411

Transcription

411

to Ride
8in thePlaces
Northwest
Launch from a Boat
Plus: Florida Hurricanes,
Chris Gilbert
Photo Christian Pondella
December 2004
Oregon Snowkiting & Exploring Mauritius
12
USA $5.95
HOW
TO
0 7447004392 8
2
3
On a whole other level. Guillaume Chastagnol. Photo Bertrand Boone
Contents
December 2004
Features
38
Northern Exposure
Brian Wheeler takes us to eight of his favorite
places to ride in the Northwest.
48
Exposed
A photo essay of the kiteboarding lifestyle.
46
The Legend of Jim Bones
Adam Koch explores the life of veteran waterman
Jim Bones.
58
Journey into the Indian Ocean:
The Island of Mauritius
Felix Pivec, Julian Sudrat and José Luengo travel
to the island just off Africa.
Departments
14
Launch
Ten of the world’s best riders get together in
Cape Hatteras to build the world’s biggest
kiteboarding rail.
34
Close-up
Bertrand Fleury and Bri Chmel
70
Analyze This
Up close and personal with some of the
latest gear.
72
Academy
10 Skim Board Tips to Help you Rip
Cover Shot
Chris Gilbert launches off the USS Lexington in Corpus Christie, Texas.
Photo Christian Pondella
Contents Shot
California’s C-street local Corky Cullen stretching out a Japan air.
Photo Jason Wolcott
81
Tweak McCore
Photo Tracy Kraft
Double Check
M
y phone rang the other day and it was my best friend telling me the wind
was cranking at our local spot. Running around like a chicken with its head
cut off, I threw my 15-meter kite and gear into the truck and made the quick
rush down to the beach through 30 minutes of traffic. As I got closer to the
spot I could faintly make out my friend’s kite on the skyline. My adrenalin
started to rush.
As I parked my truck, I opened the tailgate and started pulling out my
kite gear. My wetsuit, my kite, my board, my bar and my ! Wait a
minute ? Where is my harness? I continued to tear everything out of the
back of my truck in a panic. I couldn’t find my harness. I left it in the shed at
home. I hung my head in disbelief. My session was done.
I decided to walk out to the beach to see if I could borrow a harness. The
local crew was running around like mad pumping kites and trying to get on
the water. No one had a spare harness or the time to talk about it. There was
nothing I could do. I launched a few kites, walked back to my truck and started the long journey home.
I am writing this so you can learn from my painful mistake. I can’t tell
you how frustrated I was sitting there watching my friends having an all-time
session. The moral of the story is simple. Double check to make sure you
have all your gear before heading to the beach.
Ryan Riccitelli
[email protected]
10
SUBSCRIBE
I only read
The Kiteboarder
for the pictures.
— xoxo Amanda
100% Kiteboarder Owned and Operated
December 2004 • Volume 1 • Number 2
EDITOR
RYAN RICCITELLI
[email protected]
ART DIRECTOR
JAMES BROWN
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
GARY MARTIN
SAFETY EDITOR
RICK IOSSI
ILLUSTRATOR
CARL LOS PRESTON
EDITORIAL INTERN
BRIAN WHEELER
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
Neil Hutchinson, Damien Wright, Joe Bidawid,
Lou Wainman, Matt Nuzzo, Casey Houtz, Trip Foreman,
Paul Menta, Kevin Top Hat Senn, Nick Bowers, Greg
Gnecco, Jay Crawford, Buck Ashcraft, Zach Kleppe
CONTRIBUTORS
James Brown, Greg Gnecco, Neil Hutchinson, Rick Iossi,
Gary Martin, Carl Preston, Adam Koch, Joe Bidawid,
Bertrand Fleury, Bri Chmel, Casey Houtz, Matt Nuzzo,
Felix Pivec, Alexis Rovira, Marina Chang, Bryan Lake
PHOTOGRAPHY
Stephen Whitesell, Tracy Kraft, Paul Jav, Jeff Pfeffer,
Mike Ellis, John Bilderback, Greg Gnecco, Adam Koch,
Dave Smith, Bill Mieckle, Jason Wolcott, Christian
Pondella, Clay Rogers, Robert Vreeland, Dan Sherwood,
Charles Oreve, Dustin Penman, Michelle Zuniga, Clark
Merritt, Todd Norby, Alexi Rovira, Lou Wainman, Karen
Bureker, Denis Poroy, Trent Pederson, James Brown,
Kim Kern, John Carter, Bertrand Boone, Gary Martin,
Jonathon Baker, Mike Stephen, Keith Edwards.
Thanks to all editorial and photography contributors for
supporting our magazine.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
[email protected]
PUBLISHER
MARINA CHANG
(805) 801-0036
[email protected]
BRAD LANGE
[email protected]
Buy a year subscription
(6 issues) & 2005 Kiteboard
Calendar for $29.99. Save $24
Limited time offer!
Order online at www.kbmag.com
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
1050 Chinquapin Ave #2 • Carlsbad, CA 92008
MOUNTAIN STATES OFFICE
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INTERNET
WWW.KBMAG.COM
“
H
C
N
L AU
These guys had the
drive and desire to
build something bigger
and badder than ever
before in this sport
and then charged it.
- Gregg Gnecco
Camel Toe Photographer
”
The
Camel
Toe
Story and Photos by Gregg Gnecco
Slider
e
t
a
t
h
g
e
U
n
i
l
ti m
d
l
i
u
B
Moehau Goold fearlessly charges the Camel Toe.
Location:
REAL Slider Park — at The Slick — Cape Hatteras, NC
Riders:
Jason Slezak, Sam Bell, Andre Phillip, Bertrand Fleury, Jeff Tobias, Moe Goold, Davey Blair, Stav Niarchos,
Kai Lorusso, Andrew Doyle
Summary:
pply
re Building Su ile
Jeff from Da
er wh
d REAL Rang
Re
e
th
ds
am
loa
the be s.
aver inspect
Slezy and Be
Tobias and Slezak techin out about the sliding
properties of the plastic-vinyl fence rail.
pplies.
to unload su
Stav team up
Bertrand and
One summer afternoon in Cape Hatteras, 10 of the world’s best free riders decided to build a ridiculously big
slider. It took them a few days, but they conquered their goal and the Camel Toe rail was born. The Camel Toe is
currently the largest rail ever to be built for kiteboarding.
The Facts:
1 The Camel Toe is 60’ and 16’ High at the center with an 8 wide plastic-vinyl sliding surface.
2 Jason Slezak’s body (ribs and 1 vertebrae aside) is more durable than a section of pressure treated 2x4.
3 The REAL Slider Park is recognized and registered by the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Group
(CAMA) as well as the U.S. Coast Guard.
4 REAL actually used the name Camel Toe while registering the structure with the US Coast Guard.
15
LAUNCH LAUNCH LAUNCH LAUNCH LAUNCH
e
h
t
g
n
i
d
l
i
Bu ate Slider
Ultim
ganized.
y to get or
The boys tr
p
ting the to
ing connec
to the even
Working in
rail.
gineering
ng rail en
Kiteboardi
t.
at it’s fines
ogens lit up
ll, the Hal
As night fe k continued.
or
and the w
Andre Phillip reflects
on the days events.
LAUNCHLA
Style master, Andre Phillip gets the shot of the day.
Square on the rail, Jason Slezak makes it look easy.
“
New face in the crowd,
Kai Lorusso, shows some
South Carolina style.
Wood hurts.
- Jason Slezak
”
Liquid Force Team Rider
Bertrand Fluery styles out a front side board slide.
“
To actually approach it and
look at it (riding) was a lot
different than looking at it on
land- it was pretty scary We knew that someone was
going to go down on it.
- Jeff Tobias
”
Slingshot Team Rider
Jeff, Ben, An
dre and Bertr
and
make final ad
justments.
els the rail.
The crew lev
Jeff Tobias takes donuts.
Jeff Tobias serves as water taxi.
Wipe Out Awards:
1st Place- Jason Slezak- 3 Broken Ribs, 1 Cracked Vertebrae
2nd Place- Jeff Tobias- Camel Toe to butt slide
3rd place- Moe Gould- Check out the LF Relentless video…
411
News and Information
Dimitri Maramenides rides Hurricane Francis off Nags Head. Photo Bill Mielcke
The East Coast recently took a beating — four
hurricanes hitting one state in a year, actually in less
than 6 weeks. Last time this happened was 118 years ago.
The following is the perspective of contributing editor Rick Iossi during the hurricane.
By Rick Iossi
Hurricane Jeanne over Florida
The crew took the day off to go surfing.
Photo Dena Pelletier
Jeanne
Charley
I am writing on the eve of Hurricane Jeanne’s visit to Florida. Lots of us are wondering what tomorrow will bring and have tried to secure things the best we can.
Florida isn’t alone in this hurricane slam-fest. Lots of people have had to deal with
this season of devastation — and it is not over yet.
There are times with hurricanes when everything comes together. We are talking intense
life or death riding — big waves and high wind. We had an afternoon like that off SE
Florida the day before Charley demolished Punta Gorda on the SW coast, Friday the 13th
no less. We crave wind but sometimes there is a price to be paid.
Some of the hurricanes approached as Category V storms, like Ivan packing winds
over 165 mph. That will get you thinking, if anything can. Confronting something
that can erase your home, place of work and even your life can motivate some
introspection. That is between exhausting bouts of preparing for, sitting out the
raging of the storms, cleanup after, trying to restore normal living absent power.
Favorite haunts are closed, phones don’t work, normal foods are unavailable and
finding widespread power and cool air nothing but a memory. This has been the
story of my life for the last few weeks.
I decided to go off the beach of Delray, Florida with an 11m kite completely depowered.
After a couple of hours, the building wind made me rig a smaller kite. Being overpowered if something goes wrong can really trash your day. So, in 45 minutes, I went from
an 11m to a 5m kite. There was one other guy out, a fellow 40 lbs. heavier than me also
on a 5m.
So what does this have to do with kiteboarding? Nothing and everything.
You would think that hurricanes bring LOTS of wind. Actually, not really much of
the time! The winds may be too light before, after and even during the hurricane
say if it passes to the east of you. Then again, hurricanes can vomit violent squalls
that can loft you to China or at least to the ER, if you allow it to happen.
18
As the waves were breaking double overhead about a mile off shore with two other
breaker lines closer to shore, the wind was blowing around 25 to 35 knots. There were
no hurricane feeder bands or squalls on the color radar or visible over the ocean during
that session of fairly steady winds. This is unusual to say the least. We had some of the
best winds in three years that afternoon, before Charley nailed the SW coast.
Hurricane season in South Florida is no joke on or off the water. As I sit in the midst of a
storm these words come to mind. Life is for living, know your game, ride responsibly and
savor the odd incredible session when it comes your way. For better or worse, hurricane
riding seems to be here to stay for a while. Still, I am craving those clean, powerful fall
cold front winds. The strong fronts should spell an end to this hurricane riding season.
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411
411
Kitehouse: Puerto Rico
Film crews on the scene in
La Paguera, Puerto Rico.
Photo Cineforce
Hollywood, CA based CineForce Films has just wrapped a 10 day Kiteboarding shoot on
the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. The incredibly talented and diverse group of riders
included Damien Leroy, Bri Chmel, Andy Hurdman, Renee Hanks, Jason Slezak, Julie
Simsar, Sam Bell, Laurel Eastman, Antoine Jaubert, Cameron Dietrich, Nina Johanson,
Scott Harwood, Top Hat, and Paul Menta. The nine person film crew captured a fresh
perspective on the evolving sport of Kiteboarding while highlighting the athletes
involved. Kitehouse: Puerto Rico is scheduled to hit the market with an early 2005
debut, setting a new standard for all Kiteboarding DVDs. From the Water to the air it will
be filled with action and insight about the sport.
Project
Lexington
Another perspective of Adam
Koch’s launch.
Story by Adam Koch Photos by Christian Pondella
For more information www.cineforcefilms.com
Kitebeaches.com Goes Mobile
If you haven’t visited www.kitebeaches.com, then you should check it out. This isn’t a sales pitch for the site.
We just think it’s a great resource for kiteboarders and with more people visiting the site, the information will only
become more accurate. Kitebeaches.com is a free database site with information on hundreds of kiteboarding spots
around the world. Kitebeaches.com breaks down each launch giving you a complete spot check. Kitebeaches.com
even took it another step and went mobile. Now you can access the site through your cell phone or PDA. Check out
www.kitebeaches.com.
Robby Naish lifts
off the Lexington.
Operation: Red Bull, USS Lexington Huck.
King of the Bay Competition
Attracts Big Name Riders
Average Joe
Don’t be afraid to
get involved.
By Steve Gibson
Three kiteboarders launch off the deck of the
USS Lexington aircraft carrier docked in
Corpus Christi.
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Background: This project was inspired by the
50 foot cliff huck in Barbados featured on the
DVD, "13 Daze".
Suspects: Adam Koch, Robby Naish and
By Alexis Rovira
Chris Gilbert
Summary:
Knowing your skill level and being realistic with what you can do is the first
step in the whole safety process. As a kiter, no matter what level of rider you
are, it’s your responsibility to make sure that you and the people around you
follow all rules and safety precautions. I know a lot of people out there that will
say screw you, Kook! You don’t know me, my crew or my spot. Who are you
to tell me what to do?
This is the attitude that will get your spot banned. If you haven’t heard, or seen
it on TV, or read any of the main outdoor magazines, kiteboarding is the fastest
growing extreme sport in the US. They say it is growing faster than skateboarding, surfing and any other extreme sport out there. So, what do we do?
Ben Kleppe traveled from Gulf Breeze,
Florida to compete. Photo Robert Vreeland
Women’s podium 2nd - Julie Simsar,
1st - Bri Chmel 3rd - Rebecca Wolthers.
Photo Robert Vreeland
Sept 14, 2004 — After two days of no wind, the final day of the King of Bay IV competition brought plenty of sunshine, 15-20 mph winds and nonstop in-your-face action
from top ranked US and international professional riders. In the end Aaron Hadlow,
PKRA ranked number 1 for 2004 beat Damien Leroy in the final with multiple back to
back technical moves and a HUGE handle-pass to kite loop attempt. Bri Chmel won the
women’s pro kite with the same caliber technical moves that the men scored with
including lightning fast kite loops and transitions. Julie Simsar finished second.
Organized by Helm Sports, the Foster City, California event wowed the crowds as
spectators were treated to the best of the best throwing it down, competing for the
right to claim the Bay area’s King and Queen titles. Check out www.helmsports.com.
20
It’s very simple. We need to start working together to self-regulate ourselves
before someone ends up regulating us. I would hate to get to a point where we
have to remember all the places that we used to ride but now can’t.
Launching off the Lexington was incredible.
Robby did some original Naish signature table
tops into 360’s. Chris boosted some airs well above
the deck level with poked tail grabs.
I don’t remember what I did. I was so pumped with adrenaline.
I know that I did some g-forced kite loops that stretched my lines.
Some of my jumps I was fine at the beginning, but my kite kept over
flying me which made me have to loop my kite in survival mode. My landing
ratio was like — stuck two, and biffed on six. Not perfect, but what a rush!
Conclusion:
In the end we all had a blast and learned absolutely nothing. It made for a great story
and a great never try this at home chant.
Here are some ideas that you can do to ensure your spot doesn’t get canceled.
• Get involved with your local club or association. If you don’t have one,
start one.
• Talk to anyone you see doing something unsafe.
• Urge clueless beginners to take lessons.
• Make copies of any number of kite safety guidelines found online and give
it to anyone you think needs it.
Alexis Rovira has been riding for one year and lives in San Diego, California. He will be writing his personal
tips that have helped him progress as a recreational kiteboarder. If you have any questions for him, please
email [email protected]
The Lexington dwarfs Adam Koch and best illustrates the height of the carrier deck.
21
411
Thanks to everyone who wrote us an email these last few months. Your support has been great.
The letter section can get boring, so send us a note and/or photo to [email protected] and let
us know what’s on your mind. You might just see it in the next magazine.
Letters
■ Substance Abuse
■ Lou Wainman Revisited
■ From a Friend of Senator Kerry
Dear Editor:
Excellent job with the new magazine! You guys included lots of great photos, the articles had some substance
and the thing is packed full of interesting content. And,
most importantly, it doesn’t read like it’s targeted at the
teenage wakeboarding/snowboarding crowd.
Dear Editor:
I wanted to tell you how impressed I am with the
magazine. In particular, the interview with Lou
Wainman is the single best interview I’ve ever read in
any kiteboarding magazine (and I’ve read them all).
Most of the writers at the various kiteboarding magazines approach pro-rider interviews as a fan would
approach a celebrity athlete. They really never ask the
tough questions and use most of the interview to
praise the riders and talk about their talents (basically kissing butt). But the Lou Wainman interview is
awesome. It’s very professional yet entertaining at the
same time. Ryan isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions that might have pissed Lou off, and the result is
a superior article.
Dear Editor:
Finally, there is a kiteboarding magazine on par with the
very readable Surfer or American Windsurfer. I think it is
a big improvement over Kiteboarding.
Keep up the good work!
Jim
Longtime windsurfer. Short time kiteboarder — but I
love it!
Can you believe we didn’t make this email up. Thanks for
your nice words. We are just a group of kiteboarders trying
to make a cool magazine. This issue is stocked full of info.
We hope you enjoy. Tell a friend to subscribe at
www.kbmag.com.— Ed.
■ Tweakers Unite
Dear Editor:
Congrats to Carl Preston on the Tweak McCore comic
in the September issue. I’d pretty much decided to quit
teaching friends, and his strip parodying poor lessons
put the last nail in the coffin.
I taught others to kite to be friendly and to build the
sport. I enjoy working with folks, and kiting isn’t all
that complicated.
But over time, I noticed my lessons were falling short.
I’d lose track of where people were, and they’d forget
stuff explained a week or two ago. I always wanted
them to make some progress at each session so I’d
teach even in marginal conditions.
I still offer advice on appropriate sites/conditions for
beginners. But if they want to learn to kite, they’re
going to have to sign up for legitimate lessons now.
Keep up the good work
Bill Burch, D.C.
We are glad to hear that Tweak has had such a positive
influence on someone. Keep an eye on Tweak for special
appearances by new characters. We think you are going to
love it.— Ed
You deserve a lot of credit for your approach. I only
hope that you use this same method with all future
interviews. Readers would get a lot more out of them
than the usual puff pieces. I want to see more interviews like this with both pro-riders and gear manufacturers. They need to realize that the average kiteboarder isn’t some kid on the beach who hasn’t
developed the ability to distinguish gossip magazines
from "hard-nosed journalism." While kids represent
the future of our sport, most of the riders I know are
like me... they are educated and have decent jobs that
allow them to buy all this expensive gear. People like
this read newspapers and have opinions... and really
appreciate a well written piece. I think you’ll do more
for the sport in general and your magazine in particular with more articles like the Lou Wainman interview.
Thanks for taking the time to read my comments, and
best of luck with the new magazine. You’re off to a
great start.
Andrew
Thanks for your comments on the Lou interview and thanks
for giving us credit for our approach. We are tailoring our editorial toward the average kiteboarder. As you may know we
are 100% kiteboarder owned an operated. Our future editorial will maintain the same to the point approach. We know
our readers appreciate it.— Ed.
Tips from
The TOP
By Kevin “Top Hat” Senn
1. Always respect the locals wherever you ride.
2. Make sure you double check your gear before
launching.
3. Always look behind you before you try a
move or drop into a wave. This will ensure no
one is getting cut off.
While recklessly sailing America into the riptide of Iraq,
the Bush campaign now runs a negative ad featuring
John Kerry on a windsurfer, implying that modifying
one’s course when the wind changes is the same as
sailing without a chart. Obviously Bush/Cheney are as
out to sea on seamanship as they are on statesmanship. A competent windsurfer must be able to adapt to
changing wind and waves, and trim his sail accordingly.
There is no doubt that the war against terrorism will
continue to be a long struggle upwind, against vicious
currents. However, you can’t sail upwind without correct adjustments and properly timed tacks. The sailor
who can’t (or won’t) tack is the one who drifts hopelessly out to sea.
We want a president who is sensitive — yes, sensitive —
to changing conditions and who can bring us to safe
harbor by making timely and appropriate adjustments
in course. We do NOT want a president who is only
capable of staying the WRONG course and sailing us off
the edge of the earth.
Nevin Sayre, Vineyard Haven, MA
Nevin Sayre is five-time U.S. National Windsurfing Champion
Nevin was recently seen Kiteboarding in Martha’s Vineyard on
a 20 meter kite with Vote John Kerry written across in big letters. Nevin has also helped teach the presidential nominee to
kiteboard and windsurf. Despite anyone’s political beliefs we
had to print this letter.— Ed.
■ Soul Rider
Dear Editor:
Aloha and thanks for running the cover shot of me and
the interview. I couldn’t believe it. The whole magazine looks great and everyone seems to be saying the
same thing at the beach park. Keep up the good work
and thanks again
MAHALO!
Skip Wunderlich
Skip is the ultimate soul rider from Oahu. We featured the 38
year old from Oahu on our Sept issue cover getting a nice little cover up. All his friends say he is the king of style and is
a legend in the waves. The real thanks go to you Skip. Keep
up the good work. — Ed.
4. Know your level and experience before you
try and ride new spots and conditions.
5. Kite with a friend. It’s more fun and you can
look out for each other.
6. Tell your mother you love her.
411
Shop Talk
Pacific Wave
Location:
Website:
Telephone:
Address:
Manager:
Owner:
Warrenton, OR
www.kiteworld.net
Fully Stocked Shop. Ben Colliander
(866) 548-3967
Pacific Wave, 21 Hwy 101, Warrenton, OR 97146
Ben Colliander
Josh Gizdavich
What is the key to your shop’s success?
Customer service and knowledge. We have been in this since the beginning and
can answer your questions as well as set you up with the right gear. We make it
our goal to get you set up with gear to match your ability level as well as the
location you plan to ride.
What makes your shop different than the rest?
We’re more than just a website. Pacific Wave (aka kiteworld.net) is a full service
water sports store offering surfboards, boogie boards, wetsuits, skateboards,
snowboards, kiteboarding gear and kayaks as well as quality watches, sunglasses,
clothing, and accessories.
What gear do you stock?
We carry gear from: Slingshot, Naish, North, NSI, Dakine, Airush, Prolimit and
many others, as well as a full stock of DVD’s and accessories.
What tips can you give any newcomer to the sport?
Learn the rules of the road, take classes, and ride within your limits. Find out what
the etiquette is for the beach that you are riding at by asking about the hazards
and or rules.
SMACK
Industry News and Gossip
Litewave Designs recently sponsored Cape Hatteras based Sam
Bell. During the recent Cape
Hatteras Red Bull Event, Sam captured the Best Trick award, boosting
a 20-foot aerial 360 handlepass to
kite loop off the towering Red Bull
Slider. Watch for him on the new
Coke commercial airing on MTV!
Sam Bell. Photo Christie Colgate
Bayareakiteboarding.com made a
bunch of upgrades to their website
to make it more user friendly, interactive and informative. If you’re a
Northern California kiter or planning
on visiting the area, check it out.
This summer Ozone teamed up with Ground Industries boards to create the first Kite Ground
Boarding crew, TEAM KGB! The Team has been traveling the country educating the population on
this ground-bound side of Powerkiting and establishing venues for the 2005 KGB circuit. Next year
you will see KGB competitions in places like Oregon and South Carolina. Keep an eye on
windzup.com for event info.
SoloSports is gearing up to kick off their first wave clinic of the fall season at world famous San
Carlos, Baja Oct 30—Nov 6. The clinic provides RT transport from Orange County or San Diego to
Baja, accommodations, and all meals and beverages including booze. Improvements include a
satellite Internet/TV phone system, enhanced power via a newly upgraded wind/solar system, a
new TV/DVD surround system and a waverunner for tow-in surfing. For more info check out
http://www.solosports.net/kevinkiteclinic.htm
Big Winds’ school has expanded. When students hit the water, they’re now taught with the aid of
a jetski, upwind from the crowds and carnage of the Sand Bar.
Ozone Travel is gearing up for the winter and offering a variety of discounted flights to the
Caribbean. Check out www.ozonetravel.com for more info.
Dallas, Texas riders overcame a 1-year riding ban at Dalrock, otherwise known as Big-D in May.
Through the diligent PR efforts of local riders and meetings with city and police officials, they were
able to reopen their site to kiting with the promise of a few concessions and careful monitoring of kiters.
By The Kiteboarder Magazine Staff
With so many internet sites out there, it is hard to separate the good
from the bad. We want to ask our readers to submit their favorite
kiteboarding sites dealing with: news, equipment, weather, travel or
anything else that you find helpful. Send links to [email protected].
The www.semnozkitesurfing.com site is a must if you want to keep your eye
on the latest snow tour information. Plenty of mind blowing photos and
videos to check out!
Order your 2005 Kiteboard Calendar now! Twelve months of sick riding
www.kbcalendar.com.
If you are heading to Cabarete, Dominican Republic, make sure you click on
www.extremehotels.com. Check out the live web cams of kite beach and live
weather and wind conditions. Oh yea, and they are building a skate park.
Check out the Corpus Christi kite scene at www.prokitesurf.com. Jeff
Howard runs a great shop and provides a link with information on kiting
Corpus Christi.
Where do the pros buy their camera gear? Four out of the five we asked told
us they buy from www.bhphoto.com.
See who is riding your spot. Go to www.surfline.com and click on cams and
reports. There are a bunch of free cams you can check out.
Where should I get a photo reprint? Check out www.pictopia.com. They print
any size, quick and cheap.
www.kbmag.com has a bunch of new material for you to check out: videos,
photos and a forum full of information. Upload your shots to the site for free.
The Michigan kiteboarding scene is blowing up. Learn to kite on the crystal blue water of Grand
Haven on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Mackinaw kites will make it easy. Check
www.mackite.com.
Detroit Kiteboarding is keeping the D town dialed in with all its kiteboarding needs. Take lessons on Lake St. Claire with www.detroitkiteboarding.com
Teaming up with major manufacturers Slingshot, North and Naish, the innovative minds at
Airtime Kite will soon be offering the “Airtime Pro Support Plan”: one year of no questions asked
free kite repair, bladder replacement, and technical support. For details visit airtimekite.com
Slingshot Kiteboarding brought on pro snow kiter and pioneer Aaron Sales as director of its new
Snowkiting divison. Word has it that Aaron and Alex Peterson are on the slopes of NZ putting the
finishing touches on Slingshot’s new snowkite line.
Amery Bernard, winner of the 2004 Gorge Games
freestyle event is now offering instruction through All Amery Bernard. Photo Dave Smith
Surf Industries. ASI is also offering Kite Nights every
Thursday 4-8 at Sauvie’s. The events are wind dependent so call ahead 503-239-8973.
Leading the charge to bring snow kiting to the masses,
Ozone Kites will launch the Snowkite Freeride tour in
November. Starting in Vail, Colorado and ending on
Baffin Island in May 05, the Tour will cover more than
30,000 miles and offer free demo kites, clinics with proriders and freeriding expression sessions. Ozone will
also have a new DVD for 2005. The DVD will contain
some sick footage including Red Bull’s Chasta boosting
a TRIPLE KITE LOOP off a mountainside. For more info
check out www.ozonesnowkites.com
Windzup will be hosting the first PASA Snowkite
Instructors course at their home site of Skyline, Utah.
Whether you are seeking certification, or just want to ride
one of the most epic spots in the states, this will be a great time to come put your skills to the
snow. www.windzup.com
continued on page 26
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Mental Notes
SMACK continued from page 24
How to Make a Dive Tank Kite Pump
Kiteboard Oregon is one of the Northwest’s newest schools. Founded by
Jimmy Dorsey, he offers classes at Sauvie’s Island, Jones Beach and a
variety of other locations. More info at: 503-407-5130 or
www.kiteboardoregon.com
By Paul Menta
Tired of pumping up? Are your arms overworked from
blowing up your big kites? I have tried every hand pump.
It’s tiring and eventually the handle snaps. I have bought
most electric pumps and there usually is not enough pressure and they burn out. I was tinkering around in the garage
one day and I decided to equip an old dive tank with a hose,
so I could pump up my kite. It ended up working great.
Set Up: Add a quick connect to an external line on the
regulator. Connect the nipple valve from the B.C.
to a hose with a nozzle and you are set.
Caution would like to
welcome renowned
waterman
Chuck
Patterson of Kite Now
and Kauai’s very own
Jeremy Fry of Akamai
Kite School to the
Caution Family. For
more information and
photos, check out
www.cautionkites.com
Paul shows off his invention.
Facts:
• You can pick up old dive gear online or at pawn shops very cheap
• Normal bottles provide about 15 kite fill-ups
• Bottle refill cost $3
• Add a handle for easier handling.
Competition Corner
The Air Up There:
Red Bull King of the Air 2004
By John Romais
Chuck Patterson Photo Clark Merritt
IKO has been busy these past few months. They expanded their international insurance coverage for IKO schools and instructors and now also
offer IKO instructors and their family members insurance. Additionally, IKO
just completed their reevaluation of IKO centers and suspended 42
schools from the IKO network due to noncompliance of their upgraded
affiliation standards. Lastly, IKO now offers 2-day Instructor Equivalency
Course for PASA and VDWS instructors who wish to be recognized as IKO
instructors, as well as an IKO Assistant Training Certification for young
kiteboarders 16 years and older. Check out www.ikorg.com
From November through March 05, The Kite House will operate out of
their new destination in Costa Rica. Owned by rider, PASA cofounder and
chef Paul Menta, the Kite House offers a tribe atmosphere where pros,
beginners and intermediate to advanced riders converge to ride, chill and
enjoy good times.
Just 3 hours outside of Cabarete, a new hotel and kite school named
Palapa Hotel just opened on the best beach for kiteboarding in Las
Terrenas: Punta Popy. Only 5 minutes from Portillo airport, check out
www.palapabeach.com for more info.
Isobars 101:
The 2004 Red Bull King of The Air stayed true to its title. Maui’s Premier Kiteboarding competition took
place on September 23-25th at Ho’okipa Beach Park. With the judges emphasizing height over all, air
was the name of the game. It was disappointing to eliminate the more progressive style of riding from
each riders arsenal of tricks, but it was good to see how big riders could go. This made the riding much
more exciting to watch for your average spectator.
With some of kiteboarding’s bigger names ether not competing or being eliminated, due to the
judging format, it was time for some new names to shine. The highlight of the event was the woman’s
sent handle-passes and Tahitian, Liquid Force rider Tuterai Montaron. The level of woman’s ridding took
a huge leap forward at the competition with multiple women pulling off sent handle passes in their
heats. Naish’s 2nd place finisher Yuri Drexler and Flexifoils third place finisher Julie Simsar were two
of the most progressive women on the water.
On the men’s side Tuterai Montaron was the name of the event. Tuterai pulled off huge sent handle passes and multiple sent jumps to advanced all-the-way from the Kanaha qualifier and through the
double elimination event at Ho’okipa, to be the undefeated winner.
In end, the event seemed to run smoothly except a few moments when Tuterai and Aaron Hadlow
almost worked themselves on the rocks at Ho’okipa. Both ended up OK and the event turned out to be
another exciting chapter in Maui, Red Bull, KOA history. A new King was crowned and the Queen, Susi
Mai, kept her title. Thanks to the water safety and everyone who helped make the Red Bull King of the
Air a success.
X Rated Kiteboarding is planning their next British Virgin Island catamaran tours. You and five of your friends can take the kiteboarding adventure of a lifetime. Jump on a luxury catamaran and sail to the best spots
the British Virgin Islands has to offer.
Check out www.xratedkiteboarding.com for more information.
Competition Results
Helm Sports Presents:
The 4th Annual King of the Bay
Foster City, CA, August 13-15
Mens Pro
1st Aaron Hadlow
2nd Damien LeRoy
3rd Mark Doyle
Womens Pro
1st Bri Chmel
2nd Julie Simsar
3rd Rebecca Wolthers
Mens Amateur
1st John Modica
2nd Chris Brown
3rd Kent Graninger
The Fifth-Annual RRD
Bridge of the Gods
Stevenson, WA, Aug. 21-22
Mens
1st Amery Bernard
2nd Dylan Thompson
3rd Brian Wheeler
Womens
1st Laura Maher
2nd Gail Zaccai
3rd Charlotte Buri
Juniors
1st Ian Daly
2nd Ben Chambers
2nd Tucker Sherman
3rd Josh Griffiths
2004 King of the Air North Carolina
Red Bull KOA qualifier
Outerbanks, Cape Hatteras, Aug. 6-8
Womens
1st Julie Simsar
2nd Morgan Skiperdene
3rd Nadia Roux
Mens
1st Cameron Dietrich
2nd Jason Slezak
3rd Damien Leroy
What they are and how to read them.
2004 King of the Great Lakes
Grand Haven, Michigan, Sept. 9-12
By Gary Martin
Womens
1st Sarah Paciocco (Unofficial)
Mens
1st Andy Hurdman
2nd Nick Bowers
3rd Mike Lanoe
Definition: An isobar is a continuous line on a weather map connecting points of equal
barometric pressure.
Go to the Weather Channel or any weather site on the internet (NOAA, Accuweather, or ikitesurf.com).
ron
Tuterai Monta Red Bull
gers/
Photo Clay Ro
Check out the maps that show barometric pressure and isobars. Take a second to observe and notice
how the gradients (isobars) change as the day progresses.
Do these lines mean anything? Yes, the constant spinning of these highs and lows are one of the fac-
Kiteboarding in Liquid Force
Wakeboard Team DVD
tors that create the winds we ride. As a rule of thumb, the tighter the spacing of the isobars (lines), the
stronger the wind.
Looking at a hurricane isobar map is the best way to learn how to interpret isobar lines. As the pressure in the eye of the hurricane drops the lines closest to the center become very tight. Just as, the
further from the eye of the hurricane you get, the isobar lines get further away.
Weather Tips
1. The closer the lines, the stronger the wind.
2. High pressure rotates clockwise.
3. Low pressure rotates counter clockwise.
4. As barometric pressure increases,
the wind decreases.
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2004 King of the Air Delaware
Dewey Beach, Delaware, Sep. 10-12
Luciano Gonz
ales
Photo Clay Ro
gers/Red Bu
ll
Liquid Force team riders Jason Slezak and
Moehau Goold just finished filming a kiteboarding
section, which was included in the Liquid Force
film Relentless. At the films debut in Encinitas CA,
a wakeboarder filled theater cheered on some of
the sickest rail footage from Antigua, Maui and
Hatteras. If you are a wake style rider, and you like
Sleezy, this is the film for you. Check out
Jason’s crash at the end of the section that left
him with 4 broken bones. The kite section can be
viewed at www.liquidforce.com. Rumor has it that
the new Liquid Force feature length kiteboard film
that will be released in 2005.
Susi Mai, Yuri Drexler and Julie Simsar
Photo Clay Rogers/Red Bull
U.S. Qualifier Results
Location: North Carolina, Red Bull Qualifier
Spot: The Slick, on sound side of the Outerbanks.
Host: Real Kiteboarding, www.realkiteboarding.com
Men’s winner: Cameron Dietrich
Women’s Winner: Julie Simsar
Highlights: The "Wall" was introduced--a 60-foot rail about 8 feet
above the water. Due to the dieing wind on Saturday, the riders could
only really challenge the rail on the first day of competition.
Location: King of the Great Lakes, Michigan, Red Bull Qualifier
Spot: Grand Haven City Beach on the west coast of Michigan.
Host: Mackinaw Kites, www.mackite.com
Men’s winner: Andy Hurdman
Unofficial Women’s Winner: Sarah Paciocco
Highlights: Andy Hurdman out of Delray, Florida was smooth as ever
and dominated the Great Lakes event. New comer Nick Bowers from
Wisconsin came on the scene strong and showed why he is the best in
the Midwest.
Location: Dewey Beach, Delaware, Red Bull Qualifier
Spot: Delaware Seashore State Park
Host: H2air, www.h2air.com
Men’s winner: Damien Leroy
Women’s Winner: Bri Chmel
Highlights: The battle all weekend was between Ruben Lenten of
Holland, and Damien Leroy of Naples, Florida. In the finals the two
went head to head, and after some incredible tricks Damien narrowly
beat out the Dutchman.
Location: South Padre Island, Texas, Red Bull Qualifier
Spot: Port Isabel, across the bay from South Padre Island
Host: Red Bull
Men’s winner: Mike Danish
Highlights: U.S. Coast Guard Pilot earns a second set of wings at the
South Texas qualifier.
For more information on the qualifiers, check out
www.redbullkingoftheair.com.
Womens
1st Bri Chmel
2nd Morgan Skiperdene
Mens
1st Damien Leroy
2nd Ruben Lenten
3rd Mike Littlejohn
2004 6TH ANNUAL
Red Bull King of the Air - Main Event
Maui, Hawaii - September 20-22
Men's Freestyle
1st Tuterai Montaron
2nd Antoine Jaubert
3rd Charles Deleau
4th Aaron Hadlow
5th Luciano Gonzales
5th Damien LeRoy
7th Mark Doyle
7th Sky Solbach
Womens Freestyle
1st Susi Mai
2nd Yuri Drexler
3rd Julie Simsar
4th Kristin Boese
5th Sandrine Mauiner
5th Rebecca Wolthers
Mens Hang Time Winner
Damien Leroy - 6.65 sec.
Womens Hang Time Winner
Kristin Boese - 5.25 sec.
KPWT World Cup Portugal
Realizar Matosinhos World Cup
Portugal, July 2-8
Mens
1st Rui Pedro Meira
2nd Mallory De La Villemarque
3rd Adrien Jaujou
Womens
1st Fabienne D’Ortoli
2nd Gisela Pulido
3rd H l ne Barri re
Long Distance Men and Women
1st Pierre Romain
1st Helene Barriere
KPWT Wave Masters Portugal
Pro World Tour Wave Masters
Peniche / Guincho Portugal
August 10-17
Mens
1st Herv Bour
2nd Bruno Sroka
3rd Etienne Lhote
4th Jos Sanchez
Womens
1st Fabienne d’Ortoli
2nd Gisela Pulido
3rd Kristy Jones
4th Ida Ferri re
2004 KPWT
Rankings after 3rd event
Mens
1st Mickael Fernandez
2nd Charles Deleau
3rd Guillaume Mariani
4th Cedric Lebourgocq
5th Jeremy Eloy
6th Rui Pedro Meira
7tth Julien Sudrat
8th Pierre Romain
10th Felix Pivec
10th Kevin Langerre
Womens
1st Gisela Pulido
2nd Helene Barriere
3rd Vika Soloveikina
2004 PKRA Germany
July 4-9
Mens
1st Aaron Hadlow
2nd Giani Aragno
3rd Ruben Lenten
4th Andre Phillip
Womens
1st Cindy Mosey
2nd Ingrid K llbichler
3rd Susi Mai
4th Ania Grzelinska
2004 PKRA Partners
PKRA World Tour Standings
Rankings after 6th event
Mens
1st Aaron Hadlow
2nd Giani Aragno
3rd Jaime Herraiz
4th Ruben Lenten
5th Martin Vari
6th Alvaro Onieva
7th Etienne Lhote
8th Kevin Langeree
Womens
1st Cindy Mosey
2nd Kristin Boese
3rd Ingrid Koellbichler
4th Petra Goeschl
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411
NOW BOARDING
Dealing with Baggage!
New School
Video
Review
By James Brown
Up and Coming Rider Profile
By Neil Hutchinson, owner of Xratedkiteboarding.com
The World of John Romais
Hometown: Carpinteria, California
Currently living in San Diego
Years Kiteboarding: 4 Years
Occupation: Student at University
California San Diego, Senior
Age: 23
Sick Days
Height: 5’9
If you liked Small Craft Warning you will love Sick
Days . It is a perfect length to get you stoked in one
viewing and has sick riding with a good variety of
styles including kiteloops, handlepasses, boardoffs
and wave footage. The sound track is killer and the
editing is professionally executed. You will definitely
want to take a sick day to go ride after watching this
film. Check out www.leadingedgeproductions.ca
(Note the url is .ca, not .com) for more information.
Preferences: Likes bindings because
of the wakeboard feel. Rides fixed
because he likes the power.
Stance: Regular Foot
Cross Training: Competes on the
UCSD Triathlon team.
Sponsors: Liquid Force, Jimmy Lewis
and Zeal Optics
John’s Gargage
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1. Uses the Liquid Force MLF 120 and
Jimmy Lewis custom boards.
5
2. Uses Liquid Force Spectrum kites.
3. Enjoys photography.
4. $2000 triathalon/time trial bike that he
logs 200-300 miles per week.
WindReels Volume One
The pros spend thousands of dollars a year on baggage fees. Photo Sierra Lake
Traveling with gear has become harder over the past few years, especially
after 9/11. Airlines have been enforcing weight restrictions, bag fees, and the
number of bags you can bring, along with much higher security levels. The NSI
Deceiver and other similar bags have emerged to try and fool the airlines, but
some (airlines) have already caught on to this attempt to bypass fees. I have
spent thousands of dollars over the past ten years on extra baggage and have
learned through trial and error on how to outsmart the counter. The following is
a list of tips that might help you save a few bucks and help you prevent damaging your gear the next time you fly.
Know your Weight
The whole weight restriction thing has become a huge hurdle for a lot of kiters
and the fees can be astronomical. Currently most airlines are enforcing a 50lb
limit for domestic travel and 70lb for international. Some airlines are so strict
that if you are a single lb overweight they will charge you anywhere from
$20-$80. Most airlines let you check in two bags and have one carry on plus a
personal item. Be smart and split the weight evenly among all of your bags.
Tips to Packing:
• Don’t take kite bags for all your kites. This will help keep the weight of
your board bag down and it is much easier to pack kites when they are
out of their bags.
• Take the fins off your board and out of one side of your foot strap, folding
the strap flat to the board. This will make your board as thin as possible.
• Wrap your fins in something or put in a separate pocket to ensure they do
not poke holes in your kite.
• Wrap your board in your kites for protection. Don’t just rely on the board
bag itself, put your kites to extra use.
• Pack your harness and one kite into your suitcase along with a spare bar
and lines. These add quite a bit of weight and if the airline loses your
board bag, you have some essentials with you and you may be able to
rent or borrow a board.
Tips to Checking Bags:
• If there is a long line at the counter, walk to the front of the line and drop your
board bag off and go back and stand in line. Your board will be waiting for you.
• If you think your bag will be overweight, put one of your other bags directly
in front of the scales and then put your board bag on the scales so it is
subtly resting on your other bag. This can knock off up to about 30% of
your weight. Remember to play stupid when trying this one.
• If asked, what is in your bag, tell them it is your kites and extra clothes.
Do not say anything that has the word board in it. You just fly kites, big kites.
• Always be as nice, friendly and as courteous as you possibly can. You
28 want these people on your side!
A pleasant surprise. WindReels Volume One turned out
to have loads of inspiring riding with top riders. It is set
up in a video magazine format with introductions of
the riders and the amazing filming locations. They
throw in a quick demonstration of the Cabrinha Recon
system as well as some lifestyle footage. The original
soundtrack is really well done and the editing is modern and exciting. Check out www.1cps.net for more
information.
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5. Lifts over 5000 pounds a week on this
bar.
6. Surfs in his spare time.
7. Dakine backpack to lug his books..
8. Averages 20-60 miles a week in these
shoes.
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10
John charging in Maui.
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9. Textbooks for his Bachelors in Film and
Video Production.
Photo Kim Kern
10. Reads Alliance Wakeboarding.
Secrets of Kiteboarding
The DVD is part of a suite of products that will help
make kiteboarding easier and safer to learn. The use
of handles(hoops) that attach to the leading edge of
the kite is one of the unique developments that make
this a one-of-a-kind teaching system. Included on the
DVD are 7 quick lessons to get you started, a product
summary (which includes hoops, lines and a 162 page
book), safety gear and an action video to get you
stoked. Check out www.kiteboardcenter.com for more
information
Concept of Motion
Raging Nation dubs their long awaited latest release as
A Kiteboarding Rockumentary . The film is an artistic
tribute to the diversity that our sport has to offer. Some
of the highlights include tons of epic waveriding, new
school moves and some good, if dated, kitesnowboarding footage from the first snowkiting contest in
Mammoth. Chocked full of extra footage, including an
interview with waveriding guru Chuck Patterson.
Check out www.ragingnation.com for more information.
13 Daze
Follow the Naish team on a dream trip to explore the
island of Barbados. The action is as diverse as the various styles of team riders. This isn’t a Naish-centric
promotional piece as you might expect it’s a fullblown action/adventure film complete with bonus
footage. Check out the bodyboarding antics, monster
cliff hucking, mandatory old school session, breathtaking lofting incident and snowkiting footage from
Norway. Check out www.naishkites.com for more
information.
411 News and Information
Outlook
License to Kite
By Jay Stebbins
This just has to stop. Kiteboarding is getting banned on too many beaches. To a large
part, this is our own fault. Some of these bans could have been prevented. All too often we
all just sat quietly doing nothing hoping the inevitable would not happen. I would argue, with
the growing numbers of kiteboarders the situation will only get worse.
411
instruction from PASA/IKO/Real would be required.
This would help get new kiteboarders working with
certified instructors instead of self-teaching and getting hurt. Many people do not realize that learning to
kiteboard is much more than just getting up on a
board. Learning how to identify dangerous situations
and deal with them properly is equally important.
On a crowded beach where everyone is mandated to
know the local procedures, a registration process
might ensure people follow the rules. If you as a local
kiter or authority were to see someone launching
without the required identification, then you bring
them up to speed. Reality is, there are some beaches where only an advanced kiteboarder would be
safe. Without any type of enforceable program it is
very difficult to persuade a rider to not go out for his
or her own safety.
eaches get banned for a multitude of reasons.
It could be a beginner getting dragged through
a family picnic, or a seasoned ripper cutting
too close to the crowd. Sometimes a heated argument will shut down a beach as well. The problem
is this. There is no distinction between the individual and the whole group. We are just The
Kiteboarders. The words or actions of any one kiteboarder might as well be screamed and performed
by all of us in the eyes of the non-kiteboarding
world. I am sure my crew is not much different than
your crew. You do whatever it takes to keep a beach
open. Then after all the meetings, rules and effort,
when everybody is happy, someone shows up who
either does not know or just does not care what the
local rules are. We try to do everything to make sure
these things do not get out of control. We make
rules that are necessary to keep a beach open and
then try to keep everyone in that group on the same
program. Everybody is happy. Then sooner or later
someone shows up, who either does not know or
just does not care what the local rules are.
Something goes wrong and once again the whole
group takes the blame for the actions of one. Back
to square one, although this time it will be harder.
B
The current system of just telling your friends and
posting rules on the internet is not working. There
are too many people showing up from anywhere
who have no clue. Communicating the rules and
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enforcing them is seemingly impossible. My riding
area in Nantucket, Massachusetts is no different. We
as a group sat down one night after a meeting with
the town and decided we needed a communication
program that identified who was in the know and
who was not. In addition to our concerns the town
was worried about the liability they might incur as
well as the potential individual liability of landowners
if a kiteboarder was hurt on a private beach. These
are all realistic concerns.
What Can We Do?
Here is one idea. Registration numbers and/or colored streamers can be used to identify not only
whether or not an individual was aware of the local
rules, dangers and etiquette, but also the level of a
kiter. This same registration program would integrate
with the systems started by PASA/ IKO/Real
Kiteboarding. A well thought out registration program
would solve many of the problems that lead to
beach bans.
Many people still believe they can safely teach themselves. Most kiteboarders know this is not true.
When we were trying to figure a way to force people
to seek proper instruction we originally we looked at
the SCUBA industry where you have to take certified
lessons if you want your tank filled. Our problem is
that we do not have tanks. However we could require
numbers and in order to get the numbers, certified
Photos Lance Koudele
By Joe Bidawid
Age: 53
Street Name: Kite Buddha
Roots: Windsurfing
Hood: Hood River and Bonaire N.A.
System: Gaastra Stealth
Ride: Gaastra Sky Pro Model
Claim: I survived a 4 mile swim with a separated shoulder
on a windy off-shore day.
Shout: Loop that kite, it’s the holy grail of kiteboarding.
Mike Solbach
Mike’s Kite Loop Tips
Liability
1. Make sure to have plenty of room downwind before attempting any type of kite loop.
This is also a perfect opportunity to address the
issues of liability. Personal liability is a huge concern
of every property owner and beach administrator.
Every person I have ever spoken to was relieved
when we had the interests of others already
addressed by having signed liability waivers. A well
written piece of paper removes a monstrous hurdle
in negotiating beach access.
2. Start out by doing a jump transition and looping the kite.
Registration Number vs. Streamers
Get involved before we lose access. Photo Rocky Carduci
There are pros and cons with both systems. We
looked at the streamer program proposed in Florida
and felt it was a good start and a great way to make
sure everyone on the beach is familiar with the local
rules. A shortcoming of the streamer program is it
leaves the individual kiter anonymous. The group is
still taking the blame for the actions of one person. I
believe every kiter should be accountable for his or
her own actions. Registration numbers provide that
accountability. But a one-time registration fails to
meet the needs of local beaches. There is a way to
blend the two programs together in an easy nonobtrusive fashion--and unobtrusive is important. A
concern voiced by all kiters seems to be the fear of
kiteboarding becoming ruined by red-tape and regulation. No one wants to go through the Kiteboarding
version of the DMV to get on the water.
Will the days of just rigging up and heading out to
forget about life’s woes be over? Will there be a special kite police patrolling the waterways of America?
Absolutely not! Registration numbers and Streamers
are for maintaining access at crowded beaches and
to keep people from self-teaching. Programs like this
can also be used to regain access to beaches that
have already been banned. As for our secret spots
where our impact is minimal, the same feeling we
found riding there yesterday will still be there tomorrow. Organizing our sport and working to keep everyone safe will ensure our existence tomorrow.
Jay Stebbins is a PASA instructor who can be found kiteboarding on Nantucket Island. Jay and his crew donate
much of their free time successfully preventing bans and
keeping everyone riding safe.
3. As you become more and more comfortable with the timing, try adding a back roll with
the back kite loop, or a front roll with the front down loop transition.
4. Whatever you do, always pull on one side of the bar continuously so the kite completes
the loop. An easy way to start this is to take one hand off the bar — the front hand for
a back kite loop and the back hand for a front down loop. If you don’t do this, you can
be pulled onto your head backwards, which could result in weeks of pain.
5. Always commit to the move and visualize it before you attempt it. Hesitation will be your
worst enemy when trying kite loops. Remember, "at the moment of commitment, the
universe aspires to assist you".
6. By keeping your knees tucked up when you hit the water, you
will have less body area hitting and less chance of any injury.
7. Make sure to yell as loud as you can and claim the kite loop to
anyone within earshot.
Send It
Send in your best kiteboarding photos: riding, lifestyle or whatever. The best shot wins a free “The Kiteboarder Magazine” T-Shirt. Don’t forget to send us your caption. [email protected]
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1. Jason Slezak makes some adjustments. Photo Gregg Gnecco
2. When not kiteboarding, Tuva Jansen likes to surf. Photo Charles Oreve
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14. Tuterai Mantaron and his local crew celebrate his King of the Air victory.
Photo Clay Rogers/Red Bull
3. The Godfather of Michigan kiteboarding, Joe Bidawid, shows Adam Koch Detroit.
Photo Michelle Zuniga
15. Helene Wainman riding in Canada. Photo Lou Wainman
4. King of the Bay spectators enjoy a weekend of competition. Photo Robert Vreeland
17. Dimitri Maramenides between the legs. Photo Roger Lyon
5. Robby Naish gets ready for his heat in Maui. Photo Clay Rogers/RedBull
18. Self Portrait. Photo Lou Wainman
6. Morning yoga at Solo Sports, San Carlos. Photo Clark Merritt
19. Julie Simsar at the King of the Bay. Photo Robert Vreeland
7. Beware of High Winds. Photo Michelle Zuniga
8. Summer Girls relaxing on the Outer Banks. Photo Reader Submission
20. Jeff Brown, Karim Berrada and Patrick Nedele obviously have a no-wind afternoon at
Lake McConaughy in Nebraska. Photo James Brown
9. Buster Tronolone doing some after hours editing. Photo Lou Wainman
21. Ben Wilson interviews Moe Goold for an up and coming DVD. Photo Greg Gnecco
10. Gary Reed enjoys a San Carlos afternoon session. Photo Karn Bureker
22. Shanti Berg edits the new Tronolone release. Photo Lou Wainman
11. Tommy Trozera slays a San Diego wave on a 22m kite and a Jimmy Lewis
176cm K-Rad. Photo Denis Poroy
23. Xrated Kiteboarding latest advertisement campaign. Photo C.J.
12. Niccolo Porcella and Lou Wainman show off some of their latest boards and
fancy new hairdos. Photo courtesy of Lou Wainman
25. Scott Norby charges in La Ventana. Photo Todd Norby
13. Felix Pivec fueling up on some McCurry-ca-bobs in Dubai. Photo Trent Pederson
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16. Tim Blanchard kiteboarding by downtown Detroit. Photo Joe Bidawid
24. Interested newcomers at the trade show. Photo Alexis Rovira
23
24
Close-Up
The Fury of Fleury
Bertrand Fleury came from his home in France to storm the kiteboarding scene in Maui. Since the early days, he has pushed limits of the
sport and raised the bar for every rider. His unique style and signature
kiteloops have made him a notable force.
Where did you start kiteboarding and why? I started kiting in Brest, north of France.
In the beginning I was using a foil kite and a huge board. After that I started using F-one
kites and a wakeboard with bindings. I did some windsurfing before, but kiteboarding
looked fun with the variety of moves.
Influences? Lou Wainman has inspired me a lot from the beginning. When I came to Maui
for the first time around 4 years ago he was already doing handlepasses and huge moves.
His moves and wave surfing was a big influence.
What sets you apart from other kiters? Not much... most of us are trying to push the
sport to new levels and to make it grow in the right direction.
Bertrand Fleury
by James Brown
VITALS
Age: 24
Height: 6’
Weight: 180 lbs.
Years riding: 4
Local spot: Kitebeach, Maui
Favorite Spots: It depends on the
conditions and the people I ride with.
Favorite Conditions: I like light wind
so I can use my 11m or 13m Fuel for
wakestyly moves or side/side-off wind
with good size waves.
Photo courtesy of Slingshot
Favorite Moves: Flat rotations like 540’s with a grab or unhooked
handlepasses on 60-foot rails, 16 feet off the water.
Sponsors: CEBE, Pacific Motion, Slingshot, DAKINE
Who do you like to ride with? All the Maui guys,
Moehau Goold, Jason Stone, Stav Niarchos,
Andr Phillip and more. Also, my crazy team riders Ben Wilson, Jeff Tobias, and Mark Doyle.
Who do you think rips and why? All the Maui
guys and the big wave riders who are pushing kiteboarding in the right direction. They give me and
everyone else a lot of motivation to do the same.
What do you do off the water to help you on
the water? I like to go to the cable park and go
surfing.
Views on contests: I do like to compete, but it
has to be the right setting. Right now I don’t see
the reason to travel around the world to contests
with bad conditions and poor judging. That doesn’t
give me anything. When a better format comes
up, I am up for it.
Views on the industry: I think it is good for the
sport to have some competition with other brands
because it makes people have to work harder to
come up with better stuff. The problem is that
some of the brands are only into it to make
money and not to push the sport the right way. It
makes it hard for the good companies to survive.
What is in your future? No contests until there
are some new ideas and formats. Contests at good spots, good riders and judging. Until
then I prefer to travel around and look for the best spots in the world to ride. Be a better
surfer and work on some off-axis moves.
Who would you like to thank or give props to? My friend Adam, who helped me
get going in the right direction with kiteboarding in the beginning and helped me out with
sponsorship. I would also like to thank Slingshot for being cool and making good equipment
for me.
34
Pro Tips
Where do you see the sport heading? It may get crazy. People are pushing from everywhere, people from other sports like surfing, wakeboarders are getting into it too and can
help to make kiting even better. There is no limit to what we can do, we just have to figure
out some new stuff to keep it interesting.
A signature kiteloop courtesy of Mr. Fury himself. Photo John Bilderback
GEAR
GEAR SET-UP
SET-UP
Board: Slingshot 139 SX
Kite: Slingshot Fuel
Bar: Slingshot Profire
Lines: 23m for tricks and light wind, 13m for kiteloops, 15-20m for strong
wind.
Bindings: Custom boots and straps
Harness: Dakine
1. Don’t use kites that are too big. It is bad for style and they are unsafe.
It makes it hard to learn new tricks.
3. Try using bindings instead of straps. You will get more power, better landings,
better style and it is a must for sliders and kickers.
2. Ride unhooked. Don’t hit sliders or kickers hooked-in, it looks bad and
it’s more dangerous (take the leash off when you try this.) Think about
the style.
4. Don’t use a small board for wave riding. With a bigger board you can use a smaller kite and you don’t have to use the kite as much. It will give you a closer feeling to surfing.
Close-Up
Don’t worry, Bri happy!
This 20 year old ripper has only been kiting for 2 years. She recently won
the Expression Session and the Blow Out events at the Gorge Games.
Her moves have become more progressive which has made her a force
on the competition scene.
Where did you start kiteboarding and why? I took my first lesson with Dave Tyburski
and New Winds kite school in the Gorge. We went on a tandem body drag and he told me
that I had awesome control of the kite and should keep it up. Thanks to him, here I am!
Influences? Fast, explosive, powerful riders like Jason Stone, Moe Goold, and Andre Phillip.
Music? Lots of world music that has spice - Reggaeton is the best for dancing! I also like
AFI — they rock.
What sets you apart from other kiters? I think that I am one of the younger (and shorter) girls in the sport, so I guess that sets me apart from most.
Who do you like to ride with? I like to ride with friends, and it is nice when I get to ride
with girls because there aren’t very many of them in the sport.
Bri Chmel
Product Watch
by James Brown
VITALS
Age: 20
Weight: 110
Height: 5’1
Stance: Small
Years Riding: 2
Local spot: Hood River, OR
Favorite Spots: La Paguera in
Puerto Rico and Hatteras, N.C.
Favorite Conditions: Flat shallow
tropical water, 9 meter kite, kickers
and sliders.
Favorite Moves: Unhooked kiteloops, the fishing pole and
handle passes.
Sponsors: RRD, Da Kine, Impulse Energy, Black Flys,
Ultranectar, Kitopia Customs
Bri boosts a big one by a bridge. Enough B’s fer ya? Photo Robert Vreeland
Who do you think rips and why? Crazy Andy Hurdman, because he is the fastest most
powerful rider on earth. I have to say that his POWERED 540 mobe in Puerto Rico last week
is the best one I’ve ever seen and will kick anyone’s butt.
What do you do off the water to help you on the water? I ride every day, but I try to do
some cross training like running on my off days. I try to stretch as much as possible, but I
forget sometimes. I also practice handle passes whenever I am around a hanging bar.
JIMMY LEWIS
FLEXIFOIL
OZONE
KITE SURFBOARD
STORM 3
FRENZY – Snow kite
Designed and shaped by JL, this kite surfboard
rips in smaller surf (1-6 foot faces). With a
stronger glass job and bigger stringer, the board is
built to take a beating. This polyester board has a
flat bottom, swallow tail, and tri-fin configuration.
Jimmy’s boards are legendary and these look
pretty dang sick.
The Storm 3 is designed for the advanced kiteboarder. This high aspect ratio kite combines fast
turning and light bar pressure while maintaining a
solid stable pull. The kite includes the next generation leashless control bar. This is the kite that
Aaron Hadlow uses.
New this year is an improved on-the-fly power
control system, giving the rider easy handling
from full power, to 50% of the pull, and to full stop
utilizing the Frenzy’s unique integrated brake line
kite killer. The kite comes with a leashless re-ride
system and quick releases on the chicken loop
and harness line to allow for a complete release of
the kite when needed.
Size: custom
Sizes: 7, 9, 12, 15 and 18.5m
www.flexifoil.com
www.jimmylewis.com
Sizes: 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 14m
www.windzup.com
Views on contests: I like contests, but I am not too into doing the tour. I prefer doing
travel stories and videos, because I feel like I gain more and it benefits my sponsors better.
What do you like best about kiting? I like the feeling of riding fast across the slickest
water possible.
What is in your future? I am in the process of working with a film crew from Hollywood
on a high class film that will hopefully be the kiteboarding counterpart to Step Into Liquid.
I am doing a couple of contests in the end of the summer along with some trips to Hatteras
and Tahiti or Costa Rica.
Memorable moments? Those awesome days on the kickers and sliders in Hatteras with
all my friends, and the perfectly beautiful conditions in La Paguera, Puerto Rico at the
Kitehouse.
What other sports do you, or did you do? I used to snowboard and play soccer, but I
haven’t since I started kiting.
Who would you like to thank or give props to? My parents.
Where do you see the sport heading? The sport is more like wakeboarding now but it’s
a little more extreme. I see it getting even crazier with simple things being thrown in with
advanced tricks.
What skills are you working on right now? Unhooked, fast powered moves with the kite
low. I am working on handle passes, unhooked back kite loops, and the fishing pole.
Where would you like to travel to kiteboard? I want to discover all of the flatest water
spots in tropical places all around the world. The flatter and more beautiful the better!
Who would you like to ride with? My parents, I don’t get to very often.
Final comments? Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen,
and others say what happened?
GEAR
GEAR SET-UP
SET-UP
RRD
Naish
Airush
Board: Kitopia Custom 105cm x 13.25in
SX Skimboard
Element - Snow Kite
X-pact
Kite: RRD Type 6
Helmet: Capix with custom logos - to keep my head intact!
For lightwind riders who prefer a skimboard, these
skims are lightweight, durable and easy to ride.
New-school construction and a powerful outline
make it easy to throw disgusting fans. The 51 is
the board of choice for team rider Joey Pasquali.
Bindings: Foot straps
Sizes: 51 X 20.75
The Element is Naish’s first production snow kite.
After testing many different prototypes, they
decided on a kite that is both easy to use and
offers the performance needed for the latest
freestyle moves. The depower system gives it a
wide wind range, necessary in gusty mountain
conditions. The auto stable profile gives the kite a
solid feel.
The X-Pact is a twin tip designed for the intermediate to advanced rider. The board comes in three
different sizes and performs well in the waves and
flats. The ABS rails and gel coat deck give it a
bombproof contstruction without making the
board too heavy. Felix Pivec influenced the design
of this board.
Sizes: 5, 7, 10m
www.airush.com
Bar: RRD Custom Bar
Lines: 28m and 25m
Pro Tips
Harness: Dakine Tempest
36
46 X 20.25
www.cabaldc.com
1. Use the smallest kite possible for the conditions because you can
use pop for moves instead of edging overpowered.
3. Less and smaller fins work better for flat water unhooked moves. Especially
for surface handle passes and landing hot without catching your fins.
2. Get a chicken loop that is easy to unhook and hook back into.
The worst is trying to get back into a mini chicken loop.
4. Do not edge while on a kicker — edge towards it while you are still on the water.
At the last second bend your knees and keep your board as flat as possible.
36
Sizes: 135, 127, 122
www.naishkites.com
37
“
After seeing this guy launch
a 20 foot air, becoming a
kiteboarder wasn’t a hard
decision to make; in fact it
wasn’t a choice at all:
it was a necessity.
NORTHERN
EXPOSURE
8
Eight Insane Places
to Ride in the
Pacific Northwest
”
By Brian Wheeler
M
ost people equate the Northwest
with pine trees, Starbucks coffee, rainy foggy weather, flannel
shirts and even grunge bands such as
Nirvana and Pearl Jam. While most of
these stereotypes have some legitimacy
most people don’t realize that the Northwest
offers some killer places to kiteboard.
Growing up in Seattle, I never thought that I
would find a sport as amazing as
Kiteboarding.
A few years before I even heard of kiteboarding I dreamt that I was snowboarding, which
at the time wasn’t an uncommon dream.
But in this dream I somehow acquired the
ability to fly, and before long I found myself
hucking massive 40-50 ft. styled out airs and
landing with grace. It was pure bliss, but a
part of me was pissed when I had to wake
up. Although, somewhere deep inside, the
wiser part of me knew that somehow I could
fly with a board on my feet, like in the dream.
Then in 1997 at the Sand Bar (in Hood River, OR)
38
I saw my first kiteboarder and confirmed the
existence of a sport that could make my
vision a reality. After seeing this guy launch
a 20 foot air, becoming a kiteboarder wasn’t
a hard decision to make; in fact it wasn’t a
choice at all: it was a necessity. Like most
kiters, I was hooked before I started and two
years later I moved from Seattle to the Gorge
(for the summer) and brought the peaceful
and exhilarating sensations of my dream to
life. I’ve returned to ride and teach every
summer since.
Over the course of the last five years, I’ve
kiteboarded all over the Northwest. I’ve ridden a lot of places, but unfortunately there
are too many to fit into this article. Also,
some of them should remain a secret as to
not spoil their magic. I’ve narrowed down the
list to eight key Northwest locations that
accurately represents the wide variety of
conditions, communities and kick-ass places
to ride in the Northwest. Hopefully you will
have a chance to session one of these spots
and see how incredible these places can be.
Mark Doyle studying kiteloop physics. Photo John Bilderback
39
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Floras Lake Langlois, OR
Plans to turn Floras Lake into a
port were abandoned when it was
realized the lake was above sea
level. What remains is a path in the
sand dune that offers easy access
for kiters to walk from the warm
and shallow waters of the lake to
the ocean. It is close to one of the
Northwest coast’s best downwinders, has nice camping accommodations, an onsite school, and access to a local shop.
It takes a bit of a drive to get there, but it’s an excellent destination spot if you’re not a lucky local and is one of the many
gems that the Oregon Coast has to offer the kiteboard culture.
The Sand Bar Hood River, OR
Laura Maher gets in your face. Photo
Photo Dave
Dave Smith
Smith
Drawing crowds of curious onlookers to the rivers edge, the Sand Bar
is the most popular place to ride
(and to watch) in the Gorge. A
favorable learning environment
(except when it gets too crowded)
coupled with a large number of
kiteboarding schools make this
place the most popular place to
learn in the Northwest. With an
easy launch, knee to waist-deep water, a flat water pond
and being located at the heart of the Gorge (Hood River, OR),
the Sand Bar offers something for kiters of every level.
Stevenson Stevenson, WA
Brian Wheeler enjoys a summer afternoon at the Sand Bar Photo Dustin Penman
Dubbed the windiest spot on the
river , Stevenson, WA usually
serves up all the wind you can get
your hands on; it’s one of the few,
if not only places in the Gorge that
blows on both east and west
winds. Home of the annual Bridge
of the Gods Kiteboard Festival and
Gorge Games Blowout, Stevenson
is arguably one of the most community oriented kiteboarding locations in the Northwest.
Ironically, there isn’t a single shop in town, but that’s alright
because this place usually dishes up some of the steadiest
wind in the Gorge.
Launch Information
1
2
3
Official Name: Floras Lake
Local Schools:
Nick Name: Floras
Floras Lake Kiteboarding
(541) 348-9912
www.floraslake.com
Cross Streets: Boice Cope Road & Floras Lake Road
Best Season: Spring - Fall
Places to stay:
INSIDER TIPS
• Hit the water in the a.m. for lighter
winds. It usually picks up early and gets
strong in the p.m.
Average Kite Size: 8-12
Boice Cope Park
First come - first served camping
• When it’s funky or blowing NE at the
lake, hop over the dune to more consistent winds on the ocean.
Conditions: Waves and flat water. Butter at north end
of lake and wind chop increases as you go down the lake
Blanco State Park
(800) 452-5687
• Watch out for the beach break; it can
get rather large.
Level of Riding: Beginner - Pro
Floras Lake House Bed & Breakfast
Langlois, OR (541) 348-2573
• Definitely wear at least a 4/3 full suit in
the ocean and in summer a shorty is
usually enough for the lake.
Best Direction: Northwest
Launch: Sandy beach w/ beginner-friendly offshore launch
Local Shops:
Big Air
Langlois, OR (541) 348-2213
www.big-air.com
Launch Information
Bullard’s Beach State Park:
(541) 347-2209
Official Name: Sand Bar
Local Shops and Schools:
Nick Name: Kite Beach, Gay Bar
Big Winds
(888) 509-4210 (Shop and School)
Cross Streets: 2nd Street & the unnamed road behind
the 76 gas station
Best Direction: West
Conditions: Flat water in the ponds and increasing
wind chop/swell as you go to the outside.
Level of Riding: Beginner-Pro
Launch: Varies with water level fluctuations: wide-open
sandy beach to a cramped strip of sand for rigging.
Very beginner friendly.
Storm Warning
(800) 492-6309 (Shop and School)
Windwing
(531) 386-3861(Shop)
New Wind Kite School
(541) 387-2440 (School)
Places to stay:
Hood River Hotel (800) 386-1859
Best Western (800) 828-7873
Sunset Motel (800) 706-4429
Tucker Campgrounds (541) 386-4477
Launch Information
Official Name: Stevenson
Local Schools:
Nick Name: East Point
Skamania County Parks & Rec.
509-427-9478
• There is an epic downwinder nearby.
INSIDER TIPS
• Don’t piss off the windsurfers by riding
in front of the Event Site.
• When the devil wind blows out of the
south, check out other spots in the corridor because chances are it’s better
somewhere else.
• When the river level is moderately-low
to low, head upwind of Wells Island for
flat water but watch out for stumps.
• Downwinders from The Hook to the
Sand Bar can be great for intermediate
kiters, but watch out for windsurfers as
you make your way down. Be careful at
this launch, it can be a tricky one
INSIDER TIPS
Best Season: Late spring - early fall
Renee Hanks
509-427-8852
Best Direction: Westerlies (easterlies too, but are
rather infrequent)
Places to stay:
• When it blows west your downwinder
options are plentiful. Put in at
Stevenson and ride to: The Cemetery
(about 1/2 mile), Home Valley (4 miles)
or Hood River (17 Miles).
Skamania Cove RV & Camping
509-427-4900
• NEVER launch upwind of the rock at the
end of the point, and NEVER jump it.
Level of Riding: Intermediate - Pro
Econo Lodge
509-427-5628
Launch: Not for beginners; cramped setup area, rocky
onshore launch which can be intimidating.
Skamania Lodge
509-427-7700
• The launch/landing can be tricky, so be
sure to ask an informed local on how to
launch if you haven’t ridden there.
Cross Streets: Cascade and Russell
Conditions: Wind chop w/ flatter water on the inside
Local Shops:
None
Go to Hood River or Portland
• When it blows east a downwinder from
Home Valley to Stevenson can be a
good alternative to fighting the current.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Rufus Rufus, OR
Dave Tyburski makes handle passes look easy
despite the gusty Gorge conditions. Photo Mike Ellis
Rufus offers consistently windy conditions for intermediate level riders
and pros. If you’re working on body drags, or staying upwind, the fast
downstream current makes it easier and eliminates the need for the
walk of shame (walking back to where you started after drifting downwind). For accomplished kiters this place can be amazing as well.
Additionally, the excellent wind quality, ability to camp on-site, and
short drive from Hood River (45 minutes) makes Rufus an appealing
destination for kiters of all levels.
Launch Information
4
Official Name: Rufus
Places to stay:
Cross Streets: Rock Beach Lane
and John Day Dam Lane (exit 109
off I-84)
Free camping on site
Best Season: Spring - Fall (spring
can be gusty though)
Launch: Onshore winds, a small
launch area where the kiter has to
launch from the water, plus a fast
current makes this site challenging
for the inexperienced.
Best Direction: West - Southwest
Local Shops:
None (Go to Hood River)
Conditions: Waves and flat water.
Swell on the outside (WA side), flatter water on the inside (OR side)
Local Schools:
Seattle Kiteboarding Center
Seattle WA 206-779-3272
www.gokiting.com
Tyee Motel
541-739-2310
Peach Beach
Next to Maryhill State Park
509-733-4698
Travelodge
At Biggs Junction
877-678-9330
Jeff Roberts gets inverted. Photo Dave Smith
INSIDER TIPS
• Ride up to The Wall for some of the
Gorge’s largest swell.
• If you can’t body drag very fast the
current might snatch your board from
you so be sure to put your name/number
on it.
• Check out the flat water ponds upwind
of the launch on the Oregon side.
• Wind can come up quick, so be aware
of sudden changes in wind speed.
Jetty Island Everett, WA
With a two mile sandy beach, steady jetty winds, and a buttery
smooth pond, Jetty Island in Everett, WA has become the place to ride
for kiteboarders in the Seattle area and offers some of the steadiest
winds in the Northwest. A free ferry service shuttles riders from the
boat launch to the jetty every day except on Mon. or Tues. which is the
ferry workers’ day off. (See Insider Information for schedule) Many
riders head across the channel in kayaks, inflatable boats or ski boats
and ride until sunset. And with good reason...this place is SICK!
Launch Information
Best Season: Summer
Local Shops:
Urban Surf
Seattle, WA (206) 545-9463
www.urbansurf.com
No camping on the
island although, you can stay 1
one night on a boat at the dock.
(registration required)
Nick Name: The Jetty, Kite Beach,
Skunk Island
Conditions: Small wind chop and
on high tide Jason’s Hole/Pond
offers buttery conditions
Average Kite Size: 16
Level of Riding: Beginner-Pro
Photo Brian Wheeler
5
Local Schools:
Cross Streets: Marine View Drive
and 10th Ave.
Launch: Big open sandy beach on
low tide, cramped onshore launch
on high tide (although there’s room
to walk your kite out a healthy distance into the shallows for a safe
launch).
Official Name: Jetty Island
Wiley's Water Ski Shop (Wiley’s)
Seattle, WA (206) 762-1300
www.wileyski.com
Seattle, WA (206) 779-3272
www.gokiting.com
Places to stay:
Travelodge of Everett
Everett, WA (425) 259-6141
INSIDER TIPS
• Ferry starts at 10am from Wed-Sat,
11am on Sun, and operates about every
30 minutes or so. Last ferry back is usually at 6. No service Mon-Tues. Ferry
operates Memorial Day — Labor Day.
• Hit up the buttery smooth sweetness of
Jason’s Hole when the tide is high.
• Lots of metal and debris towards south
end of beach. Steer clear of shallows.
• Check out www.seattlekitesurfing.org
for Kite Night information and tons of
local insider info.
43
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Fort Stevens Warrenton, OR
Launch Information
Official Name: Fort Stevens State Park
Located at the mouth of the
Columbia River in the Northwest
corner of Oregon, Fort Stevens
State Park was once a military
defense base, but in recent years
this 3700-acre park became a
popular place for kiteboarding.
With miles of sandy beach,
sideshore winds and plenty of
swell, no wonder it’s such a sweet
place to ride! One great thing about riding here is the waves
(when they’re good), but riding 3-4 miles downwind in good
waves makes it even better! If it’s not happening here you’ve
got plenty of options within a few hours drive.
Sauvie’s Island Sauvie’s Island, OR
Steady thermal winds and close
proximity to the Portland area
might explain why Sauvie’s Island
is such a popular light wind kiting
spot. Conditions are usually best
on sunny days with winds kicking
in around 4-5 p.m. and blowing
until sundown or so. It can get a bit
tidal here, so if it’s affecting your
upwind ability, catch it on an outgoing tide or rig larger. Sauvie’s is an excellent place to learn
and to work on your handlepasses.
Nick Name: South Jetty, Lot C
Cross Streets: Fort Stevens State Park beach access
road and Lot C
6
7
8
Gorge Performance
Portland, OR (503) 246-6646
www.gorgeperformance.com
All Surf Industry
Portland OR (503) 239-8973
www.allsurfindustry.com/
Local Schools: None
Places to stay:
Conditions: Mushy wind chop to well over head high
waves
Level of Riding: Intermediate-Pro
Fort Stevens State Park/Campground
(800) 452-5687
www.oregonstateparks.org
Launch: Wide open sandy beach
Astoria KOA (800) 562-8506
Local Shops:
Shilo Inn Warrenton (503) 861-2181
Pacific Wave
Warrenton, OR (866) 548-3967
www.kiteworld.net
Launch Information
Official Name: Sauvie’s Island
Local Shops:
Nick Name: Sauvie’s, Reeder Beach
Gorge Performance
Portland, OR (503) 246-6646
Cross Streets: From Highway 30, follow Reeder Road
to the northwest end of island (contact local shop for
directions)
Best Direction: Straight North
Average Kite Size: 16 and up (14 on a good day)
Conditions: Wind chop
Launch: Beginner friendly with miles of sandy beach
All Surf Industry
Portland, OR (503) 239-8973
www.allsurfindustry.com/
INSIDER TIPS
• For downwinders leave a car down at
Peter Iredale (south of Lot A) and put in
at Lot C (South Jetty). Don’t ride past
the shipwreck unless you want to miss
your car. If something goes wrong you can
hike out at Lot A, B or walk the beach.
• Don’t launch too close to the jetty,
there’s a wind shadow; launch further
downwind where the wind’s cleaner.
• The lagoon near Lot D serves up some
nice flat water on easterlies.
• Wear at least a 4/3 full even at the
peak of summer because this water is
COLD.
INSIDER TIPS
• Watch out for the occasional barge;
don’t get caught in their massive wind
shadow.
Local Schools:
• The wind tends to get lighter the further
downwind you go; don’t go past the
overturned boat cause the wind can get
real funky.
All Surf Industry (See Local Shops)
• For stronger winds ride up to the island.
Kiteboard Oregon
(503) 407-5130
• Those looking to get into the sport
might want to check out Kite Nights ;
contact All Surf Industry for dates/times.
Places to stay:
None (Go to Portland)
Jones Beach Clatskanie, OR
Dave Smith takes time off from shooting photos. Photo Barb Smith
Jones Beach is an excellent destination for kiters just getting into
the sport and can be killer for
advanced riders as well. A typical
setup is for the wind to build slow
and steady, with opportunities for
larger kites in the a.m. and smaller kites in the p.m. The thermal
influence usually kicks in mid
afternoon when the pressure gradient between Astoria and Portland is .04 or greater and
there’s at least a 10 degree temperature difference between
the two. Optimal gradients are .03-.10 and .11 and up if
you’ve got a small kite.
Launch Information
Official Name: Jones Beach
Cross Streets: 4 miles west of Clatskanie off Highway
30 look for the brown Jones Beach sign.
All Surf Industry
Portland, OR (503) 239-8973
www.allsurfindustry.com
Best Direction: Anything West
Pacific Wave
Warrenton, OR (866) 548-3967
www.kiteworld.net
Local Schools:
Conditions: Wind chop that varies with wind speed,
and cleaner wind swell on WA side.
Seattle, WA (206) 779-3272
www.gokiting.com
Launch: Beginner friendly and wide-open sandy beach.
All Surf Industry (See Local Shops)
Local Shops:
Kiteboard Oregon (503) 407-5130
Gorge Performance
Portland, OR (503) 246-6646
Places to stay:
Free camping onsite but no facilities.
Clatskanie River Inn (503) 728-9000
INSIDER TIPS
• The wind can crank up a few notches in
a matter of 30 minutes, so come in
when it starts to be too much to handle.
• On transitional days when the Gorge is
still recovering from easterlies, Jones
Beach is usually the first place on the
Columbia to start blowing west again.
• Incoming tides can affect your ability to
stay upwind, so you might want to rig a
bit bigger under these circumstances.
• If you’re looking for cleaner wind swell
or stronger winds head to Nuclear
Alley on the WA side
• Fultonios in Clatskanie serves up a
mean pizza.
Breakfast with Bones.
The Legend of
Jim Bones
Story and Photos by Adam Koch
Jim “Bones” McManus
I
've known Dr. Jim Bones, aka “Bones” for about five years.
Honestly, I have never met anyone as sincere and truthful as this
man. He would never tell a lie and he would never knock you
down from your adrenalin high of life. He is nothing but kindness mixed with a bit of craziness. In my early days of living in
Maui, Jim was my benefactor through the thick and thin of my
camping/kiteboarding lifestyle. He and I recently got together
and recorded this interview. Hopefully you will enjoy getting to
know one of the most inspirational kiteboarders and friend I
have ever known.
Nickname: Bones
Born: August 24th, 1937
Years Kiteboarding: 5
Sponsors: Naish
Background: surfing,
skateboarding, snowboarding,
tow-surfing, windsurfing.
Home: Maui, Hawaii
Adam Koch: (I hit the record as Bones started telling one of his stories)
maybe two years ago. I'm kiting one of those four or five-hour long sessions
and I'm riding right into the sun. I got my head turned away from the sun
and my eyes are closed. So pretty soon I'm just waiting for that tack to be
over with. The next thing you know. I wake up to the sound of the kite hitting the water. As I wake up, I say to myself, "oh, I'm kiting.” About 20 minutes later it happened again. (Bones chuckles out loud)
Adam: When did you move to Hawaii and which island did you move to first?
Bones: I moved to the big island in 1973. I tried living for a year on Kauai but
couldn't get a thing done — the surf was so beautiful. There was no way to earn
a living. All you could do was surf and maintain sanity. I lived on the big island
for about 16 years and then moved to Maui. I was getting addicted to the wind
and windsurfing and Maui seemed to be the place, so that's where I went.
Adam: When you moved over to Maui, what was your living situation like?
Bones: When I first came over to Maui, we used to just camp. I bought a
little van that I would leave over here and store at the airport when I left.
Every time we knew the swell was big on the Big Island, we'd be good but
when we heard the wind came up on Maui, we hopped on a plane--seventeen minutes later we were on Maui. That routine lasted maybe six months
before I finally moved for good.
Adam: Who first introduced you or inspired you to get into kiteboarding?
Bones: It's the age old story. I saw Lou Wainman and Elliot Leboe. They
were ripping it up at Kanaha and it looked really fun. I was windsurfing right
next to them, and I thought, that's just a downwind sport you know — it's
dangerous. Next thing I know they are kicking my butt upwind going faster
than me and holding a tighter line. That's when I went into the beach and
said, "OK Elliot what's up? What's with this kiting gear?” I got my first lesson from Sierra Emory. The minute I touched the kite, that was it.
Adam: Your claim to fame in Maui is that you tend to outlast everybody
on the water. How do you stay motivated on the water and what keeps you
out there so long?
Bones: Opportunity. Most people spend 50 weeks out of the year so they
Bones sessions his favorite spot above Kite Beach, Maui.
46
Suspended in the Maui skyline, Bones styles out a tail grab.
Bones: Do you remember when I fell asleep out there kiting? This was
can get those two weeks to go out and kite. You can always do the banking
and email at night. The rest of the world can be structured around kiting
very easily. In anything I do, I always try and do the most fun thing first and
then get to the other things. I don't know if I've got it figured out or not.
You can spend money on this and that but none of that really matters. All
we really spend here is time. I want to spend my time kiting. As a result of
that, I seem to be marathon man.
Adam: What kites, length of lines, length bar and what type of harness do
you use?
Bones: I use Naish kites exclusively being that I am sponsored by Naish. I
use the Boxer and X4 kites. The Boxers are my favorite because they are really stable in the nasty Maui winds. I use a seat harness too. As for bar and
lines, I use a 20 inch bar and 22 meter lines--occasionally I use 24 meter lines.
Adam: If you were going to ride in the waves using a kite, what board
would you ride?
Bones: It totally depends on the situation: wind direction, swell, wind
speed, my fear level. Certainly if the winds are lighter and gentler the surfboard with a small kite is the way to go. I really enjoy the blending of both of
these sports. If the waves get gnarlier and the wind is “changing” or “jerky”,
I'll be on a twintip with straps. I like them all. It’s kind of like there are days
when you need your pickup truck. And there are days you're going to need
your Porsche. I think you need a variety of tools for a variety of conditions.
Adam: When's the last time you left Maui?
Bones: I used to leave Maui every year and go snowboarding, but as soon
as I touched that kite and got my first lesson it was over. I've been so addicted and so mesmerized by it that I can't leave long enough to go snowboarding. I haven't left Maui in five years from the exact date I started kiting.
Adam: If you had the choice between the perfect session by yourself or a
decent session with all your friends, which would you choose?
Bones: A decent session with all my friends, certainly. I really consider that
every kiter out there is my friend. You know even though I might not have
met the person, I know they are enjoying the same joy I am. I really don't
mind the other guys out on the water. If you've ever truly been alone somewhere in life you realize that the first joy of life is people.
Adam: Where might people run into you on Maui?
Bones: In Maui you will find me most of the time in the Paia Fish Market,
having an Ahi sandwich. You can’t beat it--Seven dollars, a lot of protein. In
the morning you will find me at Moana Cafe' in Paia. Yep, if you had to put
a contract out on my life I would be pretty easy to find. Again, thanks to
Naish and everyone in the industry that has in any way increased my fun in
this endeavor.
For the complete interview, go to www.kbmag.com.
47
Exposed
Clockwise from top
Caribbean sunset after a Dominican session.
Photo Rocky Carduci
Rarotonga soul session. Photo Tracy Kraft
Susi Mai tastes victory in Maui. Photo Adam Koch
Andre Phillip’s slider park in Antigua.
Photo Nicholas Fitt
Tina Harrison suspended in the Australian sky line.
Photo John Carter
The swell hits Punta San Carlos, Baja, California.
Photo Clark Merritt
Heading to the Hood. Photo Brian Wheeler
John Amundson shapes surfboards and kiteboards for a living. This day he sneaks away to do some research and development on one of his new boards. Photo Jeff Pfeffer
48
Exposed
Hamish Macdonald sets up his second kicker to picnic table gap stunt in the Florida, Keys.
This one ended when he wrapped himself around the table. Photo Ryan Riccitelli
Adam Koch entertains a
Labor Day party barge on
Lake St. Claire, Canada.
Photo Ryan Riccitelli
The red sunset session was the perfect moment to capture Jason Stone’s 50/50 rail slide.
Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Photo Greg Gnecco
Every beach should have such great assistance. Hawaii.
Photo Jeff Pfeffer
Exposed
52
Moe Goold airs out of the section looking like he has Velcro on his feet.
Hawaii. Photo Tracy Kraft
Felix Pivec signs his name on the lip. Hawaii. Photo Jeff Pfeffer
Training everyday in Maui, Tuva Jansen lives the dream. Hawaii.
Photo Charles Oreve
Don Montague’s team pushes new boundaries. Hawaii. Photo Adam Koch
Nina Johansson is all smiles on the water. Hawaii. Photo Jeff Pfeffer
Pete Cabrinha surfs textbook waves in Rarotonga. Photo Tracy Kraft
Hatteras slicks are the summer training grounds that push Mike Norman’s
riding level to the top. North Carolina. Photo Greg Gnecco
Tuva Jansen enjoys a Maui sunset. Photo Charles Oreve
53
Exposed
Chris Gutzeit tears at the lip of this “C” Street section. Ventura, California. Photo Jason Wolcott
Andre Phillip shows once again why he dominates rails with his front side board slide. North Carolina. Photo Greg Gnecco
54
The bridge is the perfect backdrop to capture Damien Leroy warming up for the King of the Bay competition. California. Photo Paul Jav
Central coast photographer Jason Wolcott randomly captures Wes Matweyew enjoying an after work session. Emma Wood, California.
Exposed
Ben Meyers committed in a kite loop. Photo Stephen Whitesell.
Evening session in Western OZ. Western Australia, Photo Ryan Riccitelli
Palms on speed — Hana Highway, Maui. Photo Adam Koch
Lloyd Huber kiteboards Brooklyn, New York — Winner of the “Send It” photo contest. Photo Jonathon Baker.
Reo Stevens hits the sweet spot of the section. Hawaii. Photo Jeff Pfeffer
Kitesnowboarding pioneer Guillaume Chastagnol hucks huge air on his home turf. France. Photo Bertrand Boone
57
Journey Into the Indian Ocean:
The Island of
Mauritius
Story by Felix Pivec
Photos by Ryan Riccitelli
Before leaving on any kind of trip you do
your research. This time round it was a little
harder as our destination was somewhat
untapped. We had lots of questions, but almost no
answers. Luckily, we were blessed with a full week of
insane riding in conditions that challenged us all.
If there was a universal word for incredible,
Mauritius would have to come close.
Driving out to the most southern tip of the
island, venturing through sugar cane fields to bays
of tranquil beauty, our eyes had to do a double take on
what they were taking in. Dozens of kiting spots
waiting to be ridden—everything from reeling waves
to butter smooth flats. The place was going off.
Felix
58 Pivec drops into a freight train left on the biggest day of the trip. Kite at your own risk. This break has claimed several lives.
59
On the smaller days, the reef kicks up a fun little rolling left.
The Spot
Neal Hilder tests out the new Airush board
construction as he grinds the wharf.
Looking out to sea for the first time was an unforgettable experience. I quickly
noticed two cuts in the outside barrier reef and waves reeling for hundreds of yards
at what looked like a very solid size. The barrier reef ended about a half mile off the
island and it was hard to make out exactly how big it was. Way off the tip of the
point there was a wave that could be described as a cylinder that bowled for miles
traveling at a speed that looked challenging if not impossible to outrun..
The locals warned us to be careful because they lose several people a year from the
dangerous currents. This didn’t seem to bother anyone. The spot had something for
every style — from inside flats to perfect grinding down the line conditions on the
outer reefs. Jet lag was not even an issue at this point. Within half an hour José
Luengo was warming up in the inside lagoon with some solid handle passes. Neal
Hilder from England was representing the homeland with a whole new level of new
school moves. Mr. Julian Sudrat rode straight out back to sample some Indian
Ocean waves which to even the most experienced riders would still be a handful.
Riding till the sun turned into a big fireball before it fell to the other side the world
was a great way to finish the first session of the trip. Everyone was almost speechless. We managed to pack up our gear and head to the bar for a few rewarding drinks.
Dream Sessions
Awaking to the palm trees almost blowing over was standard on this trip. The wind
never blew under twenty knots — perfect small kite conditions. Many of us know
how it feels to go to a spot and get skunked. Call it luck, but we road seven days
straight. The swell situation changed daily from flat to a solid ten feet. We were
lucky the bigger stuff came later in the week when everyone had dialed in their
equipment and figured out the wave breaks on the super shallow reef.
60
Julian Sudrat and Vanessa Sans
Cardona at the Indian Resort pool.
The remote tropical landscape behind Julian’s handle pass illustrates how undeveloped this spot is.
Julian Sudrat boosts the camera boat.
Julian Sudrat spent six hours on this
day kiteboarding the ultimate left.
The shallow reef you see off the coast helps make the waves break incredibly.
The boys chilling out after a
long day of work.
The inside flats were perfect
for Felix’s kite loops.
The Last Day
Like always, if the consumption of liquor is high the night before, the next day will for sure be firing. Our last day was no exception to this rule.
We awoke to one of the biggest swells the island has seen in many years. With no time to waste José and Julian charged out to the break to get
a taste of what for sure were some of the gnarliest conditions any of us had ever kited. José raced down the line in double overhead, top to bottom
waves looking for the cover up. José was getting close as Julian tried to answer right back. The conditions were dangerously big and the channel
was completely closed out which meant no rescue. The biggest sets were easily triple overhead above a razor sharp reef. Everyone had to be on.
After about an hour the waves started closing out and became unridable. When everyone made it in, each of us reconfirmed that Mauritius had
dished out the gnarliest conditions we had ever kited. Julian’s eyes were as big as saucers. It was great to see that a place was out there that could
still test the skill level of some of the world’s best wave riders.
After seven days of kiteboarding in every extreme condition imaginable, our bodies were sun scorched and sore from head to toe. No one was
complaining. The destination that we had explored was what dreams are made of – at least for kitesurfers! Mauritius is windy and the beer is
good. While it is a far away place to travel, the waves and winds of this Fantasy Island will forever be remembered.
Felix stretches before a morning session.
Mauritius
Island Facts
Conditions
The seasons in the southern hemisphere are the
opposite of the north. The best season is Winter,
which is June to September. However, the
remaining months can still offer kiteboarders
excellent conditions. Generally, the trade winds
blow from the east to southeast. December to April
can be relatively rainy. The island claims 300
days of wind per year.
Launch
You can take off directly in front of the Club Mistral Centre. The wind is sideshore from the left. The
beach section to windward is approx half a mile long. The entire lagoon is bordered by a reef, located
about 600 yards offshore.
School
Club Mistral, Skyriders Center www.club-mistral.com
62
Getting There
Believe it or not, the best way to get to Mauritius from the U.S. is out of London or Paris.
Accomodations
Indian Resort, Le Morne, Mauritius www.apavou-hotels.com This place is straight out of a
James bond movie. The Indian Resort is a 4-star resort built in the middle of nowhere complete
with everything from restaurants to poolside bars to plush rooms. Surrounded by a gleaming
emerald blue bay with 20 knots of wind and perfect waves outside of the barrier reef, if you
have the budget you won’t regret a stay here. $225US/night Pik Pik Apartments/ Le Morne
Brabant,
Mauritius
www.tropicscope.com/clientdetails.asp?ID=474 The Pik Pik Studios offer a more moderately
priced alternative to the Indian Resort Hotel — located at the foot of Brabant Mountain.
$50US/night including airport transfers
Transportation
You can arrange a ride from the airport to the hotel, but if you really want to explore the
island it is best to rent a car and/or driver to find the sick spots.
Nightlife
The night life on the south side of the island where we were was non existent. Your only
hope for entertainment is hanging out with the local Kiteboarding crew or tearing it up with
other hotel guests.
Progression
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Back Roll
1
With your kite at 45 degrees, bear downwind allowing yourself to accelerate. Edge hard against the kite and
look for a piece of chop to pop off.
with Julie Simsar
2
Once you leave the water, look over your front shoulder to initiate the rotation.
Photos Robert Vreeland
3
Make sure you continue to look over your shoulder until you can spot your landing.
1
4-5 Control your rotation by pulling the bar closer to speed up the rotation or letting the bar out to slow the rotation.
The back roll is usually the first trick everyone learns.
They can be done in flat water or off a wave for more amplitude.
6
Keep your knees bent and spot your landing.
7
Absorb the impact with your legs and ride away.
>
6
3
> >
7
4
QUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCE
>
Photos Ryan Riccitelli
> >
Front Roll with Damien LeRoy
This is a great trick that has many variations. Try it with a grab or riding switch.
1
With your kite at 45 degrees, bear downwind allowing yourself to accelerate. Edge away from the
kite to generate pop. If you ride in the waves look for a piece of chop to pop off.
2
As you leave the water, throw your head and shoulder forward looking down at your takeoff.
Remember, the more you pull your legs in the quicker you spin.
3
At the apex of the front start to spot your landing. Begin to straighten your body to slow the
rotation. If you are over rotating, try to straighten your body a little sooner.
2
6
5
4
3
4
Let your backhand off the bar to keep your balance. Keep your eyes on the landing and get ready
to absorb the landing.
5
Keep your knees bent and land centered. Remember to keep the kite low, so you don’t land slow.
1
Progression
720 Indy Super Spin
with Alex Zavadsky
11
10
12
13
14
9
15
8
16
7
17
6
18
5
4
3
19
1
2
> >
>
1
Start this trick by bearing downwind to allow yourself to accelerate. Edge hard against the
kite and send the kite similar to a jump.
2
As you leave the water, keep the bar centered not pulling to hard on the front hand. As you
pop off the water, start the rotations by looking over your back shoulder.
3
Reach down for the indy grab while at the same time pulling your legs up. The tighter your
body, the faster you will spin.
4-10
Bone out your front leg for more style points.
11-15
At the apex of the spin, begin to pull on your front hand with more force. Keep your
head looking over your shoulder until you make the second rotation.
16-19
Spot your landing and begin to bend at the knees to absorb the landing.
20-21
As you touch down be sure to edge away from the kite.
20
21
QUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCESEQUENCE
Skimboard Kite Loop Ollie Method Air
with Bryan Lake
8
9
7
6
10
11
12
5
3
1
> >
66
2
>
13
14
4
1-3
4-7
Set your rail and edge firmly against the kite. As you reverse the kite ollie your board.
As you lift off the water, reach down with your back hand and grab the board between
your heels. The key is pushing the board into the wind by using your feet and then ollie
like you are on a skateboard.
As you go into the air, tweak out the board with your left hand. You can even toss it and
grab it again, making it a varial, or shuv it. Try and stay compressed and start to pull hard
on the kite, keeping it going backwards initiating the loop.
8-11
Start to put the board back under your feet, while the kite is looping or after it has
looped and spot your landing.
12
Get your feet on the board and get ready to absorb the landing.
13-14
Let go of the board and simultaneously extend your legs for the landing. Stomp when
the water is close. The kite should be finished looping. The key is to land fast, moving
forward dead downwind. You can also do this move without looping your kite. You will
have to push the bar to correct the kite.
67
Alpenglow at Mt. Hood. Photo Dan Sherwood
Mount Hood
Adventure
Story by Ken Lucas
“
The cross-winds provide perfect lift for
jumps that are the biggest of my life.
”
Photos by Dan Sherwood
Riding on the edge of the world — Palmer Glacier. Photo Dan Sherwood
I
woke up to the morning light with thoughts of
skiing beautiful corn snow and the vision of my kite
slicing the clear blue sky. My starting point at
Timberline Lodge sizzles with early morning energy as hundreds of
teenagers gear up for their ski racing and snowboarding summer camps.
Groups of novice mountain climbers cram their ropes and ice axes into
huge packs for their first real mountain climb. A busload of foreign visitors
gets their first taste of a snowball fight. The place is bustling with activity.
Above it all, 11,200-foot Mt. Hood commands respect in her cloak of early
morning alpenglow.
Leaving the parking lot there are a few modes of transportation being used
to get up the mountain. Most of the skiers and snowboarders choose to
ride the high-speed chair lift. The mountain climbers start their meditations as they trudge up the mountain on foot. A few telemark skiers put
skins on their skis for striding up the mountain along with their excited
dogs. For me, I walk over to the edge of the parking lot where the trees thin
out and the breeze is steady to start setting up.
68
Time to fly. I eagerly pull the kite out, put my telemark skis on, and launch
myself up the mountain by steering the kite into its power zone. Within a
few minutes I pass by the mountain climbers that started 30 minutes ahead
of me. I am travelling about the same speed as a chair lift. It is not a race to
the top but my adrenaline is already pumping, as I glide over the snow
hooked in. It doesn’t get better than this. I didn’t even have to buy a lift ticket.
As I enter a large, open area I can’t resist altering my plans to include a little
freestyle session. The cross-winds provide perfect lift for jumps that are the
biggest of my life. Even the small jumps give me the sensation of soaring
effortlessly across the snow. The mountain summit looms above me and is
calling out to me. I leave my little playground and head back up.
Ascending quickly I take in the spectacular views of the surrounding Cascade
Mountains. I pass the top of the ski lift located at 8,500 feet and keep right
on going towards the summit of the mountain. Up ahead of me is Crater
Rock and off to the west the towering Illumination Rock. I edge hard to keep
as far to the east as possible. The wind starts to get light and shifty as I enter
the south side of the volcanic crater. Reaching forward I pull on my brake
line to take the wind out of the kite. I come to a slow stop. I stuff the kite in my
pack and have a quick bite to eat. I check my watch and realize that I just
ascended 4,000 vertical feet in 45 minutes. Normally this trip would take 4
hours and a lot of sweat.
Now it is time to ski down. My route brings me through some challenging
terrain. This part of the mountain is riddled with crevasses and large seracs.
These seracs are chunks of the glacier that have sheared-off like giant ice cubes.
My caution on the steep terrain turns to some high speed cruising on the
lower slopes.
I ski down until the snow runs out into the parking lot. Immediately, I shed
some layers and enjoy the mid day sun. My body fills with elation as I glance up
at the s-tracks in the snow. I quickly throw my gear in the car and race down to
the Columbia River Gorge for a quick afternoon of kite surfing on the water.
What adventure will my dreams bring me to next?
Ken Lucas drops off a serac on Mt. Hood. Photo Dan Sherwood
Snowkiting at Mt. Hood:
Access:
Timberline Lodge, (503) 622-7979,
www.timberlinelodge.com.
Season:
Late spring through early summer is best.
Terrain:
Kite outside the boundary on the west side of the ski
resort and above tree line. For travel above the 8,000
foot level, glacier training is required. For clinics on
mountain travel including glacier travel contact:
www.timberlineguides.com.
Lessons:
Contact Ken Lucas at www.telefair.com.
Ken Lucas rides for Ozone Kites and kiteboards each summer in Hood River, Oregon. He travels
around the country teaching snowkiting and telemark ski clinics in the winter.
69
Analyze This...
CAUTION
SLINGSHOT
www.cautionkites.com
www.sskiteboarding.com
MISSING LINK
STOPPER BALLS
HOW IT WORKS:
HOW IT WORKS:
A new bi-directional mutant style board with an off centered stance. Designed for wave
riding with bigger fins on the tail, but can be ridden in flat water. Concave bottom, tucked rails,
light, indented grab rails, and 6 fins.
The stopper balls give the rider the ability to adjust the length of the chicken loop line. You can
adjust them on the water but make sure to keep the screw tight. The shorter the distance
between the balls the less depower you have. The balls allow you to ride standard or unhooked
and can be put on most chicken loop lines.
Photos courtesy of Caution Kites
Size: 135 x 38.74cm
SAFETY FEATURES:
Shark resistant.
TIPS:
1. Make sure to experiment with the different fin options for surf or flat water.
2. Spend some time to dial in your straps.
Top
NAISH
Adjustable Stopper Balls
SAFETY FEATURES:
Ability to increase the length of the chicken loop distance for maximum de-power.
TIPS:
1. Adjust them on land and always be sure they are tight.
2. Try them tight to each side of the control bar for locked in power.
3. Set the upper ball so that you can’t over sheet.
Photo Gary Martin
Bottom
BEST
www.naishkites.com
www.bestkiteboarding.com
TORCH
NEMESIS
HOW IT WORKS:
HOW IT WORKS:
The new Torch is a medium aspect kite with a deep draft. Two new systems have been introduced: the Octopus System and the Shift System. This kite is designed for the aggressive
freerider. The Octopus System is a single point inflation system similar to the idea of a one
pump. All components of this system are internal designed to create a clean aerodynamic flow.
The Shift System (Naish’s 5th line) works by pulling on the line and the kite rolls over on its
back and is ready to relaunch. This system also acts as a kite safety leash.
The Nemesis is their high performance/high aspect kite. This is the top of the line in their
quiver. The kite is designed for stability, quick turning and lots of lift.
Sizes: 24, 21, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8 meters.
SAFETY FEATURES:
Standard center line leash with quick release at bar.
Sizes: 25, 20, 18,16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6 meters.
SAFETY FEATURES:
TIPS:
1. This kite uses the standard Shift System. 100% depower if activating the Quick Release
Trim Loop and letting go of the bar.
1. Pump the bladders really hard.
2. Experiment with attachment points.
3. Close all valves when folding to keep sand out.
2. Easy relaunch by pulling on the 5th line.
TIPS:
Photo courtesy of Best Kiteboarding
1. Pump the bladders really hard.
2. Close the Octopus System before folding up the kite to keep sand from entering the valve.
3. Make sure you know how to tune the kite before using.
6
Gear Purchasing Pitfalls
THE INFLATOR
$$$$$$
HOW IT WORKS:
The Inflator is a battery operated kite pump that is easy to use. Connect the hose to the valve
and press a button and your kite begins to automatically inflate. The pump is easily transportable and comes with a 12 V battery they say will pump up 10 kites. The pump recharges in
your car in two hours plugged into a cigarette lighter or can be plugged into a wall socket.
2 > Don’t buy solely based on price. Compare the features and packages being offered.
3 > Don’t buy everything off of the internet. Support your local shop.
4 > Don’t buy your old gear from a friend unless he/she is almost giving it to you.
Never do business with friends.
5 > Don’t buy shackles. The new safety systems are safer.
TIPS:
6 > Don’t buy a new pump if you break yours. Borrow one from your friend.
1. Make sure to recharge after you use.
2. A 24 hour wall socket recharge works best.
3. Try and keep sand and debris out of the pump
70
1 > Don’t buy a used kite unless you know it’s history of use or abuse.
Photos courtesy of Naish Kites
71
Academy
When rails go wrong—bail!
Photo Greg Gnecco
Vytas Cijunelis sent us this
boardless superman from
Montrose Beach, Chicago.
10
Photo courtesy of Vytas
Skimboard
Tips to
Help You
Rip
Neal Hilder gets a mouth full of sea water.
By Bryan Lake
Ben Myers came up short on a kite loop. Photo Stephen Whitesell
Bryan Lake looks for a lip to smack. Photo Diego Velasco
Bryan and his best friend. Photo Diego Velasco
1
What's the best way to start out on a skimboard?
The best way to start out is to get out there and try. Pick a light
wind day and put your mind to it. It’s best to start off a little under
powered.
3
How much smaller of a kite do I need to ride?
I like to rig the same size kite as I would use when riding a normal
kiteboard — as if I want to jump. I also ride one size down for
waves or when I want to go really fast. In my opinion, a skim is one
of the fastest boards.
5
How long should my lines be?
I ride 15m lines right now. I find it helps me go faster and makes
it easier to loop the kite in the waves. Again, go with what you feel
comfortable with. I think short lines are less to deal with.
7
What's the easiest way to set an edge?
You want to start out standing a little flatter, keeping you weight
centered over both feet and then shifting a little more on your back
foot. As you get more comfortable put more weight on your back
foot and learn to edge harder. You will get going fast quickly on a
skim because there are no fins. Learn to use the edge to help you
control your speed.
9
What is the lightest wind you can kite?
I have kited in some really light conditions. I only do it if I am really jonesing to go. I went riding in San Diego in the surf on my big
skim board, 20m lines and a 15m Type Six RRD kite. The wind was
probably 8-10 knots.
2
What size board should I start out on?
I ride the big Cabal SX51 and the new fire model. Usually, bigger
boards are better because you can land harder easier, go faster
and have better upwind ability.
Coming in hot on a kite loop can get sketchy.
Photo Adam Koch
4
How should I rig my bar?
Jeff Tobias catches and edge while trying to land blind.
Photo Greg Gnecco
I rig a chicken loop with about 2-4 inches depower. I make sure
that my bar is a comfortable length for my arms and not too far
away. The best advice is to use a bar that you are comfortable
with. I am thinking of switching to a pulley.
Mike Norman polishes the rail
with his ribs. Photo Greg Gnecco
6
How do I get going on my board?
This is where it takes skill and good technique — you want to be
one with the board. Bending your knees, stabilizing yourself
while holding the board and diving the kite low are all crucial to
getting going on your board. As for grip, I use wax and astro deck.
Mike Norman takes a beating learning
powered mobes. Photo Greg Gnecco
8
Hamish Macdonald about to go down.
Photo Greg Gnecco
What are some common mistakes that people make?
The most common mistakes people make include: not having
enough wax on their board, keeping the kite too high over head,
not bending the knees enough and the frustration factor —
remember you are out there to have fun.
Alex Le Clainche folded by the rail.
Photo Greg Gnecco
0
What is the easiest first move to try?
Some really cool ones to start off with are 180’s off of a wave or
piece of chop. Don’t worry about which way you are turning,
frontside or backside — whichever way feels more comfortable.
When you get that down, reach down and throw a grab in.
This guy is fingered. Photo Greg Gnecco
Aaron Sales kitesnowboards into freezing
waters. Photo Ken Lucas
Academy
SAFETY RICK
Kiteboard Associations
Assisted Boat Launch
Kiteboarding Associations often conjure up negative images. Many people think, Those guys — we just ignore em’ they’re like
the boy scouts . Most kiteboarders just want to ride with no one telling them what to do. Whether you want to believe it or not,
the fact is, kiteboarding is at a time where this complacent attitude could lead to beaches being banned around the United
States. Now is the time for riders to organize and set up protocol to protect their local spots.
Words By Matt Nuzzo — REAL Kiteboarding
What Can an Association Do?
Launching a kite is sure to kick your butt unless you do it right.
This is especially the case if you are launching from a boat.
Not all kiteboarders have the benefit of steady side shore winds blowing across
an open sandy beach. If you find yourself in the situation where a boat launch
is your only option, follow these simple steps to ensure you do it safely.
On Land Prep For A Boat Launch
Kiteboarding associations work against needless bans and help preserve local riding spots.
The following are some examples of how associations are working to preserve the sport around the Untied States.
Southern California Kiteboarding Association, Malibu
Traig Trumbo, President and Senior Lifeguard
• Works to secure access and legitimacy for local kiteboarders.
• Puts on kiteboarding orientation & rescue seminars for lifeguards, sheriffs deputies
and rescue chopper personnel.
• Encourages lifeguards with donated gear and lessons to take up the sport.
Carefully attach your lines.
• Your best bet is to fully set up your kiteboarding rig before you even get on the boat. You can do this in the parking
lot, backyard, or on the dock.
Hawaii Kiteboarding Association, Oahu
Noel “Spyder” President
• Works hard to preserve access on Oahu and the other islands.
• Tries to bridge kiteboarding with traditional Hawaiian values/pursuits despite the odd
fit of rider attitude.
• Start out by fully unwrapping the lines off of your bar. Separate the lines so that you have your outside line
separated from your inside lines.
• The next step is simple but key to making your boat launch go properly. Set up your lines to your kite like you
would do with a standard beach launch as follows. Unroll your kite and attach the lines with the center lines to
the front attachment points and your outside lines to the trailing edge attachment points. It is not brain surgery.
• After you attach your lines to your kite, wrap the bar up just like you have done before. Once you get to the kite,
roll it up keeping the lines attached. It is important to make sure that the bar does not go through the center of
the kite while you are wrapping it up. If that happens you have to start over and it might be a long boat ride back.
• The easiest way to launch is to anchor your boat, so the bow of the boat is fixed into the wind. If it is too deep to
anchor, you can boat launch while the boat is drifting, but it is harder to do.
The assistant holds the kite.
Assisted Boat Launch
• If you have worked your way up to a boat launch then you should be comfortable with an assisted launch.
The main difference about launching from a boat and launching from the beach is that you have to swim while
you unravel your lines.
• While your kite is tied off to the stern of the boat, jump in the water and slowly unwind your lines off of the bar.
Swim to the side of the wind window and make sure that your lines unravel one wrap at a time.
• Once you have successfully unraveled your lines, you need to double check that your lines are straight by holding the bar out of the water and tensioning your lines. At this point your assistant can detach the kite from the
stern of the boat, and they can hold the kite up so that both wing tips are pointed at the rider. It is important that
the lines are set up perpendicular to the wind. This will ensure that the kite gets launched at the side of the wind window.
The pilot swims into position.
• Once you have double-checked that your lines are set up correctly, swim away from the boat to fully tension the
lines. When the lines tension, give your assistant the thumbs up and launch your kite.
The assistant readies for launch.
• If you did not set up your gear correctly before you got on the boat, you might have to abort your mission when
you try to launch your kite. You need to make sure that you always wear a safety leash while doing a boat launch,
so you don’t lose your entire rig if you have to abort the mission. If your lines are tangled, you will need to go
back to the dock to set it up right. Or your assistant may be able to detach lines and reattach to correct the problem.
• If there is not enough wind to launch your kite, it should just fall into the water. If this happens it is always easiest to just water relaunch your kite rather than try to have your assistant pick it up in the boat.
For more info check out
A successful launch.
Photos courtesy of Real Kiteboarding
When It All Goes Wrong
• The two main reasons that the assisted boat launch can go wrong is if you don’t have your gear prepped correctly or if there is not enough wind when you launch the kite.
Seattle Kiteboarding Association
John Penexa, President
Making a Difference
• In 2003, raised $2000 in a fundraiser for Sheldon Plentovich while she was in Seattle
for a stem cell transplant.
• Hosts regular Kite Night orientations for new kiteboarders.
Kiteboarders just want to ride. Not everyone has the time to dedicate to running an association. Most associations were formed when trouble started. Many areas
were able to save access and build relationships with local government and authorities. Get involved with your local chapter. Your support could help keep your
beach from being banned. If your area already has an association, you will be able to handle any issues. For associations and contact info, check out page 80.
The kite attached to the stern.
• The only safe way to launch from a boat is to launch with an assistant.
• Remove the bar from inside of the kite and inflate your kite. While you are inflating the kite keep the bar off to the
side of the kite. If you have an extra leash or some rope you can secure the inflated kite off of the stern of the boat.
Hawaii Kiteboarding Association, Maui
Donnel Nunes & Martin Kirk
• Helps to educate local government about safe kiteboarding, building legitimacy for the
sport.
• Supports frequent public good works, cleanups, rescue seminars, etc.
Conclusion
On Boat Set Up
Matt Nuzzo coaches for REAL kiteboarding in Cape Hatteras North Carolina.
www.REALkiteboarding.com or call 1.866.REAL.KITE
By Rick Iossi, FKA
Workbench
Problem:
How do I properly tie Q-Powerline line so that it won't break?
Solution:
All line can break, but using "figure 8", overhand or even square knots have worked well in the past. These
have served very well with few failures. Remember nothing is perfect. Check your lines for transverse nicks in
the outer sheathing of the Q-Power line. If you see wear and tear, cut the last foot or two and tie a new loop
and you are good to go. Make sure your lines are tuned before you go out. The knots are described at:
http://www.iland.net/~jbritton/figure8.htm and http://members.aol.com/goodheavens/overhand.html
Problem: How do I retrofit my kite with "Kook-Proof" connectors?
Solution:
Kook-Proof or Polar Connectors are easy to make and could save your hide by eliminating the chance of
hooking up your lines wrong. Newer kites generally have these connectors but there are thousands of kites
that still have the old style of connections. Here is what you do. Cut eight sections of 3/16 in. diameter braided
spectra line (Amsteel or equivalent) twice the length of the pigtails that are on your kite plus 1 inch additional
for each knot in the pigtail. For most kites this should give you four sections of lines in two lengths. Tie the
ends together of each of the four shorter lines with overhand knots forming large loops. Tie an overhand loop
knot in the other four lines creating a loop at the end of the line. Then tie overhand knots at intervals above
that are similar to the ones used on your kite pigtails. Discoloring or taping of four of the connectors to tell
right from left is a good idea. Replace the original pigtails with your new Amsteel Kook-Proof connectors.
Attach the other four Kook-Proof connectors to your four kite lines. Be sure to only detach the connectors and
not the kite lines during normal use.
The Kiteboarder assumes no liability for any modifications to your gear. Use these tips at your own risk.
Maintenance
KITE PAGES
Quick Bladder Fixes
California
By Casey Houtz – AIRTIME KITE
Felix has bladder issues.
Kiterboarders have a love hate relationship with bladders. We take them for granted
until we are watching a session blow by with a limp kite in our hands and no clue on
how to fix it. Here are a few quick fixes that might help get you on the water.
Bladder Basics
Bladders are made of a latex type rubber that is supported by a sewn sleeve known as
a rib, strut or leading edge. The combination of the leading edge or strut and the inflated bladder help provide the strength to handle the 6 - 9 lbs pressure a kite needs to fly
optimally. Often times the bladders will pop if the bladder is not in contact with the sewn
sleeve at all points when you inflate your kite. The following two fixes may be just what
it takes to get you back on the water.
blow out
What to do when the end of your bladder
blows out.
sock
As a rule of thumb, bladders must go all the way to the tips of the sleeve or you will
have problems. For a quick fix, you can tie a knot in the end of the bladder, reinflate and
go. This only works if the bladder is still long enough to go to the end of the sleeve. If
it’s too short, chances are it will blow out again.
Here’s the McGyver Fix for short bladder repairs.
Always make sure you support the bladder end internally. You can use almost anything
to do this when the bladder is too short — women«s nylons, gym socks, or supermarket plastic bags.
Tie a knot just inside the damage leaving enough tail past the knot to tie a second knot.
Cut a hole in the end of whatever you plan to use as a sock (small so that the knot cannot pass through). Slide the sock over the end and pull the end of the bladder out of the
hole you cut. Pull the bladder so that the knot is snug against the inside of the sock and
then tie a second knot as close to the sock as possible to hold it in place.
You can now install the bladder and although it will come up short, it won’t blow out.
You’ll lose some performance but it will at least get you on the water until you can get
a new bladder.
How a bigger bladder can save your session.
As long as the bladder is larger than the sleeve (length and diameter), you can use it as
a replacement. Here’s what you do when they’re way too long.
Quick Fix #2
Invert the ends of the bladder back inside themselves. Imagine that you are wearing a
long sleeve shirt and you grab the cuff and invert the sleeve back inside itself as you
pull your arm out. Do the same thing with the bladder ends. You can use a batten or
broom stick with a smooth end to invert the bladder end.
Pull the bladder into the sleeve by tying off to the new end of your bladder using the
lark’s head at the end of your kite lines. I’ve taken as much as 6 feet out of each side.
Time Saving Tips
1. Don’t remove the entire bladder. Simply pull the end you need to fix out the end of the sleeve.
2. Lightly cover the bladder with baby powder before you tie the knot. This will increase the
chances that you’ll be able to get the knot out if you think you can fix it with a patch or iron.
2
1
Colorado
Fuze Kiteboarding ......................................(303) 683-5033
Kitesnowboarder.com..............................(303) 683-5033
PKS ............................................................(970)-376.3159
Tri State Kites ............................................(800) 510-0865
Florida
Photos and illustrations courtesy of Airtime Kite
Bonus Bladder Tips:
Too many valves?
If you have a bladder with the dual valve option and you want it as a back up,
it’s best not to remove the second valves. Activate the second valve, put the plug
in, and then invert it like you did with your beach toys. You can install the bladder like normal and the inverted valve sits flush inside the sewn sleeve.
Not enough valves?
If you have too many holes in the leading edge or strut and not enough valves to
fill them, you need to close them off. Put some repair tape both inside and outside of the sleeve, closing off the hole. Install the bladder like normal and make
sure that your patch job can take the pressure. If it can’t, make sure it will or
your repair will be all for nothing.
Reinforcing bad designs
Some kites are just poorly designed and have bladders that continually pop, usually at the ends or at the elbows of wrap around style leading edges. I find it easiest to pull out the bladder ends and put on Dacron repair tape before I ever have
trouble. Clean the bladder with alcohol, cut strips of Dacron tape and overlay
them on the end of the bladder. I recommend reinforcing the last 8 inches or so.
Back Up/Travel Kit
Always carry a leading edge bladder that will fit your largest kite and a strut
bladder that will fit the center strut on your largest kite. With these two bladders
you’ll be able to fix any bladder in your quiver.
is an industry leader in professional kite support offering service contracts on select new kites, warranty support for distributors, and professional kite repair.
78
Action Watersports ....................................(318) 827-2233
Board Sports..............................................(415) 929-SURF
CaliKites ....................................................(619) 522-9575
Captain Kirk’s ............................................(310) 833-3397
Helm Sports ..............................................(650) 344-2711
Kite Country ..............................................(619) 226-4421
Kite Wave ..................................................(213) 344-6034
Kitenow, Inc. (ad on p.13) ......................(650) 248-6660
Kites Etc ....................................................(562) 592-5483
Kitesurfari (ad on p.25) ..........................(714) 378-0468
KiteWindSurf..............................................(510) 522-WIND
Lake Tahoe Kiteboarding............................(877) 769-5483
Live2Kite ....................................................(415) 722-7884
Malibu Kitesurfing ......................................(310) 430-KITE
Manta Wind & Water Sports ......................(858) 270-7222
Mission Bay Aquatic Center........................(858) 488-1000
Monkey Air ................................................(310) 457-6896
Murrays......................................................(800) 786-7245
OOTO Kite School ......................................(650) 960-1721
Santa Barbara Kiteboarding Company ........(805) 560-6138
Sky Kitesurfing School ..............................(925) 455-4008
Vela............................................................(800) 223-5443
West Coast Kiteboarding ............................(619) 200-9519
Windsport ..................................................(619) 488-4642
Windsurf Diablo..........................................(510) 778-6350
Xdream Sportz ..........................................(760) 944-9247
Xstreamline Sports ....................................(310) 518-1972
Xtreme Big Air............................................(805) 773-9200
Connecticut
Quick Fix #1
The best resource for schools, retailers,
and associations in the U.S. and Caribbean.
7 Kiteboarding............................................(305) 654-4055
As the Wind Blows ....................................(850) 982-9463
Big Kite Miami ..........................................(305) 303- 4107
Butter Kiteboarding ....................................(321) 303.4099
Delray Beach Watersports Rental ..............(561) 279-0008
East Coast Kiteboarding ............................(954) 295-5778
Extreme Kites (ad on p.75) ........................(904) 461-9415
Extreme Sports ..........................................(321) 779-4228
Florida Kiting..............................................(561) 373-4445
Ft. Lauderdale Kitesurfing Co. ....................(954) 410-5419
Hydrotherapy..............................................(850) 249-9463
Island Style Wind & Watersports ................(941) 954-1009
Island Surf and Sail FL ..............................(954) 927-7002
Kite Surf the Earth......................................(888) 819-5483
Kite World ..................................................(321) 725-8336
KiteMare ....................................................(877) 829-0015
KitesurfUSA ................................................(954) 816-0944
Miami Kiteboarding Inc. ............................(305) 345-9974
Sandy Point Progressive Sports..................(386) 756-7564
Sea & Sky Sports ......................................(850) 598-3735
Waterplay ..................................................(800) 841-1225
Watersports West ......................................(888) 401-5080
Xrated Kiteboarding....................................(954) 647-7228
Great Lakes Kiteboarding ..........................(586) 822-6511
Grand Bay Kite Co ......................................(231) 929-0607
Kite Kraft....................................................(517) 652-2961
MacInaw Kite Co. ......................................(800) 622-4655
Cleanline Surf ............................................(888) 546-6176
Hood River Waterplay ................................(541) 386-WIND
Kite-Line ....................................................(888) 714-9849
Minnesota
Scuba Center Wind/Kite ............................ (612) 925-4818
Mississippi
Georgia
Get Air........................................................(228) 209-1204
High Tide Surf Shop ..................................(912) 786-6556
Savannah Sails and Rails ..........................(912) 232-7201
Hawaii
Action Sports Maui ....................................(808) 871-5857
Aloha Kiteboarding Academy......................(808) 637-5483
Caveman Kitesurfing ..................................(808) 389-4004
Extreme Sports Maui..................................(808) 871-7954
Hawaiian Island Surf and Sport ..................(808) 871-4981
Hawaiian Watersports..................................(808) 262-KITE
Kailua Sailboards ......................................(808) 262-2555
Kiteboard Center (ad on p.76) ................(808) 276-2667
Kiteboard Maui ..........................................(808) 870-2554
Kiteboarding.com ......................................(866) 488-5483
Kitesurf Maui..............................................(808) 873-0015
Maui Kiteboarding Lessons ........................(808) 242-8015
Naish Hawaii Ltd. Shop ..............................(808) 262-6068
Reinhard Elischka ......................................(808) 877-6226
Iowa
North Carolina
Blowing in the Wind ..................................(910) 763-1730
Hatteras Island Sail Shop ..........................(252) 987-2292
Kiteboarding Hatteras (ad on p.76) ........(252) 995-5000
Kites Unlimited ..........................................(252) 247-7011
Kitty Hawk Kiteboarding Centers ................(877) FLY-THIS
Real Kiteboarding (ad on p.23) ............(866) REAL-KITE
Ride Hatteras ............................................(252) 995-6755
Nevada
WindPower Sports......................................(702) 220-4340
New Jersey
Brave New World ......................................(732) 899-8220
Extreme Windsurfing ..................................(610) 807-9493
Island Surf and Sail ....................................(609) 494-5553
New York
Chicago Kiteboarder ..................................(312) 804-5482
Windward Sports........................................(773) 472-6868
Curtis Sport Connection..............................(716) 627-2247
Kitewise ....................................................(646) 734-3027
Main Beach Surf & Sports ..........................(631) 537-2716
Myers ........................................................(716) 751-6511
New Skool..................................................(516) 563-8330
Windsurfing Hamptons ..............................(516) 283-9463
Massachusetts
Oregon
Cape Cod Kite School ................................(508) 364-6162
Dr. Gravity’s Kite Shop ..............................(508) 430-0437
Powerline Sports ........................................(978) 388-8974
Skyhigh Kiteboarding School ......................(508) 259-2728
2nd Wind Sports ........................................(541) 386-4464
Air-time......................................................(541) 387-3910
Big Air Windsurfing ....................................(541) 348-2213
Big Winds ..................................................(888) 509-4210
Brian’s Windsurfing/Kitesurfing ..................(541) 386-1423
Seatasea ....................................................(319) 743-7922
Illinois
Maryland
H2AIR Productions......................................(301) 802-0295
Kite Loft ....................................................(410) 289-7855
Michigan
Broneah Kiteboarding ................................(248) 227-0670
New Wind ..................................................(541) 387-2440
Pacific Wave ..............................................(503) 861-0866
Storm Warning ..........................................(800) 492-6309
Wind Guide ................................................(541) 490-4401
Puerto Rico
Kitesurfing Puerto Rico ..............................(787) 728-8716
Real Kiteboarding PR ................................(866) REAL-KITE
Northwind Sports ......................................(401) 254-4295
South Carolina
Half Moon Outfitter ....................................(843) 881-9472
Texas
Air Padre Kiteboarding ..............................(956) 299-WIND
Cline Street Sailboards ..............................(512) 937-5000
KITE PAGES
Texas - continued
Corpus Christi Kitesurfing Inc. ....................(361) 960-4359
Kitemare ....................................................(727) 741-5483
Mongani Sky Pirates ..................................(361) 992-9623
Pro Kitesurf ................................................(361) 883-1473
S. Padre Island Kiteboarding ......................(956) 245-8343
S. Padre Kiteboarding ................................(956) 761-1434
Windsurfing Sports ....................................(713) 291-9199
Zero Gravity Kiteboarding ..........................(361) 949-0266
Dare2Fly, Dom Rep ....................................(809) 571-0282
Kite Park, Dom Rep....................................(809) 571-9748
Pura Vida, Dom Rep ..................................(809) 862-0485
The best resource for schools, retailers,
and associations in the U.S. and Caribbean.
Florida Kitesurfing Association
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/FKSA
TBKSA - Tampa Bay Kitesurfing Association
www.tbksa.org
Kite Antigua, Antigua..................................(268) 727-3983
NE Kiters Association
www.neka.us
TIKA - Tybee Island GA
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/tikakiteboarding
Sky Riders, St Lucia ..................................(758) 454-3418
Tornado Kite & Surf, St Lucia ....................(758) 486-0545
Columbia Gorge Kiteboarding
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/CCKA
Instructor Certifications
Kite St. Croix, St Croix ................................(340) 773-9890
Central Texas Kiteboarding Association
www.centexkiteboarding.com
Kitesurfing Chicago
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf-chicago
Lakes Bay Rec. Association
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/lakesbay
MAKA- MidAtlantic Kitesurfing Association
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/M-A-K-A
Midwest Kiteboarding Assoc.
www.midwestkiteboarding.com
RMKA, Rocky Mountain Kiteboard Association
www.TocoSports.com
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/rmka
Professional Air Sports Association (PASA)
www.pasakiteboarding.org
International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO)
www.ikorg.com
Real Kiteboarding
www.realkiteboarding.com
Kiteboarding International Training Evaluation System
www.kiteboardcenter.com
Travel Companies
Caribbean Winds ........................................(866) 787-9463
Ozone Travel ..............................................(888) 824-6359
If you are not listed, please send us your information for
the next issue.
Utah
Cloud 9 Soaring Ctr....................................(801) 576-6460
Virginia
Southeast Expeditions (ad on p.25)........(877) 943-8548
Washington
Seattle Kiteboarding Center........................(206) 779-3272
Urban Surf..................................................(206) 545-9463
Wisconsin
Coontail Watersports ..................................(715) 385-0250
Kite-Riders ................................................(608) 273-1817
Southport Rigging Company ......................(262) 652-5434
The Board Shop ........................................(262) 248-1703
Carribean
Kitexcite, Dom Rep (ad on p.31) ............(809) 571-9509
“World Cup Kiteboarding on a World Cup Beach”
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.caracolkiteboarding.com
Cabarete, Dominican Republic ..............................((809) 571-0680
Associations
United States Kitesurfing Assoc.
www.maui.net/~hotwind/uska.html
Hawaii Kiteboarding Association
www.hawaiikiteboardingassociation.org
California Kiteboarding Assoc.
www.calkite.org
Sherman Island Kiteboarding Assoc
www.calkite.org/siko.htm
Best equipped Center in the Caribbean!
San Francisco Kiteboarding Assoc.
www.sfkitesurfing.com
• Rescue/Training Boat
• Radio Helmets
• 50% off lessons w/new gear
Southern California Kiteboarding Assoc.
www.scka.org
Email: [email protected]
San Diego Kiteboarding Assoc.
www.sdka.org
Web: www.kitexcite.com
Cabarete, Dominican Republic ..............................(809) 571-9509
Caracol Kiteboarding Center, Dom Rep ......(809) 571-0680
ProKite, Dom Rep ......................................(809) 571-0880
Central Coast (CA) Kiteboarding Assoc.
www.groups.yahoo.com/group/CCKA
Seattle Kitesurfing Association
www.seattlekitesurfing.org/index.htm
The Kite Pages is a free resource directory for US
and Caribbean kite retailers, schools, associations,
and certification organizations. For your free listing,
please email [email protected] with your
name, address, phone number, and email address.

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