Bonjour les snowkiteurs. Numéro #19 de «White Kite Sessions» entièrement dédié à l’événement «OZONESNOWKITEMASTERS» qui s’est déroulé du 27 février dernier au 02 mars. Basé au Col de Bernina Pass et ayant délocalisé la Race sur le lac de Silvaplana, tout ceci autour des stations de Saint-Moritz, coeur des montagnes de l’Engadin dans le canton des Grisons au Sud-Est de la Suisse. C’est toujours un rêve pour les snowkiteurs que de se rendre à Bernina, un col à 2.300m, surtout que l’édition précédente de l’OSKM remontait à 2008. C’était la 2ème dans l’histoire de cet événément mythique qui avait vu le jour en 2004 au Lautaret alors vous trouverez quelques images d’archives pour nous remémorer ces temps anciens, pas si éloignés que ça dans nos coeur en fait. Pour ce 3ème opus, Best-Line, Speed Contest et Race au programme. De quoi survolter les heureux participants. Voici donc quelques pages pour illustrer cette semaine de rêve dans une région à la célébrité légendaire pour ses montagnes et son enneigement fabuleux. Merci pour votre lecture :-) Pascal Boulgakoff
Kiter : Romain Luppi, winner snowboard of the RACE in Silvaplana.
Hello snowkiting folks. Issue #19 of «White Kite Sessions» fully dedicated to the super event «OZONESNOWKITEMASTERS» set last 27 feb to 02 march in Bernina Pass and Lake Silvaplana, Engadin / Saint-Moritz resorts, heart of the amazing Grisons mountains situated South-East of Switzerland. Always a dream for everybody to get to the 2.300m Bernina Pass, especialy as that was now 6 years after the last issue #2 of this OSKM event. Not so many kiters know that the first issue was set on 2004 at the Lautaret Pass, that was the roots of our sport and it’s nice to see a few pictures about this old time, not so far in our heart actualy, as good memories. 2014 OSKM event gave us hopes and excitation, the scheddule was great as usual, Race, Best-line and Speed contests. Some of the best snowkiters around the world coming here. Amazing snowpack as no local guy saw so much ever. Well, here are some pages trying to explain what was going on actualy during this unforgettable week. Thank you for reading :-) Cheers, Pascal Boulgakoff
Front-cover pic : Stefano Gigli & Dom Zimmermann with the OZONE CHRONO.
1- Click onto the text, it’s getting larger, so easier to read, browse along the chapter. When finished to read, click again and the page gets back to the normal size. Same if you want to check out the details from any picture :-) 2- Click on the web adresses or TV screens along the pages to reach the content.
whitekitenews@orange.fr
It’s always nice to remember where we are coming from. OSKM, with the same logo on the hoodies, was set for the first time in december 2004 at the Lautaret Pass. The aim remains the same, I mean a meeting about fun and performance to show what the snowkiting sport is like. Cool to see that lot of the kiters on this picture were still here at Bernina Pass last week. Be sure that the other ones were following the event every day with passion from their laptop screen :-)
Matt Blanchard Matt Taggart J. Josserand Johann Civel Fabio Ingroso Damien Pattou Tom Bourdeau G. Chastagnol Robby Whittall Pascal Joubert D. Zimmermann
Matthieu Blanchard
RĂŠgis Labaune, Matt Taggart, Wareck
Hig im mo sou eve it’s giv but eve wa vib atti thi in rat Johann Civel sliding the module built by Matt Blanchard.
Chasta, unhooked rail-slide tail-grab
gh level snowkiting, massive mages coverage, warm friendly oments, make the unbreakable ul of the Ozonesnowkitemasters ents along the years. Of course s about competition, with priceving and world ranking results, t nowhere else on any sport ent you’ll meet such easy-going ay of life mixed with positive brations and nigh & day smily itude. It’s crazy to think how is new toy pulling us on snow or the air with the wind can genete so big time in our life.
Rob Whittall and Pascal Joubert
Marek «Murphy» Zach, extreme style as always.
Four years after the first issue at the Lautaret, the big project came out once again with the energy and efforts of Dominik Zimmermann who decided to make the show going on. Another mythical snowkiting spot was choosen and that was the unbelievable 2.300m area of Bernina Pass in Switzerland. Best-line, Race, Freestyle, the competitions were amazing. So many international teams came, we could meet the Norwegians vikings, the Italian mafia, The toccards from Lautaret, and as well Russians, Locals, Czech punks, Spain killers, Scottish gunners, and so, so many more.
Johann Civel, ski winner of the Best-Line.
Matt Blanchard, Johann Civel, Matt Taggart
Stephen and Mahdi
Patrick Koller
Dom-Dom
We didn’t know how lucky we were on the 2008 OSKM as the North wind was blowing every day, so all competitions were set at Bernina Pass and especialy the Best-Line which allowed all competitors to reach the top of the glacier. The Race was organized along the Bernina valley, and everybody still keeps in mind the endless and beautiful track we had to follow towards the arrival line. Sunshine and stable wind for the Freestyle heats pushed the contest as worldwide photos/videos coverage. By the way, Oznonesnowkitemasters label went at this moment to the top of the list about snowkiting events ever. Bernina Pass mountains giving a kind of extreme dimensions to the days. The story couldn’t stop on such great destiny. So, let’s see now how the story keeps growing up. Sigve Botnen
While packing our board-bag for a new snowkiting trip, we can feel our heart already beating about all the wonderful landscapes, mountains and villages we shall cross. If we take a couple of minutes to think of the countries we’ve been visiting in the past, this is the kind of viewes which is remaining, not the snowkiting actions actualy, and I always felt regrets to have all the time to hurry up during the trips, ‘cause I would like to stop, to take a walk, well, to enjoy more and more some places full of this fragrance of colors, shapes, history, and feelings. Here, are the mythical Saint-Moritz resorts and once back home after the 2014 OSKM week, these streets and buildings are fully part of the nostalgy.
Schelerigna.
www.engadin.stmoritz.ch
www.pontresina.ch
Man, if you don’t know what «breathetaking» means, you should drive on the road from Bernina Pass to Pontresina. Look a the glacier, the famous Palü Piz 4.050m. At the top left, on the snowfield, there are skiing tracks, the (f***ng) guys had fun with heli-skiing or may be after hiking from the Diavolezza gondola. Heavenly spot.
www.diavolezza.ch
Two days before the event, we went with Dom and Stefano for sticking the OSKM poster in all villages. Super funny time around. Then we had a kiting session, just click the screen beside to see the video.
Johann Civel, exploring the valley from Bernina to Diavolezza on South wind session.
In order to prepare ourselves the best as possible, why not arriving two
days before the event ? And checking out the spot ? That’s what we did !!!
The Race was due to be set at Bernina Pass. But we always have to be flexible depending of the weather conditions. And during this week, only south wind was blowing, so in this case, the Lake Silvaplana is for sure a better choice for the competition. All the crew moved to this famous spot and luckily, more than 40cm of fresh powder snow was covering the icy frozen lake. Perfect for a great Race on a super large & wide area. The Race is getting more and more appreciated by the kiters from every level skills who can all compete with the same enthousiasm anyway.
Here are some pics from the Race Meeting. About 45 kiters here and ready for the competition. That will be a large triangle on the lake, stable wind is blowing South 10 knots and will increase up to 18 knots. It’s plan to be five heats to run, 15mn each so a few times to be kiting around the triangle, which will force all the kiters to a strong battle during the long day. You can see that the competitors wear different bibs, because the Swiss Championships is organized today as well. Of course the flat lake is requiring special equipment for the Race, this is not the same quiver than for the steepy mountain tracks, and we could see some 2,30m racing downhill skis, lot of large size kites super sharp. The rules for the Race are definitely straight and not so simple actualy, so winning such competition means to be pretty easy with the kiting skills but as well with the strategy and experience.
The youngest competitor Beno Knechtle 13 years old, son of Roger (down right) who won the 2008 OSKM Race. Great to see our boss Matt Taggart and Iain Hannay (Top right & left) competing full power. Johann Civel (bottom left) spent few runs to find the special tips for flat terrain Race contest and was near to be ready during the last heat... The world champion Race Kitesurfing Florian Gruber was as well in the loop and as I’m getting old now, I didn’t get any photo of him... Incredible but true. Sorry Flo. Michael Kaspar (center left) showing great
During the five heats of the Race, all snowkiters were competing at the same time. Girls and boys, skiers and snowboarders, young and less young. This is the best Race version, by this way nobody waste time to wait his turn to go, everybody is full of actions to tell around once passing the final line with black an white flag shacking. The organisation was definitely perfect, Big-Up to Denise, Adrian, Raphael, from Swiss Kitesailing Association, who were dominating the situation with smooth authority and smiling management, really appreciated by the competitors. «It’s now over 10 years we’re organizing Races» said Denise to explain the success.
After the sketchy starting minute with all kites crossing every direction in the air, the racers can cruise alone for long runs on the lake. No more stress now but hard physical efforts to keep in the ranking. We could see really big distance between the CHRONO and other kites. For sure a new era is starting in the Race world.
Patrick Stahel & Stefano Gigli along the Bernina glacier. 2014 OSKM.
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No freestyle competition this year but the new and appreciated «SPEED Contest». It looks like a free session, you can make it when and where you want during the event. Go the fastest you can on a short run. The result will be judged with the KITRACKER app once you’ll upload your track at kitetracker.com Engineer Patrick Stahel will check out the files before certificating the score. The winners have been Florian Gruber on skis and Didier Botta on snowboard. Super great new competition !!!
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http://www.facebook.com/groups/Whitekitenews/
Spot : Bernina barrage barrier. 2014 OSKM. Kiter : Marek ÂŤMurphyÂť Zach.
All the kiters and staff had the accomodation, breakfast and dinner at the same place : Ospizio Bernina 2.300m. The super friendly way to spend more than the sessions and contests with everybody from over the world and have time left for speaking, chilling around. It’s possible to go kiting straight from the hotel although we took the car every day to join the meeting parking 2km further down the frozen lake. Click the image above to get all infos about this typical Swiss style hotel for booking your next journey up-there.
The Best-Line contest has been cancelled due to the bad weather during the week. Anyway, everybody had his own ÂŤbest-lineÂť session on sunday 02 march, leaving day, with perfect conditions. Check out the video above to see the endless spot.
The 2014 OSKM event will be broadcasted on the RideUp TV channel with a complete movie about the week and as well some short videos showing the daily sessions. All filmed by Johann Civel (left) and Wareck (here). Don’t miss it and check it out from the TV screen top right.
Nothing would be possible without the motivation, energy, efforts, passion, coming from Dominik Zimmerman. Already deciding to set up the 2008 OSKM here in Bernina and keep the original spirit from 2004 living, Dom spent a unbelievable amount of job during the few last monthes and pushed up the 2014 issue to a perfect success. Dom also won the Race in Silvaplana. Think that during the Price Giving ceremony he asked us to thank very much so many people and sponsors... But the main person we wanted to give a monster Big-up to, was definitely him : MISTER DOM-DOM !!!
Complete results, links, photos, videos, infos, on the main webpage Ozonesnowkitemasters from the poster image on the next page. But here are the pictures of the podiums : -Girls : Inga Wobke -Speed Contest : Flo Gruber & Did Botta -Ski : Dom Zimmerman, Oli B端chi, Flo Gruber -Snowboard : Roms Luppi, Matt Taggart, Marek Zach That was a real amazing week we had here in Bernina Pass / Silvaplana. Hope to see you all on the 2015 OSKM !!!
http://issuu.com/whitekitesessions
You’re reading the issue #19 of «White Kite Sessions» online webzine. Last season 13 issues went out along the winter monthes. Starting from the first sessions late september here in France, and keeping the readers up to dated after every trip abroad, or cool event in France. If you miss some of them, if you’re new comer here at WKS, you can have a look at the stories, the photos, infos, videos, links, details, tips, portraits, well, everything which is part of our snowkiting sport. Click the link up left.
Vous lisez le numéro #19 de «White Kite Sessions» magazine online. L’hiver dernier, 13 numéros sont parus tout au long de l’hiver. Le numéro #1 dès fin septembre, puis un numéro à chaque voyage, session, événement, en France ou à l’étranger. Si vous en avez manqué certains ou si vous débarquez tout juste ici à WKS, n’hésitez pas à les retrouver tous, avec photos, infos, liens, portraits, vidéos, bref, tout ce qui constitue notre petit monde du snowkite. Cliquez le lien en haut à gauche.
whitekitenews@orange.fr
All s, t x This is the end. The e t , s o t o ph next issue will come out right after my next captions, trip to the LOFOTEN islands, Norway. designs : So stay tuned dudes. Don’t hesitate to share this mag if you like it. Thank you very much. Cheers.
ff o k a g l u o B l a c s a P
Kiter : Dominik Zimmermann. Kite : Princess CHRONO.
www.flyozone.com
Check out the 2014 event page :
www.ozonesnowkitemasters.com