Tips to get you on the snow

20 Tips to get you on the snow Kite Tuning Essentials Plus: Georgia & Brazil Unveiled FREE Poster Inside Guillaume Chastagnol Photo Wareck Arnaud U...
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20 Tips to get

you on the snow Kite Tuning Essentials

Plus: Georgia & Brazil Unveiled FREE Poster Inside Guillaume Chastagnol Photo Wareck Arnaud

USA $5.95

February 2005 02

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Contents

February 2005

Features 38

Brazil: Exploring the Lagoons of Cumbuco Once you see the photos, you will be booking your ticket.

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The Man Behind the Mask Jimmy Lewis talks about his crazy advertisements.

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Georgia: Secret Jewel of the South A road trip to Tybee Island—Georgia's little peach.

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20 Tips to Get you on the Snow Snowkite experts James Brown, Alex Peterson and Gabe Brown answer 20 instructional questions.

Departments 14

Launch Guillaume Chastagnol and Alex Peterson show the potential of big air on the snow.

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Close-up Chuck Patterson and Julie Simsar

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Product Watch Check out some of the latest new toys.

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Analyze This Control Freak: 2005 safety system review.

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Academy 8 Essential Tuning Tips to Get you on the Water By Nick Bowers

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Tweak McCore Tweak hangs out with some new friends.

Cover Shot Guillaume Chastagnol is one of the most respected snowkite pioneers. We are proud to be the first US magazine to ever run a snowkite cover. Photo Wareck Arnaud

Contents Shot Traversing through the powdery French alps, Chasta shows the potential of snowkiting uphill. Photo Frederick Pattou

Photo Gabe Brown

Grass Roots read this in its entirety. There are a lot of important things I have to Psay.lease The story behind this magazine shows what the love of kiteboarding and power of friendships can do. The grass roots network of people who have helped make this magazine a reality deserves respect. I am not talking about myself, but rather the people who have selflessly sacrificed their time and energy working on our publication-all for the love of kiteboarding. In case you don't know, The Kiteboarder is an independent magazine that is 100% made in the USA, by kiteboarders. Our story is a story in itself. We are not the WalMart of magazines; rather we are a group of everyday people who decided to put everything on the line to make this magazine. Please take a moment to read through the list of photographers and contributors on page 12. I want to personally thank each and every one of them for their efforts. Our internal staff deserves the same credit. Marina Chang, James Brown, Gabe Brown and Gary Martin have all donated countless hours to our cause. The Kiteboarder Magazine is a grass roots family that is growing stronger with every issue. We also want to thank each and every one of you for supporting us and telling your friends to preview our magazine. We have some exciting additions to www.kbmag.com. Check out the new Product Watch section for all of the latest gear updates. Download “Chasta” kitelooping at 70-feet above the snow in our video download section. We guarantee our constantly updated web content will keep you coming back for more.

Photo C-More Butz

Don’t be left standing naked! Make sure to order your official The Kiteboarder t-shirt for $18.99.

If you like The Kiteboarder Magazine, please help us spread the word. We have a FREE trial issue available on our website and we are looking for new locations to distribute. Elections have been won and lost with the power of a grass roots network. We are calling on each and every Kiteboarder to help support our cause. Please email us with any questions, comments and concerns. We look forward to hearing from you. Enjoy!

Shirts available for men and women. Sizes S, M, L and XL.

Ryan Riccitelli

[email protected]

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Ever since my boyfriend started reading “The Kiteboarder”, all he wants to do is ride.

100% Made in the USA by Kiteboarders

February 2005 • Volume 2 • Number 1 EDITOR RYAN RICCITELLI [email protected] ART DIRECTOR JAMES BROWN SENIOR WRITERS GABE BROWN MARINA CHANG TECHNICAL EDITOR GARY MARTIN SAFETY EDITOR RICK IOSSI ILLUSTRATOR CARL “LOS” PRESTON EDITOR AT LARGE ALEXIS ROVIRA SNOWKITE EDITOR JAMES BROWN COPY EDITOR SARA BROWN EDITORIAL INTERN BRIAN WHEELER EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Neil Hutchinson, Alex Peterson, Joe Bidawid, Matt Nuzzo, Paul Menta, Trip Forman, Kevin “Top Hat” Senn, Nick Bowers, Gregg Gnecco, Jay Crawford, Buck Ashcraft, Jeff Howard, John Romais CONTRIBUTORS Buck Ashcraft, Nick Bowers, Gavin Butler, Marina Chang, Bri Chmel, Joe Bidawid, James Brown, Gabe Brown, Bertrand Fleury, Karen Futernick, Gregg Gnecco, Casey Houtz, Jeff Howard, Neil Hutchinson, Rick Iossi, Adam Koch, Brian Lake, Sierra Lake, Gary Martin, Alex Peterson, Carl Preston, Matt Nuzzo, Felix Pivec, John Romais, Alexis Rovira, Lou Wainman, Brian Wheeler SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Gabe Brown, Jason Wolcott, Sierra Lake, Matt Cotton, Paul Jav, Michelle Zuniga, Gregg Gnecco, James Brown, Gustav Schmiege PHOTOGRAPHY Stephen Whitesell, Tracy Kraft, Paul Jav, Jeff Pfeffer, Gregg Gnecco, Adam Koch, Gavin Butler, Lauren Burton, Bill Mieckle, Buck Ashcraft, Robert Vreeland, Charles Oreve, Clark Merritt, Lou Wainman, Trent Pederson, Kim Kern, Michael Jordan, Nick Fitt, John Carter, Lance Koudele, Mark Ribkoff, Epes Sargent, Bela Pecsi, Brian Schenck, Frederick Pattou, Nick Bowers, FX Abonnenc, Wareck Arnaud, Jim Semlor, Brad Lange, Javier Cruz, Diego Velasco, Chris Vicari, Paul Lang, Dave Turner, Jeff Burton, Tonia Farman, Jimmy Lewis, Kim Calder, Kevin Senn, Brad Knoth, Neil Hutchinson, Josh Miller, Frederick Pattou, David Sims, Bertrand Boone, Patrick Nedele Thanks to all editorial and photography contributors for supporting this magazine! SUBSCRIPTIONS [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION & VIDEO OFFER Buy a year subscription (6 issues) & WindReels Volume One at 40% off cover prices. Limited Time Offer.

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PUBLISHER MARINA CHANG (805) 459-2373 [email protected] SALES/NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT GABE BROWN [email protected] CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 1356 16th Street • Los Osos, CA 93402 EDITORIAL OFFICE 1050 Chinquapin Ave #2 • Carlsbad, CA 92008 MOUNTAIN STATES OFFICE 1360 S. Ivy Way • Denver, CO 80224 INTERNET WWW.KBMAG.COM

LAUNCH L AUNCH LAUNCH

Fabio Ingrosso definitely has enough time to spot his landing. Photo Frederick Pattou

Guillaume Chastagnol stops traffic while he overcomes his obvious fear of heights. Photo Wareck Arnaud

BG AR

Alex Peterson sends it big in Tahoe. Photo Gabe Brown

Recipe for Powdered Cupcakes

By James Brown

This is a dish best served cold. These snowkiting pioneers are pushing the sport of kiteboarding by mixing it up with the skills required for paragliding. They have years of experience flying in mountainous terrain and have worked their way up from small jumps to the kind that will blow your mind. Try this recipe for a delicious taste of the high life and please use caution.

Guillaume Chastagnol waiting for permission to land. Photo Wareck Arnaud

Ingredients:

Cooking Directions:

• Common sense

1. Start low on the hill (simmer so you don’t boil over)

• Gradual slope with a run out

2. Check for consistent wind (not gusty or variable)

• Clear landing zone

3. Spot your landing zone first then steer your kite down the hill

• Wind coming up the hill

4. Keep your kite moving gently back and forth overhead.

• One power kite

5. Look over your shoulders since you will be flying backwards.

• Skis or a Snowboard

6. Stay calm and land. Repeat. Helpful Hint: Add a dash of insanity.

of Alex Peterson From the Desk

It’s important Safety first. perspective. in to keep things e greatest th of e This is on ver done, yet e ve things I ha ry dangerous” it could be “ve eps are not st if the proper od judgment go e Us taken. uld be more because It co your piloting n important tha skills. — AP 15

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News and Information

Corky Cullen indy airs out of a “C Street” section. Ventura, California.

Bruce Irons leads the surfing world with his explosive style and big aerials.

Photo Jason Wolcott

Photo Paul Jav

Avoiding the Problem : Kiteboarders Versus Surfers By Ryan Riccitelli

K

Kevin “Top Hat” Senn called me the other day from Los Angeles to tell me about an incident he had witnessed between some kiteboarders and surfers.

Apparently, the kiteboarders were riding in and out of the surf line up and the local surfers didn't like it. Words were exchanged and the crowd ended up on the beach ready to fight – kiteboarders versus surfers. The lifeguards were called in to break it up as more words were exchanged. Luckily no one was hurt; however, the damage was done. This negative publicity is not good for the image of kiteboarding or the sustainability of our riding spots.

The feud between kiteboarders and surfers is a problem that is happening more often around the United States. “C” Street, California local, Corky Cullen explained that many of the local surfers at his spot have threatened violence as a repercussion for riding through their line up. “Most of the problems we have at “C” Street involve visiting kiteboarders who ride straight through the line up within a few feet of surfers. Obviously the surfers don't like it. They end up taking it out on us locals who ride responsibly,” What do we do? As a kiteboarder we carry a responsibility to do the right thing. In this case, respecting surfers at all times is imperative.

“As I was just about to launch my kite, an older longboarder yelled at me to Go Home.”

Last winter I was riding at Tourmaline, in San Diego, CA. when a nice north swell was hitting. Like any southern California big wave day, the line up was packed with surfers. The wind was blowing side on at a steady 14 knots and the waves were peeling off the point. As I was just about to launch my kite, an older surfer yelled at me to go home. I was blown away. I had grown up surfing on these beaches for over 20 years and kited them for the last four with no issues. Rather than instigate a problem, I smiled, waved and quickly rode offshore past the surfers. After about three hours of riding, I came in to discover my brand new truck had been keyed.

Many of the problems that kiteboarders have with surfers can be avoided by using common sense. As a kiteboarder, you are the one who is responsible for avoiding conflict. This might mean that you have to can a wave session because of safety. If you do decide to ride at a crowded spot, get out past the surfers and stay out there. Riding waves through the line up is only going to create problems. If you see someone mucking it up at your spot, take them aside before it gets out of hand. If kiteboarders commit to yielding to surfers, we will avoid 99% of the problems. If and when problems do occur, please remain respectful. You are representing every kiteboarder.

Do’s and Don’ts

Tahiti, soul session. Photo Paul Jav

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■ Never ride waves through a pack of surfers or swimmers.

■ Never try to relaunch your kite in the surf line up.

■ Never fly with your kite or lines over beachgoers, swimmers or surfers.

■ Never fly your kite on the beach unless you are landing or launching.

■ Always yield to swimmers and surfers.

■ Never attempt to ride a surf spot as a beginner.

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News and Information

News and Information

14 Ways to Stay Warm This Winter

Bluewater Foundation Formed In Memory of Alex Caviglia. By Rick Iossi

by Buck Ashcraft Many of us are inspired by a variety of different music styles. Certain songs get you in the mood for love and others pump you up to ride. We asked a few pros to let us know what gets them fired up to charge on the water and what they chill out to after a session. Whatever your taste, hopefully one of these songs will fire you up to learn a new move.

Photo Sierra Lake

Jason Slezak's Play List

Sponsors: Liquid Force and Real Kiteboarding Amp You Up!

Rap

Artist: Metallica Album: Any Song: St. Anger Why: It's great to listen to before riding high winds, small kites and big surf!

Artist: Jay-Z Album: The Black Album Song: 99 Problems Why: Just watch the kite section in the extras of Liquid Force's new team wake DVD, Relentless.

Underground

Cruzin'

Artist: CKY Album: Infiltrate. Destroy. Rebuild. Song: Flesh into Gear Why: It just gets me pumped!

Artist: N.E.R.D. / The Neptunes Album: In Search of. . . (Version2) Song: All of them Why: They have good flow and are all good to “cruz” to!

South Padre, Texas Blows Up for Industry Summit Slingshot rented the wave pool for the night.

By Stacey Boggs

Photo Buck Ashcraft

South Padre Island provided excellent wind and sunshine for The Association of Wind Sports Industries (AWSI) Annual Summit in October. Attended by 29 vendors, the Summit drew 43 dealers who demoed gear, attended product presentations by designers and international representatives, and let their hair down at evening festivities. The infamous Slingshot crew threw down one of the biggest parties of the year complete with a wave pool. Slingshot’s Jeff Roberts dominated an impromptu wave pool contest. The event concluded with an Industry Meeting to plan goals for 2005. One of the biggest projects for AWSI in the New Year will be to conduct an industry survey to begin creating the foundation for kiteboarding statistics, allowing the organization a starting point to measure the market, growth, and trends of our sport. For more info, go to www.awsiwindsports.org. 18

It's that time of year where we long for the warm, inviting riding days of summer. We believe that knowledge is power here at The Kiteboarder. We went out and researched some of the warmest wetsuits we could find. Make sure to visit each manufacturer's website for their complete product line and accessories. Stay warm!

Alex Caviglia, accomplished windsurfer and kiteboarder, president/founder of Adventure Sports, Inc., the American distributors for Cabrinha and Neil Pryde, passed away in the hospital November 13, 2004. Alex suffered a severe head injury one year ago in a kiteboarding accident in strong gusty onshore winds. Alex fought hard to recover and was able to express his love for his family/friends before passing. The Bluewater Foundation Alex Caviglia in Miami was formed by Silvia Caviglia, his wife, to Photo Bela Pecsi benefit victims of watersports injuries. Pete Cabrinha commented, “He always had a smile and a good laugh for you, he was both respected and well liked by his employees and colleagues. I'm going to miss Alex." Donations may be sent to The following address: Bluewater Foundation • c/o Silvia Caviglia • 5724 SW 131 Terrace • Miami, FL 33156

How to Avoid Getting Skunked. By Alexis Rovira Many kiteboarders only source for checking the wind is looking outside the window to see if the trees and bushes are moving. Trying to determine an accurate wind speed using this method Paul Macaj getting skunked. Photo James Brown is virtually impossible. Most of us end up doing our own unique wind ritual which is similar to a fireman getting a four-alarm fire call. We rush down to the beach, hoping for wind only to get skunked. A quick online check to your favorite site, via computer or a web enabled cell phone could have saved you tons of valuable time. The following websites are what have helped me maximize my riding time this year. I encourage you to search for local weather sensors in your area. Most cities have a variety of local weather information and weather sensors that can be found with a simple Google search. Don't be afraid to explore. www.wunderground.com A clean easy to use site, with a five day weather forecast, and surf, snow and marine report right from NOAA. For $5 a year, you get the site free of ads and an email forecast and alert service for your select cities. www.ikitesurf.com This is purely a wind specific site. The basic functions are free and $9.95 a month buys you forecasting, real-time wind reports from Ikitesurf specific sensors and an email wind alert system. Pager plans are also available. www.noaa.gov A great FREE site with a wealth of information on anything you have ever wanted to know about weather and the ocean. This is obviously a government site that is HUGE, so don't be discouraged. Alexis Rovira has been riding for one year and lives in San Diego, California. Every month he offers his personal tips that have helped him progress as a recreational rider.

Wetsuits

Drysuits

BARE Velocity Full

O'Neill Psycho II

Ocean Rodeo Pyro Drysuit

5/4mm BARE wetsuits gives you a near-custom fit at off-the-rack prices. The Bare Velocity features the famous BARE-FIT enhanced with HYDROSTRETCH, a dual fabric construction exclusive to BARE that maintains high stretch with excellent abrasion resistance. Other features include Bare-Guide Skin Gaskets, the Lumbare X-TENDER, Glideskin Comfort Collar, heavy duty zipper and flat seams throughout. Starting at: $149.95 www.bare-wetsuits.com

6/4mm, 4/3mm and 3/2mm This suit is a stitchless, double fluid seam weld designed for the ultimate in flexibility and warmth. The reduced seams and Ultraflex DS are designed for increased performance. The newly modified Zen Zip with barrier 2 creates a flawless flush free seal. The smooth skin on the chest and back are perfect wind barriers for those chilly winter sessions. Suit comes with a hidden key pocket. Starting at: $349.95 www.oneill.com

Ocean Rodeo is based in Canada and their Pyro drysuit is designed specifically for the coldest waters imaginable. Layer up your under garments to your desired warmth and enjoy the most freezing winter days. The loose, snowboard-style cut offers maximum flexibility. The neck seal is covered with a fabric overlay for extra protection from hard landing and drags. The suit is available from size XXXS to XXXL. Starting at: $490.00 www.oceanrodeo.com

Billabong Solution Gold 4/3mm, 3/2mm, 2/2mm Billabong created the Solution Gold wetsuit to keep you warm and ultra flexible in the water. The 100% IWSS welded seams along with the seamless underarms and back of the legs help keep cold water from flushing the suit. The smooth skin on the chest and zipperless entry make it a solid choice for you cold water kiteboarders. Starting at: $299.00 www.billabongwetsuits.com

Body Glove Storm Trooper 4/3mm, 3/2mm The Storm Trooper is Body Glove's ultimate cold water suit. The 100% liquid tape, no zip full suit is the perfect cold water solution. The Thermofiber, heat reflective hollow fiber ceramic panels on the chest are designed to defend against the coldest winter days. The D-Span, elastic printing on the wrists and ankles help limit water entry. The 5/3 comes with a hood. Starting at: $289.95 www.bodyglove.com

Gul Free Ride Steamer 5/4mm Gul's best value cross-sport, cold-water wetsuit is ideal for kiteboarding with excellent overall flexibility and oversize forearms that reduce fatigue and improve grip. Mega stretch and superlite 100% S-Seal liquid top seams help keep you dry and don't bulk up the suit. Comfortable Neck seal and nice, wind Velcro adjustable ankle straps keep water from being forced up into the leg. Ti-2 Titanium lined. Starting at: $249.00 www.gul.com

Prolimit C1 Fullsuit 5/3mm, 4/3mm The C1 is designed to deliver the ultimate in flexibility, warmth and durability. The Ice-2 Thermo1 chest panel wraps around the kidney area to eliminate a traditional cold spot on most wetsuits. A super short 13” zipper gives a true “zipperless feeling” while hi-flexibility panels are aligned to mimic a riders body movement. Refined seam positioning combined with lined neoprene give the suit excellent long term performance and durability. Starting at: $289.95 www.prolimitusa.com

Quiksilver Cell HFT Steamer 5/3mm, 4/3mm, 3/2mm The Cell is Quicksilver's top of the line steamer. The reduced seams offer maximum flexibility and warmth. The one panel Vapor Stretch chest, back and shoulders and the glued and blind stitch seams help keep the cold water out of your suit. The Hydro Wrap adjustable neck closure helps to prevent flushing. The 5/3 comes stock with a hood. Starting at: $250.00 www.quicksilver.com

Rip Curl Stinger Kite 5/3mm, 4/3mm, 3/2 mm The Stinger is constructed with Rip Curl's most advanced neoprene. This wetsuit repels water, which makes it both lighter and warmer than traditional neoprene. The seams are glued and blind stitched and the Batwind Anti-Leakage System helps to protect against water flushing through. The suit also includes the WRS (Water Release System) to help drain water from the legs, and Anti Chaff harness areas. Starting at: $250.00 www.ripcurl.com

O'Neill Boost Drysuit The Boost was designed for wakeboarding and kiteboarding in the cold. This drysuit is extremely functional and can be worn over additional layering for extra warmth. The abrasion resistant nylon shell can handle almost any wipeout. Rest assured that the fully taped seams will keep the cold water out. O'Neill's long history of building wetsuits ensures you can't wrong. Starting at: $379.00 www.oneill.com

BARE Ultra Drysuit The Ultra Dry is a versatile lightweight "bag style" suit. Latex neck, wrist, and ankle seals make this a dry alternative with greater mobility than a thicker wetsuit. This style of suits allows for warmth adjustment by varying the thickness and type of layers worn underneath. Every suit is tank tested before it leaves BARE's factory so that it's “always summer” inside a BARE Drysuit. Starting at: $349.95 www.bare-wetsuits.com

Accessories O’Neill Coldwater Hood 3mm Starting at: $44.95 www.oneill.com

Dakine Coldwater Mitt Super Stretch Titanium Neoprene Starting at: $28.95 www.dakine.com

O’Neill Super Freak Boot 3mm and 5/4mm Starting at: $64.95 www.oneill.com

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News and Information

Letters

Thanks for everyone's letters this month. Our mailboxes have been blowing up. Please help us make the letters section interesting by sending us an email with your innermost thoughts to [email protected].

■ Blowing Up!

■ The Next Generation

Dear Editor: I learned about your magazine from James Brown (I bought a kiteboard from him. He is really a cool guy). I received a copy of your magazine about a month or two ago. I was BLOWING up! It had some great articles and fantastic shots in it. Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward to more issues. Keep me posted on what's going on.

Once again, keep up the good work. And if you are looking to add to your distribution, I know a few surf stores in the area who would be interested in stocking your magazine as well.

Dear KB Team: Way to go guys and congratulations Gabe. I just checked out the site and sent in my subscription to the magazine. There is no doubt about the fact that you guys now have the critical mass and superior content. The photos are awesome, and I love the fact that you have it all available online as a free pdf download. Let me know how I can support your efforts and contribute.

Dear Editor: I just wanted to let you know how great The Kiteboarder Magazine is. Not only has it helped me successfully land new tricks, it gets me so stoked on kiteboarding that I can't sleep at night. I would have to agree with all the letters written in the September issue, except for Donna Green's. I want you to keep the same amount, or maybe add more stories that cater to the 25 and younger crowd. I'm interested in what the kids are doing over in Hawaii, so I can try to match their level and moves. Also, she places the stereotype on people that are younger than 25 that kite! Just to let her know, I worked hard to research everything so I could get the cheapest of last year's kites to be able to kite this year. Forget gas money and paying apartment bills! I only know a few other people that do it in my area, so "snot-nosed", "trust-fund" babies wouldn't be an accurate description and is just plain ridiculous. I also loved the magazine and how it incorporated pro's (both young and old) and unknown riders trying to move up in rank. It's a great magazine and I pray it stays that way and doesn't get bogged down with ads on every page like many other magazines these days.

Andrew Ghezzi Owner, Powerline Sports

Steve Gibson

Thanks, and keep the tips coming!

978-388-8974

www.kiter.com

Charley Hambleton

Wow! We really appreciate your letter. As you may know, half of our staff quit working for Kiteboarding Magazine to launch The Kiteboarder. We are an independent magazine putting out a better product. We encourage you to call up your vendors that you don't see advertising and let them know the facts. Thanks for your support.– Ed.

Again, thanks for your kind words. We are proud to have Gabe Brown on board. Gabe came over from Kiteboarding Magazine last month and is a huge addition to our team. Thanks for your subscription support. Every dime goes straight into the magazine, and every little bit helps. Please continue to spread the word about the free magazine pdf download at kbmag.com. – Ed.

Steve Gibson Photo courtesy Kiter.com

■ Kiteboarding Magazine has been Cancelled! Dear Editor: I got the new issues, and once again, your team delivers the goods. I have been in the retail kite business for seven years now and your magazine is by far the best I have ever seen. I am dropping Kiteboarding Magazine from my store since The Kiteboarder is 100% better. Your issues are more geared towards actual content our customers can use, and you provide a solid perspective from people who actually kite. Kiteboarding also wanted to start charging me for the mag or cutting out UPC codes for refunds, so I was like "later."

Thank you for your time, Michael Bertone

Thanks for your kind words. James Brown is actually not that cool of a guy. If you had to deal with his obsession with gnomes, Beverly Hills 90210 reruns, and silk pantyhose you might have a different perspective. We try to get him on the snow as much as possible. It seems to mellow him out. – Ed.

■ Kiter.com Support

How to Shoot Video Like a Pro 1. Keep the shot tight on the rider but not too tight. Your footage will come out better if you pull back a little and allow more room for your subject to move in the frame. Photo Michelle Zuniga

2. Don't shoot when it is overcast or ugly weather. Shots come out much better when the sun is shining. You will find that overcast footage looks really bad. Sam Bell shows off his video skills.

Avid kiter of California

We have received countless emails from satisfied readers around the globe. We need readers like you to voice your opinion to the gear manufacturers that you don't see advertising in this magazine. Tell ten of your friends to do the same. You are the ones who keep them in business. – Ed.

By John Romais

3. Mix up your angles. Go up wind. Go down wind. Don't just shoot straight off of the beach. Mixing up the angles will give you more editing options. 4. Anticipate your subject's movement in the frame. Give them a buffer as to which direction they are going. For example, if they are going to jump, frame them towards the bottom of the frame before they leave the water.

5. Decide whether or not you are good at using a tripod or better at hand holding. Most experts will tell you that using a tripod is better except when filming a sport with so much action. If you decide to hand hold, make sure you hold the camera steady and keep the horizon line level. John Romais is a film student at UCSD and is sponsored by Liquid Force, Jimmy Lewis and Zeal Optics.

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News and Information Photo Daryl Drown

Shop Talk Extreme Kites

SMACK

FL

Location: St. Augustine Beach Florida Contact: [email protected] (904) 461-9415 or 866-790-SURF Owner: Daryl Drown Riding Experience: 6 years How did you get into the Kiteboarding retail business? I started selling off the beach and online as a way to pay for my hobby. Next I opened a store to move closer to the water. How is the kiteboarding scene in St. Augustine? Great! We have a really good group of riders in St. Augustine and the surrounding areas that do their best to keep the sport safe and fun for everybody. The local camaraderie is unbeatable. The conditions can range from a steady light sea breeze to blistering nor'easters. Our beaches are second to none with accessibility since you can drive your car right on the beach. What do you think about skimboards? In light winds, skimboards allow us to have a fun and challenging session on days we used to consider not ridable. How does your shop support the local kiteboarding community? With a long history in kiteboarding, we educate the local community not only on different product lines, but on the importance of lessons, respect for other riders, local riding spots and wind conditions, and vacation destinations. We plan events that support worthwhile causes and provide a fun and safe environment for riders of all levels. What tips can you offer kiteboarders who want to ride in St. Augustine, Florida? Bring a full range of kites due to our varying wind conditions, and don't hesitate to stop and talk to us or the local riders about where to ride since the best location is dependent upon the wind direction and tide. What is the best way for people to check the forecast and current conditions in your area? You can check out the page of weather links on our site: www.oceanextremesports.com. Also, feel free to call us as well. The local kiters call in daily and inform us of the riding spot for the day.

Website Report

Industry News and Gossip Editors Choice If you are heading to Hood River and need a comfortable place to stay, check out the Hood River Hotel. Most of the rooms overlook the sand bar and the hotel staff is as nice as they come. The historical hotel has all modern amenities including wireless and high speed connections and an incredible restaurant. The Kiteboarder staff stayed here last month and gives it a double thumbs up. The Hood River Hotel gets our Editor's Choice award for kite-friendly lodging and we encourage you to check out www.hoodriverhotel.com Following his unbelievable first full season in the PKRA, Aaron Hadlow signed with Flexifoil for another two years. After placing first at the PKRA Brazil event, Hadlow was crowned the 2004 PKRA World Champion. Congratulations Aaron! Check out the tour at www.pkra.info.

The internet can be a scary place filled with misinformation. The following sites were submitted by our readers and have earned The Kiteboarder Magazine seal of approval. Be sure to send your favorite links to [email protected]. Kiteboarding pioneer, Elliot Leboe has taken kiteboarding video production to the next level. The Jaws Takedown videos will blow your mind at www.aclproductions.com. If you are going to Cabarete, Dominican Republic or want to check out what's going on at Kite Beach, go to www.extremehotels.com and click on the live web cams and weather links for comprehensive weather reports and real time video of the reef, beach bar and happenings. We know you are freezing your patootie off in the North East right now. You need to get out and ride. Island Surf and Sail is your ticket to getting into snowkiting. Check out www.islandsurf-sail.com for their new snowkiting program on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. If you are chasing the wind in southern California, then you should check out www.kitesetc.com for the wind and weather report at Sunset Beach. They have a direct link to the weather channel's overview. Start researching your summer trip to Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC at www.bigwavedave.ca. This site has a ton of insane web cams, real time wind and weather reports, discussion forums and photo galleries of the local spot.

Photo courtesy of Flexifoil

Coche Kite Sport Center, the first kiteboarding school on the island of Coche in Venezuela is open for winter 2004/2005 in Playa Punta. This IKO certified school offers lessons for all levels. For more information click on Coche Island on www.worldkiteboarding.com. Validating the fact that kiteboarding is going mainstream is Julian Smith's November 2, 2004 article for National Geographic News. It takes an in-depth look at some of the facets of the sport: kiteboarding, snowkiting, and Arctic exploration. Trip Forman and Andrew McLean offer their expertise and Smith writes about a group of people planning to break the record time for crossing a portion of Antarctica. Check out “Kite-Assisted Expeditions Cover New Ground-Fast” on news.nationalgeographic.com Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of Dave Kennedy who passed away suddenly Aug. 13, 2004 at his home near El Mirage Dry Lake. Dave came into the kiteboarding world by way of kite buggying and had just launched Windspeed Pro, the U.S. distributor for Peter Lynn kites. Dave had been flying kites for at least 20 years, but had spent the last five years active in traction sports. He is survived by his mother Betty and his father Charlie along with a younger sister Jodi. He will be missed dearly. Great Lakes Kiteboarding's new shop for the spring of 2005 will offer kiteboarding camps and lessons, a full line of kiting gear and accessories, and also a board and kite repair center. Check out www.greatlakeskiteboarding.com. The 11th Annual Reed's Lake Ice Fly is scheduled for, February 12 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Last year's event turned out 40 riders and 25 people were taught how to fly kites. This is the oldest Ice Fly in the country. Check it out at www.mackite.com Pelton Wind Sports will be hosting this year's Peter Lynn Winter Demo Tour on the following dates and locations. Ride the latest in Twinskin Technology including the Phantom, Bomba, Guerilla 2 and the much anticipated Venom! Check out www.peterlynnkiteboarding.com. For event information, contact Pelton Wind Sports at 303-378-6763 or [email protected] January

By The Kiteboarder Magazine Staff

Jeremy Pilington and Aaron Hadlow.

8-9 Lake Dillon, CO 22-23 Lake Dillon, CO 11-16 Ivenpah Dry Lake, CA/NV 28-31 Lake Minnetonka, MN

Solo Sports is gearing up for another insane winter at Punta San Carlos. You can’t go wrong booking your holiday with these guys. Ride and learn from the pros at one of Baja’s sickest riding spots. Check out www.solosports.net.

February 4-6 Madison, WI 11-13 Lake Dillon, CO

18-21 Georgetown Lake, MT 25-27 Burlington, VT

San Carlos firing. Photo Clark Merritt

IKO (International Kiteboarding Organization) is now offering a 3-day snowkite instructor certification course for current IKO certified instructors, and a 5-day training course for new candidate instructors. For more info, check out www.ikorg.com. Puerto Rican, Airush pro-rider Danny Cruz, is taking a break from Kite Beach, Maui and is now back in Puerto Rico gearing up for the wave season. Check out Danny's site at www.dannycruz.com. X-RATED 2005 - Check out www.xratedkiteboarding.com for their 2005 schedule of trips to the Dominican Republic. Trips include: airport shuttle to and from Puerto Plata airport, all accommodations and breakfast, free clinics, all transport around the DR for day trips, downwinders, and evening entertainment. The hotel they frequent has made many improvements to its property including wireless internet, its own supply of electricity and a new skate park. Check it out at www.extremehotels.com/webcam. Ocean Rodeo continues to expand its distribution worldwide and is proud to announce three new Ocean Rodeo Distributors: Laguna Sea Sports (Israel), World Focus Cape Town (South Africa), and Vliegerop Raymond (Benelux). Zeal Optics is now the official eyewear sponsor of IKO. All IKO pro members (instructors, examiners and school managers) and kiteboarders certified with the IKO Kiteboarder Card can purchase Zeal Optics at 60% off of retail for pro members, and 25% off for IKO Kiteboarder Card holders. For more info check out www.ikorg.com or www.zealoptics.com

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News and Information

SMACK Understanding Wind By Scott Norby The oldest voice in the world is the wind. The wind affects our everyday lives in many ways that we do not realize. Kiteboarders and surfers are more aware of the winds presence. For many, this means looking out the window to see the trees swaying. For others it involves reading charts and maps with hopes that there will be enough wind to enjoy a day on the water. Wind is a very complicated thing to predict. But we would like to encourage you to learn more by giving you a few basics each month. As a surfer I study online every morning to see the incoming swell. And as a kiteboarder I read the online forecast daily to anticipate the possibility of wind. Get to know the wind in your local area and you will be able to predict more effectively.

LOCAL WINDS Small-scale winds occur as a result of localized differences in pressure or temperature, or the interaction of large-scale winds with a local land mass. In coastal areas, for example, local winds may develop on clear, sunny days. As the sun heats the land, the land heats up faster than the water. The air over the land rises and is replaced by the cooler air from the sea. This circulation is called a sea breeze, and it generally occurs in spring and summer, when differences in temperature between land and sea are most pronounced. The reverse occurs at night: the land cools down quickly while the air over the sea remains warmer and rises. The air over the land is pushed out to sea, creating a land breeze.

DOWNSLOPE WINDS As wind blows over mountains and sinks down the other side, it creates high pressure and clear skies. This compression of the air also raises its temperature, resulting in a warm wind. Several winds around the world are examples of warm downslope winds, including the Chinook on the east side of the Rocky Mountains and the foehn in Switzerland.

GORGE WIND Wind forced through valleys will strengthen, just as narrowing the end of a hose will create a more powerful jet of water. In the Columbia River Gorge, winds can become so strong that semi trucks are forced to the sides of roads, and kiteboarders can be overpowered on 6 meter kites. Hot inland temperatures east of the Gorge draw cool air from the ocean hundreds of miles from the west. As this wind funnels up the Gorge eastward it finds itself being forced between canyon walls. The result is an intense local phenomenon that occurs in Oregon on a very regular basis during the hot summer months. The reverse occurs in the winter time when the wind blows from the cold desert to the warmer sea. Although these are only three descriptions of the wind's diverse personality, we hope that you are encouraged to read more about the weather. Understanding the wind is a very good tool in our sport. The most committed kiteboarders in the world know where the wind comes from and why. In addition, it is good to understand the local wind of any area you are traveling to. Now get out there and find some wind!

Snowkite Adventures

continued from page 22

Montana Snowkite Adventures recently opened their doors at the Georgetown Lake Lodge in Anaconda, Montana. The lodge has 11 rooms with a fireplace, bar, pool table, foosball Exploration. Photo Frederick Pattou table and video slot machines. Large picture windows overlook the lake and surrounding hills where most of the snowkiting activities take place. The PASA certified staff can get first time kiters up and kiting in a couple hours, or help more experienced kiters to hone skills and develop moves. Custom backcountry excursions are also available. The on-site store carries UltraNectar, Slingshot, Ozone, Dakine, Gath and Protec products just to name a few. Contact [email protected] for more information. 24

New School Up and Coming Rider Profile

The Kiteboarder is pleased to announce two new members to its staff: Marina Chang and Gabe Brown. Marina is the NEW publisher and is in charge of managing operations, distribution, finance, sales, marketing, promotions, and strategic relationships. She will also play a key role in shaping editorial content and the overall vision of The Kiteboarder. Before joining the staff, she was a partner in Kitexcite kite school located in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. Gabe was previously the West Coast Editor for Kiteboarding Magazine. He will be handling marketing and business development along with assisting the editorial staff. Gabe is the Producer for KillaHz, an action sports video production company which recently released one of the hottest new kiteboarding videos: “WindReels Volume 1”. They are both tremendous assets to the magazine. The Block Hotel in South Lake Tahoe recently hooked up the NorCal and Ozone Snowkite crew with rooms on the strip. This place was made by snowboarders, for snowboarders and they didn't miss a thing. Each room is armed with XBoxes and big screens. Check out www.blockattahoe.com if you're heading to Tahoe for some snowkiting.

Stormin’ Mike Norman Hometown: Jupiter, Florida Age: 19 Height: 5’10 Stance: Goofy and all the way out! Years Kiteboarding: 3.5

Occupation: Freshman at the University of Miami

Cross Training: He hits the Cable Park and wakeboards.

Preferences: He likes bindings and pulley bar because that is true wakeboard style, and he started as a wakeboarder.

Sponsors: Best Kiteboarding

Mike’s Dorm Room

Afterparty at the Block Hotel. You had to be there!

1. Uses the Best Pro 130cm board with custom inserts to have an 18-inch “super-wide” stance.

Photo Gabe Brown

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Minnesota's, biggest snowkite event, US Kitefreeze, is scheduled to take place January 21-23. Check out kbmag.com for upcoming contest information. Kiteboarding School of Maui, KSM, recently gave lessons to Scott Niedermayer, from the New Jersey Devils. Scott was named the NHL defenseman of the year this year. Kiteboarding is the perfect crossover for hockey players. Check out www.ksmaui.com. Colorado Kite Force is an excellent source for snowkiting lessons in Colorado. Check out www.coloradokiteforce.com for more information. Take the kiteboarding adventure of a lifetime to Kenya and book your Kitesurfari with www.extreme-safari.com or www.h2o-extreme.com. We want to congratulate Brad and M'Leigha Lange who are getting ready to have their new baby daughter Ava. Brad already has the buzz board set up for her. Also Brad's business, Seven Sports, located in the keys Florida has a new launch site. Check out www.sevenkiteboarding.com Our spies tell us the US Kiteboard Pro Tour is coming to a windy place near you this year. Stay tuned to www.uskiteboardprotour.com. If you are bored at work or want to get amped up before you ride, check out the videos at www.Kiteflix.com and www.kbmag.com. Live2KITE has a great program where every time you make a purchase, a percent of your spending is donated to victims of kiteboarding accidents. Ask for Babette at Live2KITE for more information. Check out www.live2kite.com

Paul Menta joined the Ozone International Snowkite Team. He will be offering snowkite instructor courses this winter and will be on the road with the US crew at many of the Snowkite Freeride Tour dates. Keith Kallio of Montana Kite Sports hosted the first Snowkite Roundup in Montana on Georgetown Lake. Ozone, Red Bull and Ultra Nectar were on the scene to help stoke up the crowd. Strong winds, hard ice and rocking parties turned the weekend into a blur that all will remember. Guillaume Chastagnol has been working with Apocalypse Snowboards to design his own Pro Model board for snowkiting. The board is supposed to be a good free-riding board for using with or without a kite. Apocalypse are the first major snowboard brand to realize the potential of snowkiting. Florida Kiting and Xrated Kiteboarding are putting on the 2nd annual Jupiter Kite Invasion January 28-30. Jupiter, Florida is home to some insane kiteboarding. Check out www.floridakiting.com for more information and driving directions. Niccolo Porcella is back on the water killing it as usual. Niccolo was one of the first kiteboarding prodigies. Due to injuries he was forced to take some time off the water. Niccolo is healthy as ever and recently was sponsored by Takoon international. Keep your eyes open for this young ripper.

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3. Helmet to protect his University education from the rails like the “Camel-Toe.” 4. Surfs in his spare time. 5. A mini-fridge to hold his “Diet Doctor Pepper” since he is under age.

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Windwing kites are now available direct at www.WindExpress.com. Windwing recently signed, kiteboarding legend, Flash Austin on their team. Flash will also be helping with R&D.

The Second Annual Therapy Sessions freeride snowkiting event will take place again at Dillon Reservoir, CO on February 12 and 13. For more information, email [email protected].

2. Uses all models of Best kites, but likes the Big Nemesis, the medium Yargas and the small Grunts.

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RRD team rider, David Tyburski was recently featured on a Fox/Fuel TV show while he was in Brazil. Tyburski also just signed a contract with an action-sports athlete management company, the Wax Group and launched www.davidtyburski.com.

Chris Gilbert has joined DAKINE's R&D team and will be working with the kite division as well as helping with kite marketing. Chris was the crazy mofo on the cover of the last issue of The Kiteboarder, launching off the Lexington. Congratulations Chris!

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Two former snowboard industry leaders, Dave Schmidt, previously the vice president of global sales for Burton Snowboards, and Stuart Knowles, Duotone Snowboards, have teamed up for the global launch of Himaya Sports Sun Protection, a new sunscreen company. David Tyburski swears by the stuff claiming no eye-sting in the water and slippery residue. Check out www.himaya.com

www.kbcalendar.com is blowing out 2005 Calendars at 11.99 for two calendars shipped to you. Offer is good until they are sold out. Get them while supplies last. By James Brown

News and Information

6. Plays guitar to swoon the ladies. 2

8. Some of his favorite magazines that pump him up to ride.

Mike Norman showing style on the rail in Hatteras. Photo Greg Gnecco

7. General Ed books to round out his mind.

Photo Josh Miller

9. Window for throwing water balloons at freshmen.

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NOW BOARDING

Video

Review

Avoid the Ticket Change Nightmare

By James Brown By Sierra Lake

By Karen Futernick, Ozonetravel.com

SnowKiting Made Easy

Age: 39

This video is a must have for anyone interested in snow kiting. It is comprehensive and well thought out. Everyone, from beginners, water kiters making the transition and even seasoned snowkiters can learn something. It covers everything from the basics like setting up, launching and landing the kite, to advanced jumping techniques. The DVD shows the differences between foils, inflatables, handles and control bars. It also covers the different aspects of the sport such as freestyle, big air and cross-country travel. www.naishkites.com

Street Name: “Chocolate Chip”

Snowkite Addict #2 Changing your ticket these days can be extremely costly if you don’t know what you are doing. Sometimes these costs are inevitable. Having a back up plan before booking your ticket is always the best call. The following information should help you avoid getting burned by the airline industry.

Booking Domestic Travel When purchasing your ticket for travel to a destination within the United States (normally known as, “domestic travel”), there are some things you should be aware of, especially if you think you may change your ticket. Tickets purchased on major airlines such as American Airlines, United Airlines, etc have more restrictions and more significant penalties than those purchased on discount airlines, such as Southwest, Jet Blue or Spirit. Make sure you understand the fare rules associated with your particular fare before purchasing your ticket! Ignorance is no excuse. Ask the agent about ticket changes before you book the ticket. Being in the know before hand is your best travel advantage.

Changing Your Ticket Before Flight Change: Don’t bail your flight without calling ahead of time to let the airline know you are changing your flight. If you don’t make your changes before hand, there’s a great possibility that your ticket won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on!

▼ Outbound Changes (Your outbound flight is the first flight of your trip): If you’re on a major airline, you will most likely be charged a $100.00 change fee plus any fare difference that may exist between the ticket you purchased and the price of the “new” ticket. For smaller, discounted airlines, your charge may be nothing but the fare difference (Southwest Airlines) to $25.00 plus the fare difference (Jet Blue and Spirit). Remember, each ticket is different so check the fare rules. Always ask about flying stand-by. You can sometimes avoid all fees.

▼ Return Changes Most airlines will charge you a $100.00 change fee. Your best bet is to call the airline ahead of time and ask them what days are the most open. Again, ask about flying stand-by to possibly avoid fees.

▼ Cancelling your ticket The most important thing about canceling your ticket is that it MUST be done before the scheduled departure time of the flight you wish to cancel! If you have an un-restricted, refundable ticket, then ask the agent how to handle your refund. If you have a nonrefundable ticket, which is what most of us travel on, you have exactly one year to re-use your ticket. You will be charged a fee ranging from $25 $100 and will have to pay whatever difference exists between your new ticket and the ticket you purchased. If you have a credit, then that money is available towards the purchase of another ticket; it is not refundable.

News and Information

This is the latest mind blowing snowkite DVD from the Semnoz Kite Surfing crew. There is tons of action and lifestyle footage put to a killer soundtrack. It is shot on location in Jackson, Wyoming as well as France, Norway, Switzerland and some secret spots. The top men, women and juniors from the US and Europe show the true potential of snowkiting that has turned us all into “Addicts.”

Home: San Francisco Bay Area System: RRD, Cabal DC, UltraNectar, DaKine, Kaenon Ride: Escape snowboard Claim: Brought water kiting to the West Coast. Photo Gabe Brown

Chip Wasson

“Complete” is a good description of this DVD. It covers everything about kiteboarding from standard kite and board skills, gear, rescue techniques, freestyle moves for beginners to experts and waveriding. Extras include interviews with top Naish riders as well as board designer Greg Drexler and kite designer Don Montague. Look for the DVD at your local retailer or go to www.kitefilm.com to order.

Detonation Detonation comes straight from Perth from Reflex Films Australia. Matt Holder takes you on a kiteboarding adventure to some of Australia’s sickest locations. Not your typical cast of riders, Felix Pivec, Stuart Martin, Darren Marshal and Ryland Blakeney explore the vast coastlines that Australia has to offer. The wave riding footage of Felix Pivec at legendary Gnarloo in Western Australia make this low budget production worthwhile. Check out the trailer in the video section at www.kbmag.com. Email [email protected] for ordering information.

Metropolis ACL Productions has done it again and come out with the most progressive kiteboarding video on the market. Metropolis is actually the Cabrinha Team video, but don’t let that scare you away. Between Pete Cabrinha’s tow surfing footage, Elliot Leboe’s wave riding section, Stav Niarchos’ wakestyle segment and Andre Phillip’s infinite handle pass sequences, there is enough variety to keep you entertained for more than one viewing. The clips of Cabrinha’s manufacturing plant give an interesting perspective into the kite trade. This DVD is a must see if you want to check out the latest kiteboarding moves. Check out www.aclproductions.com for more information.

Photo Patrick Nedele

Snowkiting Tips 1 Make sure your equipment is dialed in and comfortable.

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Clothing, boots, harness setup, snowboard/skis waxed and sharp, good step-in system w/ comfortable stance.

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The Complete Kiteboarding Guide

Shout: GO!

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If you are going way out from where you start, bring snowshoes and water.

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Don’t be afraid to use both skis and a snowboard.

When pumping up kite, don’t pinch frozen valves, place your finger over the top and then quickly plug.

Rig up a relaunch system from the trailing edge of tube kites.

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Make an effort to go to places where snowkiting is sick (Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho) as well as exploring your local area.

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Start with a kite size that is nicely controllable first and work your way up.

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News and Information

Competition Results

Competition Corner Felix Pivec crushes speed crossing record By Sierra Lake The race consisted of the whole tour racing down wind from the island of the Phare Amédée, to the beach of the Meridian. The wind was blowing a steady 24 knots, with really choppy seas and rolling swells. Felix was invited by the KPWT organizers to compete, unofficially, in the speed crossing. To the surprise of the organizers and the other competitors, Felix used a different strategy than the other competitors. Pulling away from the competition in the first eight minutes, Felix stayed in the lead by choosing to tack upwind, which is initially a longer way to reach the finish line. In doing so, he avoided the impact zone. The other riders took the straight tack and were forced to go through the impact zone where they lost the majority of the time. Felix's winning time was (25'55") coming in two minutes ahead of every- Felix Pivec with his support crew. Photo Sierra Lake one setting a new official speed record for the race.

MEN 1. Charles Deleau, North 2. Mickael Siret 3. Mickael Fernandez, RRD 4. Manolo Barlet WOMEN 1. Fabienne d'Ortoli, Cabrinha 2. Gisela Pulido, Airush 3. Coralie Imbert 2004 KPWT Final Rankings Official 2004 World Champion Ranking MEN 1. Mickaël Fernandez, RRD 2. Charles Deleau, North 3. Guillaume Mariani, North 4. Soufiane Hamaini, North

2004 KPWT World Champions Announced By Alexis Rovira The Kiteboard Pro World Tour held their final event in New Caledonia and announced their, high points, Men, Women and Junior Kiteboard World Champions for the 2004 season. We know you have never heard of these European riders, but we figured we would give them credit for their efforts. Congratulations to the new KPWT, world champions Mickaël Fernandez, Gisela Pulido, Tom Hébert. The KPWT also awarded The Wave Masters champions, Hervé Bouréand and Event Site, New Caldonia. Photo KPWT Fabienne D'Ortoli for the 2004 season. Check out the competition section at kbmag.com for more information.

PKRA Announces 2004 World Champions in Brazil By Alexis Rovira The PKRA competition season came to an end at the Ceara, Brazil event. Flexifoil's young gun, Aaron Hadlow earned the World Champion title by placing first in three out of six events and second in the rest. The kid came on the scene and dominated the older riders with his arsenal of kiteloop and handle pass combinations. New Zealand's, veteran world champion, Cindy Mosey Aaron Hadlow’s signature destroyed the women's bracket placing first at every event except Fuerte Ventura where she didn't attend. Cindy is handle pass. the first women kiteboarder to pull handle passes in competition and has led the Women's bracket for the last three Photo Robert Vreeland years. For more information on the PKRA, check out www.pkra.info.

Ben Wilson Wins Australia's Infamous Mambo Merimbula Classic By Ryan Riccitelli The Mambo Merimbula Classic is a legendary event that's history spans over two decades. The competition is renowned for its wild parties and hard core riding. Over the last few years the Mambo added a kiteboarding discipline which has become one of Australia's biggest kiteboarding competitions. This year, Australia's Ben Wilson took the first place prize. From the rumors we heard, Ben and his entourage also won the “unofficial” biggest party award. Ben is the former Australian Kiteboarder Magazine editor and is one of Australia's premier wave riders. For more information on the Mambo Classic's debauchery, check out http://www.acr.net.au/~msc/.

2005 Corona Extra Winter Tour

Kiteboard Pro World Tour 2004 Alcatel Kitesurf Pro Meridian Beach, Noumea, New Caledonia November 1-7 2004

By James Brown

The Semnoz tour organizers are gearing up for another mind-blowing season of snowkiting for 2005. Approximately 70 riders will come from 10 different nations including USA, Switzerland, England, Germany, France and Norway to compete in four events. Rider categories will include skiers, snowboarders, men, women and juniors. After the tour stop in Norway last season, it was apparent that the Norwegian guys were super motivated and had stepped up their skills. Our boys from the US haven't let down there guard either. Alex Peterson and Aaron Sales spent some quality time in October training in New Zealand where the terrain mirrors that of the Col du Lautaret in the French Alps. The terrain is mountainous and above tree line, where the jumps are huge since you can turn your kite and float forever as the slope drops away from you. To place well on the tour, the riders have to be solid on this kind of terrain in the first and final events held in France. Check out the action on their DVDs “Wanna Get High” from the 2003 tour and the newest DVD, “Addict” which was released recently. 2005 Event Schedule Col du Lautaret, France - January 10 to 15 Note: The event in Jackson, Wyoming will not be repeated unfortunately. Let's keep our Silvaplana, Switzerland - February 7 to 12 eyes open for a solid world-class event site so they will bring the tour back next season! Geilo, Norway - April 4 to 9 Championship: France - March 8 to 13 For updated tour info check out www.semnozkitesurfing.com. To order DVDs go to sideoff.com or murrays.com.

WOMEN 1. Gisela Pulido, Airush 2. Fabienne D'Ortoli, Cabrinha 3. Sandrine Maunier, Naish World Champion Junior (under 18) MEN 1. Tom Hébert, Airush 2. Kevin Langeree, Naish 3. Mallaury Villemarque, North PKRA Frestyle & Wave Riding Ceara - Fortaleza, Brazil November 28, 2004 Freestyle Results MEN 1. Ruben Lenten, Slingshot 2. Aaron Hadlow, Flexifoil 3. Gianni Aragno, Cabrinha 4. Cesar Portas, North WOMEN 1. Cindy Mosey, North 2. Kristin Boese, GER, 3. Angela Peral, ESP 4. Ania Grzelinska, North Wave Riding Final Results MEN 1. Mark Shinn, Naish 2. Abel Lago, Naish 3. Marc Ramseier, Cabrinha 4. Mallory De La Villemarque, North WOMEN 1. Kirsty Jones 2. Kristin Boese 3. Angela Peral, North 4. Ania Grzelinska, North 2004 PKRA Final Rankings Men's Final Ranking 1. Aaron Hadlow, Flexifoil, World Champion 2. Gianni Aragno, Cabrinha 3. Ruben Lenten, Slingshot 4. Jaime Herraiz,, North 5. Martin Vari, RRD 6. Etienne Lhote, F-One 7. Alvaro Onieva, Wipika Women's Final Ranking 1. Cindy Mosey, North, World Champion 2. Kristin Boese 3. Ingrid Koellbichler 4. Angela Peral, North Mambo, Merimbula Classic 2004 Merimbula Beach, November 25-28, 2004 Open Men 1. Ben Wilson 2. Lee Kavanaugh, Wallabi Point, NSW 3. Jamie Symons, Gold Coast, QLD. 4. Blake Maxted, Redhead, NSW 5. John Messenger, Palm Beach, NSW 6. Damien Leroy, Florida, USA Senior Men 1. Mat Tobin, Southport, QLD 2. Russell Pel, Nambucca Heads, NSW 3. Scott Balfour, Stuarts Point 4. Rich Stenning, Sans Souci, NSW 5. Buck Ashcraft, Corpus Christi USA Women 1. Jessica Van den Burgh, Perth, WA 2. Sally Hobgin, Fairlight, NSW 3. Angela Van Hoof Mudgeeraba, QLD

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Name: Trip Forman Age: 36 Organization: REAL Kiteboarding Website: www.realkiteboarding.com Phone: 866-REAL-KITE Founded: 2001 Background: Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Sailing, Surfing, Skiing, Snowboarding. Position in organization: Co-Founder of REAL Staff size: 38 Location(s): Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, Cozumel/Mexico

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Kite Organizations

Go Head to Head

Learning to kiteboard can be dangerous, and trying to figure out where to get quality instruction is often confusing. Everyone says, “Take a lesson from a qualified instructor.” What defines a quality instructor anyway? We

took the time to do the research on four of the top teaching styles in the world: PASA, IKO, REAL Kiteboarding and K.I.T.E.S. technique. The Kiteboarder Magazine doesn't favor any of these teaching styles over the other. We support any legitimate organization spending the time and money to promote and teach kiteboarding safely.

KB: What does your organization represent and how does it differentiate from other kiting instructor certification programs offered throughout the world?

will have this issue. We give instructors a 30 student permit after the course, and we monitor this to see if they can make the grade. They have 6 months to complete this, or they have to start over. If we have an issue with a PASA instructor, most times, we can work with the instructor and help him or her overcome the problem. We are a non-profit—this is about the sport, not just the money, so our philosophy is if you don't follow the guidelines, you don't hold the certification.

PASA: PASA's main concern is safety in the sport for schools and instructors. I believe all the organizations have the same goals, we just have different situations. PASA focuses on the United States market because it's where we live and are based. We also have many extras in our certification for our instructors that may not be required outside of the U.S. for insurance and safety reasons. KB: Do you think your organization has played a role in the development and popularity of kiteboarding? How? PASA: Yes, a major one. Having North America as the largest growth market for kiteboarding creates a lot of challenges. We have formed a committee to go to different states to help set up schools for the regulations that they have, to prevent bans on the sport. I am also working

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Photo courtesy of IKO

with the Mexican Sports Ministry to help them sort out similar problems, and PASA is now their accepted certification. At PASA we have a broad range of examiners which helps us have a variety of views on what's going on. KB: What were your major accomplishments in 2004 and what are your goals moving forward? PASA: I would say is that we were instrumental in getting leisure and pro riders to use kite leashes and have started the trend for wearing helmets in areas with onshore winds. We had a big growth of instructors last year and helped push more into the mainstream. I wrote a snowkite instructional course, and we have already held three courses to provide a certification for the snow. This year, we will concentrate more on the helmet issue. KB: There has been some criticism of “certified” instructors. This has put into question the validity of “licensed” instructors. What is your response to this? PASA: The law of averages says in any organization you

KB: What does your organization represent and how does it differentiate from other kiting instructor certification programs offered throughout the world?

well. When my partner Matt Nuzzo and I started REAL, we went this direction because there needed to be an easy way to get into the sport in order for it to grow. Now there is.

Trip Forman: REAL kiteboarding represents the highest end of kiteboarding instruction. We strive not for numbers but for the highest quality of service, instruction, facilities and results. Two examples of this are our Kite Camps and “On the Fly” PWC coaching programs.These are two teaching methods developed by REAL and then adopted by most schools worldwide. By pushing the envelope of what is possible, rather than what is accepted, REAL has made learning to ride easier and more fun since our inception.

KB: What were your major accomplishments last year and what are your goals moving forward?

KB: Do you think your organization has played a role in the development and popularity of kiteboarding? How? TF: Yes, I do. In 2004, our schools created over 6,000 new riders. In year's past we have created similar numbers as

KB: What does your organization represent and how does it differentiate from other kiting instructor certification programs offered throughout the world?

Name: Sandrine Beaudonnat Age: 31 Organization: International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) Website: www.ikorg.com Phone: 809-240-5432 Founded: November 2001 Background: PR & Business Communications specialist Position in organization: Communications Manager Staff size: 5 full time at head office Location(s): Headquartered in the Dominican Republic

News and Information

IKO: IKO is an international organization that has developed kiteboarding training certification programs, from assistant instructors to examiners, which are recognized and approved worldwide. Teaching content and quality standards are updated on a yearly basis and more if necessary. IKO provides the only international network for instructors to work anywhere in the world, with the support, communications and organization tools needed to do so professionally. KB: Do you think your organization has played a role in the development and popularity of kiteboarding? How? IKO: It definitely has! Since our inception in 2001, more than 80,000 people discovered kiteboarding through an IKO affiliated center. IKO training methods have made the sport more accessible to the public in a manner which

TF: I'd have to say our media coverage due to people recognizing the quality of our programs and how rapidly the sport of kiteboarding is growing. In 2004, REAL was featured in Time, Outside, Men's Journal, Sports Illustrated, Hustler, National Geographic, USA Today, NY Times, and almost every major newspaper across the country via an AP news item that went national. On television, REAL was recognized by Outside Magazine and OLN as the #5 Adventure Camp in the World. To give you a reference by which to compare, Outward Bound received #9. Moving forward, our goals are to continually improve our programs and facilities

promotes safety, which is important for the sustainability of kiteboarding. KB: What were your major accomplishments in 2004 and what are your goals moving forward? IKO: Our primary goal always is to make kiteboarding safer and accessible to the masses. Our biggest accomplishment was obtaining International insurance coverage for IKO instructors and schools. We also completed two books: Kiteboarding Vision, for all kiteboarders and the Kiteboarder's Workbook, for students. Lastly, we enhanced our training programs to include assistant instructors, IKO equivalency programs for other teaching organizations, and basic first aid & CPR courses. KB: What do you think about the validity of the insurance and certification programs that PASA offers? How is it different from IKO? IKO: I am not familiar with the details of the insurance that PASA has to offer so I will not comment on its valid-

KB: Does your organization offer insurance and certifications for instructors? If so what do you have to do to get it and where is it available? PASA: Yes we do, the courses are available in all regions of the USA. You must pass a four day course to get a temporary permit. Upon completion you are allowed to have insurance but are only allowed to teach 30 people until PASA evaluates your progress. You can't continue until you have the ok. This insur-

to keep REAL on the forefront of “Making New Riders Everyday”. KB: Does your organization offer insurance and certifications for instructors? TF: Yes, we certify all of our coaches through a seven day certification program. All insurance is held within the company and covers all coaches working for REAL. KB: What do you think about the validity of the insurance and certification programs that PASA and IKO offer? How is your organization different? TF: I do not have any experience with their insurance, so I can't comment on that. I do know that it is far better to properly certify the right instructor candi-

ity. As for the certification programs, well, there are differences, but we have worked on an equivalency course for PASA instructors, giving them the opportunity to become IKO as well. KB: Do you think IKO's teaching standards are better than the competition? IKO: I do not wish to comment on whether our standards are better than the competition. I think there is a market for all and that each group meets the need of its market. Our training certification programs are recognized and approved worldwide. KB: Rumor is that IKO does not have the reach in the United States that PASA has. Why is it that IKO has had such a hard time getting insurance in the US? IKO: It is a fact that there are more PASA instructors in the States, apart from Maui where most instructors are IKO. We need more US based IKO

ance will cover the instructor, student, shop and Jet Ski or boat. Contact First Flight for more information on the insurance. KB: What do you think about the validity of the insurance and certification programs that IKO offers? How is it different from PASA? PASA: PASA is more centered on the USA, although we also prepare instructors to teach anywhere in the world. IKO has limited insurance for the USA. I think their program is fine, but it's not geared for the USA. KB: Do you think PASA's teaching standards are better than the competition? How do you address schools that are not PASA or IKO certified? PASA: Our standards are for quality and safety. No one is better than the other. I am just as happy when instructors take the time to learn from someone who has the knowledge and a program. Yes, I feel PASA has more of a degree program, because the insur-

dates, than it is to cover up that fact with insurance and hope for the best. Our insurance properly covers our coaches and also our events like the RED BULL qualifier event. KB: Snow kiting is starting to explode. Do you see your organization playing a role in its development? TF: We have been riding and teaching on the snow since the winter of 2000 (not REAL then). Our “Storm Chasers” Snow Tour has been a big hit every season. Snow kiting will go huge when the snow industry officially recognizes it. Currently they have their nose turned up at the sport and snow kiting is only a subset of the water kiteboarding. Once they take their head out of their %^&ss and realize how fun it is, then snow kiting will really explode.

examiners to run the courses, and are currently working on finding the right, serious candidates. Because we are an international organization, we concentrated our efforts on finding insurance that would cover instructors and schools worldwide. Unfortunately, this coverage excludes the US. We have a separate policy for accident, health and liability insurance for US IKO instructors. KB: There has been some criticism of “certified” instructors. This has put into question the validity of “licensed” instructors. What is your response to this? IKO: Quality standards and student satisfaction are essential to IKO's credibility. If IKO standards are not followed, we investigate when the issue is brought to our attention. The instructor receives a warning and if the situation persists, he or she is revoked from the IKO network. We have also implemented a student feedback system so that

By Marina Chang

ance mandates us to do so. We have been involved in teaching similar sports since the late 70's— hangliding, skydiving, ultralight, paragliding. As far as the other programs, we have instructors take a PASA course that updates them to our standards and current USA regulations. KB: Snow kiting is starting to explode. Do you see your organization playing a role in its development?

Photo courtesy of John Holzhall

Name: Paul Menta Age: 38 Organization: Professional Air Sports Association (PASA) Website: www.pasakiteboarding.org Phone: Refer to website for email Founded: November 2001 (Kiteboarding Program) Background: Chef, wakeboarder, surfer, WSN examiner, owner Kite Surf the Earth & Kite House, PR Position in organization: Master Instructor, Head of Training Staff size: 9 Location(s): Headquartered in Florida

Photo courtesy of Real Kiteboarding

Photo courtesy of PASA

411 News and Information Outlook

PASA: I wrote the first manual and certification course for snow kiting out there last year. I spent a whole season prior just teaching snow kiting to see what would work best. We promoted the sport and did demos at all the US snow tradeshows. PASA will go in full gear this year to make it even better for the snowkiters. The growth of snowkiters will help create a full season balance for many schools and retailers.

KB: Do you see licensing of private kiters or sites in the near future? Why? TF: Private sites do work. Our REAL Lesson Center in Cape Hatteras is a private facility and this operates efficiently with very little drama on a daily basis. Just down the island at many public launches, you can see the exact opposite of this. If your site is private, you control the access, the riders and the rules. This controls and guarantees a high fun factor for those granted access. In regards to public sites, we need to keep a tight watch on their access and who/how uses them. Again, if everyone basically practices common sense and takes 100% responsibility for their actions, we will be very ahead of the game.

we can monitor, evaluate and follow up as needed with all the IKO instructors and IKO centers. IKO recently upgraded its school standards which resulted in 42 suspensions due to noncompliance of our requirements. I think this shows that we are serious about enforcing the IKO quality standards and ensuring student satisfaction! KB: Snow kiting is starting to explode. Do you see your organization playing a role in its development? IKO: We just completed our snowkite instructor training content in cooperation with IKO Examiner Maarten Huissman from the Netherlands. Maarten is also a snowboard training master and worked with instructors from Canada, Finland, and the UK to develop a comprehensive, complete and international teaching program. The first two courses offered at the end of 2004 were full, with more scheduled worldwide this year.

Name: John Holzhall Age: Born late last century Organization: CEO/Author Secrets of Kiteboarding (book and dvd) Website: www.kiteboardcenter.com Phone: 808.276.2667 Background: Blue skies, strong trades, palm trees, hammock, hot tub. Staff size: 37 Schools, 136 Retailers, 27 Distributors, 13 Importers Location(s): International One of Hawaii's first instructor's, John Holzall had little choice but to log massive hours to develop a safe teaching program for his students. Five years in the making, he released Secrets of Kiteboarding and launched K.I.T.E.S. (Kiteboarding International Training System) in 2003. K.I.T.E.S is available in book/dvd format and targets kiteboarders, instructors, and retailers. John believes his system fills a niche in that newbies generally travel to find wind and instruction. With the book/dvd, they can now be prepared before their lesson and perhaps more importantly, after, when the rider often has to reproduce what he learned on his own in a different location and with different gear. K.I.T.E.S. is a PASS/FAIL system. It has tremendous depth in safety and gear setup, but the Upwind Board Drag (UBD) on Multiple Line Lengths (MLL) is the main point of differentiation. If riders aren't self launching, traveling upwind and self exiting their first day, they are failing the system. If an instructor's student is going downwind, the instructor is failing! Secrets of Kiteboarding is available at participating retailers, schools and www.kiteboardcenter.com. 31

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11 12 1. Oahu kite girls ready to ride. Photo Jeff Pfeffer

7. Lou Wainman shows off his new toy. Photo Jimmy Lewis

2. Dimitri Maramenides and Danny Cruz working hard at a photo shoot. Photo Javier Cruz

8. Bri Chmel watching Julie Simsar’s heat. Photo Kim Kern

3. Hamish Macdonald entertains the Islamorada Sand Bar. Photo Brad Lange 4. Real Kiteboarding claiming like they own it. Photo Greg Gnecco 5. Good times at AWSI in South Padre, Texas. Photo Tonia Farman 6. Damien Leroy lighting up in the British Virgin Islands. 32Photo Chris Vicari

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9. Teague Pilcher sending it in Lyle, Washington. Photo Kim Calder 10. Renee Hank’s super model look. Photo Lance Koudele 11. Homegrown, Cancun, Mexico. Photo Kevin “Top Hat” Senn

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26 27 14. Dana Pinto shows off every girls dream quiver. Photo Jeff Burton 15. Slezak’s after school training program. Photo Greg Gnecco 16. Felix Pivec running amuck in the red light district of Bangkok. Photo unknown. 17. Joe Cool. Photo Gabe Brown

12. Hiro you’re my hero. Photo Lou Wainman

18. 5 year old up and comer Areland from the Netherlands. Photo Dad

13. Check out this fish I caught? Photo unknown

19. Margarita, Venezuela loves kiters. Photo Andy Hurdman

20. Hair club for men convention. Photo Adam Koch 21. Otis from Michigan. Photo Brad Knoth

26. James Brown boardslides over Mike Muenzenmayer. Photo Blake Pelton

28 Send in your best kiteboarding

22. Pete Cabrinha representing a true waterman. Photo Tracy Kraft

27. Dave Alden towing Jeff Swanstrom to the goods. Photo James Brown

photos: riding, lifestyle or whatever.

23. X Rated Kiteboarding’s standard issue bathing suits. Photo Neil Hutchinson

28. Wind is the best cure for a hang over. Photo Paul Lang

“Exposed” section and will receive a

The best shot will be printed in the pair of Martin adjustable straps.

24. Danny Cruz rips his Gibson Explorer when he is not on the water. Photo Javier Cruz

www.martintechnologies.com

25. Nina Johansson always puts a smile on our face. Photo Dave Turner

[email protected]

Don’t forget to send us your caption.

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Close-Up Power and Passion Anyone who knows Chuck Patterson will tell you that he has some of the biggest balls in the sport. The guy is not afraid to risk life and limb in pursuit of adrenaline. Whether it is tow surfing into 50 foot plus waves or snow kiting off cliffs in the Sierra Nevada’s, Chuck is a maniac and always up for a stunt. Where did you start kiteboarding? I started kiting with Chip Wasson from Ultra Nectar in San Francisco about 5 or 6 years ago. I then moved to Maui to really get the sport dialed by riding with the best in the world. I started on a Wipika Classic 5.0 and a wakeboard, which I rode at Kite Beach every day. Back then it seemed like that's all you needed—simplicity. Now, we all have quivers of kites from 20m down to 5m. What sets you apart from other kiters? My love for riding overpowered in big surf with a pulley bar.

Chuck Patterson

by James Brown

VITALS Age: 35

Height: 6’2

Weight: 215 lbs. Stance: Regular Years riding: 5.5 Favorite Spots: All of Baja's Pacific coastline, Santa Cruz and Maui. Favorite Conditions: 6-10ft, hollow rights, with 20-30 mph side offshore winds.

Chuck meets his match. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

Favorite Moves: Off the lip aerials, off the lip back rolls, kiteloop reentries. Sponsors: Caution Kites, Rainbow fins, Dakine, O'Neill, Smith eyewear, Dahui, Reactor watches, Eletic surfboards and 5iveo.com

What is the scariest wipeout you have experienced in big surf? I have experienced many, and I think it is a true test of survival and physical strength. Taking beatings from waves over 40 feet is pretty awesome and humbling in the same way. Sometimes you need to get slapped to be reminded of the power of Mother Nature. My worst beating was probably at Peahi (Jaws) a few years ago.The waves were a solid 25ft from the West. That direction can be scary, because every now and then, the West bowl will close out the wave and trap you if you aren't fast enough. Sure enough that's what happened to me. I had three options—either go for it and get really beaten, kick out the back and get beaten by the next wave or straighten out and let the wave blow up behind me and suffer the avalanche of white water. I straightened out which put me really deep in the impact zone and I took five waves on the head before anyone could get to me. What riders do you think need to step up their game? I'll be the first to say me. I have been so consumed in my other sports like tow surfing, working with hosting TV shows and training my team kids, that it's easy to fall away from the eye of the storm! I'm an old guy anyway, but I can still hold my own in huge surf and strong winds.With all the young groms getting so good so quickly, I'm sure it's a full time job for the majority of pros that started when I did. Competition is healthy! Who is your favorite female rider and why? I can't say I have any favorites because I like them all. There's something to be said about a girl in a bikini doing a handle pass or a kiteloop!! I'm stoked to see so many women getting into the sport. What do you think of the current state of the industry? I think the kiteboarding industry is slowly building itself up and the kite companies are building better and stronger kites and boards with the consumer in mind. Once the prices come down or level out and the surf industry takes note, I think this sport will definitely grow a lot more. Snow kiting should be a lot easier to grow with less restrictions. What are your major complaints about the sport? I think there is too much attitude by some people in this sport and not enough people giving back to ensure the safety and growth of kiteboarding. Final comments? Don't ever forget the people who helped you succeed on the way and always return the favor.

Chuck signs his autograph on a San Carlos lip. Photo Clark Merritt

GEAR GEAR SET-UP SET-UP Kite: Caution 6m-16m Bar: Airush pulley-bar Board: 132 Caution-Red Line with C Patterson fins by Rainbow Bindings: Dakine footstraps

Harness: Dakine Pyro

Lines: 25m for everyday light wind riding and 20m & 15m for waves

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Pro Tips

Wetsuit: O'Neill Psycho II 3/2 full for winter and O'Neill shorty for summer 1. Before jumping any trees or rocks, always check for any hidden dangers like obstacles or shallow water in the landing zone.

4. When traveling overseas with a lot of kite gear, call ahead to check what the weight restriction limits are and the amount of baggage you can take with you.

2. Make sure you have enough room in the landing zone in case of an unexpected updraft.

5. Before traveling check the internet for the conditions of the location you are traveling to. This will help you decide what gear to bring.

3. Make sure to pack sharp objects separate from your kites.

6. Inspect your equipment after you ride to ensure your next day of kiting is safe.

Close-Up Flying Frenchy

Julie Simsar

by Marina Chang

VITALS

In the last year, Julie Simsar has made her name in the US kiteboarding scene by either winning or placing in the top three of every major US kiteboarding event. Julie has constantly stepped up her game learning many of the new school unhooked moves. Lately she is one of the few women who have added the handle pass to her bag of tricks. Keep your eye out for Julie at a beach near you, she will probably be schooling the guys.

Nationality: French/Turkish

When did you get into kiteboarding? I started in Cabarete, Nov 2002 with my boyfriend and the rest of the instructors. I used to windsurf but quickly got addicted to kiting. I started with a 9m RRD Type 4.

Favorite Moves: High mobes

Is it hard living in the US and being a French citizen? I am French, a real froggy, and I have chosen to live and kite in the States. What it means is either coming in and out of the states every three months on a visitor visa, or trying to get an athlete visa for a year. Being recognized as an athlete in the states is a great advantage as it lets you work and travel internationally as you wish.

Sponsors: Flexifoil, Kronic Kiteboards, Carrera, Dakine

Age: 22 Weight: 130

Height: 5’7 Stance: Goofy

Years Riding: 2 Local spot: San Juan, Puerto Rico Favorite Spots: Charleston, SC and San Juan

An introspective Julie.

Favorite Conditions: 20 knots, sideshore, flat and waves.

Photo Gabe Brown

Favorite Riding Style: Powered and going for it—whatever it is.

Rumor has it you and Bri Chmel have quite a rivalry—what is that about? I've actually heard that quite a bit, so I am going to start believing it is true! Well, I probably won’t be the first to tell you that girls tend to be a little wild and competitive with each other. When I am on the water competing in my 8 minute heat, I am going to try everything to win it, which has sometimes brought some tension on land. Between Bri and I, it is great because we're on the same kiting level and push each other constantly. She kicked ass in a few comps, and I did too. She throws some moves like her unhooked kite loop that just petrify me thinking about it. I go for other moves like mobes. When we get out of the water, let's be honest—doesn't everyone enjoy seeing two blondes fighting?! Is there a kiting soap opera yet? Why did you leave Globerider and go to Flexifoil kites? I spent a year with Globerider USA and I really enjoyed it, but I realized there was no international opportunity with them. The French company was too small, too new and did not want to expand their team riders. I had a good idea of what kind of kites I wanted to ride in 2005 and what kind of people I wanted to work and hang out with. I wanted to travel and compete on the international level, and Flexifoil offered me a spot on the US team. What moves are you working on right now? Unhooked: slims, mobes, back rolls, kiteloops and raley kiteloops. Who do you like to ride with? Joe Wilson, Michelle Baillot, Raquel Arroyo, Antoine Jaubert, Damien Leroy—the list is exhaustive. What do you do off the water to help you on the water? I think about the move I want to learn and try to visualize it in my head. I like to practice on a kite bar hung from a tree. I also ride my bike and try and stretch out as much as possible. What are your views on contest? Contests are fun if you attend them with the state of mind of just having fun. Where do you see the sport heading? 1. Wave riding. 2. The big jumps and board off moves will probably stay. 3. The wakeboard style moves are going to become more and more precise and strict. What is your most memorable moment? The first time I rode a wave, I finally understood the addiction! Who would you like to thank or give props to? Greg Kuklinsky, Flexifoil, Dakine, Carrera, Grant Good – Kronic kiteboards, Antoine Jaubert and my family.

Julie is known to throw down the hardest unhooked moves. Photo Robert Vreeland

GEAR GEAR SET-UP SET-UP Board: Kronic Kiteboards 118cm/35cm Bindings: Straps Kite: Flexifoil 7, 9, 12 and 15m Bar: Flexifoil Lines: 27m Harness: Dakine Tabu

Pro Tips

Wetsuit: I try to stay away from them.

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1. Mobes: Don’t be afraid—try it by throwing your legs back like a raley. This will give you momentum to complete the back roll and pass the bar.

3. If you want to jump high, hold your edge, pull stronger that you think you should and let the power lift you. Don’t forget to bring the kite forward again unless you’re going for a kiteloop.

2. Ride with a friend and stay away from stormy onshore weather. Use some sort of a quick release and an “Oh Shit” handle.

4. It’s easier to hit kickers with more speed. It allows you to keep your balance. 5. Make sure your bar is tuned and check your lines often. 36

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Exploring the Lagoons of Cumbuco Story and Photography by Gavin Butler Viva Brazil!

A local watches kiteboarding for the first time.

iles of wide of open M beaches combined with the eclectic culture and perfect kiteboarding conditions 24 hours a day come to mind when reflecting back on my trip to Cumbuco, Brazil. I had heard many stories about how good the kiteboarding was in Brazil. That statement in itself is really vague because it is a huge country with many different riding spots. It's kind of like saying the kiteboarding in the U.S. is insane. Well, the stories were true at least for our little paradise in Northern Brazil's Cumbuco district. Cumbuco is located in Brazil's Ceara State which is situated on the Atlantic coast just a few degrees south of the equator. This area experiences almost around the clock trade winds that blow until well after the sun sets. The landscape is reminiscent of Star Wars, with creeping sand dunes, orange sunlight and jagged outcroppings that seem to evolve in the shifting sands that create them. There is huge potential for miles upon miles of downwinders, with perfect size kickers for any riding level. Did I mention the lagoon system? The lagoons sit just back from the high tide mark and create a kiteboarding flat-water fun park. No matter how hard the trade winds blow, the water stays perfectly smooth. You have to see it to believe it. Screams of joy blew away in the wind as we unpacked and tested the waters at our own secret spot. Jeff Beige, Bill Kraft, Alex Shogren, Joseph Carneiro and myself sessioned new spots like this everyday. One day we pumped up the inflatable slider and played until the sunset. Beige hit the rail with perfection and Kraft threw giant handle passes in the background. Amazingly enough, when the sun dropped, the wind continued to blow. We rode the last remnants of light until the bursts of flash from the camera were the only light left. Joseph’s huge handle pass kiteloops backlit by the sun, led the way to darkness. We shared an amazing day at one of the most consistent and perfect riding spots we have ever explored. This was truly an experience to remember. ■

— Continue to next page for more on Cumbuco, Brazil. 38

Miles of desolate white sand coastline and lagoons make Cumbuco a dream spot to explore.

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Alex Shogren takes advantage of a night session.

The camera strobe lights up Joseph’s Indy tantrum.

Renting a truck is the best way to explore the lagoons.

Jeff Beige sessions a portable rail.

Cumbuco Travel File Directions: • Fly to Sao Paulo or Rio and connect to Fortaleza. There are a few direct flights each day from the US. • Fly direct from most major airports in Europe.

Location: • Fortaleza in Ceara State, North Brazil. • Cumbuco is situated approximately 1/2hr a halfnorth hour of north the of the airport. airport. • Taxis from the airport cost about $20. • The peak season is from September to November, which is when the crowds start to come. It is usually windy year-round except for the wet season from December to February.

Accommodations • Golfinho Hotel is excellent, with clean rooms, TV, phone, internet (when working) and a swimming pool internet(when for about $40 a night.. The food is excellent and the staff is friendly. www.hotelgolfinho.com.br • There are cheaper places to stay, so do your research if you are looking for a deal. • For the ultimate kiteboarding experience, Dunmore do Sol is the place. With three private, flat, freshwater lagoons, the resort has 20 rooms stocked with every amenity. Plus, you can’t beat the no-wind, nopay room rate guarantee. Opening Aug 05. Check out the laundry list of perks at www.kiteflatwater.com.

Transportation: • You need a car to get around, or you can rent a buggy and driver. The best option is to rent your own 4WD for around $70 a day or a buggy for $40 a day. You can explore the miles of beaches and find your own private lagoon if you search hard enough.

Riding Tips: Caption text goes here.

The lagoons are the perfect place for Joseph Carneiro to practice powered handle passes.

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A kiteloop at sunset defines what soul sessions are about.

• The wind blows a consistent 20-30 knots everyday and even stronger sometimes. Small kites are recommended so there is no need for an 18m or up. • The wind direction is usually cross shore or cross on in the mornings and by 9am it starts to swing more onshore where it remains for the day. • There are several lagoons in the area. Cauipe is the most well known and is just north of Cumbuco. For the adventurous, you can find several lagoons to the north and south of Cumbuco. Bring food and drink since you may be all alone in a private wonderland. • With hundreds of miles of beaches, the spot is a downwind paradise. It's up to you to choose the howhow far far you want to go. It is perfect for those who like port

you sidewant tack. to go. It is perfect for those who like port tack. • side Paracu •ruParacuru about 40 minutes of Cumbuco is about 40 minutes north ofnorth Cumbuco, which forms forms greatbeachside beachsidelagoon lagoonthat thatisisflat flatonon waves low tideonwith a agreat the fantastic waves thetide. outside. Best on a high tide. outside. Best on a on high

Travel Tips: •• Be sure toischeck outcity www.ozonetravel.com Fortaleza a large of 4 million people or thatcallh 1-888-8-2-GO-FLY for nightlife. the best deals on Brazil air as great shopping and and hotel travel. • Fortaleza has several internet cafes along the beach • Fortaleza is a large cityrestaurants of 4 millionlinepeople that has at Bierra Mar. Several this stretch of great shopping and nightlife. downtown beach. •• Fortaleza hasdon't several along the like beach Most clubs go internet off until cafes 12 am. If you to at Bierra Mar. Several line this stretch of party, Fortaleza is yourrestaurants spot. downtown beach. • Don't drink the local water. Bottled water is a must. • Most clubs don't go off until 12 am. If you like to • The local seafood is excellent with lobsters, shrimp party, Fortaleza is your spot. and plenty of fresh fish in all the restaurants and • Don't cafes.drink the local water. Bottled water is a must. •• The seafood is excellent withand lobster, and Beeflocal in Brazil is also top quality it is shrimp well worth plenty of fresh fish in all the restaurants and cafes. sampling. •• Beef is alsopizza top quality is wellthat worth Thereinis Brazil an excellent joint in and Cumbuco has sampling. tasty pizzas and Calzones. •• Most Most restaurants restaurants and and cafes cafes have have pasta, pasta, sandwiches, sandwiches, salads salads etc. etc. Vegetables Vegetables are are hard hard to to come come by. by. •• The The local local beer beer isis fine fine along along with with the the Brazilian Brazilian specialspecialty ty Camprinha. Camprinha. The The local local “rum, “rum, lime lime and and sugar sugar drink” drink” packs packs aa punch punch and and tastes tastes great. great. •• Most Most hotels hotels have have telephones, telephones, and and phone phone cards cards are are readily readily available. available. You You can can bring bring your your own own mobile mobile phone phone ifif itit isis set set up up for for aa SIM SIM card. card. ItIt costs costs around around $15 $15 to to set set up up aa local local number number in in Brazil, Brazil, and and can can be be done done easily easily in in Fortaleza. Fortaleza.

Caution: •• Be Be careful careful of of theft, theft, as as crime crime isis high high in in Brazil. Brazil. The The locals locals know know the the value value of of kiting kiting equipment, equipment, so so be be sure sure to to take take your your gear gear out out of of your your car car at at night night to to be be safe. safe. •• IfIf you go out on the town, use common sense. you go out on the town, use common sense. IfIf you you are looking for trouble you will find it. are looking for trouble you will find it. • If you find a secret spot, check to see if the water is • If you find a secret spot, check to see if the water is clean and where the water is coming from that fills clean and where the water is coming from that fills the lagoon. Most are all right, but use common sense the lagoon. Most are all right, but use common sense when riding a new spot. when riding a new spot. • Check the lagoon's depth before riding. There are • often Checksubmerged the lagoon's depth There are rocks that before can be riding. dangerous. often submerged rocks that can be dangerous. • Conditions change with the tide and swell along the • beach, Conditions the tide andbeaches—espeswell along the so bechange carefulwith driving on the beach,atsonight. be careful driving on the tobeaches—especially It is recommended take the back cially ifatthe night. recommended to take the back roads tideItisishigh. roads if the tide is high.

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The Man Behind the Mask The Kiteboarder Magazine interviews Jimmy Lewis

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t is amazing how a board designer can have such an impact on our sport. Jimmy Lewis has played a major roll in the progression of kiteboard design. Over the past 30 years, Jimmy has shaped custom toys for the world's elite waterman including: Laird Hamilton, Pete Cabrinha, Mike Waltze, Brett Lickle, Vitor Marcal, Maria Souza, Dylan Grafmyre and the list goes on. Back in 1996, Lou Wainman hooked up with Jimmy to design some of the early kiteboard prototypes. Over the years Jimmy has continued to push the envelope in board theory and evolution. Most people claim that once you ride one of Jimmy's shapes, you will never want anything else. We caught up with Jimmy early this winter to check out some of his latest designs.

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9 Most people don't know you build a lot of boards for some of the world's hardest charging watermen.What have you built for Laird Hamilton?

though, and I have a good time too. If I ever did get lucky with any of them, no one would ever know unless she told someone. I'm not the kind of guy who likes to talk about it more than doing it.

Jimmy Lewis: I mostly have built sailboards

KB: What is the one thing in the board building process that you think is most difficult to understand for someone trying to do what you do? For example, at what stage does the average shaper falter where you would succeed?

KB: Everyone is always talking about it. What's up with the crazy ads with the chicks?

Jimmy: When I make a board of any kind, whether it’s a kiteboard, surfboard, foil board or whatever, I'm looking for all the lines to flow and blend together. Those lines are the outline, the rocker line, the thickness flow, the deck and bottom shape and the rail shape. When all of these lines are flowing and blended correctly for the dimensions of any given board, then you could have a magic shape. It seems that I have an eye and a feel for this flow and blend that others don't. It's not that some shapers screw up. It's just that their vision of a "line" doesn't seem to have the same effect in the water as mine.

The Kiteboarder:

for Laird. I've made him some foilboards too. The foilboard that Dave Kalama was riding in the movie, Step Into Liquid was a board that I made for Laird.

Jimmy: Doing my own ads is fun and can be creative. The first ad I did with a girl in it was the one with Melody in the wet t-shirt. I think what I was trying to get was a little shock value. Not so much with just her photo but with the text of that ad too. I DID get lots of attention from that ad and subsequent ads with her in them too. Since then, all of my ads with girls seem to get the most attention. That's what advertising is all about. I think that most riders are aware that I make boards. Plus, going into the studio with an ad concept, an idea for a picture and an attractive girl with a good attitude is really fun too. KB: What do you have to say to people who are offended by your ads? Jimmy: I have only had two people complain to me, by email, about my ads and I've heard of only two others who were offended.The reality is that my ads don't offend the buyers who are mostly over 35 and male. I have LOTS of female customers too. My ads do what they're supposed to do: get attention for my product. Tony Finn (Liquid Force) defined it perfectly when he was telling me about a guy who was complaining to him about my ads. Tony told him that "here you stand with the new magazine in your hand and ALL YOU are talking about is Jimmy's ad. I think his ads are working." KB: Have you ever hooked up with any of your models? Jimmy: I don't really know any of the girls who have been in my ads or calendar except for the photo shoots and dealing with them after. The reality sometimes isn't what people might think. The girls always have a good time doing the pictures 42

KB: Is there anything that makes you laugh or pisses you off when people begin shaping a board with you for the first time? For example, people telling you what works?

boards in the Liquid Force line and a few in the Wipika line. I did the boards for Liquid Force because I really like Tony Finn, who is the president, and I did the boards for Wipika because of my relationship with Mauricio Abreu, who has been a loyal rider of mine since the beginning. Mauricio, along with Dylan Grafmyre, Lou Wainman, Tomoko Okazaki and Konrad Bright, would all pay me for one of my boards before they would ride another.

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KB: How do you figure out what to charge for one of your handshaped boards?

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Jimmy: My boards are about the most expensive on the market, I think. Both my custom boards and my production boards. What I don't understand is why riders would pay ANYTHING for some of the boards on the market today. These boards that are pressed out like snowboards with hard, square, thin rails, terrible outlines and terrible rockers and have absolutely no shape to them. All the focus is on these manufacturer's kite sales and nothing goes into the board design. Board design is just as important as the kite. Get on a good board and you will feel the difference.

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KB: Rumor has it you're a closet vocalist and your Rolling Stones covers sound dead on?

Jimmy: I usually am not too receptive to any input except length and width. If someone comes to me for a board, it's because they know already, have heard from someone about my boards, or they have ridden one and want their own. When someone tells me they rode one of my boards and it was by far the best thing that they've ever ridden, and then asks me to make it like so-and-so's shape, I suggest that they go to so-and-so if they want that shape. I explain the logic to them: "You rode my board. You loved it. Now you want me to change it so it's like the one you WERE riding, but didn't like as much as mine? If you liked my shape so much, why do you want to change it?" In other words, I don't go to Mama's Fish House and order a hamburger.

Jimmy: I sing just a bit lower than the volume of my record player in my shaping room which is full blast. How can I not sound good in those conditions? A guy that worked at my shop was telling Brett Lickle one day, "Jimmy thinks that he sings good, but he sucks." Brett told him that ANYONE who isn't afraid to sing in the presence of others sings GOOD! Brett is my hero.

KB: Can you list the kiteboarding companies in the past and present who have enlisted you for board work?

Jimmy: First of all, let there be no mistake: we're ALL the same-believe me. With me there is just no facade. And of course, "pervert," is just another one of these new age expressions. It's like the definition of a nymphomaniac: that's just someone who gets more than you do.

Jimmy: I've made boards for Liquid Force, Naish, Cabrinha,Wipika and Airush. I have my own line of production boards now, but I have a couple of

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24 25

KB:On Maui,how can someone find you to build something? Jimmy: If someone calls me at my shop, I will give them directions and they can stop by.

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KB: People perceive you to be a bit of a pervert. What do you have to say to that? 1. 16-year old Jimmy glasses his first board on his apartment roof in Berkeley, CA. 2. Jimmy in his hey day. 3. “Da Fastest” is Jimmy's nickname because many of his windsurf shapes won speed records. 4. Jimmy Lewis stickers ready to for their shiny new boards. 5. Jimmy shaping one of his classic 9 foot noserider. 6. The 80's. 7. Thousands of boards have been glassed in this room. 8. Jimmy launching off of kitebeach in 1999. 9. Working hard to return email.

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

Jimmy hand shapes every board. “Shopy,” keeps a close watch on the factory. Classic advertisements. Jimmy's factory in Haiku. The entrance to the JL compound. This is where the magic happens. The smile emanates Jimmy's love for shaping. The original “Loucifer” pro model. Standing in front of many of the pro model, prototype boards that evolved kiteboarding. 19. Niccolo Porcella picks up his new custom board.

20. 21. 22. 23.

The original “Loucifer” logo. Jimmy Pole boarding back in the day. Classic advertisements. Jimmy's brother, John. has been glassing for Jimmy for over 25 years. 24. Felix Pivec's legendary leopard print board. 25. Final touches on a surfboard. 26. Jimmy’s shipping department.

Photos courtesy of Jimmy Lewis.

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A Caribbean dream session. Secret Spot, British Virgin Islands Photo Gabe Brown

South Florida's Andy Hurdman poking out an indy grab. Miami, Florida Photo Gabe Brown

Dominican Palm. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

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Sam Bell recently appeared kiteboarding in a Coca Cola commercial and is one of the hottest up and coming riders out of Cape Hatteras. Hawaii Photo Jeff Pfeffer

Brian Wheeler is committed to his kiteloop. Columbia River, Oregon Photo Lance Koudele

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Western Australia is filled dozens of windy secret spots. Photo John Carter

Martin Vari slams a section riding strapless. Hawaii. Photo Pfeffer

Maui kite girls teching their gear. Hawaii. Photo Kim Kern

Soul rider, Yuri Drexler can give world champion, Cindy Mosey a run for her money. Maui, Hawaii. Photo Kim Kern

Caribbean fishing village. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

Andre Phillip slides one his favorite private rails in Antigua. Photo Nicholas Fitt

Stephen Whitesell takes action photography to another level. Dominican Republic Photo Mark Ribkoff

The perfect ending to a summer day of kiteboarding off Key Biscayne, Florida. Photo Matt Cotton

Santa Cruz local, Dave Broom smashes a Waddell Creek lip. Santa Cruz, California. Photo Paul Jav

Kiteboarding in front of the ruins of Tulum is rumored to be incredible. Photo Michelle Zuniga

Even on the small days, the outside reef kicks up a fun left. Mauritius. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

A glimpse of fear on Chip Wasson's face before he launches into great white infested waters. San Francisco, California. Photo Gabe Brown

Baja Sunset. Baja, California. Photo Clark Merritt

Wes Matweyew gapping a creek in Mammoth Lakes, California. Photo Jason Wolcott

Dessert road into paradise. Baja, California. Photo Clark Merritt

Kevin “Top Hat” Senn is the world’s most recognizable kiteboarder. Hawaii. Photo Jeff Pfeffer

Billy Blackman rides Jaco Beach – locals had only reported to have seen one other kiteboarder.. Jaco, Costa Rica. Photo Michael Jordan

Peahi unleashes her fury, December 15, 2004. Maui, Hawaii. Photo Diego Velasco

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Denver Coon headed for a knee crushing landing. Maui, Hawaii. Photo Kim Kern

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Chris Gutzeit expands the potential of longboarding with a kite. Ventura, California. Photo Jason Wolcott

The paparazzi caught Brendan “Hollywood” Richards kiteboarding at the sand bar this summer. Hood River, Oregon. Photo Jim Semlor

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This KGB has 12 frames-the same number of letters in Dennis Vassillinine's last name. Photo Gavin Butler.

John Amundson enjoying an afternoon wave session. Hawaii. Photo Jeff Pfeffer

Big air is something that kiteboarding and motocross have in common. San Diego, CA. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

A silhouetted Jason Slezak hits the rail one last time before sundown. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Photo Gregg Gnecco

Portugal is known for it's amazingly beautiful kiteboarding spots. Photo KPWT

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Welcome to Dimitri Maramenidas' back yard in Nags Head, North Carolina. Photo Bill Mieckle

Moe Goold uses the inside of kite beach to learn all of his unhooked moves. Photo Charles Oreve

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Bucky Ashcraft shows off his Texas pride. Photo Glenn Hartman

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The ultimate kiteboarding goddess-she not only rides, she shoots photos. Photo KPWT

Pattaya, Thailand is renowned for its nightlife and is a growing kiteboard destination. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

With razor sharp, shallow rocks on the inside, Franz Olry races death at Cabo Verde. Photo FX Abonnec

Tracy Kraft is not only an insane photographer, but she can hold her own amongst the Maui crew. Maui, Hawaii. Photo Kim Kern

Jack Webb has never gotten the respect he deserves for busting moves like this-Keep charging Jack. Maui, Hawaii Photo Epes Sargent

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a i g r o e G Secret Jewel

The shrimp is cheap and bountiful in Tybee. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

Spot Check

of the South

19th Street Nick Name: South Tip Fun sea breeze spot with waves on the sandbars and shallow flat water inside, great for learning at low tide.

By Ryan Riccitelli and Tim Malins

Cross Streets: 19th Street and Hwy 80 (literally the end of hwy 80) Best Season: May-August Best Direction: SW Conditions: Can be waves at high tide if there’s a swell. Flat at low tide. lagoons between sandbars at low tide for butter flat conditions. Outgoing tide is best, or the current may negate some of the wind. Average Kite Size: 15 Level of riding: All, especially at low tide, must be able to stay upwind of jetty at high tide Launch: Sandy beach, plenty of room Local Shops: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah Local Schools: High Tide Places to stay: Desoto Beach Motel, Rivers End Campground, assorted B&Bs

Warm, steady winds make Tybee the perfect Summer getaway. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

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The local crew was in awe of Hamish’s insane kite loops. Photo Lauren Burton

ife is like a box of chocolates, you never quite know what you are going to get.

Neil Hutchinson, Hamish Macdonald and I were on a road trip up to Georgia to escape the South Florida doldrums of no wind and summer heat. As we stopped off at a roadside gas station, there was a makeshift stand offering fresh Georgia peaches and boiled peanuts for sale. Southern hospitality at it’s best along with sweltering heat and humidity and locusts buzzing in the trees to go along with it. Neil was raving about this secret little spot where he claimed the wind was perfect 13-18 knots cross shore, and locals that defined the stereotype of southern grace.

Our destination was Tybee Island which is located at the mouth of the Savannah and Tybee Creek a.k.a. Bullhead River. Who would have ever thought that kiteboarding would invade this secret southern getaway? Shrimp boats, marsh grass and the random confederate flag painted a picture of the local scenery as we inched closer to our destination. X-Rated Kiteboarding was scheduled to do a weekend kiteboarding clinic sponsored by High Tide Surf Shop.That’s right. I didn’t even believe it when I heard it. A surf shop in Georgia – who would have thought there were surfable waves let alone wind to kiteboard in a place like Georgia. As we entered High Tide Surf Shop, I was blown away – the place was indeed a legit surf shop decked out with everything a surfer or skater needs – even

Tips: Avoid this spot in peak season during mid-day (June-Aug), it’s way too crowded with beach goers. Go in the late afternoon after wind has thermaled up and the beach has cleared out. Stay upwind of the South jetty, the city isn’t fond of kiting between the jetty and the pier. Watch the sign posts in the water at high tide. Fannie’s on the Strand is a good nearby place to eat with a view of the riding area.

Tybee Lighthouse A lighthouse on Tybee was one of the first public structures in Georgia. Completed in 1736 by William Blithman of cedar piles and brickwork. Its 90 foot height made it the loftiest in America. Destroyed by a storm, it was replaced by another built by Thomas Sumner in 1742 which Oglethorpe called “much the best Building of that kind in America.” It was almost entirely rebuilt in 1757 by Cornelius McCarty and James Weyms. In 1773 John Mulryne built the third lighthouse on a third site. The Mulryne lighthouse forms the base of the present structure, making part of it of Colonial construction. In 1791 Georgia ceded it with 5 acres to the Federal government. Partially destroyed by the Irish Jasper Greens of Savannah during Union occupation of the island, it was repaired and today is one of the famous lighthouses on the Eastern seaboard. – Georgia Historical Commission, 1958

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Kiteboarding Association invited everyone down to Cafe Loco where we got our first dose of southern hospitality. Tim Malins and Joel, the owner of Cafe Loco donated tons of food. Shrimp, beer and Kiteboarding videos played for hours while everyone talked shop.

2nd Street launch. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

Lightwind kiting Photo Ryan Riccitelli

The next three days were filled with wind and riding. At one point the wind came up to at least 30 knots while Hamish was on the water with a 9 meter kite. Hamish entertained the few remaining beach goers with 25 foot jumps that kept him suspended in the air for what seemed like minutes. As the wind gusted his kite almost ripped in half and he was forced to ditch his gear. The wind was so strong that the only kite small enough for me to ride was an old two line 5 meter kite that was being used for teaching. As I got on the water, I felt like I was in Maui sessioning Kite Beach. Even though this was a fluke anomaly, Neil, Hamish and I agreed that Mother Nature even graced us with her version of southern hospitality.

Spot Check 2nd Street Nick Name: Anchor, Ambulance Chaser’s A versatile uncrowded spot - Tybee’s unofficial Kite Beach Cross Streets: 1st or 2nd and Butler Ave

Spot Check Polk Street Nick Name: Back of the island The West wind spot, it’s basically crowd free, with a fisherman or two and an occasional jogger. Wind can be gusty but can be smooth when it fills in.

Best Season: Fall

Cross Streets: Polk St. and Bay

Best Direction: NE, SE anything with some E in it

Xrated Kiteboarding gave lessons all weekend long on the local Tybee beaches. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

Conditions: Waves on NE, relatively flat on SE Level of riding: All levels The “river” side was Hamish’s favorite flat water spot. Photo Lauren Burton

Local Shops: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah Local Schools: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah Places to stay: Desoto Beach Motel, Rivers End Campground, assorted B&Bs Tips: Park on the street by meters. Don’t try to be clever about scamming a free parking space – you will get towed or get a ticket. Avoid the small jetties marked by poles to the N a couple streets. High Tide Surf Shop is within short walking distance.

Best Direction: WSW, W, NW Conditions: Flat

Average Kite Size: 11 on NE 15 on SE Launch: Sandy, plenty of room to rig, avoid marked jetties to the N

Best Season: Fall, Winter



Average Kite Size: 9-13

Shrimp boats, marsh grass and the random confederate flag painted a picture of the local scenery...

Level of riding: All levels Launch: Sandy with plenty of room at low tide, beach can be small at high tide



Local Shops: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah

by California standards. The owner Tim Malins worked for Powell Peralta Skateboards during its hey day and nostalgic skate memorabilia of Tony Hawk, Mike McGill and other skate legends covered the walls. Tim wanted to ride and quickly rushed us down to the beach to get on the water.

Local Schools: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah

Despite the wind being light, Hamish was the first on the water throwing down his usual arsenal of kiteloops and handle passes. This place was no joke. 2-3 foot waves were breaking along the coastline offering little kickers to boost off of. As the evening grew near many of the locals came down to grab an evening session. Sam Byrd, the local hot shot blew us away when he decided to boost the rock pile jetty. I don’t know if he was just showing off for us, but the guy was throwing it down Georgia style until the sun went down. Later that night, the Tybee Island

Tips: Park on grass by Tybee Water Dept. Enter at trail at the end of Polk St, do not drive to beach. Rumor has it that the city will be building a parking lot in the area soon. Rig small here, the W wind tends to be gusty, and the conditions can change rapidly.

Places to stay: Rivers End Campground is close by on Polk at walking distance.

North Jetty Nick Name: Lighthouse Nice uncrowded spot when you don’t want to deal with onshore wind on the ocean side of the island.

Tybee Tips:

Cross Streets: Medin and Taylor

• The most reliable season for wind is May-August for the thermal sea breezes, although other times of the year can yield the cooler Northeasters.

Best Season: Fall and Winter Best Direction: E, NE, NW if you can stay well upwind of the jetty. Don't ride here if there is any S in the wind. Conditions: Flat on the inside, some waves on a NE

• Keep in mind that much of the shoreline on Tybee is rounded, therefore you really need a little bit of onshore direction in the wind. Side-shore wind can easily become side-off if you go downwind.

Average Kite Size: 10- 14 One of our local guides, Sam Byrd spent the entire week showing us where to kite. Photo Lauren Burton.

Launch: Sandy with plenty of room at low tide, beach can be small at high tide. Local Shops: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah

• Tybee has a huge tide difference. The water can be flat at low tide, whereas at high tide surf can be chest-high or more on the same day. • Obey lifeguards. The local police chief is in charge of the lifeguards and has been very receptive to kiteboarding so far – some smiles and handshakes will go far to keeping it that way.

Level of riding: Intermediate-advanced, novice if you can stay inside.

As the weekend came to an end, we had explored almost every side of Tybee Island. The shape of the island offers insane riding conditions for almost every wind direction and the local kiteboarding crew claimed we had only scratched the surface of its true potential. As we drove away in the green X-Rated Van, a.k.a. the Mystery Machine, we felt as if we had hit the lotto. I never would have expected to smack a wave in Georgia. Neil never We never would have thought we would be riding little waves in Georgia. Photo Ryan Riccitelli

expected to ride powered up on a seven meter and Hamish never expected to get a short line, kiteloop session that he was longing for. As we drove further down the road I started thinking. Imagine how many backyard spots there are in the United States with dedicated local crews and secret spots waiting to be discovered. It’s one of those feelings that make you feel happy to be alive and to be a part of such cool sport. ✜

Local Schools: High Tide on Tybee, Rails and Sails in Savannah Places to stay: Desoto Beach Motel, Rivers End Campground, assorted B&Bs Tips: Park at the North beach parking lot by the lighthouse, take the North walkway to the beach. Walk NW past the jetty. Launch well away from the jetty. Don't go out very far unless you know you can stay upwind. Inside of the bay is a good safe area for newbies if they don’t venture out far. The North Beach Grill is close by in the parking lot for some good food and drinks after a session. 57

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Finding religion in Utah. Photo Gustav Schmiege

What is this: 20 Questions?

Q&A

As any kiteboarder can attest, we are constantly hammered with questions about the sport. I think I’ve pretty much heard them all. The other day I was talking with our publisher Marina Chang who has yet to try snowkiting. She had some very thoughtful questions that sparked some answers that I know you will find informative if you want to get into snowkiting. We passed this information to 20Gabe Brown and Alex Peterson who are also knowledgeable about snowkiting and this is what we came up with.

By James Brown

1

How hard is it for a water kiteboarder to learn to snowkite i.e. time, different skills, etc.?

If you have kite skills, then the other half of the equation is learning snowboard/ski skills. If you already know how to kite on water and snowboard/ski, you will be up and riding in minutes. There are other snow-specific skills that need to be learned like how to reverse-launch a kite without getting yanked. If you have no snowboard/ski skills, but you are a competent kiter on water, then you could most likely get up and going within a couple of hours. You might consider taking snowboard/ski lessons at a resort first.

2

How hard is it for an intermediate snowboarder/skier to learn who has no kiting experience?

A new rider with good snowboarding skills could go from the trainer kite to a kite just large enough to pull them along the snow within a couple of hours. You don't need to be as powered to get moving on snow as you do on water, so the ability to handle a really powered kite isn't necessary.

3

What do you think about intermediate water kiteboarders teaching themselves to snowkite?

I say, go for it! Go find yourself a nice, wide open meadow and a small kite and get schooled. Start by riding unhooked until you really feel you have the hang of it. As we all know, there are many factors that we may not be aware of when learning to kite and snow has some unique challenges. Many riders will take things into their own hands and could potentially get hurt. A good rule of thumb is to take things slow and start with a smaller kite than you would for water. At the very least go with someone who has snowkited before.

4

Is the learning curve for snowkiting similar to learning on water?

Snowkiting is undeniably easier to learn, because you can start out with a smaller kite and you can walk to it at any time rather than having to swim. It is way easier to tack upwind on the snow because your board doesn't slip downwind like on water, although some edging skills are still necessary.

5

Which are better, foils or inflatable kites.

Both types of kites will work and they each have pros and cons Romain Fabretti pulling a one-footer in Norway Photo Wareck Arnaud

Alex Peterson defying gravity in Tahoe. Photo Gabe Brown

The newer four-line sheetable foils work great for snow. These kites allow you to depower the kite on the fly, completely kill the power instantly and reverse-launch by pulling on the back lines. They aren't damaged as easily as an inflatable if you crash it and you don't have to pump them up in the cold. They also pack down small for backcountry and cross-country expeditions. They work best for cruising and jumping off of hillsides. The downside of some foils is that they tend to fold in gusty wind because they don’t have a rigid frame. If you ride both water and snow, inflatables allow you to kite year-round without having to get used to the differences between kites. Inflatables tend to have faster steering characteristics which give better pop for jumps on flat terrain. If you ride an inflatable, you will need to have a kite that is set up with a reverse-launch system. Any kite can be retrofitted with a 5th line that attaches to the trailing edge if it doesn’t come that way. Many companies are finally starting to see the benefits of this type of launching system for both water and snow. The downside of inflatables is that you have to pump them up in cold weather and they are more prone to damage on the hard snow. -continued

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Thomas Bordeau in snowkiting paradise. Photo Frederick Pattou

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SNOW Q&A

Guillaume Chastagnol lets his actions do the talking. Photo Wareck Arnaud

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Do you need less wind to snowkite than you do to kite on water?

The snow is very fast, especially the more packed down it is. A fresh dump of more than a few inches can make it slower, yet it still takes less wind to get moving. The interesting thing about snow is you don't need as large of a kite but you can also hold down a bigger one. Let the conditions determine your kite size. Make sure that your board/skis are waxed correctly for the snow temperature to make the board slide more efficiently.

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Brian Schenck gets tweaked. Skyline, Utah Photo Gustav Schmiege

Amaury Couvreur poses as a table top. Photo Wareck Arnaud

Do you use the same size kite for the wind conditions that you would use when kiting on water?

As I mentioned before, you can use a smaller kite to get moving on snow. Start out small and work your way up if you aren't sure. The speed that you can achieve on snow gives you the advantage of more apparent wind which helps with whipped jumps. The increased apparent wind doesn't make a huge difference though, so the kite size will need to be close to the same size as for water, because it still needs to lift you off the ground. The only exception would be if you have hills to jump off, then you might be able to get away with a slightly smaller kite. Keep in mind that you will drop faster than you would if you had a larger kite. The fact that the hill is dropping away with you gives you more hang time.

8

If I am riding a foil on the snow and ride inflatables on water, how do I know what size foil I need?

Most foil kites are more powerful than inflatable kites if you go by the “advertised” sizes. Typically, foils use a bridle system and an optimized wing shape that maximizes the amount of canopy that is effective for pull and lift. So, for example, you could use a 10m foil in winds that you would normally fly a 14m inflatable. The exception is the bridle-less four line foil kites like the new Peter Lynn models that are less powerful than an inflatable of similarly advertised sizes. They have a large range of depower capability which make them good for gusty mountain wind. For these kites you would probably use a kite that is one size larger than an inflatable.

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Damien Pattou pokes his nose at his camera toting father. Photo Frederick Pattou

Jeff Kafka at Grass Lake. Tahoe, California. Photo Rob Vreeland

What is the difference between learning on a snowboard versus skis?

Skis are easier in many respects. You have two edges to leverage against the pull of the kite. They also give you more stability for riding over tracked out or icy terrain and they allow you to land jumps easier because you can step quickly to adjust for imperfect body position. Skis allow you to take a smaller kite. You can skate with skis to help create apparent wind. They also allow you to step backwards if the wind is light or has lulls that make your kite want to fall. The difference with skis is that they are heavier than a snowboard and the positioning is awkward if you are used to riding sideways on water. Snowboards can be more difficult to hold an edge in crud. That aside, they are more simple because you can't get crossed up like with skis. Plus, they are similar to riding a twin tip on water. Most of the moves on water translate directly to the snow.

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What is the best way to set up your snowboard or skis for snowkiting?

Set up your snowboard bindings so they are the same distance from each tip. The hole pattern on most boards allows you to move the base plates forward and back. Set them up in a comfortable duck stance so your toes are pointing towards the opposite tips. Somewhere between 5 and 15 degrees should work. Make sure that your heels aren't hanging off the heelside edge too much. The same goes for your toeside. If you have large feet, consider buying a wider board. If you use skis, the standard binding setup is your only choice. Consider buying a newer model twin tip ski that is stiff and wide. Modern bindings that have heel and toe releases in three directions (side, up and diagonally) will be the safest option.

11

Do you need to set up your bar or lines different for snowkiting?

You can leave your bar set up the same as for water. I have made a few adjustments to my lines for safety. First, check to make sure your lines are in perfect condition so that they won't break during a jump. I have lengthened the leader lines from my bar so my board edge will not cut into my flying lines. Luckily I have never had my board cut a line while in the air, but I have cut a few sets of lines while getting dragged on the ground. Also, colored lines show up best on white snow. You might consider swapping out your lines with Q-Power Line since they seem more durable and thicker than standard lines. Always keep your lines wound up whenever you are not using your kite so no one will ride over them. When you put away your kite, keep your lines attached, then roll up both the bar and lines inside the kite.

12

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What is better, a waist or a seat harness?

It comes down to personal preference just like on water. Use whatever is most comfortable. Some waist harnesses ride up more than others. Try different ones with your winter clothes on. A seat harness will not ride up and may help keep snow from going down your pants. 61 -continued

SNOW Q&A

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20?

When first learning to snowkite, should you wear pads and a helmet? Are there any other special accessories?

Wearing a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads is a very good idea no matter whether you are a beginner or an expert. Helmets are required for competitions with good reason. If you want to wear your harness close to your body, which gives better fit, you can get a jacket specifically designed for your harness hook to poke through from the inside. Check out Ultra Nectar's snowkite jacket. Good, durable gloves that fit well with grippy palms and precurved fingers help to grip your bar. Check out the Dakine Cobra GT with Gore Tex and leather palms. Pants with a bib and suspenders help keep snow from going down your pants and up your back. Polypropylene/Thermax undergarments and glove liners help insulate and wick moisture away from your skin. We have gotten hooked on riding with our iPods too. There's nothing like rocking out to your favorite tunes while you ride. Bring a small avalanche shovel like the Dakine “T-Handle” for digging up snow to weight down your kite, build kickers or dig your buddies out of an avalanche.

14

What are the major challenges in learning to snowkite?

It's actually really easy. If you already have kite skills, you just need to have your kite set up to reverse launch it and learn to do it correctly. Basically you reverse it off the snow just high enough to turn it and send it to the side of the power window without sending it straight up in the power zone, which can launch you. If you are used to an inflatable, but want to use a foil kite, there are a few differences in how you launch and land the kite. Once it's in the air, the newer four-line sheetable foils turn and handle similar to inflatables. Learning the board skills is the only other skill that you need.

15

Is snowkiting better or more fun on flat ground, rolling hills or mountains?

Mountainous terrain is no place for a beginner. Start out in the open on a lake or field and work your way up to more challenging terrain. You can have fun on any variety of terrain, which is the beauty of snowkiting. The major difference to kiting on water is that you can jump off slopes. Big air contests on water are a joke compared to how big you can jump on snow. Also, there are also huge possibilities for exploring and traveling large distances.

16 Synchronization at Skyline. Utah. Photo Gustav Schmiege

Chasta road gaps over Nick Nedele on Togwatee Pass in Wyoming. Photo Patrick Nedele

Charging a ridge. Photo David Sims

Alex Peterson spins to win. Tahoe, California. Photo Gabe Brown

Can you use kites when going downhill?

Sure, you can go downhill with a kite. You can leave it in a neutral position like you would if you were surfing a wave or you can turn it at any time you wish to catch air. Turning it directly down hill can peel you away from a large steep hill, so you have to beware of that if you want to stay grounded. You are in a three dimensional world and can go anywhere you want which is amazing.

17

Can snowkiters mix with snowboarders/skiers on the slopes, or will they need their own area?

Downhill skiing resorts are definitely not a place for snowkiting. Most ski slopes are narrow and lined with trees. The skiers would not be used to having kiters going up hill either. They would be skiing at much higher speeds than us in general and if your kite fell across the slope, you could clothes-line a skier-very bad idea. There are plenty of open places to ride away from the resorts.

18

Sunset solo session. Photo Bertrand Boone

What are various things you look for in a site and what are some common hazards to watch out for?

Find an open area like a lake or field to start out and look for wind that is steady. Make sure you look for any obstacles before you start riding. Common things to look out for are trees, shrubs, rocks and barbed wire fences. If you are on a lake, you need to be aware of the depth of the ice, which can vary. Early or late season, warm spells and warm springs can leave a frozen lake with open areas while it is thick enough to drive a car on somewhere else. Avoid areas with rotor or mechanical disturbance. In other words, obstacles like trees, buildings or mountains can cause dangerous disturbances to wind.

19

What are the first easy moves to try when snowkiting?

The progression is similar to kiting on water. What comes to mind is riding toeside, jumps with grabs, back rolls, front rolls and raleys. Take it easy at first until you get the feel for the wind conditions and as always be aware of changing weather.

20

62

Does it hurt when you land wrong on hard pack or ice?

Sure it can hurt. Stay within your limits and work your way up slowly. You can be a little more daring if you have lots of soft powder on the landing. Wear pads and always wear a helmet. Check all your equipment for wear and don't leave your lines lying out on the snow where someone can ride over them with their sharp edges. You don't want any unexpected equipment failures while you are in the air. 63

Progression Words by Gabe Brown

Bear downwind slightly to create some planing speed.

2

Hit the ramp and throw your head back. The rest of your body will follow.

3

At the apex of your roll, open your shoulders (this will slow down your rotation) reach down with your back hand and grab in between your feet (indy).

4

Use your head and your grab to pull you and your board around the rest of the way.

5

When you've completed a full rotation, release your grab and finish the trick by bringing the board around to toeside.

6

Ride towards your kite a bit on the landing to avoid skipping out.

Photos Stephen Whitesell This trick can be done off of the flat water but is best lined up off of a piece of chop.

>

with Ben Meyer

1

> >

Indy Back Roll to Toeside

UNODOSTRESCUATROCINCOSEISSIETEOCHONUEVEDIEZUNOD

Photos Ryan Riccitelli You can also land this trick on your toeside edge. Just release the grab and bear slightly downwind on your landing.

64

Andy starts this trick with his kite low for good power and pop.

2

He loads his toeside edge against the kite and pops bringing his knees upwards.

3

He reaches down and grabs Indy (between his feet on the toe edge).

4

Andy releases his grab and comes down for a smooth heelside landing.

>

with Andy Hurdman

1

> >

Toeside Ollie Indy

65

Progression

> >

> Surface Handle Pass from Blind with Mark Doyle

1

Doyle lands with his front hand on the bar, riding blind.

2

He pulls the bar in to his hips, tensioning the lines and getting ready to pass the handle.

3

Just before passing the handle he releases his edge just slightly towards the kite to give him the slack to pass the handle to his rear hand.

4

Once he has the bar in his rear hand he shifts his body and is now riding away on his toeside.

Photos John Bilderback In this finishing move, Doyle lands blind, passes the handle and rides away toeside.

UNODOSTRESCUATROCINCOSEISSIETEOCHONUEVEDIEZUNOD 1

For this move you need your kite really powered. Put your kite at about 45 degrees and move your hands to the middle of your bar.

2

Bear a little downwind for speed and then load against your kite right before you pop off the water.

3

Doing this move unhooked will help you get laid out and help you get all the way around, landing blind.

4

At the top of your jump, halfway through your rotation, release your front hand so that you can land blind without getting pulled off balance.

5

As you let your hand drop towards the water, let your body follow it. This will pull you the rest of the way around.

6

Land blind trying not to give the kite too much input.

Frontside 540 with Jeff Biege

66

>

Jeff does this trick unhooked and powered (without sending his kite).

> >

Photos Gavin Butler

67

Product Watch

By Gary Martin



Freestyle Series

Cobra GT This is Dakine's top of the line, fully insulated, Gore Tex glove designed for comfortable riding all winter long. The low profile performance fit makes it the perfect choice for snowkiting.The gloves incorporate Dakine's pre-curved "Rol Bak” finger construction, adjustable hook and loop wrist closures, waterproof neoprene wrist cuffs and a special nose wipe thumb panel for those "runny-nose" days.

Type Wave The Type Wave is exactly that-a kite specifically designed for wave riding. The Wave System's 5th line depowers the kite allowing the kite to adjust to the wind range needed to ride waves. The Type Wave comes with the “Zipping Power Control” system which allows you to adjust the zippers and tune the kite to fit all wind and wave conditions. RRD's new, “Windows Construction” panel system is designed to better resist impact in waves and helps make repairs less expensive.

Dakine

Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 15m

BTS Bag

Pricing: Starting at $805.00

The new BTS Bag is perfect for the kiteboarding traveler. The bag is designed so you can unzip it into two bags to help avoid overweight baggage charges. The split-level design allows easy access to all contents and the heavy-duty urethane wheels make it easy to wheel through the airport. The BTS is available in Black only.

www.robertoriccidesigns.com

Suggested Retail $69.99



www.dakine.com

Caution



Litewave has released his 2005 line of boards: the Freestyle Series. This year's boards are shorter and wider than the 2004 line and have a deep concave bottom that benefits high speed control. If you are into big-air, tricks, and wake-style riding, the Freestyles are the best Litewave boards for you Sizes: 115, 125, 145cm

Spitfire II

Pricing: $599.00 www.litewavedesigns.com

Pricing: $160.00

Straight out of Santa Cruz, the 2005 “Spitfire II” is sure to turn heads this year. The flame graphics and shark proof construction ensure extra performance. The new features for 2005 include a smaller LE and thinner struts for increased performance, a spinning leash, an all new quick release depower loop, a 5th line attachment point and dual reinforced bladders made of “Premium Medical Grade Polyurethane.” All seams are “glued and triple stitched” and are built to take beatings.

www.dakine.com

Sizes: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20m

Sizes: 140cm long X 44cm wide X 40 cm tall (2 pcs. 20 cm. ea.)

H20 Audio



Waterproof MP3 player housing Now you can go kiteboarding while jamming to your MP3 player. The H20 Audio is a waterproof MP3 player housing designed to allow easy access to control all the MP3 player functions. The unit is submersible up to 10ft/3m and comes with a waterproof headset and silicon earplugs.

Pricing: Starting at $899.00 www.cautionkites.com

Suggested Retail $149.00 www.h2oaudio.com

Boardworks



Spectrum II Kites

Amundson Customs The T2 Small is just like the name. The small, wide twin tip is designed to get on plane early and glide through those light wind spots. The price includes: pads, straps, fins and shipping. The T2 design works well in the 100cm to 135cm size range. All kite boards are custom made to your specifications.

Liquid Force



Union Binding

Pricing: Starting at $780.00

With the research and development of high performance wakeboarding as a backbone, the crew at Liquid Force have created the first kite specific binding to meet the performance demands of wake style riding. The Unions are equipped with a slick heel piece for easy entry, a simple white style, comfortable laceless craeton rubber support, and are super lightweight. Take a close look at any rider strapped into bindings—chances are you’ll see these foot shackles on their feet!

www.amundsoncustoms.com

Starting at: $249.99

Sizes: custom

www.liquidforce.com

Building upon the success of the Spectrum, Liquid Force’s Spectrum II kites leave virtually nothing else to be desired. With a new leashless Spinning Powerlock™ safety system, increased depower ability, a slightly lower profile for maximum pop and hang time, two-pump inflation system, taped and triple stitched seams and other major reinforcements, the Spectrum II meets the demands of the best pros in the world, yet are stable and predictable enough for beginner kiteboarders.

Yancey Spencer 6’2” Fish

Best Best



Grenade Release

Pricing: Starting at $999.99 complete

The “Grenade Release” is a quick release system that can be used on any Best bar. On regular Best bars, it is the primary safety system located on the depower line. When activated, the kite and bar are still connected by the backup wrist or harness leash. The new Best Swivel Bar, has the swivel built into the Grenade Release which is the secondary release system activated by pushing the "Grenade" away. When this release is triggered on the Swivel Bar, you are totally disconnected from your bar and kite.

www.liquidforce.com

Sizes: 45, 55, 60cm

Sizes 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20m



Liquid Force



RRD



Dakine

Litewave



For most of us, winter means less water time and more dreaming about riding. Some of you have crossed over to the snow and are enjoying the best of both worlds. Whatever your situation, we recently launched Product Watch to keep you up to date with the latest and greatest gear releases. We have asked every manufacturer to submit their latest product releases to be featured on www.kbmag.com. The Product Watch section will constantly be updated and is the ultimate resource for product information.



Tempest Best Kiteboarding recently launched the Tempest kite which is designed for riding on the water and snow. Best has taken their current design and reinforced it to handle the wear and tear of snow kiting. The modifications for snow include a reinforced leading edge, stopper balls in each valve and a 5th line,. Sizes Available: 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17m Pricing: Starting at $449.00 www.bestkiteboarding.com

The Yancey Spencer is built with Boardworks’ Epoxy Thermal Lamination process, using EPS core, 9 lb PVC sheet foam, and Epoxy foaming resin. The board is hand laid up and then placed in a press to cure under pressure at a high temperature. The result is an extremely durable, light, and tight surfboard. The Spencer 6’2” fish’s weight and durability and are key for early planing, and hard slashing turns and make it a great board for strapless kiteboarding. Size: Nose 13-1/8”, Mid 21-1/8”, Tail 151/2”, Thick 2-3/8”, Fins Tri Fin/Futures Finbox Suggested Retail $575 www.cabaldc.com

Pricing: Carbon bar starts at $69.99 Pricing: Swivel bar starts at $99.99

69

Academy

8

Operator Error

Essential Tuning Tips To Keep You Flying Straight

Photos Nick Bowers

Who really wants to tune a kite? Can't we just hook up the lines and go? Unfortunately, it's not that easy these days. We decided to make it simple for everyone by coming up with this short list of eight tuning options that should be considered whether you are setting your kite up for the first time, tuning up for a pure wave session or getting ready for a light wind downwinder.

Photo Ryan Riccitelli

One of the leading causes of accidents and injuries in kiteboarding is operator error. Most kiteboarders never intend on having a problem. Once the adrenaline sets in many riders loose their common sense. A lot of injuries and accidents could have been completely avoided if the pilot followed a few simple rules. The following is a list of tips that might help you avoid a potential kiteboarding accident.

By Nick Bowers

Front lines too long.

1

Frontlines too short.

Perfectly tuned.

Front and rear line length. Front and rear line length tuning is essential to the performance of new kites. It is safe to assume that any 2004-2005 kites fly best on their front lines. When you unhook, the kite should be perfectly trimmed with even front and rear lines. The wingtips should be parallel and not flared. If the wingtips flare when the kite is flown unhooked the kite is over sheeted and will not fly properly. This can kill the kite's power and cause stalling. It is key to have control over the kite when unhooked for launching, landing, and maneuvers.

2 Line length evenness.

When setting up your new or used kite, make sure the right and left line lengths are the same. In order to ensure this, first pre-stretch your lines before flying the kite. After your lines are pre-stretched, make the necessary adjustments to ensure that the kite does not pull to either side and flies balanced in the neutral position.

3 Front line positioning.

On the newest kites the leading edge will have multiple pigtails. The furthest forward or towards the leading edge promotes faster turning, more depower, and allows the kite to push further to the edge of the wind window increasing upwind ability. As you move the frontlines back it causes the kite to sit deeper in the window, giving it more power and hang time. This can have a negative effect on upwind ability but is a great light wind trick to squeeze the last drops of power from your rig.

4 Rear line settings.

Rear line settings allow you to change the leverage applied to the wingtip, which in turn alters the kite's turning speed. The settings closest to the trailing edge provide the most leverage resulting in the fastest turning speed. This is best for advanced riders that need a fast kite for waves, kite loops and other advanced maneuvers. As the trailing edge lines move toward the leading edge the kite will turn slower. This is best for beginners and anyone who wants to slow their kite’s turning speed.

5 Bar sizing and type.

Another way to tune the turning speed of your kite is to change your bar size or type. First off, it is best to use the manufacturer's recommended size. The general rule in bar size is simple: the bigger the bar, the more leverage on the wingtips resulting in faster turning. The smaller the bar the slower the kite will turn. If you can't control your 8m because it is turning too fast for your taste, simply try a smaller bar. Conversely, if your 20m isn't turning fast enough, try a bigger bar.

6 Proper inflation.

Proper inflation is another major factor affecting kite turning speed as well as stability and relaunchability. Most leading edges should be inflated to 6 to 8 psi. Consult the manufacturer if necessary to ensure that you get the most out of your kite. Soft leading edges diminish kite-turning speed. In addition to the loss of turning speed, the kite will be more susceptible to pulsation or jelly fishing in gusts, and can also impede the kite's relaunchability.

7 Line length.

Different line lengths are becoming more and more popular among all levels of kiters. There are two main reasons why people are changing line lengths from the traditional 30m sets all the way down to 10m sets. The shorter the set, the shorter the power stroke. This gives the rider more control, but makes underpowered riding impossible. Short lines are also used for beginners making it easier for them to control the power of the kite. The longer the lines, the longer the power stroke. 27 to 25m lines seem to be the choice of the majority of kiters. However, 15 meter lines are also great for huge kite loops, waves, and overpowered conditions.

8 Static power strap.

Use the static sheeting strap. When riding in overpowered conditions use the strap to increase your rig's depowerability. Again the kite should fly perfectly unhooked with the static strap all the way out with parallel wing tips. When things get crazy, pull in the strap which will shorten the leading edge lines allowing you to fly unhooked in overpowered conditions.

70

By Rick Iossi, FKA

Nick Bowers shapes Squall Kiteboards and is a PASA certified instructor who has taught hundreds of kiteboarding lessons. He is sponsored by RRD, Dakine and Half Moon Outfitters. Check out www.squallboarding.com

1. USE DISTANCE

4. ANTICIPATE TROUBLE AND USE COMMON SENSE

Keeping a realistic distance from other riders, beachgoers and obstacles is your best defense.

Know your surroundings. Pay attention to what is going on around you and the conditions that you will soon be riding into. Variable weather and tunnel vision can ruin your day of kiting.

2. PREFLIGHT, THEN PREFLIGHT AGAIN

5. AVOID SQUALLS AND EXCESSIVELY GUSTY WEATHER

Know your equipment! Understanding what size kite to rig for the conditions, how to set it up and how to preflight your gear is imperative to avoiding accidents and injuries.

Squalls and excessively gusty weather are the leading causes of severe accidents and injury. Check forecasts and real time weather before you go out. Once you are out, if you see dark clouds moving in, GET OFF THE WATER before the weather changes.

3. RIDE WITHIN YOUR ABILITIES

6. KNOW YOUR SAFETY SYSTEM

Never ride conditions that are above your skill level. If it looks sketchy, it is sketchy. Be realistic with yourself before you endanger yourself and those around you.

The latest gear is equipped with a variety of safety system combinations. Every kiteboarder should know exactly how their system works. Practice activating it with minimal hesitation.

CONCLUSION Your safety on the water can be significantly affected by the choices you make as a rider. Know your game, carefully build experience, ride responsibly, use safety gear and anticipate trouble before you ride. This strategy will help you to avoid OPERATOR ERROR.

Analyze This...

Control Freak:

Flexifoil CBX50 Control Bar

A Comparative Look at 2005 Control Bar Systems

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade) Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

I

Best Carbon Swivel Bar

Cabrinha RECON Gen2 Bar

Liquid Force 2005 Powerlock Control System

Bar Sizes: 45cm, 55cm

By Brian Wheeler

t's that time of year again when all of the fresh new gear starts making its way into the magazines. With so many new innovations, it's hard to know who is doing what. The 2005 control bar systems are looking better than ever, and after carefully examining 15 different manufacturers, we put together a comprehensive guide to walk you through some of their comparative aspects. We looked at features, price, safety, performance, upgradability, compatibility, tips, sizes, etc. However, due to the short nature of this article, many of the comparisons are very brief. We listed each manufacturer's website to help you further your research. If you have any additional questions, contact your local shop, online discussion forum or a local team rider.

Airush Air Ride Bar

durable and lightweight carbon construction, easily activated primary and secondary safety releases, and a comfortable grip.

Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5lines after upgrading) Maintenance: Keep all parts clean.

Relaunch: Reach above the bar (not below) to grab the 5th line. This should make the process of relaunching easier.

Special Instructions: Adjust the chicken loop line to have minimal throw if you want to ride unhooked. Check your release system and understand how to deploy it. Low cost of 5th line upgrade. ($79)

Caution Spitfire II

Streamlined safety, greater range, faster turning, and swimless relaunch are some new capabilities that Naish's Shift System delivers. Due to its 5-line design, the rider can handle pass with the comfort of a full safety system and spinnable leash function. Other key features include: a pull pull trim strap, Da Tickler (a dongle style shackle that attaches to spreader bar), and flying lines designed with multiple safety features (foolproof style connectors and color-coding).

Bar Sizes: 18”, 20”, 22” # of lines: 5

MSRP: $274 ($159 bar only)

Swimless relaunch? Yes.

www.gaastrakites.com

Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? 5-lines

Flexifoil's CBX50 Control Bar was designed with ultimate rider flexibility in mind. This single bar can be set up in three different modes: 5th line, spinning leash safety, or reride wrist leash. Other key features include: multiple safety releases, a high traction grip, a landing handle integrated into the spinning leash system, and a center line that is highly resilient to wear and tear.

Globerider 360 Spinning Bar The 2005 carbon Powerlock bar eliminates the need for an additional fixed loop. With a simple twist of the wrist, the center line locks into or out of a locked position. In emergency situations, the kite can be immediately depowered by pulling a single quick release located just above the loop. The emergency release will work even when the bar is in the powerlocked position. In addition, the safety leash spins with the bar because of a swivel, also located on the centerline just above the loop. Lines are pre-stretched and color coded.

Bar Sizes: 50cm # of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade) Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade. Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5lines after upgrading)

Bar Sizes: 43cm, 51cm, and 58cm

Maintenance: Keep all parts clean.

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade)

Special Instructions: Visit www.flexifoil.com for all sorts of tips. The 5th line upgrade kit takes relatively little effort to install and at $95 is fairly inexpensive.

Swimless relaunch? 5th line attachment, and a medium/high aspect, allow for a swimless relaunch.

Airush's Air Ride Bar features a very clean safety system that can be configured as a spinning leash setup or traditional re-ride system (with wrist cuff or harness clip). The bar comes with 10m leader lines with a good selection of flying line length options: 20m, 25m, 27m, or 30m (leader length included). Other key features include: low drag lines, multiple safety releases, a releasable harness line, and the option to upgrade with a 5th line.

Best's Carbon Swivel Bar features a highly unique spinnable leash system so you can ride unhindered, and it incorporates a highgrade ball bearing swivel that automatically keeps your front lines untwisted. Other key features include: a large diameter chicken loop, a power strap sheeting system, lightweight carbon construction, an ergonomic bar diameter, and Best's new high grade and innovative spinning leash and chicken loop release system, the Grenade.

Bar Sizes: 38cm, 45cm, 50cm, 55cm, 65cm

Bar Sizes: 45cm, 55cm, 60cm

Cabrinha's revamped 4-line RECON Generation 2 control bar offers safety and performance features such as: an immediate depower capability, a spinning leash system, swimless relaunchability (only when used with Cabrinha kites), a line detwisting mechanism, and an easily adjustable security system. It is available in two models: the Carbon Powerlock and the Alloy Powerdrive. Other key features include an innovative power locking device, a very plush grip, 2.2cm carbon or alloy construction and an ergonomic bar shape.

# of lines: 4 (or 5 after upgrading)

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade)

Bar Sizes: 40cm, 45cm, 50cm, 55cm

Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

The Spitfire II control bar system features high performance and hassle free components such as: a spinning center line leash, a stainless steel lined center hole (allowing for friction free sliding of the PVC coated center line), and a swivel that allows the rider to keep the lines tangle free and the leash out of the way for aggressive worry free riding. Other key features include: low stretch lines, lightweight and bomber carbon construction, multiple safety releases, a durable power adjustment strap, an oh-shit handle, and safety features integrated into the lines such as foolproof connection points and pull tabs.

# of lines: 4

Spinning Leash? Yes, but only if you attach the leash to the chicken loop.

Spinning Leash? Yes.

Bar Sizes: 50cm, 60cm

Swimless relaunch? Yes (but only with certain kites).

Bar Sizes: 43/53cm and 53/63cm (two bars, each adjustable 10cm)

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade).

Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5-lines after upgrading) Maintenance: Hook your bar up to a tree to check line length and chicken-loop settings. Special Instructions: Lock the leash onto your chicken loop to allow easy bar spins. Also, be sure to use the chicken loop w/ the dongle to gain the ability to spin the bar w/ leash. Pick a line length that suits your riding style (10m, 15m, 17m, and 20m to add to the 10m leaders). MSRP: $195 ($158 bar only) 5th line upgrade price tba www.airush.com

Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5-lines after upgrading) Maintenance: Keep the bar free of sand. Special Instructions: Make sure the lines are hooked up properly before going out. Pre-rigging has to be requested, otherwise, you're left to set the bar up on your own. Add on the 5th line upgrade to gain additional performance. MSRP: $135-155, ($80-100 bar only) www.bestkiteboarding.com

Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? Works best with Recon equipped Cabrinha kites. If used with other 4-line kites, you will lose the security functions and the ability of swimless relaunch. Maintenance: Make sure to keep moving parts clean and sand free. Special Instructions: When launching or landing, make sure the “Tap Out” feature is active and you'll be able to immediately and easily depower the kite if needed. If the Tap Out feature is turned off, be sure you know how to manually deploy it. MSRP: Carbon Powerlock: $337-342 Alloy Powerdrive: $285-290 www.cabrinhakites.com

Gaastra Defender Control Bar

Globerider's 360 Spinning Bar system offers several features including: a spinning leash system, a swivel to keep the front lines untwisted, a safety system that allows handle passes, an adjustable bar length (+/-10cm), a releasable harness line, chicken loop quick release and other highly useful features.

Special Instructions: Lines can be attached at multiple attachment points to set up your bar for your riding style. Keep sand off, dirt out, and dog away from your bar. MSRP: $219.99 ($119.99 bar only)

Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

www.liquidforce.com

Spinning Leash? Yes.

Spinning Leash? Yes.

Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5lines after upgrading)

Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5lines after upgrading)

Maintenance: Be sure to keep the swivel clean and free of sand and dirt.

Maintenance: Keep all parts clean.

MSRP: $224.99 ($155.99 bar only) www.cautionkites.com

North 5th Element

Maintenance: Use the adjustable stopper ball to change the 5th line length when needed.

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade)

Special Instructions: Purchase the 5th line conversion kit (price tba) and gain the luxury of swimless relaunchability, full depower capability, and the added performance of an enhanced wind range. Adjust the bar to match the size kite you're using; short bar for small kites, wider bar for large kites. The Defender Control Bar was designed with primarily two things in mind: safety and functionality. The bar has an integrated spinnable leash system so that all kiteboarding maneuvers can be done without the leash winding around the leaders and flying lines. Other key features include: a high-grade swivel (to keep lines untwisted),

MSRP: $369.95-$389.95 (no bar only) www.naishkites.com

Works w/ what type of kite? Does anyone make a 2 line kite anymore? The powerlock bar has 4 lines for a 4 line kite.

Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

Special Instructions: Adjust the middle depower line and PVC tubing to a length that is comfortable and be sure to lower the knots on the rear line leads the same amount to keep everything in the same ratio. Seamlessly add on to this bar with Caution's very own 5th line upgrade kit (price N/A) and gain wider kite range, swimless relaunchability, and other high performance abilities.

Special Instructions: If suddenly overpowered, grab the 5th line in one hand and then re-grip the bar (with line in hand). You should then be comfortably powered to head in. Older Naish bars can be retrofitted with a 5th line upgrade kit ($219.95).

Spinning Leash? Yes.

MSRP: $230 (bar only price tba) www.flexifoil.com

Maintenance: Be sure to monitor the length of the 5th line; it tends to stretch at a different rate than the flying lines. Adjust when needed.

Naish Shift System

North's 5th Element control system delivers substantial advantages to riders of all levels, such as: swimless relaunch, an increase in the kite's wind range, and the ability to perform all moves with a full safety system. The 5-line design also offers a spinnable leash function. Other key features include: an adjustable bar length, an innovative harness line, a pull to power adjustment strap, an ergonomic bar shape, and flying lines integrated with multiple safety features. Bar Sizes: One size but can be configured as 48cm or 57cm # of lines: 5

MSRP: Price tba

Swimless relaunch? Yes.

www.globeriderkites.com

Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? 5-lines Maintenance: Keep all parts clean. Adjustment: If the kite feels funny, chances are the 5th line is too short. Check and make appropriate adjustment (so all lines are same length). Don't roll kite entirely on

73

Analyze This...

Workbench by Nick Bowers

Control

Ozone Frenzy Carbon Bar

Freak: -continued it's back; instead roll it part way and use an outside line. This way there's no chance for the kite to lay in an unresponsive state. If the kite stalls or falls, pull the nose line to regain control. This is particularly helpful when the wind gets funky and kites drop from sky.

Bar Sizes: 19”, 23”

Special Instructions: Upgrade to either the Surefire Spreader Bar or the Surefire Spreader Bar Pro to gain the function of a spinning leash and high-grade shackle system. When relaunching and using Slingshot's 5th line, (“One Line” price tba), you can prevent the 5th line from being tangled around the bar by locking it into its own cleat. Adjust the stopper balls to match your riding style and arm length.

Swimless relaunch? Yes. Spinning Leash? No.

www.sskiteboarding.com

Windwing S.A.F.E.

Works w/ what type of kite? 5-lines

www.northkites.com Ozone's Frenzy Carbon Bar offers many of the features that you'd find on a control bar designed for traditional LEI kites (Leading Edge Inflatable). Some of these features include: a spinning leash system, sheet cleat style power adjustment system, leashless safety system, low friction center hole (to reduce chicken loop wear), multiple safety releases, and lines designed with three levels of safety features. If you use the bar with some of Ozone's kites (and other foils as well) you'll gain substantial performance such as the ability to reverse relaunch. # of lines: 4 Swimless relaunch? This bar was designed for foil kites on land or snow. When used with the Frenzy or other sheetable foil kites, no assistance is needed for self or reverse launching.

sandpaper and a sanding block to clean up chips and gouges in the fin. It is helpful to move the fin against the sanding block rolling it side to side as you sand it to maintain a symmetrical and smooth edge. Cleaning up the fins edges can help prevent unwanted fin cavitation, thus improving the fins tracking and over all performance.

Problem: You have extra fin holes in your board. Solution: Use surf wax to plug the unused holes. This way if you change your mind you can easily reuse the holes

Bowline knot

Use a sanding block to touch up damaged fins.

MSRP: tba (to be announced)

kite. Mark the chicken loop line on both sides of the bar when in the position you would like the bar to be fixed at. Disassemble the chicken loop and tie one knot. Rethread the chicken loop line through the bar and tie the second knot on the other side of the bar on the mark you previously made. The bar shouldn't move more than an inch.

by removing the wax plugs. Surf wax is also good for boards without rail grip for board off maneuvers. Make sure you scrape off excess wax to avoid it melting and making a mess. The wax residue left after scraping is usually all you need. Use wax to fill extra holes.

Problem: You want to convert your old chicken loop to a fixed four line. Solution: Tie two simple stopper knots in your chicken loop. First, find desirable position for optimum trim on your

www.robertoriccidesigns.com

Use two knots to convert your chicken loop to fixed.

Slingshot Profire Carbon Bar

Works w/ what type of kite? 4-line foils with Ozone style de-power system, but can work with any 4-line inflatable (modification may be required). Maintenance: Keep all parts clean. Special Instructions: If you want to ride unhooked, add a wrist leash system or chicken loop leash. If used with Ozone kites, make sure to match up the numbered connectors to prevent improper rigging. Add a harness line if you want to ride fixed. MSRP: $250 ($198 bar only) www.flyozone.com

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade) Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

Figure 8 knot.

Problem: Your fins are nicked and chewed from riding. Solution: Your fins take all kinds of abuse and may need touching up with a little sandpaper. Use moderate grit

Special Instructions: For the 5th line safety system to function properly, the Depower Adjustable Ball must be set furthest away from the bar. When catching a wave, make sure you have enough speed to catch it. Depower the kite as the wave pushes you forward, then re-engage the power of the kite when needed. The kite is unresponsive when the 5th line is fully engaged; sheet in to regain steerability.

Spinning Leash? Yes.

Bar Sizes: 40cm, 50cm, 60cm

the appropriate knot can prevent weakening the line, and can also make undoing the knot a breeze. A good knot to use for “stopper knots” is the figure eight. It stops everything, keeps the line strong, and is easily undone even after being subjected to extreme loads. For non-slipping loops, use the bowline. For detailed information on how to tie these knots check your library or go to www.apparentwind.com/knots/.

Maintenance: Keep all parts clean.

Bar Sizes: 50cm, 60cm

With Ocean Rodeo's Modular Bar the kiter has the ability to customize this standard bar to their specific requirements and skill level by easily adding and arranging the modular accessories. Add-ons include: a 5th line setup, oh shit handle, wrist cuff reride system, and handle pass set-up. Other key features include: carbon composite construction, centerline leash system, the Punch Out system (release the chicken loop by thrusting bar forward…sensitivity is adjustable), and a secondary chicken loop release method.

Problem: You are unsure of what knots you can trust. Solution: When modifying our equipment, often times we are required to tie knots for various purposes. Knowing

MSRP: $390 ($170 bar only)

# of lines: 5

MSRP: $329.95

Ocean Rodeo Modular Bar

while on the wave and tap into more of the natural power of the wave. By pushing the bar out, a pulley system depowers the kite (potentially to the point of complete depower). This 5-line system also offers the benefits of: swimless water relaunch, increased kite performance, greater range of your kite, instant 5th line adjustments, and safer launching and landing. Other features include: a foolproof connection system and an optional beginners safety leash.

RRD Wave Bar System

Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5lines after upgrading) Maintenance: Keep all parts clean. Special Instructions: Add the 5th line module and gain swimless relaunch, enhanced kite range and other performance boosters. $10-20 for most modules, but the 5th line module is $46. Use the Punch Out when you need to disconnect quickly. Fine tune the sensitivity of the Punch Out system by adding or removing the spars.

The 2005 Profire Carbon Bar affords the kiter an assortment of plush features such as: a center line swivel to keep lines untwisted, pre-stretched flying lines, adjustable stopper balls (to customize the amount of chicken loop throw), a smaller diameter grip, oh shit handles on both side of bar, high-grade hardware for power adjustment, lightweight bomber carbon construction, and a highly wear resistant chicken loop. The Knuckle Saver is another luxury, one that will limit the amount of wear and tear your fingers sustain. The stock bar utilizes a standard re-ride leash system.

Swimless relaunch? Yes. Spinning Leash? Yes. Works w/ what type of kite? Windwing Rage II and Outrage, and will work with other 4-lines but with reduced capabilities. Maintenance: Keep all parts clean.

Works w/ what type of kite? 4-lines (5lines after upgrading)

MSRP: CC-SAFE: $310-$332 (no bar only) B-SAFE: $190-204 (no bar only)

Maintenance: Keep all parts clean.

www.windwing.com

Swimless relaunch? Not without upgrade.

Part of a line of products designed to excel in the surf, RRD's innovative Wave Bar System allows the rider to release wind

# of lines: 4

Spinning Leash? Not without upgrade.

# of lines: 4 (or 5 with upgrade)

www.oceanrodeo.com

Bar Sizes: 45cm, 50cm, 56cm

Special Instructions: Don't be shy when it comes to depowering the kite. It's designed to maintain steering abilities when completely depowered. If you're an experienced kiter, spend the extra bucks and buy the Cruise Control model (CC-SAFE). The extra performance is worth it.

Bar Sizes: 17”, 20”, 23”

MSRP: $260-290 ($160 bar only)

Windwing's new and innovative S.A.F.E. system (Simple, Aerodynamic, Four-line, Extended-range) is offered in two versions: CC-SAFE and B-SAFE. Each system features a 4-line design that allows for full depower of your kite and retention of full steering at all times. The CC model features an adjustable two-stage pulley power adjustment system so that when you take your hands off the bar it will remain in that sheeting position. You need to push the bar out to engage the SAFE system. The B model will automatically depower the kite when you take your hands off the bar. Other key features include: a spinnable leash system, highgrade hardware, a tapered composite shape with raised EVA grip, multiple safety releases, extended wind range of kite, and reduced time swimming to water relaunch.

Brian Wheeler is our editorial intern from Bellevue, WA. and wrote this review as a project for his journalism class. Brian spent weeks compiling this information and deserves an “A.” Check him out in the Exposed section. Brian is sponsored by North, Da Kine, Airtime Kite and Hammersurf apparel.

Nick Bowers shapes Squall Kiteboards and is a PASA certified instructor who has taught hundreds of kiteboarding lessons. He is sponsored by RRD, Dakine and Half Moon Outfitters. Check out www.squallboarding.com

Photos by Nick Bowers

Yard Sale

The winner of the best wipeout shot wins a Dakine Interval backpack.

Bill Blackman is about to take a vicious beating. Photo Michael Jordan

Sean Richman misses the loop. Photo Gabe Brown

Slippery grip! Photo courtesy of KPWT

This probably looks as bad as it feels. Photo Frederick Pattou

Franz Olry gets stuffed on the rocks at Cape Verde. Photo F-X Abonnenc

Ejected! Photo Paul Jav

Dylan Thompson and Nate Johnson learn a valuable lesson in space.

Snowkiting donuts! Photo Frederick Pattou

Photo Lance Koudele

Shannon Best goes head first into six inches of water. Photo Chris Vicari

76

Pete Goodrich splats at the mouth of Columbia River.

The fishing boat gets rolled onto shore in Africa.

Photo: Mark Bishop

Photo Ryan Riccitelli

Maintenance Parking Lot Bladder Repair

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By Jeff Howard

Many times we find ourselves with a slow leak or popped bladder from a twist. Some of these blowouts can be repaired on site. Some may be a little more difficult. The following is the step by step process on how to get the bladder out, repaired, and reinstalled in a short period of time at your riding area.

1

Step One: Extracting the Bladder • Determine which side of the bladder the leak is located on. • Lay the kite out flat, deflating the struts so the leading edge casing lays as flat as possible. • Using a flying line from your bar, attach one end to the end of the bladder with the leak, using a larks head knot. This will make reinstalling your bladder easy. • Locate the leading edge opening for removal and installation of the leading edge bladder. This is usually located near the center of the kite and will either be a zipper or Velcro. • Pull the bladder out through the opening until the bladder end is removed. Your flying line will be fed into the bladder casing from the tip of the kite as you do this. Make sure to tie off the line end to something while you are patching the bladder so that it doesn't get pulled back into the kite unintentionally.

2

Step Two: Repairing the Hole

Tie a larks head to the Pull the bladder out end of the bladder. through the opening.

• Slightly inflate the bladder to locate the hole. If you cannot locate the hole, you may need to remove the entire bladder and inflate it completely. • If the leak is 1/2” or smaller, the patches provided with your kite will work fine. If it's larger, you might need to purchase bigger patches from your dealer or repair center. The large patches can repair slices as big as 4”. • When installing a patch, make sure there are no wrinkles in the bladder and that the surface is flat, clean and dry. • If the leak is a pin hole, you can cut the patches provided into 4 pieces which will work fine. Bladder and canopy repair patches.

3

Step Three: Reinserting the Bladder • Once the holes are patched, deflate the bladder laying it flat with the seams to the sides. Then stack the bladder starting at the center pulling the tips toward you. • Tie a flying line back onto the end of the bladder and slowly pull the bladder back into the opening till the valve lines up with the hole in the casing. If you removed the bladder completely, repeat the process for the other side. • Close the main access, as well as the Velcro end closures at the tips, making sure the end of the bladder comes all the way to the end of the casing. If you have excess bladder at the ends, slightly shake the bladder so it drops back into the casing. Most bladders are made slightly oversize so they fill the area completely when inflated.

Lay bladder flat and apply patches.

• Inflate the leading edge, making sure everything inflates smoothly and that the bladder did not get twisted during installation.

Hints for success:

Feed the bladder back into kite.

■ Friends are very helpful in doing this process, so remember, being an ass on the water makes for no friends on the beach. ■ If you find a good size slice in your bladder, more than likely there is a cut in the casing, which needs immediate attention. If you are in the middle of nowhere and you need to ride, a cut in the casing up to 1” can to be temporarily repaired with Duct Tape. Make sure material is completely dry when applying the tape. ■ Most bladder rips are straight rips or cuts. If you can't do the repair using a patch, a good repair center can reseal the blowout with a sealer and save you a LOT of money. You don't always have to replace it. ■ Use common sense! If it doesn't look correct more than likely it's not. Close velcro at tips

78

Jeff Howard owns and operates Prokitesurf.com, the longest running kite repair center in the USA. Prokitesurf is also the first repair center to provide repairs guaranteed for the life of the kite.

Photos courtesy of www.prokitesurf.com

• If repairing a strut, use the same process. The only difference is that you attach your line to the valve and remove the bladder from the end of the strut.

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The best resource for schools, retailers, and associations in the U.S. and Caribbean.

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Idaho Ground Zero ..............................................(208) 26506714 South Valley Kite Sports ............................(208) 721-0526

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Best equipped Center in the Caribbean! • Rescue/Training Boat • Radio Helmets • 50% off lessons w/new gear Email: [email protected]

Web: www.kitexcite.com

Cabarete, Dominican Republic ..............................(809) 571-9509

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The best resource for schools, retailers, and associations in the U.S. and Caribbean. Washington Seattle Kiteboarding Center........................(206) 779-3272 Urban Surf..................................................(206) 545-9463 Wiley Water Ski ..........................................(206) 762-1300 Wisconsin Coontail Watersports ..................................(715) 385-0250 Fish Creek Kite Company ..........................(920) 868-3769 Guild Works................................................(608) 273-1817 Kite-Riders ................................................(608) 273-1817 Milwaukee Sailing School ..........................(414) 350-0702 North Winds Kiteboarding ..........................(414) 698-7012 Southport Rigging Company ......................(262) 652-5434 The Board Shop ........................................(262) 248-1703 Wyoming Hoback Sports............................................(303) 733-5335 Caribbean Bahamas Kiteboarding ..............................(242) 525-6151 Caracol Kiteboarding Center, DR ..................(809) 571-0680 Dare2Fly, DR ..............................................(809) 571-0282 Kite Park, DR..............................................(809) 571-9748 Kitexcite, DR ..............................................(809) 571-9509 ProKite, DR ................................................(809) 571-0880 Pura Vida, DR ............................................(809) 862-0485 Kite Antigua................................................(268) 727-3983 Kite St Croix ..............................................(340) 773-9890 Sky Riders, St. Lucia ..................................(758) 454-3418 Tornado Kite & Surf, St. Lucia ....................(758) 486-0545 Associations IL-Chicago Kitesurfing Group http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf-chicago/ IL-Kitesurfing Chicago http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf-chicago/ TX-Central Texas Kiteboarding Association www.centexkiteboarding.com CA-California Kiteboarding Assoc. http://www.calkite.org/ CA-Central Coast (CA) Kiteboarding Assoc. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/CCKA/

CA-San Diego Kiteboarding Assoc. http://www.sdka.org/ CA-San Francisco Kiteboarding Assoc. http://www.sfkitesurfing.com/ CA-Sherman Island Kiteboarding Assoc http://www.calkite.org/siko.htm CA-Southern California Kiteboarding Assoc. http://www.scka.org/ CO-Rocky Mountain Kiteboard Association http://www.TocoSports.com/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rmka FL-Florida Kitesurfing Association http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/FKSA/ FL-BKSA - Tampa Bay Kitesurfing Association http://www.tbksa.org/ GA-TIKA - Tybee Island http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/tikakiteboarding HI-Hawaii Kiteboarding Association http://www.hawaiikiteboardingassociation.org/ MN-Minesota Wind Info and Forum Group http://www.windancing.com/ OR-Columbia Gorge Kiteboarding http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CCKA VA-Virginia Kiteboarders Association http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VAKB/ WA-Seattle Kitesurfing Association http://www.seattlekitesurfing.org/index.htm Great Lakes Wind info and Forum gGroup http://www.lakawa.com/ MAKA- MidAtlantic Kitesurfing Association http://groups.yahoo.com/group/M-A-K-A/ Midwest Kiteboarding Assoc. http://www.midwestkiteboarding.com NE Kiters Association http://www.neka.us/ United States Kitesurfing Assoc. http://www.maui.net/~hotwind/uska.html

“World Cup Kiteboarding on a World Cup Beach” Email: [email protected] Web: www.caracolkiteboarding.com Cabarete, Dominican Republic ..............................(809) 571-0680

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