere in Miami, and these houses now serve as the best backdrop for kite photos in Florida, providing a beautiful scene that sets the tone of a session. Plus they are an amazing reference point for students when teaching.

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“A sailboat sunk right next to one of the houses and I’ve been dying to grind it...”

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For more reasons than one, Stiltsville has become my most frequently visited kite spot since starting my own kite and Efoil schools, Kiteboard Miami and Efoil Miami, together with my head instructor and girlfriend Sarah Dunick. Not only is Stiltsville absolutely stunning to explore, but its massive sandbar is perfect for beginners who want a calm, shallow location to practice their first hours on the kite, with deeper pools in the center of the sandbar for advanced lessons. There are also very few obstacles, except for the houses of course, but the sandbar is so large they are not a worry. However, the best thing about Stiltsville is that you can kite and teach in any wind direction, so we get to teach every windy day. Sarah and I can honestly say we spend most of our days either chasing down students or kiting along with them checking out the view and the eagle rays, turtles, starfish, conch and sharks that also call Stiltsville home.

“No kiter should miss the chance to hit up this absolutely awesome spot...”

I recently did a long-awaited shoot with good friend and amazing photographer Carlos, with Sarah as our captain navigating our rescue dinghy in 20 knots, managing to keep the boat steady and line up the shots, and me on my absolute favorite 12m Eleveight RS. Thanks to some stronger Florida winds we got some of my favorite shots to date. These houses offer such a unique background, plus this past year a sailboat has sunk right next to one of the houses and I have been dying to grind it… Most Stiltsville days we are teaching and the days I’ve been there to shred myself the wind had never lined up quite right. Even on this particular day it wasn’t looking good that we would get the shot, but as we made our way house to house the wind switched perfectly in line with the hull and the sails as a rail. We were even luckier to be there at low tide meaning most of the sailboat was exposed, which added an extra element to the shots. Stiltsville really is a unique kite spot, perfect for any conditions and any skill level. If you’re in South Florida looking for an incredible spot to learn, kite or shoot, this has to be top of the list. Do what you can to get out here, because no kiter should miss the chance to hit up this absolutely awesome spot whilst in town… ■ OVER WATER

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Naish have just launched their S26 Triad, Boxer and Dash kites. We got the lowdown from kite designer and engineer Brian Dennis. And we also spoke to product manager Des Walsh about their latest Hover boards.

PHOTOS ALEXANDER LEWIS-HUGHES AND FRANKIEBEES

H OW I S T H E R E L E A S E S C H E D U L E LO O K I N G T H I S Y E A R A N D H OW H A S P RO D U C T I O N B E E N A F F EC T E D BY T H E PA N D E M I C ?

The release schedule is really late this year, about two months. It’s hard to trace exactly how the pandemic has affected production this year, but it’s safe to say that there have been production delays, and shipping delays. C A N YO U G I V E U S A B R I E F S U M M A RY O F T H E T R I A D, B OX E R AND DASH AND THEIR INTENDED USES?

The Triad is an amazing kite. You can ride a 9m comfortably when most people are on 7’s – so you can carry plenty of power for jumping, while it drifts great and goes upwind great, making it an awesome wave kite as well. The Boxer is our lightest kite, definitely a favorite for foiling and for large sizes – it stays up in the air and turns quickly. The Dash brings C-kite performance into a four-line kite; it’s great for freestyle and kitelooping – it sits between the Pivot and the Torch in our line. YO U M A D E S O M E E F F ECT I V E R E F I N E M E N T S TO T H E K I T E S L A S T S E A S O N . H O W H AV E T H E S 2 6 K I T E S E V O LV E D F R O M THEIR PREVIOUS MODELS?

They are lighter and simpler in construction. Design-wise, fewer panels and seams have made them lighter, and there have been small changes to the profiles and leading edge diameters. Back-to-back, our testers have told us that this year’s kites feel lighter and more responsive. W H I C H O F Y O U R T E A M H AV E B E E N I N V O LV E D I N T H I S S E A S O N ’ S P RO D U CT D E V E LO P M E N T ?

We try to get input from as wide a variety of riders as possible. The team is very involved and we also work with schools and all levels of riders to make the gear well-rounded. YO U ’ V E K E P T T H E LU F F ST RU T I N T H E T R I A D A N D B OX E R T H I S Y E A R, A N D T H E D I AG O N A L LOA D S E A M I N A L L T H R E E K I T E S . H O W D O T H E S E F E AT U R E S A F F E C T T H E K I T E S ’ P E R FORMANCE?

The luff strut is really a key feature. It allows the kite to de-power in a gust, making the kite more manageable. So you can take a bigger kite out without worrying that it will overpower you. The diagonal load seam simply makes the kite respond better. It essentially doubles the fabric, making it twice as stiff along the seam line, between the wingtip and the center of the kite. 155

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Y O U R E C E N T LY L A U N C H E D Y O U R N E W B A R , T H E T O R Q U E 2 , W H I C H W E L O O K E D AT I N O U R L A S T I S S U E . H O W I S F E E D B AC K O N I T S O FA R?

S26 BOXER

I think people are generally stoked on it. The convenience and the compactness are being well received, especially for the micro-loop. Having multiple loop options that are included with the bar purchase is also a great feature that people love. The thinner lines are also appreciated, and instead of being stitched, they are spliced, ultimately providing a greater strength and ease of laying out your lines. A Y E A R O N S I N C E W E L A S T S P O K E T O Y O U A B O U T S TA R T I N G AT N A I S H , W H AT H A S B E E N Y O U R F O C U S T H I S P A S T Y E A R BRIAN?

S26 DASH LE & DASH

I have been focusing primarily on kite design and wing design – making prototypes, testing, modifying, testing some more, gathering feedback from our pro riders and from people on the beach. I have also been gathering new material samples and innovating new materials. It’s a tight team, so I’m also an integral part of the design and feedback loop for the boards, foils and control systems, including the new quick release. D E S , TA L K U S T H R O U G H T H E S H A P E A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N O F THE NEW HOVER KITE BOARD.

S26 TRI AD

S26 TORQUE

There is a range of Hover boards – 97, 112, 127 and 142cm – designed to cover all ability levels and sizes. They have been refined a bit to be easier to ride and the corners have rounded more for safety. The boards are fairly narrow so they sit on their edge nicely when you are getting set up to start. The bottom shapes are made to make takeoffs as smooth and easy as possible. The boards are compact in length so once you are foiling you have a platform that is focused on the right place to stand and you have a direct feel of the foil. There are two US boxes so that the position of the foil can be adjusted. The boards are reinforced with high-density foam for the loads of the foil. There is a carbon reinforcement on the bottom so the board is stiff, and the core is EPS foam and the laminates were chosen to make the board, light and durable. Y O U ’ V E A L S O U P D AT E D T H E H O V E R WA K E , A N D C A L L E D I T T H E H O V E R K I T E C R O S S O V E R . T E L L U S A B O U T T H E U P D AT E S .

The Hover Wake has been updated to be even more versatile. Each size is a little wider, especially in the tail, and the rocker has been adjusted. These changes have made the boards much easier to use as a wake surfboard and kite wave board while maintaining the performance for kite foiling. Smaller riders are using the boards for winging as well, so they really are a do everything board. B R I A N , Y O U G U Y S H AV E C L E A R LY B E E N S U P E R F O C U S E D O N YO U R W I N G A N D FO I L CO L L ECT I O N S OV E R T H E L A ST 1 2 MONTHS – IS IT TOUGH KEEPING ON TOP OF THE KITES TOO?!

S26 HOVE R KI TE

S26 HOVER KI TE CROSS OV E R

Kites are still a top priority – we are out there every day testing new shapes, tweaking bridles, and coming up with new designs to make the ultimate kites for all-round, jumping, wave riding, and freestyle. We also have a growing team of wingers, and some of our kiters are becoming really good at winging too. So things are becoming blended, and there is a lot of synergy in the design process between wings and kites. Overall, winging has brought a great new energy to the team and expanded the R&D program, which benefits both wings and kites. ■ NAISH

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CABRINHA BIO® BASED DYNEEMA

As of May 2021, Cabrinha announced a major shift towards a more sustainable manufacturing process, with a switch to Bio-based Dyneema® in all control systems. We caught up with the team at Cabrinha and Lars Moltrup, Cabrinha Product Development Manager, to find out more about it and what makes Cabrinha lines unique.

PHOTOS JAMES BOULDING

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CABRINHA

SO WHY THE SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT K I N D O F DY N E E M A?

Bio-based Dyneema® fiber boasts the exact same performance as conventional Dyneema® but with a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than generic HMPE (high modulus polyethylene) fiber. As well as its extraordinary strength, Bio-based Dyneema® excels in cut and abrasion resistance and has a high resistance to UV, a crucial benefit for its use in flying lines. Compared to generic HMPE, one ton of Bio-based Dyneema® means a reduction of 29 tons of CO2 (90%). H O W D O T H E M AT E R I A L P R O P E R T I E S D I F F E R I N T E R M S O F R E S I S TA N C E , D U R A B I L I T Y, B R E A K I N G L O A D A N D W E I G H T BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL HMPE FIBER A N D B I O - B A S E D DY N E E M A ® ?

The first stage of the process is to make the PolyEthylene. This is where we, in close collaboration with DSM, the manufacturers of Dyneema®, have been able to create a sustainable process that drastically lowers the carbon footprint. When looking at the production process of converting Ethylene gas to UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene) fiber, there is nothing different; the only difference is where the feedstock in the very first steps of production is sourced, which is from a biproduct of paper pulp production. Our partners use the exact same techniques to produce the Dyneema® yarns and the same specific process for braiding, coating and stretching the kite lines, thus performance will remain unchanged. This is something that DSM guarantees for its product. W H AT A R E T H E D I F F E R E N C E S B E T W E E N CABRINHA LINES AND OTHER BRANDS ON THE MARKET?

Cabrinha lines are made of Dyneema SK76 Fiber Grade which has a slightly higher per-

CABRINHA formance compared to SK75 and SK78. Due to the special pre-stretching and heat setting technology we have developed with our partner BraidTech, the maximum strength per weight (tenacity) is often on par with SK99 lines, used by some other brands. The main advantage Cabrinha’s line has over other lines is that it has much better abrasion resistance. The diameter of a single filament SK99 is approximately half the diameter of the SK76 grade, which is a major reason our lines wear out more slowly. For kite lines this is incredibly important, as they play a key role in not just safety, but also the performance of a kite. Every rotation, kiteloop and relaunch causes abrasion so these characteristics are vital when it comes to making a durable product. The coating used on our lines has been gradually improved over the last few years, to achieve the right amount of line protection, stiffness and reduced shrinkage. The surface friction has been reduced, which directly contributes to the improved abrasion resistance. This is at the heart of Cabrinha’s development goal, which is not only to make high quality, performance products, but also to make these products last longer. W H AT F U R T H E R S T E P S T O WA R D S B E I N G M O R E S U S TA I N A B L E I N P R O D U C T I O N DOES CABRINHA PLAN TO IMPLEMENT?

Lars: Taking steps towards reducing our carbon footprint is multifaceted and it’s an area where nothing comes easy. We don’t only work with our direct suppliers, but also raw material suppliers further down the supply chain, to find the latest and most innovative solutions for reducing waste, implementing the latest material advancements and to bring down

CABRINHA

CABRINH

our overall carbon footprint. More tangibly, we have eliminated plastic packaging on our surfboards and are working on implementing a similar approach to all our packaging across the brand. Another interesting project is our new soft goods (bags and luggage) range, which utilizes recycled materials. It’s a constant evolution and something our entire team always have in the back their mind. IS THERE POTENTIAL TO IMPLEMENT SUCH S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y APPROACHES FO R K I T E D E V E LO P M E N T A S W E L L? I N WHICH DIRECTION COULD THIS GO?

Lars: Not only for kites, but across the board of products we produce, we look at any new technologies available and work with industry leaders in this field. Most of these innovations are long-term development projects, which are very IP sensitive and not something that we can talk openly about. One major project is to produce bio-based and biodegradable composites twintip boards, which has been on-going for the past three to four years, with at least another two to three years of development. Similar projects for material development for kites and wings with bio-derived fibers are ongoing, but these projects require significant time for homologation, to ensure that we bring sustainability to our products, but with the same high performance and durability, as is expected from a Cabrinha product. ■ CABRINHA BIO-BASED DYNEEMA®

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Hinterberger Mobe 5 RIDER MIKAILI SOL P H O T O S V E T L A N A R O M A N T S O VA

This was taken on a product shoot in Brazil. Some people believe that tricks are scary and hard to learn, but the way I look at it is almost like a progression, with one thing adding on to the next. With the Hinterberger for example, starting from the basics, we have a full Raley extension at the beginning of the trick directly after the hard-edged pop. The other steps are then added on afterwards but it all starts with a good Raley.

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STEP 1

Build up a decent amount of speed. After unhooking, edge hard against the kite and pop a Raley. You have to pop into a Raley first, before turning your head to do the backroll. STEP 2

Coming out of the Raley extension, you look over your front shoulder in the direction of the sky, commencing your backroll movement, and ensuring you keep stability in your rotation. STEP 3

STEP 4

Take your front hand off the bar and look over your front shoulder to continue the rotation. STEP 5

Grab the bar again with your front hand to complete the pass and let go of your back hand. STEP 6

Spot your landing and land smoothly on the water bending your knees to absorb the impact.

While you’re in a fully extended backroll, you’re going to start to feel a sharp pull that will generate a point of slack in your trick. When you feel that, begin to pull on the bar bringing it closer to your back hip.

HINTERBERGER MOBE 5

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Heart Attack 7 R I D E R VA L E N T I N R O D R I G U E Z P H O T O S V E T L A N A R O M A N T S O VA

The Heart Attack 7 is one of my favorite competition tricks! It is a hard trick and done properly it can score a nine or more in competition. Broken down it is an extended S-bend with a double handlepass. You need a lot of speed for this trick!

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STEP 1

Build up a lot of speed. Unhook quickly and carve super hard to pop. STEP 2

Look over your back shoulder to initiate an S-bend with your head and shoulders, but don’t start the rotation too quickly. STEP 3

Pull the kite down to generate the most slack possible.

STEP 4

Before you complete the S-bend rotation, pull the bar as much as possible towards your body to initiate the 720 pass rotation. STEP 5

Take your back hand off the bar and look aggressively over your back shoulder to do the double rotation. Pass the bar twice as quickly as possible. STEP 6

Get ready for the heavy landing!

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Photo: Craig Kolesky

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Airush Session Airush launched their brand new Session kite last year, to replace their popular Wave and Diamond kites. Aimed not just for wave riding, but also strapless freestyle and all-round freeride, we catch up with designer Clinton Filen to find out more.

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TELL ME ABOUT IT

H OW D O YO U F E E L A B O U T T H E D EC I S I O N TO A D D A K I T E TO Y O U R R A N G E T H AT I S S U I TA B L E F O R M O R E T H A N J U S T P U R E WAV E R I D I N G ? W H AT D I D Y O U R T E A M R I D E R S H AV E T O S AY ?

The product has been a huge success for us so we are very pleased with the outcome of the decision; it is always challenging when you replace a product that has a very strong following. We did a lot of testing with a broad group of riders and focused on not losing the wave essence of the kite, and essentially focused on improving other areas of the performance. We also found that more everyday riders are including jumping into their wave riding and want the kite to be more versatile, with many riders having one kite to move between all disciplines, even areas such as foiling. W H I C H R I D E R S W E R E I N V O LV E D I N T H E T E S T I N G A N D E V O L U TION OF THE SESSION?

Our key three riders in the development were Kiko Roig Torres, who is essentially an incredible strapless rider so he wanted a kite that jumped. Oswald Smith is a pure down-the-line rider when it comes to waves but wanted a kite that he could still ride progressively on a twintip. In between the two of them in terms of style is Reider Decker, who blends aerial, strapless and pure surf elements. It was a demanding team to work with! H O W D O E S T H E S E S S I O N ’ S S H A P E A N D M AT E R I A L M A K E I T S U I TA B L E F O R I T S I N T E N D E D U S E ?

In terms of the shape, the kite features a relatively unique combination of a lower aspect outline combined with a relatively fine profile shape. The Session has the ability to fly forward in the window when you are coming off the top, specifically in more offshore wind; this also helps it to jump and keeps the kite fast. The lower aspect enhances the pivotal turning and enhances the stability. In terms of materials the D2 Canopy cloth is manufactured by Teijin in Japan and Dimension Polyant leading edge material manufactured in Germany – these are the premium fabrics on the market. This is significantly enhanced by the Load Frame and Webtech that allow us to keep the total frame lightweight, with structural loading running through the frame instead of the canopy on a regular kite. This is particularly relevant in wave riding, where a lightweight kite drifts better but you don’t of course want to compromise on strength. D O E S T H E N E W C O L O R WAY S E S S I O N T H AT Y O U ’ V E J U S T B R O U G H T O U T S T I L L H AV E T H E O P T I O N A L F I X E D O R P U L L E Y B R I D L E S ? W H AT A R E T H E B E N E F I T S O F T H E S Y S T E M Y O U ’ V E GONE FOR?

Yes, we have stayed with both options of the V3.2 Pulley and the Fixed Bridles included with the kite. We expected we might have a consensus on which option is preferred, but over the first year we have had many positive comments about the versatility that both bridle options offer and how they give the rider the option to experiment and really fine tune the kite to their style. T O G O W I T H A G R E AT WAV E K I T E , Y O U N E E D A G R E AT B O A R D . H OW H A S F E E D B A C K B E E N O N T H E A M P, C O M P A N D C Y P H E R T H AT W E S P O K E T O Y O U A B O U T I N D E C E M B E R ?

So far, the feedback has been very positive, I was interested to see how the option of footstraps with the offset front strap configuration would be received (in the Reflex Wood Version). We have seen quite an increase in riders using straps again on surfboards, in surf, but also on products such as the Cypher in flat-water applications. In terms of product popularity, at this stage it appears quite balanced, with the biggest standout being the Cypher in terms of growth. Kiko has been doing some amazing riding, I am sure this inspires others to get out there!■

AIRUSH AMP

AIRUSH COMP

AIRUSH CYPHER

AIRUSH SESSION

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Levitaz Raze4 Levitaz have brought out the latest version of their competition race board line, the Raze4. We spoke to board shaper Alex Schwab to find out more about the latest speed demon in the Levitaz line up.

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TELL ME ABOUT IT

I S T H E R A Z E 4 A I M E D P U R E LY AT R A C E R S ?

The Raze4 has a well-balanced shape so that all riders – both amateur speed freaks and the professional racer – can push their limits further. Especially in borderline situations like touchdowns at high speed, it is important to stay calm and be confident about the board. Therefore, the Raze4 is a good option for all race and speed ambitious kiters. TELL US MORE ABOUT ITS SHAPE.

The basis of the Raze4 shape is a rocker-line that has been optimized over the years with the support of our team riders. Additionally, we have worked intensively on the optimal angle between the deck and the mast axis. If this angle is correct, the rider can transfer the maximum load with both feet equally onto the board and further onto the foil. This power transmission is supported by the slight convex deck. The bottom shape consists of three surfaces, which are also slightly convex. This causes a soft re-entry in touchdown situations without losing too much speed, because convex surfaces hardly slow down in contact with water. Finally, the edges between the bottom surfaces and the bottom of the rail have a more rounded shape so that the board remains neutral when cutting through higher waves on the windward leg without slipping sideways or cutting. THE RAZE4 IS SMALLER IN OUTLINE BUT THICKER THAN T H E P R E V I O U S R A Z E 3 . W H Y H AV E Y O U M A D E T H E S E R E F I N E MENTS?

The performance of professional racers and our race foils continues to increase. This means that the loads on the foils are increasing and the angle between the mast and the water surface is decreasing. I have designed the new Raze in coordination with the feedback of our team riders, the position of the feet and the length of the soles. Therefore, it is a few millimeters narrower to allow minimally more lean. The maximum thickness of the board is determined by the parameter rocker-line, tuttle box height and deck angle. The front area of the board is kept thin to keep the mass in this area low, which results in smoother turns. TA L K U S T H R O U G H T H E B O A R D ’ S C O N S T R U C T I O N .

The Raze4 is built in light but strong and high-quality carbon sandwich construction. The standing areas are reinforced with additional carbon layers. The custom-made full carbon tuttle box is strongly connected to the deck. A stable high-density foam and additional carbon reinforcements cause a direct power transmission from the board to the foil mast. W H Y H AV E Y O U G I V E N T H E R A Z E 4 A T U T T L E B O X S Y S T E M R AT H E R T H A N T H E S TA N D A R D T R A C K S Y S T E M ?

A tuttle box has several advantages. It allows a better continuous rocker-line in this area. The mast plate of the standard track system, in contrast, has the disadvantage that it brakes heavily in touchdowns at very high speeds and especially in strong irregular waves. Boards with tuttle mast are easier to control in these conditions. A small advantage is also the lower weight of the tuttle system. Since the range for adjusting the standing position to the mast position became a matter of a few millimeters only, it is sufficient to make this adjustment over the footstrap position. TA L K U S BOARD.

THROUGH

THE

FOOTSTRAP

OPTIONS

FOR

THE

The individual standing positions of riders are sometimes very different. The footstrap for the rear foot is very close to the tail among all riders. Therefore, the insert of the back footstrap has only three holes. In regards to the front foot, some riders prefer a one-piece V-footstrap with only one hole in the middle. With this option, you stand a little further towards the middle of the board; this can be an advantage with large feet. Others prefer two single foot straps. The insert with five holes has the additional advantage that you have options for the angle between the footstrap and the board axis.

I T S O U N D S L I K E Y O U R T E A M R I D E R S W E R E A N I M P O R TA N T PA RT O F T H E D E S I G N P RO C E S S O F T H E RA Z E 4 , R I G H T ?

As an active competitor for many years, it is clear to me and to the entire Levitaz development team, that the development of race material can only be successful with the very close involvement of active kitefoil racers. Only active racers know what demands are currently placed on the material in competition. The subtle differences in race material development can be tested and improved only with the help of the best athletes. That’s why we develop our race material in close cooperation with our top racers – first and foremost, Florian Gruber and Theo de Ramecourt, and particularly with the new Raze, Jannis Maus was also heavily involved. After finalizing the Raze4 everyone was pretty stoked about the performance!■ LEVITAZ RAZE4

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FLYSURFER SOUL2 The SOUL changed perceptions of what is possible with a foil kite. Its latest iteration is now even more user-friendly and features a brand new material.

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TELL ME ABOUT IT

W H AT D I S C I P L I N E S A N D R I D E R L E V E L I S T H E S O U L 2 D E SIGNED FOR?

The SOUL product line appeals to all freeriders who do not set limits on their kiting, like to travel, and want to rely on a safe kite. The SOUL is powerful and predictable from the get-go. It conveys constant, precise bar feedback and, thanks to its ‘park and ride’ feeling, is a brilliant first foil kite that doesn’t get boring with increasing skills. In the hands of our professionals such as Olly Bridge, the product becomes a real Big Air machine that masters gap jumps and breaks WOO records. While Theo de Ramecourt pushes his surfboard tricks, Laurent ‘Lolo’ Guyot pulls fat loops on snowy slopes, and Lewis Wilby takes Airstyle to the next level with a landboard, we in the office go for a relaxing hydrofoil session in front of HQ! H O W H A S I T E V O LV E D F R O M T H E P R E V I O U S M O D E L ?

The SOUL2 is more durable and user-friendly. In direct comparison to its predecessor, it is easier to launch, has better handling in low wind, and feels more compact in the air. The SOUL2 feels more powerful from the get-go and gives direct feedback. Experienced kiters and dealers can use the Camber Trim System (Mixer) and the Profile Momentum Adjuster to adjust the SOUL2 to personal preferences. Stability, power, and bar feedback remain. T E L L U S A B O U T T H E N E W T X - L I G H T M AT E R I A L U S E D I N T H E SOUL2.

Particularly good aging resistance, high tear resistance, additional ripstop threads, and enormous stiffness at only 33g per m², make the TX-Light fabric perfect for the upper and lower sails of our foil kites. Inside, the TX-Light Hardfinish fabric enables increased use of cross ports, which improves inflation and deflation of the kite, thus enabling faster launching and more convenient packing. The leading edge consists of 44g per m² DLX+ fabric which better protects against abrasion and sharp-edged objects. Every fabric is optimized for its use, from UV-resistant surfaces and air-impermeable coatings, to absorbent properties to improve airflow when wet. HOW CAN USERS COUNTERACT STRETCH OVER TIME?

THE

EFFECTS

LINE

To maintain performance and stability the new SOUL2 comes with a bridle check tool, which makes it easier for the user to compare the bridle line lengths. At each level on each wing side of the foil kite, black markings make comparing front and back main line lengths easy. I T H A S B E E N A B U S Y Y E A R S O F A R F O R F LY S U R F E R . W H AT A R E T H E N E X T P RO D U CT L AU N C H E S YO U C A N T E L L U S A B O U T ?

Yes there has been quite a lot going on both inside and outside our headquarters. We just launched our new Demo Tour webpage. The Demo Days are one of the most important tools for us. We started with some stops in France, and the German tour started in early June. We have very well organized teams across the globe that can give you the best insights about our new gear. Furthermore we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this October, so we are keeping everyone busy currently… ■ FLYSURFER SOUL2

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ION Amaze Ambient Collection ION‘s Amaze Ambient Sea Capsule Collection for women includes their Nova Curv 10 Select harness and their Amaze wetsuits. We quizzed Product Developers Julian and Kerstin.

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W H AT T Y P E O F R I D E R I S T H E N O VA C U R V 1 0 S E L E C T A I M E D FOR?

Julian: The Nova Curv Select is super light and, due to its hard-shell construction, offers great support and comfort for all kinds of kiting disciplines. It is the go-to model for most of our female team riders no matter the discipline so I would say that it is a very well-rounded high-end harness that comes with heaps of different features. A medium high profile offers a lot of support while still providing a good amount of freedom of movement, whether you are into freestyle, waves or just love a good freeriding session. The Nova Curv Select will literally have your back. The 2021 model also features artwork from internationally renowned artist Michael Cina. In my opinion it’s one of the best-looking female harness models we have ever made. TA L K U S T H R O U G H I T S S U P P O R T A N D C O M F O R T.

Julian: A couple of years ago we implemented a stiffness index into our range of harnesses, ranging from 1 to 20 – the higher the number the stiffer the harness. This gives the consumer a good indication of the support and comfort of a specific ION harness. There are similar systems in ski and snowboard boots for example. A medium-stiff harness such as the Nova Curv 10 will work for most riders as it combines the best of the two worlds – enough rigidity for progressive riding but still offering good torsional flex for high comfort and thus long sessions out on the water. Additionally, due to the harness’s higher outline, forces are distributed over a wider surface providing enhanced back support. W H AT A R E T H E S P R E A D E R B A R O P T I O N S ?

Julian: The Nova Curv Select comes with our brand-new Spectre Bar: a high-end spreader bar made out of injection molded carbon compound material which provides a maximum of weight to strength ratio while maintaining a slim and lightweight design. It also features a lightweight and highly durable kite hook crafted out of high-grade aluminum known from the mountain biking industry. The integrated Spectre Flaps prevent the spreader bar from pivoting upwards and digging into your ribs especially during jumps. Thanks to its modularity the rider can modify the Spectre Bar to their personal needs – swapping to one of the other hook options like our new Quicklock Hook or the Dyneema Slider for wave riding is a non-event. To round things up, the Spectre Bar features our patented Tension Lever Buckle, an innovative closing system which makes for an easy on and off of the harness without having to adjust the webbing straps. W H I C H T E A M R I D E R S H AV E G I V E N F E E D B A C K O N T H E D E S I G N O F T H E H A R N E S S ?

Julian: The goal with the Nova Curv Select was to create a well-rounded harness that works for all the different kite disciplines alike. Our team uses it for freestyle, freeride, wave riding and Big Air. We rarely focus on one specific rider when developing a new harness model, but rather try to get valuable feedback from the whole female team including Mika, Paula and Julia to name a few. Fortunately, we have such a motivated team of extremely talented female riders behind us who help us with their input to constantly improve our range of harnesses. A S PA RT O F T H E A M A Z E A M B I E N T CO L L EC T I O N , YO U ’ V E A LS O BROUGHT OUT NEW AMAZE WETSUITS. GIVE US A QUICK S U M M A R Y O F T H E R A N G E .

Kerstin: Our Amaze wetsuit range offers one global fit for all women and consists of three levels. Featuring the Ambient Sea Capsule design, the Amaze AMP is our flexible lightweight line. Available in a front or backzip, it is the most flexible suit in our range – ultra-flexible thermo-linings combine extra warmth and uncompromised freedom of movement. Then we have the Amaze Select, available as a backzip, which

is our premium level and uses the highest quality materials to provide the most progressive wetsuit. And we also have the Amaze Core wetsuits, in a front or backzip, which are great all-rounders at a reasonable price thanks to the smart use of high-end features and materials. These three Amaze full-suit lines are complemented by the Amaze Summer styles, including shorties, neoprene pants and zip-tops, made for warmer water and mild climates. W H AT M AT E R I A L S M E A N T H E A M A Z E W E T S U I T S P R O V I D E H I G H L E V E L S O F WA R M T H ?

Kerstin: The highest level of warmth can be found in the Amaze Select. Its Graphene lining is a super light, strong and heat-conducting material. The Amaze AMP features the quick drying Plasma Plush 2.0 on the back panel, a premium lining offering the best of heat retention and stretch. The high pile fabric traps air for snuggly warmth and insulation while the vertically aligned channel structure transports moisture away for quicker drying. Both the Select and AMP feature Hot_Stuff 2.0 giving the perfect combination of warmth and stretch. This material has a plushier feel due to larger loops that trap more air for heat insulation. It is the stretchiest thermo lining in our entire range. ■ ION AMAZE AMBIENT COLLECTION

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Airwave Koala You may not have heard of Airwave before, but their foil kite, the Koala, definitely deserves some recognition. We spoke to design engineer Tom Lolies to find out about the brand and kite.

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T E L L U S A B I T O F B A C K G R O U N D T O T H E A I R WAV E B R A N D .

It’s been a long and exciting journey for Airwave. The company started out in a garage on the Isle of Wight in the UK in the 1980s, designing hang gliders. Later on Bruce started designing paragliders for Airwave, the first being the Black Magic in 1989. Bruce then created his own paraglider company 10 years ago, Bruce Goldsmith Design (BGD). I entered the company in 2017 as a design engineer, also responsible for simulation and development of numerical models. I quickly asked if I could start working on my other passion as well, foil kites. Bruce was excited by this new project so this is how we decided to resurrect the Airwave brand that was kept dormant for years. H OW H A S YO U R E X P E R I E N C E W I T H PA RAG L I D I N G F E D I N T O BUILDING FOIL KITES?

It gave us a very good starting point! We used most of the technologies currently implemented on our paragliders. However I quickly realized that a foil kite is so much more than a paraglider hanging on four lines. Hopefully my simulation program, originally developed for paragliders, could easily be adapted to better understand the physics of foil kites. In the end, we found that achieving the desired level of stability was extremely challenging. We even developed new ideas that are now implemented in our paraglider range! H O W W O U L D Y O U D I F F E R E N T I AT E Y O U R F O I L K I T E S F R O M O T H E R S – T H E Y A R E N O T A I M E D AT T H E R A C I N G M A R K E T R I G H T ?

That’s right, the Koala is a freeride kite. It is thus a compromise between fast handling, ease of use, and performance. I found that most foil kites on the market couldn’t be used in very gusty and strong conditions (up to 40 knots). This is why I developed the Koala in small sizes first, trying to make a super fun, full-of-energy product that would withstand even the worst turbulence. Not an easy task! It took nearly three years to achieve that goal. I realized afterwards that this feature is highly valuable for foiling, as the kite is very forgiving and gives the rider room for mistakes during maneuvers. Also, it drifts easily, so riding downwind fast is fun and comfortable. Also, we studied the handling a lot, and worked hard to get a tight turn radius, with a precise and smooth bar feedback. Overall we think the Koala stands out in the market for its high level of stability and very nice and direct bar feel. W H AT A D VA N TA G E S D O Y O U C O N S I D E R Y O U R F O I L K I T E S H AV E O V E R L E I K I T E S ?

One feature that distinguishes the Koala from LEI kites is its smaller surface area with a larger wind range. A Koala 8m is equivalent to a LEI 9 to 10m. The Koala is excellent for going upwind and does not flutter when depowered. You get long hang times for jumps and tricks, and smoother and lighter bar feedback and more predictable behavior. The Koala is strong and durable so it stays in trim, while retaining excellent handling and easy launch in light winds. And of course, you don’t need to pump up a leading edge so you can be on the water quicker, and the kite packs down smaller so is ideal for traveling or mountain use. People worry about relaunching from water, but it actually relaunches very well – the relaunch requires pulling on both back lines rather than one like on most LEI’s. In our opinion, the Koala is a very good kite to switch from LEI to foil. T E L L U S A B O U T T H E U N I Q U E S O F T WA R E Y O U ’ R E U S I N G F O R THE KITE DESIGN.

I developed a fluid-structure interaction code. This means that I am working on how the fluid flow interacts with the cloth dynamics. It is a constant work in progress and is actually the heart of my PhD project. For each simulation I design a virtual prototype that I can test numer-

ically overnight. While a physical prototype takes weeks to come out of the factory, here I usually test five to six virtual prototypes every day! For now I can optimize the distribution of stresses across the structure, and look at aerodynamic performance and stability. I can also analyze and adapt how the kite deforms when depowered. I am now working on a new version of the program that will also include the turn radius and handling characteristics. A N D W H AT I S T H E C O R D C U T B I L L O W A L L A B O U T ? !

It is a design feature originally developed by Bruce for BGD. Because billowed panels around the nose can’t be flattened, they are cut in several pieces so that the inflated kite 3D shape is as close to the design shape as possible. We found that it helped the performance and stability tremendously. C A N Y O U TA L K U S T H R O U G H Y O U R T E S T I N G P R O C E S S ?

Generally, riding a new prototype starts by simply kiting with an open mind, trying to understand how the kite flies in general. Then the trimming process starts, which means that I have to land every 10 minutes to change the line lengths! For the Koala I developed several tests to assess the stability – one is to ride (on a foil) directly towards the kite and stop. The kite should drift backwards and stay in the air, rather than collapse and fall. It is also good to have other experienced riders around you so you can conduct back-to-back comparisons between the different prototypes – we switch kites all the times. Usually it takes a few sessions to assess all the pros and cons of a given kite. Then I go back to making new virtual prototypes to try and fix the problems of the latest design! ■ AIRWAVE KOALA

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I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

A PODCAST FOR KITESURFERS

THE BEST RIDERS

THE LATEST NEWS THE INSIDE LINE...

Jesse Richman Stig Hoefnagal Nick Jacobsen Sensi Graves Sam Light Jason Van Der Spuy

Antonin Rangin

Peri Roberts Oswald Smith

Alexander Lewis-Hughes

Simon Bruhn

Tom Bridge

Willow-River Tonkin Pete Cabrinha

COLIN Tom Seager Tom Hartmann Max tullett Carl Ferreira Martin Vari Alex Vliege

Graham Howes Christophe Tack

Maarten Haeger

Mostafa Abbas Robby James

Gijs Wassenaar

Marc Jacobs Laci Kobulsky Damien Leroy Toby Braeuer

Rob Claisse

Ruben Lenten Annabel Van Westerop Aaron Hadlow Jake Kelsick Joshua Emanuel

Youri Zoon

Daniela Moroz

Alex Maes

Francesca Bagnoli

Mitu Andre Penna

Luke McGillewie

Lou Wainman

Julien Leleu

Jack RiederClement Hout 174

Levinson Steven Akkersdijk Ryan Willem Hooft

Kevin Langeree Shaun Bennett Jo Ciastula

Camille Delannoy Alex Maes Kiko Roig Torres

Liam Whaley

Tom Court Bruna KajiyaMegan Grant Maxime Chabloz Angely Bouillot

Janek Grzegorzewski

Paula Novotna

Michael Mac Donald

Annelous Lammerts

Noè Font Ross Dillon Player Girardin Lasse Walker Damien Carla Herrera Oria

Aaron Hadlow Sam Medysky

Hannah Whiteley Craig Cunningham

Ben Wilson

Noè Font Michael Mac Donald kitesurf365.com

The full kitesurfing package with a view of the sea!

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Prolimit Pure Vapor Well-established Dutch soft goods goliath Prolimit have created a full-featured high-end ladies harness with the Pure Vapor. It’s a semi-rigid hardbacked harness, but features a generous amount of interior padding with some grippy EVA centered around the small of the back, and grip pattern on the wings of the harness seem to keep the harness well placed both on skin and neoprene. The Pure material featured on the harness is a new innovation that is fully recyclable and resin free. From a flexibility perspective the Vapor sits exactly in the middle of what’s available; there’s some controlled torsional flex, which helps spread the load comfortably across your back when your body is contorted, when riding blind for instance. The low profile rear shell fits well into the small of the back and has a sensible amount of padding above and below the shell which provides comfort without feeling excessively bulky. Entry and exit is a simple affair with a red pin release on the left of the spreader bar. The bar pad is from quite a tough injection molded EVA, and has rigid wings which integrate into the waist belt, firming things up nicely. The leashing options are well placed, with a sturdy stainless front point built into the spreader bar keeping it neat and tidy. At the rear there’s also a full handlepass setup that is removable if you are more of a minimalist.

In an occasionally neglected market segment, Prolimit have thrown all the technology and top end materials into the Pure Vapor, which combines into a comfortable and supportive harness that molds well to the female form. It balances support, rigidity, weight and flexibility well and aesthetically manages to look both feminine and technical.

Prolimit Mercury TR Freezip Steamer 4/3mm The Prolimit Mercury range makes up their selection of winter suits for cold water conditions. With their close proximity to the usually perishing North Sea, it’s fair to say the Dutch brand know exactly how to build a suit for cold water, and for 4/3mm it’s definitely on the warmer end of the spectrum. We managed to ride out a fairly bleak UK winter using it in all but the most extreme sub 10 degree days. The front zip is an interesting design markedly different to the usual side entry system found on many suits, with the horizontal YKK zip separating the neck seal completely. This makes the suit exceptionally easy to get in and out of, and there’s no over-stressing the neoprene over time and bagging out of the shoulder areas, enhancing the suit’s longevity. It also makes the suit an ideal choice for the more V shaped human, with a Schwarzenegger like upper body. Flushing is avoided with a large gasket underneath the neck seal and some slick skin neoprene tightening the edges. The heel cuffs have three small drain holes to avoid any irritating elephant leg water retention, which is a key consideration for any highspeed wind sport enthusiast. In the interior, there’s an extensive and luxurious panel of fleeced neoprene extending from chest to knee level, and a smaller section opposite covering your back. Key areas and panel junctions are seam taped with wide bands. Externally, liquid seams are present on every seam apart from the rear of the knee and armpit to avoid rub and enhance flexibility in these areas. The knee panels are hewn from a harder wearing abrasion resistant material, which wears well, particularly noticeable if you are learning to wingsurf and are spending some time kneeling. The neoprene is limestone based, exceptionally flexible and quicker to dry than average. Prolimit have designed a very elegant and full-featured suit, with highend materials and excellent thermal properties for the middle of the road neoprene thickness. In situations where you’d normally wear a 5/3, you can definitely get away with a 4/3 and enjoy the flexibility that comes with a thinner suit.

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Manera Eclipse Manera first released their semi-hardshell Eclipse Harness in 2019, and this year’s update has led the French brand to ramp up the stiffness slightly but maintain the freedom of movement associated with the product line. Putting the harness on is a delightfully fuss-free process without any complex lever closures to decipher. You simply velcro on the waist belt, hook the spreader bar on and tighten the webbing. Once installed, you notice straight away how low the harness sits, with a comfortable distance between the spreader bar and your rib cage. The low profile tucks neatly into the small of your back. The interior is a luxurious and soft gel foam and immediately conforms well to your body shape, and is reminiscent of a memory foam. This is going to work well across a range of body shapes and won’t allow any nasty pressure points sometimes associated with full hardshells. The rear shell is stiffest in the mid-section around your spine, and then fades into more flex towards your sides enabling that all important torsional movement for extra freedom. Two spreader bar options are available – a standard kite hook and also a well-conceived sliding wave focused option which has a double rope to make it ultra-safe and some neat Kevlar to pad out the spreader and protect your board for any paddle-in situations. The lower webbing

hooks on the spreader bar are extended out to give more leverage and work well to prevent any upwards bar twist when overpowered. The leash point is built into the front of the spreader on a small Dyneema loop and a handlepass system is present spanning across the shell. As with many products from the F-ONE/Manera stable, there’s an elegant and stealthy minimalism about the Eclipse harness that concentrates its efforts on functionality rather than gimmicks. It’s the polar opposite to the massive turtle shell harness designs of the mid-noughties and all the better for it.

Manera Seafarer Steamer 4/3mm Manera created the Seafarer range to offer an uncompromising suit at a more attractive price point. It inherits much of the technology and design input from their higher end offerings, with a full 3D tailored shape. When you hang the suit up, it already makes a human form. Manera have employed the XD10, S-Foam and Re-flex skin materials found in some of their range-topping suits, which carry the same great flexibility and thermal properties. In our experience, as a bonus it also dries exceptionally quickly. There’s a generous XD10 fleece panel in the chest and rib cage area. Seaming is triple glued and blind stitched with circles of reinforcing tape at all of the junctions. There’s zero creep of water through the seams as you enter the sea, and the cuffs and ankles feature some rubber strips to help prevent flushing for higher impact sports. The inside of the neck seal features some slick skin to prevent any water entry from the top, and it passed the duck dive test with flying colors. The front zip entry closes from the inside out, meaning the zip carriage is already engaged so there’s no fumbling around trying to link the zip with cold hands. A small stopper keeps the zip in place once closed and a draw string tightens the gasket down the side of the shoulder, of which the edge has another rubberized seal. What’s immediately noticeable is how plush, comfortable and flexible the Seafarer is and if you practice a range of ocean sports there’s not going to be one where you feel like you lack mobility wearing it. It’s also going to augment itself easily to a range of body shapes without losing thermal properties as we all know fit is a primary when it comes to wetsuits. Even when saturated, the suit never seems to feel overly heavy. Manera have hit the nail on the head with the Seafarer range. It’s a very well featured and high performance multi-sport suit, and you’d be challenged to find anything superior at the price point..

TESTED

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Cabrinha Switchblade A L L- R OUN D E R TE ST

RANGE

BOOSTING

TURNING SPEED

FREESTYLE

ACCESSIBILITY

WAVE

A long established product line in the Cabrinha range, the Switchblade is pitched as a versatile five-strut freeride kite with a leaning towards Big Air and powered riding, and slots in alongside the three-strut Moto as its more aggressive cousin. It’s a now classically modern hybrid platform with the characteristic wingtip sweep and the usual wealth of quality materials employed in the build we’ve come to expect from Cabrinha. Their proprietary Nano ripstop is utilized for the canopy, which is now several years in and well proven. The panel layout is well tailored and is comprised of more panels and wellplaced seaming to create a very smooth and aerodynamic profile. In the Switchblade this is most noticeable across the central section of the kite above the first struts where most of the sail is in the wind. This stretches out the Switchblade’s sweet spot, which is perhaps most evident in the top end, where the kite remains extremely composed. An interesting tech feature not often mentioned is Cabrinha’s Dynamic Arc, which means the kite has a pre-loaded shape which alters when it’s flying. In a relaunch situation it means the kite spans out, enabling an easy release from the water. In the Switchblade this is quite a noticeable characteristic and extremely helpful when relaunching in lighter airs with a five-strut kite. From a sizing perspective, they’ve got it all covered in one-meter increments from 5m to 12m, with a 14m topping out the range. In the air, the Switchblade retains many of the smooth and grunty flying characteristics of its substantial lineage, which is definitely a positive thing. Power delivery is extremely progressive and a true pull-and-go affair, in

fact you could draw a perfect line graph of power delivery verses sheeting. It’s an immediately simplistic and intuitive feeling kite to fly and it’s really simple to feather the power round the turns, with the stiff five-strut airframe remaining composed even under aggressive steering inputs. It’s genuinely difficult to make the Switchblade in any way flustered. The medium bar pressure feeds back well, and the turning speed on the 10m we tested was quite moderate, and ideal for Big Air work. When it comes to pure accessible hangtime, it’s up there with the crest of the market and you regularly achieve higher jumps than you expect without much effort or technique required. Once your timing is dialed in and you’re in the top end of the wind range, it’s a lofty and controlled affair. Pulling the trigger and looping the Switchblade produces a smooth pulse of power with extensive downwind travel and a super smooth and reliable catch. Five-strut kites seem to be getting rarer these days, but in this case that extra airframe rigidity provides one of the most stable and rewarding platforms for freeride twintip riding on the market. It thrives in its top end and brings an air of confidence to high wind situations with such generous hangtime and floaty characteristics, and the beautifully predictable landings.

ION AMAZE AMP With all the goings on in the world it is no secret that even managing to get hold of a new wetsuit (or kite, or board or harness) can be pretty trying… So when we received a box with an actual wetsuit inside we were pretty stoked! Good start ION… We had the Amaze Amp to put through its paces. The Amp series has been a staple of ION’s catalogue for a few years now and strives to get the balance right for riders who want to stay warm, but not to compromise on flexibility. If you want the warmest wetsuit in their lineup then the Select is for you but, as wetsuit tech continues to improve, if you’re not cracking through ice to get to your local spot, for most riders you can have the luxury of maximum flexibility and warmth these days. And we are finding in northern Europe that – for kiting when you are not in the water too much – you rarely need to go thicker than a 4/3 for all but the most brutal of days. It’s a good time to be alive. The first thing you note about the Amaze is of course the colorway – it’s pretty blue… But the pattern is super nice and easy on the eye. We would say to all kite wetsuit companies that it would be great to always have a black option too – particularly if you’re looking to hit the surf market where zany wetsuit colorways aren’t always what you’re looking for. Moving on to the important stuff and the materials, and at the core of the Amaze is the inside lining, the Hot Stuff 2.0 which is used throughout aside from the shoulders and arms, where you need that extra flex. The extra warmth is provided by the Plasma Plush back panel which keeps your back and your internal organs warm and keeps you going for longer. Getting down to business and the Amaze Amp fits very well – wetsuit 178

TESTED

sizing can be notoriously fickle but generally we have found that ION have things pretty well worked out with good consistency year-on-year. The Amaze is definitely at the warmer end of the 4/3 scale and provided plenty of protection even in the northerly winds… The flexibility is also good with a nice amount of movement in the arms and with well molded knees to keep you comfortably popping well into your session.

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Airwave Koala S I N G L E STR UT K ITE

TURNING SPEED

BOOSTING

FREERIDE

LOW END

SPEED

Airwave are a company with a strong heritage in the world of paragliding who have decided to now turn their hand (and their technology) to the world of kite design. This is not an ‘off the peg with a new logo’ entry into the market though – the guys at Airwave have gone completely down the ‘blank sheet of paper’ route and have tried to create a kite that steps into a different sector of the market – in fact a kite that creates a new sector in the market. The aim with the Koala design was to emulate the flying characteristics of an LEI kite, but to bring the benefits of a foil kite. This is not a kite that is designed to spend its time on the racecourse nor is it a kite that is designed to be the only kite left on the water when the wind drops (although they are working on a 15m…). The Koala is a kite that is designed to be used as your everyday kite. It’s a kite to replace your inflatable quiver. A bold mission statement for sure, and we were excited to see what they had been up to. In terms of the tech in evidence, the primary objective of the team has been to create maximum stability – the kind of stability that you get with an inflatable kite. With this in mind they have used technology such as Cord Cut Billow with two seams of stiffer cloth running front-toback to absorb the ‘panel ballooning’, stiffen the kite and result in a more responsive flying experience and a stabler kite. Also worth noting (and not something we usually cover) but the Koala really does look pretty insane in the sky – there are a lot of colors there but the colorway really does work and certainly turned a few heads on the beach. Getting going and we are more used to flying foil kites than a few years back, so the number of lines and the launch technique feels less alien than it did, but even with this in mind, the Koala is by far the easiest foil kite we have launched. With the reduced number of bridles and the five openings to inflate the kite, as soon as it left the sand it began to take shape and by the time it had reached the zenith it was good to go – no ‘bar pumping’ or flying across the window waiting for it to take shape. Once up there it quickly gains internal pressure, and the overall stability once flying is impressive. Of course you expect foil kites to be less likely to fall out of the sky in sketchy beach conditions, but we noted that the Koala did not shift around as much in the air and the high internal pressure kept it very stable.

STABILITY

The most trouble normally encountered with foil kites is when the tips are collapsing and get tangled in the bridles. We tried to stall the Koala in a whole range of maneuvers in light and moderate wind, and it just stays open and rigid in the air. Its ultra-light structure makes it float impressively which is really a benefit when foiling downwind. For foiling the Koala will generate speed and immediate thrust and accelerates to cruising speed quickly. The Koala is then easily placed wherever you need it in the wind window and can be slowed down or accelerated on demand. It is intuitive to control and will let you focus on your tacks and gybes, giving you a solid amount of lift to ease your maneuvers on the foil. Moving on to twintip riding and the low end is impressive and gets you up and going comfortably – we had the 10m on test which would equate to a 12m LEI kite and the turning was not super quick, but you would not expect a 12m LEI kite to be super quick (Note: We do have the 5m on test for next issue and are excited to see how this compares to a standard 7m). Then, once you are riding, the sensation is genuinely very similar to your regular kite – power delivery is smooth and immediate without any lag – and you get a nice injection of power when you sheet in. For boosting on the 10m we had a couple of sessions in 20+ knots and you get a serious amount of hangtime and some nice lofty cruising… Overall we agreed that this feels like a very different kind of foil kite, and the stability and the confidence this gave you are a major plus. The design and build quality is also very impressive and the small pack size is also a big plus. An intriguing project and – on this basis – we look forward to seeing what they have got for us next.

Ion Nova Curv 10 Select Soft goods goliath Ion have thrown all of their top features and materials into the Select version of the Nova to create a range topping female harness. It sports a semi hard shell, and rates as a ‘10’ on their flex index which is exactly in the middle of their range. Visually, it’s a harness to behold, with a stealthy Darth Vader back and aquatic patterned neoprene covering some luxurious feeling memory foam padding fringing the hardshell. On the interior a large EVA patch sits over the small of the back and fills the spine area. It grips to your wetsuit well and does an admirable job of preventing potential ride up. A full removable handlepass system spans the rear of the hardshell, and integrates into the back of the webbing straps, and a front safety attachment sits on the right hand side of the webbing so all bases are covered. The entry system features a classic full Velcro waist belt, followed by some large and stiff tabs on the ends of the spreader which slide in above the belt to firmly integrate it into the sides of the harness. The buckles are a proprietary system from Ion and lock the webbing very firmly. The final closure is a well-engineered double hook lever system comprised of injection molded plastic and stainless steel for the business

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end. It closes up that final few millimeters of tension required to get the harness completely snug with easy leverage. Unclipping it is a cinch as it has a small tab to lift the closure enabling you to get your fingers beneath it. This is a well thought out addition and will do well in the bleak midwinter. The C3 spreader bar is a versatile design and leaves options for a climbing sling style slider for the wave riders as well as a bolt-on traditional hook system, leaving your options very much open for the multi disciplinarian. Overall the Nova Curv 10 Select is a lightweight and durable construction as you’d expect from the top of the Ion product system. Its mid flex, supportive nature and versatile spreader arrangement makes it an excellent choice for the serious crossover rider.

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the committed Despite a near fatal paragliding accident, Damien LeRoy is one of the most committed riders we know. He is out on the water as much as possible, and you’ll find numerous videos of his on YouTube, as he’s more than happy to share his knowledge and stoke with others. PHOTOS ALEXANDRIA HOOVER

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FA R L E F T

Looking sharp.

LEFT

Living on a knife edge.

Y O U W E R E O R I G I N A L LY A C O M P E T I T I V E S K I E R . H O W D I D Y O U GET INTO KITING?

Yes, I was a big skier and trained in the summers on Mt. Hood, a glacier located in Oregon. Just a 40-minute drive away is Hood River, at the time a windsurfing mecca. One day with my parents I saw a kiter, we think maybe Cory Roesler, one of the pioneers on water skis, flying a kite on Hood River. This was when I first saw it and thought it was incredible to be pulled along the water with a kite. At 19 I was injured skiing and was rehabbing in Naples, Florida where I ran into Erik Foht who had purchased a two-line kite and was learning on the beach with his brothers. I walked up, he handed it to me, and well… I was hooked. We learned together with his brothers – at that time in kiting you needed a support group – one to fly the kite and learn what not to do, another to hold the kite flyer as you drag across the beach, and two others to catch the kite when it crashed… It was a team effort then! D O Y O U H AV E A F AV O R I T E M E M O R Y F R O M Y O U R E A R LY D AY S OF KITING?

“Riding ‘one handed’ at the time was very dangerous! Now look what we are doing...”

I think truthfully the whole part of learning in the beginning was magical. It was so unknown and dangerous; no one wanted to help as they did not want to tell you the wrong thing. A lot was trial and error, so it made it incredibly fun to learn and try things and also learn what not to do. The most beautiful part in life is learning, so for years it was an everyday process and never-ending excitement. I remember one day when I took my hand off the bar – riding ‘one handed’ at the time was almost a trick and very dangerous! Now look what we are doing – incredible how far the sport has come. W H AT WA S Y O U R F I R S T S E T O F E Q U I P M E N T, A N D W H AT D O YO U U S E N OW ?

My first set was a two-line Wipika kite. Some may laugh but an 8.5m then was like a 12m, as the sizing was all over the map. Now I love my Cabrinha Switchblade kites – best kite on the market as it can do it all nowadays.

DAMIEN LEROY

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H O W D I D T H E P A R A G L I D I N G A C C I D E N T C H A N G E Y O U R AT T I TUDE TO KITING AND LIFE?

Well, I feel that both before and after the accident, I’ve looked at the glass as half full instead of half empty, so I wouldn’t say my attitude has actually changed much. The biggest change to my life was meeting the love of my life in the hospital – my nurse Alex, now my wife and mother of our incredible baby girl, Ava. Life has a plan for everyone, and I am beyond blessed to have what I have. After the accident I am still as passionate about kiting or winging as ever. There is always something to learn or try or experiment with. The day I lose the passion or love for it will be the day I step away from it – I think in life you have to love what you do and you will succeed in it as you almost can’t fail. It’s when you are doing something that does not excite you that you can lose interest and maybe fail. T H AT S O U N D S L I K E A G R E AT M E S S A G E T H AT I B E T Y O U G E T A C R O S S I N T H E M O T I VAT I O N A L S P E A K I N G Y O U D O . W H Y D I D Y O U G E T I N T O T H AT ?

Well in life I think everyone can use some positivity and motivation! When you enjoy something like kiting you keep striving to make things better. I believe I can help others, just like others have helped me along the way. I am no Tony Robbins, but if you can help one person to maybe have a better day or see the positive in something, great, even if it is on a smaller scale of helping people it is still something. I will forever keep trying to help others live their best life, as we all have hard times in life that you have to get through. It helps to have a little help along the way no matter who you are. I S T H AT A L S O W H Y Y O U G O T I N T O D O I N G T H E V I D E O S O F K I T REVIEW AND KITING TIPS?

I have loved making videos since the beginning and love how they can help other kiters out. I met this incredible human Gwen Le Tutour who randomly reached out one day to film some kiting in Jupiter, Florida. We had the same values in life and his goal is to give back and help others as well. We teamed up and took my Damien LeRoy YouTube channel and ran with it. Now we are helping inspire others all round the world live their best life. He is everything behind it, the brilliant and talented man behind the camera – so thankful to have connected with him! YO U M E N T I O N E D YO U ’ R E I N TO W I N G FO I L I N G . H A S I T D I S T RACT E D YO U F RO M K I T I N G ? !

Great question, I think they both play their part. Nothing beats a great kiting day for sure – kiting is incredible and there is nothing better than jumping and flying across the ocean or riding endless waves! But winging is opening the door for so many people to do something incredible in areas maybe you cannot kite. I personally love them both, and because winging is new I have so many new things to learn, which makes it very exciting… W H AT ’ S N E X T F O R Y O U ?

Well with our new little baby girl Ava it will be time to get her winging and kiting soon, haha! The truth is I just want to keep helping others and do my part in this world to give back and share all the knowledge I can. I’m excited to see the watersports industry change lives for the better. And I am super thankful to have my health and enjoy those moments on the water when I do – so grateful! ■ 184

THE COMMITTED

SKEGNESS JULY 3/4 RAMSGATE AUG 21/22 ARMADA SEP 11/12

2021 BRITISH KITESURF FREESTYLE TOUR

SAVE THE DATES We are excited to announce the tour dates for the 2021 British Kitesurf Freestyle Championships. In addition to the very popular kite foil freestyle competition introduced in 2019 this year will see the first ever UK Wing Foil freestyle competition. KITE FREESTYLE • KITE FOIL FREESTYLE • WING FOIL FREESTYLE (new this year) Categories: Junior (U16), Ams (16+) and Pros - Male and Female 185

The Last Line WO R D S G A B I S T E I N D L

I, Roderick Pijls, and photographer Rein Rijke, for our Last Line project, set out to capture adventurous stories about human perseverance and the exploration of pristine and vulnerable landscapes. Last October we hit up Iceland to secure some spectacular photos of our planet and reflect on our impact on it...

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REFLECTIONS

Rein and I have made it our mission to photograph kiting action in some of the most pristine landscapes on the planet. Reaching those locations and getting the perfect photo has led to adventures that reflect our friendship, professionalism and personality. Our path towards almost impossible pictures and goals inevitably leads to dealing with whatever nature throws at us, revealing perseverance and the intrepid nature of human beings. Together with the vulnerability of nature, these characteristics are at the core of The Last Line project, as well as the goal to energize people to follow their adventures, and to make people aware of climate change and motivate them to make informed decisions. Iceland was one of the most memorable adventures I have been on. With the main goal of kiting on a glacial lake and inside volcanic craters, we had set ourselves a big challenge… We left the Netherlands with a good amount of preparation and research to work out where we needed to search for craters, waterfalls and icebergs. As we found out, you can prepare yourselves as much as you want, but Mother Nature is always in control and if she decides something, then you just need to follow and listen. It took several descents, many kite-launches, and even more attempts to make that one shot happen: kiting inside that crater. I have never seen such harsh and gusty conditions in my life – the wind enters the crater, twists and swirls round 360 degrees, creating little water tornados, and eventually leaves the crater with an incredible upward lift. Standing there I had a million thoughts racing round my head, from why we had ever decided to try this to thinking that this was Mission Impossible. Rigging up my kite and balancing on a steep inclining crater with razor sharp rocks, I signaled Rein to let go of my kite. I was pulled many times over the lava rocks towards the edge of the crater, but I eventually managed to touch the water with my board and get some tacks in. Hearing the screams of joy from Rein and the filmers echoing through this massive crater that functioned as a sounding board, made me realize that it was actually happening and working (aside from the fact that I got pulled up several times in the air and dropped down like a stone). The Kiwi Aerial Shots team was was with us with their cameras and drones rolling non-stop, recording and documenting every little

TOP

Dwarfed by Iceland’s peaks. MIDDLE

Rein Rijke. BOTTOM

Kiwi Aerial Shots. THE LAST LINE

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“Getting the shots at the waterfall and in between icebergs was equally challenging, with the freezing temperatures and either super strong or light wind posing problems.”

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REFLECTIONS

THE LAST LINE

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“So what next for us? With the same crew of people we already have some new ideas lined up that we hope to pull off.” detail of our emotions, adventures, fails and successes. We were already used to working with each other on previous jobs, and with our combined energy we supported each other in the best possible way. At times one of us would lose our mojo, but with the energy of the group we would pull that person back into a more positive frame of mind. Getting the shots at the waterfall and in between icebergs was equally challenging, with the freezing temperatures and either super strong or light wind posing problems. This kind of adventure was so different from the normal kite trips I do, where I travel to the best locations in the world knowing that I’ll be scoring some good conditions. This time I was traveling to a place where no one had ever even had the idea to inflate a kite. There were no existing stories that I could read beforehand so couldn’t learn from anyone else’s experience. What I learnt is that you need to be super flexible and think in terms of solutions and opportunities instead of seeing things as a problem. Next to such an amazing adventure, it was also such a life lesson.

P R E V I O U S PAG E

Spot the tiny kiter in the huge volcano. MIDDLE

Full winter wetsuit and hood needed. BOTTOM

Hiking to the glacier.

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REFLECTIONS

So what next for us? With the same crew of people we already have some new ideas lined up that we hope to pull off. For starters we’re thinking Greenland, which has been the ultimate destination on our bucket list since the beginning. Huge chunks of ice are breaking off the glaciers there and some of them have big melting water pools in them with pristine blue water. We want to reach one of those icebergs by boat, climb the massive vertical ice walls and photograph me kiting on one of the pristine blue pools. For us this is the ultimate ambition of our Last Line project – melting icebergs in a surreal beautiful playground. We also want to visit Tornado Alley in the US and secure a photo of kiting on a lake with one or even multiple tornados in the background – a dangerous storm hunt where the challenge is to get everything in the right place at the right time for that perfect unique shot that goes viral. We tend to think in possibilities, rather than the impossible… ■

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S:QUAD

5’7” / 5’9”

SPADE

5’3” / 5’7”

CUTLASS 5’2” / 5’5”

X:BREED

5’1” / 5’3” / 5’5”

SPADE PRO 5’3” / 5’7”

X:BREED PRO 5’1” / 5’3” / 5’5”

00 SURFBOARDS

New designs, new constructions and new features. With shapes for all types of surf and wind conditions.

Keahi de Aboitiz Chuck Harlan

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WWW.CABRINHA.COM 193

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